Glitching can be achieved in many different ways, including by opening an image file in a text editor and making random changes to the data, or by opening an image file in something like Audacity and running sound filters on the data.
The code below is by Mathieu Guimond-Morganti, and can be found on Github here. His script allows you to take an input picture file (jpg) and specify parameters by which the data in that file will be manipulated. It works by isolating rows and columns of the data and doing a broken sort of the data (see also this).
Run the code below to see it glitch this photograph of the Euphronios Krater:
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""
Prism Sort glitch algorithm v0.1.3.
Copyright 2016 Mathieu Guimond-Morganti
This program is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
Usage: %(interpreter)s %(scriptfile)s inputfile [options]
-a, --angle=NUM : rotates the glitch effect by this many degrees
(default: 0, i.e. vertical)
-b, --blocks=NUM : number of blocks (default: 9)
affects the overlapping of the glitch effect
(higher = more intense)
-d, --dither : makes result more noisy, and less blocky
-f, --fuzzyedges : in combination with a rotation, will leave a fuzzy black
border around the image
-h, --help : displays this help message
-H, --horizontal : processes the image horizontally (same as -a 90)
-i, --intensity=NUM : intensity (recommended: -2~2; default: 0)
will not go lower than (3 - number of blocks)
-I, --interpol=NUM : rotation interpolation (default: 0 = bicubic, sharp)
(1 = bilinear, smooth; 2 = nearest, aliased)
-J, --jpeg=NUM : saves as JPEG at the specified quality
(recommended: 75~95)
-n, --numoutput=NUM : number of output files to be generated (default: 1)
the output files are in the format:
<originalfilename>_out<number>.<ext>
files are overwritten without warning!
-P, --png : saves as PNG (default)
-r, --resize=NUM : resize factor (e.g. 2 divides side by sqrt(2); optional)
-s, --sound : play alert sound when done (silent by default)
-V, --vertical : processes the image vertically (default; same as -a 0)
"""
# Images glitched using this algorithm should be licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0
# as well, with proper attribution, as I believe they constitute
# "adapted material" as covered under the terms of the license.
# The reason for this humble request is to encourage people to further
# experiment with this algorithm or its variants, as well as remix
# other people's artwork.
#
# I don't want this project to be solely "open source";
# I want it to be "open art" as well.
# If no one credits the use of this algorithm, fewer people will use it.
# And a world without glitch art would be sad :'(
#
# Finally, if you feel generous or you want to get in touch,
# my email is guimondmm at gmail dot com
from __future__ import print_function # prevent Python 2 crash, unsupported!
from random import random, randrange
from math import sqrt, radians as rad, cos, sin
from platform import system
import sys
import getopt
import subprocess
try:
BOLD = "\x1B[0;1m" # ANSI escape code for bold or bright text
NORM = "\x1B[0m" # ANSI escape code to reset text to normal
# verify which version of Python is running the script
assert(sys.version_info.major >= 3)
except AssertionError:
print(BOLD+"\nThis script requires Python 3."+NORM)
print("Install it (if needed), then try the command: "+BOLD,
"py -3" if system() == "Windows" else "python3",
__file__+NORM+"\n")
sys.exit(69)
try:
# check for prerequisites: Python 3.x, the Pillow module,
# and its dependencies ($ pip3 install Pillow)
# http://pillow.readthedocs.org/en/3.1.x/installation.html
from PIL import Image, ImageOps
except ImportError:
# try to install Pillow automatically
print("\nThis Python 3 script requires the "+BOLD+"Pillow"+NORM+" module "
"and its dependencies.\nPlease wait...", end="")
try:
# install is the output of the command in bytes
install = subprocess.Popen(["pip3", "install", "Pillow"],
stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
except FileNotFoundError as e: # if pip3 is not in PATH
install = bytes(str(e), "ascii")
if b'Successfully installed' in install:
print("\r"+BOLD+"Pillow was automatically installed."+NORM,
"\nPlease try running the script again.\n")
else: # manual instructions
print("\r"+BOLD+"You need to install Pillow manually."+NORM)
print("Try the command: "+BOLD, "pip3 install Pillow"+NORM)
print("or visit"+BOLD,
"http://pillow.readthedocs.org/en/3.1.x/installation.html"
"\n"+NORM)
sys.exit(69)
# default parameters
IMAGE_WIDTH, IMAGE_HEIGHT = None, None # will be initialized later
RESIZE_FACT = 1 # each dimension will be resized by sqrt(RESIZE_FACT)
BLOCKS = 9 # size of a block is each dimension of the picture divided by this
NUM_OUTPUT = 1 # how many different images to output
DITHER = False # randomizes the glitch so it looks noisier but less blocky
INTENSITY = 0 # tweaks the probability of line corruption
ROTATION = 0 # defaults to vertical
JPEG = None # save as .jpg if 0 < JPEG < 100
FUZZY_EDGES = False # if True, don't crop the output as much
INTERPOLATION = 0 # for rotation; 0 = bicubic, 1 = bilinear, 2 = nearest
BELL = '' # silent by default
L = [] # empty list
def printHelp():
"""Print the script's usage message, formatted from docstring, and exit."""
print(__doc__ % {'interpreter': 'py -3' if system() == 'Windows'
else 'python3',
'scriptfile': __file__})
sys.exit(64)
def openImage(file, resize=1):
"""Open an image file, and resize it as needed.
