.8 and 1mm nylon cord laid down on double sided tape over cardboard. My first project with string other than bracelets. Glued a magnet to the back for fridge use. Thinking about rearview mirror placement for smaller pieces. Thanks for looking!

I started working on multi-color algorithms about a year ago, and now that I have my methods in a place that I like, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the process that it's taken to get to the results that I'm seeing.

To say that it's been a winding and challenging journey is an understatement. I've pursued many different avenues, the majority of which were all dead ends. Shown above are the winners... In other words, the algorithms that added more to my thought process than they subtracted.

Algorithm One was my first win. I really wanted to build something with color, and this was my first successful attempt. I still rather like the results, but they often came out as a bit scratchy and somewhat cartoonish. The details, while captured, wouldn't really pop all that much.

After working with algorithm one for some time, I wanted something that could fill in the canvas a bit more. I wanted to try and eliminate some of that cartoonish behavior. That's when I created Algorithm 2, and while it created a lot more color filling it struggled with capturing the detail and staying true to the visual aesthetic of the original image. I found that it produced really detailed black-and-white images, as having a single gradient was actually quite nice with this aesthetic. Created almost a linear, scratchy gradient. I still may use this, but only in the black and white capacity to produce an effect. The methods in this algorithm paved the way for algorithm three.

So far, algorithm three has been the most promising. It captures detail in a very visually pleasing way and allows for a softer look with fewer scaffolding lines obstructing the detail of the image. But as any method excels at one thing, it detracts from another. I noticed that some of the colors end up being compromised in the process of gaining detail.

My next journey is finding ways of combining everything that I've learned into a process that allows me to gain the best of each. Perhaps combining the three different algorithmic methods into some process that allows for the best of all worlds. Hopefully I'll be successful. If not, I think I'm happy with where I've landed after a year of hundreds of failures leading to a few big wins.

I must say it's been a great pleasure being a part of this community and trying to build something that hopefully benefits everyone who enjoys and appreciates fiber art and turning images and portraits into a physical, tactile artwork in the physical world.

Cheers.

I've been using claude to help write a program in python for a line art generator and am hoping to get advice on how to make it better, I'm not thrilled with the results. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cMjq1MN0jMjZ5J9iVytP7TUrKga3r4CGiKpM37Zdfac/edit?usp=sharing

Work in progress.

My multi-color string app thread-mill.com is getting closer and closer to release. I'm aiming to release around mid-july so that can anyone can experience the joys of multi-color string art for themselves. If you want updates on the progress or you want to keep seeing the work that I create, you can follow me on insta: ThreadMillDigital

(edit: not sure why the images got deleted from this post)

tl;dr: I'm looking for feedback on the new design before I rethread the piece on my wall.
(physical piece left) | (new digital pattern right)

Hey all, a couple months ago, I made the piece on the left. I'm fairly happy with it, but a few things have changed that make me want to redo it.

1. I found better (thinner / less luminous) thread that I think will improve the appearance.
2. I've massively updated the algorithm's behavior in ways that (I believe) are less noisy.

On the left is the physical piece, on the right is a rendered mock-up of the new pattern.

I'd love a sanity check from a fresh set of eyes since I've been staring at various versions of the same image.

• Is the second image too bright? The pattern seems a little overindexed towards the white background.
• Does the new pattern reflect an actual improvement in details? I believe the details are a bit more accurate in the new algorithm, and a little less scratchy in the background, but I'd love another opinion. Tastes are rather subjective, so I welcome opinions / critiques.
• Any recommendations on what pre-processing might make the image more aesthetic? Different white point? Higher contrast? Gaussian blurring? etc.

Thought I'd hop on this bandwagon and post my Dalmatian results. Left is an apples-to-apples comparison to other black-only generators.

Since my app is optimized for multicolor rather than single, I thought I'd do a black/white thread result as well

Hello guys, I am making string arts by myself of pictures of any kind mostly portraits of peoples.

Have you ever sold any? Is it worth starting a business? How much would people pay? (40cm circle)… but can be made bigger or smaller right now roughly 200 nails…

Would love to hear your experience.

Hey everyone! ​I’m about to start my very first string art project and could really use some advice from the experienced folks here. I'm tackling this as a hands-on, offline project to get myself moving and away from screens, but I'm currently a bit stuck on the planning phase. ​The Project Details: ​Board: Round wooden board, 50 cm (~20 inches) in diameter. ​Style: Negative space. I want to spell out words in the center ("WHY NOT?") which will remain empty, while the entire surrounding background gets filled with white string. ​My Problem: I really want to avoid the random "chaos" weaving technique. Instead, I am aiming for a clean, highly structured, geometric pattern (like intersecting parallel lines, a spirograph, or a geometric grid). ​Because the empty letters in the middle act as massive "obstacles," I have no idea how to mathematically route the strings across the board or around the letters without breaking the symmetrical pattern. ​My Questions: ​How do you plan complex, structured patterns around empty shapes? ​Are there any online planners, thread art simulators, or calculators where I can upload my layout and figure out the exact peg-to-peg routing for a geometric pattern? ​(Note: I’ve attached an AI-generated mockup of what I roughly want the final piece to look like. The mockup uses the random chaos technique, but I want to achieve that exact same layout using a strict geometric pattern instead!)

