In an era of pixel-perfect CSS frameworks and high-definition displays, why are we so drawn to 'broken' aesthetics? As developers, we usually spend our time fixing bugs, but in creative coding, the 'bug' is the feature. Creating authentic retro effects—like chromatic aberration, interlacing, and pixel sorting—requires a deep dive into WebGL and shader math.
I’ve been exploring how to make these complex visual effects more accessible for designers who don't want to write raw GLSL. This led to the development of Glitch Studio, a browser-based tool that handles the heavy lifting of retro distortion.
I’m curious: for those of you working with the Canvas API or Three.js, do you prefer writing custom fragment shaders for your effects, or are you looking for more abstracted tools to speed up your workflow? Let’s talk about the tech behind the 'glitch'!
