Neural Silhouette

Neural Silhouette (now called NeuralNet Art) fills the dark part of a picture with layers of “neurons” joined by connections. A connection is only drawn if it stays inside the shape, so the network ends up redrawing the outline of the picture. You can shape the result with a lot of settings, edit it by hand, animate it, and export it as PNG, SVG or video.

[Why you built it, and what you’ve made with it]

1. The picture becomes a pure black-and-white shape: every pixel darker than a threshold counts as inside.
2. You pick a direction for the network to flow, for example top to bottom.
3. Layers run across that flow. They sit where the outline changes, with even spacing and a little variety in between.
4. Neurons are placed along each layer where it crosses the shape.
5. Each neuron links to neurons in the next layers, but only along lines that stay inside the shape. That’s why the network traces the outline.

• Compose: build the shape from text and simple shapes instead of an image, with any local or Google font.
• Design: every setting, with a hint, a reset and undo.
• Edit: add, move and remove layers and neurons by hand. There’s mirror mode, flow regions with their own direction, groups with their own settings, and a pen and cutter for single connections.
• Animate: signals travel through the network, links light up and neurons fire. You can record it as a video.

[Why it’s paused, and what’s next]