Learn to Paint with Mathematics

Inigo Quilez
5 HN recommenders · recommended in 5 months, 2014–2025
YouTube
191K views · 12 years ago · tutorial · intermediate · evergreen

Inigo Quilez builds an image from scratch with code, writing a simple shader step by step so the picture emerges from mathematical formulas. It is an introductory entry in his series on procedural graphics.

HN people point beginners to it as the most approachable of Inigo Quilez's videos and as a first step on the way into shaders.

“to see a simple shader being built gradually”
Shaders & real-time visualsGenerative art
#shaders#proceduralgraphics#inigoquilez#shadertoy#mathart

6 comments from Hacker News

m
@modernerd2025 · in “Dissecting "Tiny Clouds" shadertoy (2017)”
Yes, but you can learn it! 1. Get inspired, get motivated. Shaders like these are breathtaking (and well-commented): link 2. Watch "Learn to paint with mathematics" to see a simple shader being built gradually: ▶ this video 3. Work through link
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j
@joenot4432023 · in “Show HN: Unknown Pleasures, a tiny web experiment with WebGL”
link is what I'm talking about. It's not necessarily a from-zero introduction, but it's a nice resource. ▶ this video is probably the the most beginner friendly. link is another great place to start. Good luck and enjoy!
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d
@djmips2022 · in “Source code for 4kb demoscene production “Elevated” released (2016)”
Thankfully for the graphics the very person who did the graphics in this Elevated demo is very generous with their time. Inigo Quilez has many instructional videos on his channel in how to code procedural graphics from the very beginner to the advanced. I link a couple of examples. You can watch the more advanced video even as a beginner but trying yourself is easier at the beginner level. Beginner. ▶ this video Advanced. link Website. link
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s
@selvan2020 · in “The Principles of Painting with Maths”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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r
@rinesh2014 · in “Formulanimations tutorial: the principles of painting with maths”
Submitted the video to Hacker News.
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d
@djmips2025 · in “Programming SDF animations of Rick and Morty”
Very nice post! For a playlist on topicon YouTube from Inigo Quilez ▶ this video
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