xpQzl’s MASSIVE_PAINTER
Video output using the seedphrase of the collector ‘edmarola’ (sound on!)
Interactive generativity
MASSIVE_PAINTER is an experimental audiovisual tool that reimagines the creative process through interactive, procedurally generated art. Developed by xpQzl, a self-described pixel experimenter, this project offers 128 editions available on Teia, each paired with a unique 1/1 output created using a collector’s wallet address as a seed.
xpQzl is a Brazilian artist exploring digital art, glitch aesthetics and experimental music since 2013. Although he started studying 3D in 2019, his creative explorations have always revolved around the intersection of extreme control and algorithmic chaos. He is passionate about procedural and generative art, yet what truly fascinates him is the fusion of figurative elements with the unpredictability of mathematical patterns.
The xpQzL project began during the early days of hic et nunc, and in many ways, it represents a convergence of the artistic practices xpQzl has cultivated over the years. His initial interest in digital and 3D art was fueled by a desire to work with games and animation for music videos.
Still from MASSIVE_PAINTER
Digital playground
MASSIVE_PAINTER transforms your screen into a dynamic three-dimensional canvas. Through an algorithm that generates 3D meshes arranged within an XYZ grid matrix, the project enables collectors to witness art being constructed in real time. The tool’s interface, reminiscent of a retro ‘famiclone’ console (an imitation of the original Nintendo Family Computer), invites users to experiment with a wide range of intuitive controls: buttons and sliders that allow for the customization of colors, adjustment of parameters, and randomization of values. The result? An art-making process that is constantly surprising you.
The interaction dynamics
Two principal modes drive the experience:
Drawer Mode: Here, the 3D grid becomes a malleable space. By engaging a combination of input keys and mouse controls, users can actively steer the creation process, adjusting parameters in real time to produce their own ‘paintings’ within the mesh matrix. This mode is very immediate, creating a direct result from the drawer to the machine.
Random Movement Mode: In this mode, the tool assumes creative control itself. An autonomous algorithm takes over, randomly moving through the matrix, tweaking settings, and generating a continuous array of outputs. With this mode, there is an inherent unpredictability for the viewer, who can ask for a new ‘life drawing’ over and over again.
A defining characteristic of MASSIVE_PAINTER is therefore its human-machine collaboration character. The project encourages users to oscillate between direct intervention in ‘Drawer Mode’ and the algorithm-driven spontaneity of ‘Random Movement Mode’. This partnership results in artworks that are co-authored by both the creator and the machine.
GIF from MASSIVE_PAINTER
The audio-visual synergy
Adding another layer, MASSIVE_PAINTER incorporates what the artist calls the MASSIVE ALGORITHM. This feature introduces a generative music engine that produces a real-time musical composition, drawing on influences from old-school jungle and drum-and-bass. The rhythmic drum of the audio component breaks dynamically and influences the visual parameters of the artwork. This creates a synesthetic interaction between sound and image.
For xpQzl, music has always been central to his artistic approach. Even when it plays a secondary role for the viewer, it remains fundamental in shaping his work. He sometimes employs sound waves to generate animation curves, while at other times, he leverages animation data to modulate sound synthesis parameters. His work thus explores a continuous dialogue between sound, visuals and algorithmic processes, balancing control and unpredictability.
Still from MASSIVE_PAINTER
Technical underpinning
MASSIVE_PAINTER is built on a fork of ktorn’s evolving artwork contract. This structure allows for future updates and feature expansions and ensures that interactives benefit from a continuously refined experience. Developed using the Godot Engine and powered by a mesh library crafted with Blender’s Geometry Nodes, the tool is designed to be robust and adaptable. This experimental project allowed xpQzl to refine his entire creative process, spanning software development and final execution within a game engine. Comprehensive documentation, including the mapping of input controls (for example, using LeftClick + Drag or WASD for movement, and keys like E, Q, and R for zooming and randomization), is available on MASSIVE_PAINTER’s GitHub repository.
Evolving experience
All in all, MASSIVE_PAINTER is a true exploration of interactive generativity. For collectors, it offers an evolving experience that is mathematically grounded and richly expressive at the same time: technical yet playful. In embracing deterministic control and the serendipity of random movement together, xpQzl shows how a collaborative endeavor occurs when all your interactions contribute to a living work.
Co-create with MASSIVE_PAINTER on Teia
Still from MASSIVE_PAINTER