Args:
file (str): the relative path of the image
resize (int): a resize factor for the image's dimensions (default: 1)
Returns:
Image, int, int: an Image object, its width, its height
"""
try:
image = Image.open("pic01.jpg")
except FileNotFoundError:
print("No such file: '"+file+"'. Please double-check the command-line "
"syntax.")
sys.exit(66)
# because don't want to manipulate JPEGs directly:
image = image.convert('RGB')
if resize != 1: # makes image smaller for speed
image = image.resize((int(image.size[0]/sqrt(resize)),
int(image.size[1]/sqrt(resize))),
Image.LANCZOS)
width, height = int(image.size[0]), int(image.size[1])
return image, width, height
def probability(p):
"""Determine if a certain event occurs.
Args:
p (float): the probability of that event
Returns:
bool.
"""
return True if random() < p else False
def partialSort(numList):
"""Sort a list partially and randomly.
Args:
numList (list): the list to sort
Returns:
list: the partially sorted list
"""
ls = list(numList)
a = randrange(len(ls) - 1) # lower bound
b = randrange(a + 1, len(ls)) # upper bound
if probability(0.5):
if probability(0.95):
ls = ls[0:a] + sorted(ls[a:b]) + ls[b:] # middle
else:
ls = sorted(ls[0:b]) + ls[b:] # beginning
else:
if probability(0.95):
ls = ls[0:a] + list(reversed(sorted(ls[a:b]))) + ls[b:] # middle
else:
ls = ls[0:a] + list(reversed(sorted(ls[a:]))) # end
return ls
def progress(counter=0, total=None, done=False):
"""Display a rudimentary progression counter.
Args:
counter (int): keeps track of progression (default: 0)
total (int): the maximum number of iterations (default: None)
done (bool): whether a task is done or not (default: False)
"""
if done:
print('.' * 10, "Done!", end="")
print("" if not L
else " \U0001F60A\x1B[0m"
if system() == "\x44\x61\x72\x77\x69\x6E"
else " \x3A\x29\x1B[0m")
elif total is not None:
print("" if not L else "\x1B["+str(31+(counter-1) % 6)+";1m", end="")
print(counter, "/", total) # fraction
else:
out = int((counter/2)/(IMAGE_WIDTH if IMAGE_WIDTH >= IMAGE_HEIGHT
else IMAGE_HEIGHT) * 10)
print(out * '.' + (10 - out) * ' ', end="\r") # animated dots
def pixSort(image, startW=0, startH=0,
endW=IMAGE_WIDTH, endH=IMAGE_HEIGHT, p=0.8):
"""Glitch a region of an image using a purposefully broken pixel sort.
Args:
image (Image): an Image object
startW (int): starting W-coordinate of the region (default: 0)
startH (int): starting H-coordinate of the region (default: 0)
endW (int): ending W-coordinate of the region (default: IMAGE_WIDTH)
endH (int): ending H-coordinate of the region (default: IMAGE_HEIGHT)
p (float): the probability of a line being glitched (default: 0.8)
Returns:
Image: the glitched Image object
"""
for y in range(startH, endH): # for each line of the pic
progress(y)
if probability(p):
line = []
for x in range(startW, endW):
try:
# make list of every pixel RGB value on the line as tuple
line.append(image.getpixel((y, x)))
except IndexError: # if out of bounds of the picture
break
# backup of the line before sort, to unglitch a channel later
originalLine = list(line)
# if we broke out of the previous loop we might get out of bounds
try:
line = partialSort(line)
except ValueError:
pass # My code is bad, and I should feel bad.
# restore one of the original channels at random (looks colourful)
if probability(p * 0.75):
colour = randrange(3) # 0 = R, 1 = G, 2 = B
for px in range(len(line)):
line[px] = ((originalLine[px][0]
if colour == 0 else line[px][0]),
(originalLine[px][1]
if colour == 1 else line[px][1]),
(originalLine[px][2]
if colour == 2 else line[px][2]))
# make the actual changes to the image object
for x in range(len(line)):
try:
image.putpixel((y + (randrange(1, 3)
if probability(0.1) and DITHER
else 1),
startW + x),
(line[x]))
except IndexError: # out of bounds of the picture
break
return image
def glitch(image, blocks=9, rotation=0):
"""Glitch an Image object at a specific angle and intensity.
