Tool Development

Circle-Tron 3000

I’ve always used tools like Illustrator and Cavalry to plan my paintings, but getting the exact composition I wanted was slow and tedious. I needed something lighter, faster, and built around the way I work, the only problem, I’m not a developer.

Agency/Brand | Fake-Up

Role | Concept, Creative Direction & Development

The Problem

Generative artists using tools like Processing and p5.js have always inspired me. I realized that’s what I was after, a simple, web-based tool that could generate my compositions and export SVG's I could refine later in Illustrator or use on my CNC or laser cutter.

The challenge: I didn’t know how to code — but I’m endlessly curious and love figuring things out

Light-Bulb Moment

I’d been using AI to brainstorm and refine creative ideas.
 Then it clicked, could AI help me build the software I was imagining?


The answer:  Fuck Yes!

I explored different ways to create lightweight web apps and decided to use p5.js, the same framework many generative artists I admire use. With ChatGPT as my coding partner, I started asking basic questions, testing ideas, and the journey began.

The Process

Working with ChatGPT inside the p5.js environment was surprisingly natural. I started simple, drawing random circles on the screen, then progressively added the features I needed, mirroring the controls I’d built in Cavalry.

When I ran into errors or roadblocks, I simply pasted the issue back into ChatGPT, refined the prompt, and within a few iterations, had a solution.

The first version came together over a weekend. Over the next couple of weeks, I refined, added, and removed features until the tool felt truly mine.

The Result

The current version is exactly what I need — built for my workflow. It gets me about 90 percent of the way to a finished composition, which I then fine-tune in Illustrator before bringing it to canvas.

The best part is speed and flexibility, I can iterate quickly, explore endless variations, and evolve the tool anytime I need new features.

JeffLevine.FakeUp@gmail.com