After building the first shapes and logic in Processing, I started testing different colour variations, grid strengths, and placements of the forms. This helped me see how much variation the system could handle while still feeling like one identity. Through that process, I also started defining the brand colours more clearly.

After that, together with some help from AI I moved the system into the browser so I could experiment more freely and make the process more interactive. This became the main Trace tool: a system that translates map-based imagery into visuals that fit the identity.

Besides the main tool, I also made a few extra tools to explore how far the identity could stretch. One tool allowed me to use other kinds of image input within the same visual language. Another created a cut-out or “bite” effect in the image, which connected nicely to the idea of leaving a trace behind.

I also added a logo generator based on the same forms and logic as the rest of the system. This made it possible to create endless logo variations while keeping everything within the same identity. It helped make visible how each place could leave its own visual trace.

This week made clear to me that a generative identity becomes much stronger when the input is meaningful, and that a brand can keep producing new results without losing coherence when the rules are designed carefully.

Try out the Trace tools below. * doesn't work on mobile currently.