Amber Laboratory

Bubbles rise through a warm flask.

Astra Kinetic · every moving shape in it is evaluated by the rule, not drawn · 256×192 grid · 48-step seamless loop

The rule that makes it move

This is the whole thing. Phluxel runs it on every cell, every step — the animation is what happens when you repeat it. BASE is the painted scene, so the rule reads the artwork instead of its own output and never smears.

// Astra scene. _sx/_sy rescale the 256x192 coordinates to any grid size.
PARAM _motion=1
LET _sx = 256/GW
LET _sy = 192/GH
LET _p={FRAC,TICK*_motion/48}
LET _t=_p*6.283185307179586
LET _r=BASE.R
LET _g=BASE.G
LET _b=BASE.B
LET _bp0={FRAC,_p+0.0}
LET _bx0=102+3*{SIN,_t+0}
LET _by0=133-49*_bp0
LET _m1=((X*_sx-(_bx0))*(X*_sx-(_bx0))+(Y*_sy-(_by0))*(Y*_sy-(_by0))<4) ? 1 : 0
LET _r1=_m1 ? 234 : _r
LET _g1=_m1 ? 210 : _g
LET _b1=_m1 ? 146 : _b
LET _bp1={FRAC,_p+0.1111111111111111}
LET _bx1=119+3*{SIN,_t+1}
LET _by1=133-49*_bp1
LET _m2=((X*_sx-(_bx1))*(X*_sx-(_bx1))+(Y*_sy-(_by1))*(Y*_sy-(_by1))<9) ? 1 : 0
LET _r2=_m2 ? 234 : _r1
LET _g2=_m2 ? 210 : _g1
LET _b2=_m2 ? 146 : _b1
LET _bp2={FRAC,_p+0.2222222222222222}
LET _bx2=136+3*{SIN,_t+2}
LET _by2=133-49*_bp2
LET _m3=((X*_sx-(_bx2))*(X*_sx-(_bx2))+(Y*_sy-(_by2))*(Y*_sy-(_by2))<4) ? 1 : 0
LET _r3=_m3 ? 234 : _r2
LET _g3=_m3 ? 210 : _g2
LET _b3=_m3 ? 146 : _b2
LET _bp3={FRAC,_p+0.3333333333333333}
LET _bx3=153+3*{SIN,_t+3}
LET _by3=133-49*_bp3
LET _m4=((X*_sx-(_bx3))*(X*_sx-(_bx3))+(Y*_sy-(_by3))*(Y*_sy-(_by3))<9) ? 1 : 0
LET _r4=_m4 ? 234 : _r3
LET _g4=_m4 ? 210 : _g3
LET _b4=_m4 ? 146 : _b3
LET _bp4={FRAC,_p+0.4444444444444444}
LET _bx4=102+3*{SIN,_t+4}
LET _by4=133-49*_bp4
LET _m5=((X*_sx-(_bx4))*(X*_sx-(_bx4))+(Y*_sy-(_by4))*(Y*_sy-(_by4))<4) ? 1 : 0
LET _r5=_m5 ? 234 : _r4
LET _g5=_m5 ? 210 : _g4
LET _b5=_m5 ? 146 : _b4
LET _bp5={FRAC,_p+0.5555555555555556}
LET _bx5=119+3*{SIN,_t+5}
LET _by5=133-49*_bp5
LET _m6=((X*_sx-(_bx5))*(X*_sx-(_bx5))+(Y*_sy-(_by5))*(Y*_sy-(_by5))<9) ? 1 : 0
LET _r6=_m6 ? 234 : _r5
LET _g6=_m6 ? 210 : _g5
LET _b6=_m6 ? 146 : _b5
LET _bp6={FRAC,_p+0.6666666666666666}
LET _bx6=136+3*{SIN,_t+6}
LET _by6=133-49*_bp6
LET _m7=((X*_sx-(_bx6))*(X*_sx-(_bx6))+(Y*_sy-(_by6))*(Y*_sy-(_by6))<4) ? 1 : 0
LET _r7=_m7 ? 234 : _r6
LET _g7=_m7 ? 210 : _g6
LET _b7=_m7 ? 146 : _b6
LET _bp7={FRAC,_p+0.7777777777777778}
LET _bx7=153+3*{SIN,_t+7}
LET _by7=133-49*_bp7
LET _m8=((X*_sx-(_bx7))*(X*_sx-(_bx7))+(Y*_sy-(_by7))*(Y*_sy-(_by7))<9) ? 1 : 0
LET _r8=_m8 ? 234 : _r7
LET _g8=_m8 ? 210 : _g7
LET _b8=_m8 ? 146 : _b7
LET _bp8={FRAC,_p+0.8888888888888888}
LET _bx8=102+3*{SIN,_t+8}
LET _by8=133-49*_bp8
LET _m9=((X*_sx-(_bx8))*(X*_sx-(_bx8))+(Y*_sy-(_by8))*(Y*_sy-(_by8))<4) ? 1 : 0
LET _r9=_m9 ? 234 : _r8
LET _g9=_m9 ? 210 : _g8
LET _b9=_m9 ? 146 : _b8
LET _m10=(Y*_sy>133 & Y*_sy<136 & {ABS,X*_sx-128}<13*{ABS,{COS,_t}}+2) ? 1 : 0
LET _r10=_m10 ? 240 : _r9
LET _g10=_m10 ? 223 : _g9
LET _b10=_m10 ? 181 : _b9
A=255
R=_r10
G=_g10
B=_b10

The coordinates are written for the 256×192 canvas this was painted on; _sx/_sy rescale them, so the same rule works on a smaller grid too. Download the script ↓

Make it yourself

1. Open Phluxel, click Browse Starters and pick Amber Laboratory — that loads the painted scene and this rule together.
2. Press play, then drag the _motion knob while it runs. You never have to stop and restart.
3. Paint over the scene, or drop the rule on your own artwork — it reads whatever is underneath.
4. Export a seamless loop as GIF, APNG, MP4, a PNG sequence, or a sprite sheet.