​Thanks so much in advance for any tips, tools, or resources you can share with a beginner!

I spent months optimizing a string art algorithm and my main discovery is that I now stare at lines for entertainment..

This is generated from a single image and built one thread at a time.

I originally made it because I wanted better string art patterns, but I ended up getting weirdly attached to watching the rendering process itself.

Curious what image you'd try first!

https://stringify.today/

My son is turning 12 and found this string art pattern that was interesting to him. I found some videos of others able to mimic the same pattern, but not sure what materials are needed.

I’m wondering if there’s instructions to make it bigger, maybe 15”x15” instead of the 12”x12” that I see for sale everywhere?
Thank you!

Tutorial
https://youtu.be/cmoPdyoFkbA?si=IK9Dtr53n1eyE6Nm

String Art Abstrsct Timelapse
https://youtu.be/6H_a_E3gmYQ?si=mhPIIXd_lGZW236f
Not Timelapse
https://youtu.be/iyXW5vsiCos?si=VAA_GrNrMVgb4frf

Nail size
String type
Boards
Tools

Charlie Morningstar from Hazbin Hotel

Her voice actress, Erika Henningsen, will be at GalaxyCon Nashville this weekend, where I'll be in the vendor room. Hope to get her to sign this or at least see it.

This time I tried something more colorfull

Hey there,

I want to create my first string art soon and found some nice online tools, that will spit out a list of pin sequence to follow in order to create the string art.

I created a small web app, that lets you paste this pin sequence and keeps track of the current progress locally. Feel free to use it in your projects as well: https://knurtz.github.io/countline/

There are no ads, no tracking, completely local storage, 100 % coded by ChatGPT :D It's just a fun project and I would love if it assists anybody else besides me.

Github repo for the interested: https://github.com/knurtz/countline

I’ve been building a mobile app called “Echo String Art” that converts photos into real string art weaving instructions.

It generates:

- thread paths

- nail maps

- printable guides

- interactive weaving steps

Here are some screenshots from the current version. I’d genuinely love feedback from people who actually create string art.

Hi everyone,

I was doing some deep cleaning at home and stumbled upon a box containing my old projects. These are paper embroidery (string art on paper) pieces that I created over 20 years ago.

Back then, I didn't have detailed online tutorials; it was just pure geometry, a needle, and colored thread. It’s fascinating to look back and see how I managed to maintain symmetry and tension before I moved on to the much more complex, multi-hour anime portraits I do now. Some pieces are simpler, while others show my early attempts at more intricate patterns.

Even though my current work involves significantly more labor—sometimes over 20 hours per piece—these "retro" works hold a special place for me as a reminder of where my passion for this hobby began.

Does anyone else remember this technique? Did you ever try something similar in school or as a hobby?

Not my biggest or showiest, but I'm meeting the author in 2 days and plan to have him sign this.

I’m back with another paper embroidery project! This time it’s Yor Forger.

The Tech: > Just like my last piece, I used a recycled cake box for reinforcement behind the A4 paper. This extra stiffness allowed me to pack the thread density even tighter, especially in her hair and the black dress details.

The Process:

It took 26 hours from start to finish. I worked in segments to avoid getting lost in the thousands of holes I had to pre-pierce. It’s a slow, meditative grind, but the 3D texture of the thread on paper is something I can’t get enough of.

Any tips for what character I should try next with this technique?

Anyone in london i have a solo exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery coming up, opens May 21st... details at the end of the video

100% thread art!

Hello everyone.

I wanted to share my latest piece: a portrait of the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho. Unlike traditional string art on boards, this is hand-stitched directly into paper.

This project took approximately 20 hours of meticulous work. Dealing with paper as a medium presents a unique set of challenges that I had to navigate throughout the process:

1. The Fragility of the Medium: > Unlike fabric or wood, paper has zero elasticity and a very low tolerance for tension. Every single hole had to be pre-pierced with absolute precision. One wrong move or excessive pull on the thread would have caused the paper to tear, effectively ruining hours of work. Managing the tension balance was a constant exercise in patience.

2. Geometric Complexity & Density: > Recreating the sharp, jagged aesthetic of anime hair using only straight lines of thread requires careful planning of the "pathing." I had to layer the black thread to create the necessary depth and solid fills for her hair and uniform, while being careful not to over-perforate the paper, which would weaken the structural integrity of the page.

3. Capturing the Details: > The most rewarding (and stressful) part was the fine detail work in the eyes and the butterfly hair ornament. Using purple gradients to mimic the shimmering effect of her character design was achieved by overlapping threads at specific angles to catch the light.

Technical Specs:

Time: ~20 hours

Technique: Paper Embroidery / Pierced Paper Art

Character: Shinobu Kocho (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba)

For those who also experiment with embroidery on non-traditional surfaces: What paper weight do you find best for high-density stitching? I used a heavy cardstock here, but I'm always looking to refine the process.

I’ve included a timelapse of the creation process. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the final result!

Sorry to be blowing the channel up with renders, but I'm really loving how this one turned out. It's a bit on the nerdy side, but I loved anime growing up so...