NOISE
THE CHALLENGE
Research-Led Identity System, Generative Design, Cymatics
The goal was to develop a visual identity that could capture the structure of sound—not just as an aesthetic, but as a system. I wanted to explore sound as a structured vibration, bridging acoustic physics, sacred geometry, and sensory experience. The real challenge was finding a way to make sound seen—to build a visual language from raw frequency data that felt coherent, dynamic, and emotionally resonant. It wasn’t about translating sound into graphics for the sake of it; it was about creating something that felt like sound at its core.
Constructed entirely
from machine field
recordings.
Visualised.
Deconstructed.
Pressed.
THE APPROACH
I started with analogue cymatic experiments—sending sound through water, salt, and ink to see how it physically shaped the materials. I filmed everything in slow motion, capturing the organic patterns and geometries that naturally formed. This gave me a real, tactile foundation to build on.
Alongside this, I recorded magnetic fields using contact microphones—capturing electromagnetic hums from machines, cables, and infrastructure. These subtle recordings added another layer to the sound library: the unseen, often unheard vibrations of
our environment.
From there, I built a generative system in TouchDesigner that could interpret sound data in real time. Frequency and amplitude weren’t just inputs—they became behaviours, shaping visuals that responded like living forms. I refined these moments in After Effects, turning raw output into something more deliberate
and emotive.
I designed the typography and patterns to behave like sound—letters that pulse, contract, vibrate. The pattern system followed harmonic ratios and shifted slowly over time, never static, always in motion.
THE OUTCOME
The result is a motion-driven identity that feels alive. Whether it’s a poster, a label, or a piece of type—it carries rhythm. Sometimes it literally moves. Other times, the structure implies movement through symmetry, repetition, or tension.
It’s a mix of technical precision and emotional tone. I intentionally kept imperfections in—grain, blur, texture—because that’s part of how we experience sound in real life. It’s not always clean. It’s felt.
Vinyl Packaging:
For the vinyl, I treated every element—cover, insert, label—as a visual echo of the audio. Using cymatic patterns and harmonic geometry, the layouts are built to feel like they're still vibrating, as if the visuals are caught mid-resonance. Each piece becomes an artefact of the
sound—frozen, but full
of motion.
Digital Visuals and Experiments:
I created 30 short experimental visuals using TouchDesigner and After Effects. Some responded directly to real-time audio, others were driven by motion data like mouse movement—bringing a bit of unpredictability into the system.
I layered in textures from the analogue tests—salt crystals, water ripples, hand-drawn marks—to reintroduce warmth and tactility. That contrast between the digital and the handmade became central to the identity. It’s not about perfection; it’s
about presence.
Typography and Patterns:
Typography was treated like sound—expanding, compressing, oscillating. Some pieces were kinetic posters, others functioned inside web interfaces or installations. The pattern system worked to a set of harmonic ratios, subtly shifting over time—like a background hum or pulse that gives structure without demanding attention.
Promo Visualiser + Graduation
Installation:
To tie it all together, I created an immersive installation for my final show. It centred around a visualiser synced to the vinyl’s soundscape. Projections, reactive audio, and the physical record itself turned the visual identity into a space you could step into. It was about closing the loop—from recording and analysis to design and experience—letting others physically feel the system I’d been living inside.