Args:
image (Image): an Image object
blocks (int): affects size/intensity of overlapping blocks (default: 9)
rotation (int): an angle of rotation (default: 0)
Returns:
Image: the glitched Image object
"""
# the script works with overlapping rectangles of the following size:
wBlock, hBlock = int(IMAGE_WIDTH/blocks), int(IMAGE_HEIGHT/blocks)
# rotate the picture
if rotation != 0:
image = image.rotate(rotation,
resample=(Image.BILINEAR
if INTERPOLATION == 1
else Image.NEAREST
if INTERPOLATION == 2
else Image.BICUBIC),
expand=True)
if rotation == 0 or abs(rotation) == 90: # adds a black border
image = ImageOps.expand(image,
border=(wBlock if wBlock >= hBlock
else hBlock),
fill=0)
# glitch loop
currentHeight = 0
# the loops continue a bit outside the original image's bounds
# in order to produce the distinctive "fuzzy edges" look,
# hence the lengthy conditionals.
while (currentHeight + hBlock * 2/3 <=
(IMAGE_HEIGHT if IMAGE_HEIGHT >= IMAGE_WIDTH
else IMAGE_WIDTH)*2):
currentWidth = 0
while (currentWidth + wBlock * 2/3 <=
(IMAGE_WIDTH if IMAGE_WIDTH >= IMAGE_HEIGHT
else IMAGE_HEIGHT)*2):
image = pixSort(image,
currentHeight,
currentWidth,
currentHeight + hBlock,
currentWidth + wBlock,
# I pulled the following formula out of my a**,
# but empirically it seemed to yield the best
# p values for blocks between 5 and 11.
p=(1 - (blocks**2 / (blocks + 1)**2) **
randrange(blocks - 4 + INTENSITY,
blocks - 1 + INTENSITY)))
currentWidth += int(wBlock * 2/3) if blocks > 1 else wBlock
currentHeight += int(hBlock * 2/3) if blocks > 1 else hBlock
# undo the rotation
if rotation != 0:
image = image.rotate(-rotation,
resample=(Image.BILINEAR
if INTERPOLATION == 1
else Image.NEAREST
if INTERPOLATION == 2
else Image.BICUBIC),
expand=True)
return image
def main():
"""Main loop; Open and save the picture file."""
try:
iteration = 0
while iteration < NUM_OUTPUT:
progress(iteration + 1, total=NUM_OUTPUT)
# opening the file and glitching it
im = openImage(FILENAME, RESIZE_FACT)[0]
im = glitch(im, BLOCKS, ROTATION)
# cropping the image to original size, except if fuzzy edges,
# in which case a black border is left around the picture.
trig = (abs(sin(rad(ROTATION)))
if abs(sin(rad(ROTATION))) > abs(cos(rad(ROTATION)))
else abs(cos(rad(ROTATION)))) # for fuzzy edges
left = int((im.width - # the current image width
IMAGE_WIDTH - # the original image width
(0 if not FUZZY_EDGES
else IMAGE_WIDTH/BLOCKS*trig))/2) # less crop
top = int((im.height -
IMAGE_HEIGHT -
(0 if not FUZZY_EDGES
else IMAGE_HEIGHT/BLOCKS*trig))/2)
right = int(IMAGE_WIDTH +
(im.width -
IMAGE_WIDTH +
(0 if not FUZZY_EDGES
else IMAGE_WIDTH/BLOCKS*trig))/2)
bottom = int(IMAGE_HEIGHT +
(im.height -
IMAGE_HEIGHT +
(0 if not FUZZY_EDGES
else IMAGE_HEIGHT/BLOCKS*trig))/2)
# Pillow uses (left, top, right, bottom) coordinates,
# which define a rectangle region to keep.
im = im.crop(box=(left, top, right, bottom))
# saving the output
if JPEG is None:
im.save(FILENAME.split('.')[0]+'_out'+str(iteration)+".png")
else:
im.save(FILENAME.split('.')[0]+'_out'+str(iteration)+".jpg",
optimize=True,
quality=JPEG,
subsampling=0) # see Pillow doc for jpeg options
iteration += 1
progress(done=True)
print(BELL) # blank line if silent
except KeyboardInterrupt:
print("\nCancelled."+NORM if not L
else "\n\x1B[0m\U0001F308"
if system() == "\x44\x61\x72\x77\x69\x6E"
else "\n\x3A\x27\x28\x1B[0m")
sys.exit(70)
# reading command-line parameters and launching the main loop
if __name__ == "__main__":
try:
if sys.argv[1] in ('-h', '--help'):
printHelp()
FILENAME = sys.argv[1]
opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[2:], # list of valid flags
"hHVdPfsi:r:b:n:J:a:I:",
["interpol=", "fuzzyedges", "vertical",
"help", "blocks=", "numoutput=", "resize=",
"dither", "intensity=", "horizontal",
"angle=", "jpeg=", "sound",
"png", "\x67\x61\x79"])
# IndexError if FILENAME unspecified
except (IndexError, getopt.GetoptError):
printHelp()
for opt, arg in opts:
try:
if opt in ('-h', '--help'): # usage message
printHelp()
elif opt in ('-b', '--blocks'): # affects size & num of glitches
BLOCKS = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-n', '--numoutput'): # number of files generated
NUM_OUTPUT = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-r', '--resize'): # resize each side by sqrt(arg)
RESIZE_FACT = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-d', '--dither'): # effect more noisy, less blocky
DITHER = True
elif opt in ('-i', '--intensity'): # intensity affects probability
INTENSITY = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-H', '--horizontal'): # rotate by 90 degrees
ROTATION = 90
elif opt in ('-V', '--vertical'): # useless by default
ROTATION = 0
elif opt in ('\x2D\x2D\x67\x61\x79'): # puts some joy in your life
L.append('')
elif opt in ('-J', '--jpeg'): # output in jpeg with given quality
JPEG = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-P', '--png'): # useless by default
JPEG = None
elif opt in ('-a', '--angle'): # rotation by this angle
ROTATION = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-f', '--fuzzyedges'): # leaves a black frame
FUZZY_EDGES = True
elif opt in ('-I', '--interpol'): # resizing always uses Lanczos!
INTERPOLATION = int(arg)
elif opt in ('-s', '--sound'): # ding!
BELL = '\a'
except ValueError:
printHelp()
# failsafe for intensity, otherwise yields poor results
INTENSITY = INTENSITY if BLOCKS + INTENSITY >= 3 else 3 - BLOCKS
IMAGE_WIDTH, IMAGE_HEIGHT = openImage(FILENAME, RESIZE_FACT)[1:]
main()
1 / 1 .......... Done!
# let's take a look at it
from IPython.display import Image
Image(filename='-f_out0.png')
This line:
try:
image = Image.open("pic01.jpg")
originally read like this:
try:
image = Image.open(file)
In which case, this code can be its own command line program - we call it from the terminal (which we access from a notebook using !
and we feed it the filename of the image we want to mess around with). Try it now- run the following codeblock, and then download the results to see what you've got!
!python prismsort.py pic01.jpg -n 5 -r 3 -a 45 -i -2 --fuzzyedges --jpeg 95
1 / 5 .......... Done! 2 / 5 .......... Done! 3 / 5 .......... Done! 4 / 5 .......... Done! 5 / 5 .......... Done!
This creates 5 randomly glitched versions of that photo that are 1/3rd the size of the original, with a diagonal pattern at a 45° angle, and a slightly reduced intensity, with fuzzy (feathered) edges, and saves them in JPEG at 95% quality.
# Let's take a look at them; the filenames range from pic01_out0.jpg to pic01_out4.jpg.
# rerun or copy the line below with the different file names to display each picture
Image(filename='pic01_out0.jpg')
The parameters that you can call are:
-a, --angle=NUM : rotates the glitch effect by this many degrees
(default: 0, i.e. vertical)
-b, --blocks=NUM : number of blocks (default: 9)
affects the overlapping of the glitch effect
(higher = more intense)
-d, --dither : makes result more noisy, and less blocky
-f, --fuzzyedges : in combination with a rotation, will leave a fuzzy black
border around the image
-h, --help : displays this help message
-H, --horizontal : processes the image horizontally (same as -a 90)
-i, --intensity=NUM : intensity (recommended: -2~2; default: 0)
will not go lower than (3 - number of blocks)
-I, --interpol=NUM : rotation interpolation (default: 0 = bicubic, sharp)
(1 = bilinear, smooth; 2 = nearest, aliased)
-J, --jpeg=NUM : saves as JPEG at the specified quality
(recommended: 75~95)
-n, --numoutput=NUM : number of output files to be generated (default: 1)
the output files are in the format:
<originalfilename>_out<number>.<ext>
files are overwritten without warning!
-P, --png : saves as PNG (default)
-r, --resize=NUM : resize factor (e.g. 2 divides side by sqrt(2); optional)
-s, --sound : play alert sound when done (silent by default)
-V, --vertical : processes the image vertically (default; same as -a 0)
Now get glitching!