Particles, Pixels, and Purpose: Creative Frontend Beyond the Grid

Chris is a UX engineer who spent six and a half years at Google, where he was one of the first UX engineers. He helped make Google products feel more human through design systems like Material Design. He now runs his own studio, Torii, focusing on transforming front ends for startups and companies.

The purpose of Chris's talk is to connect creativity, code, and meaning, exploring why individuals become React developers and how they can find joy and purpose in their work.

Chris pursued a career in software engineering because of his early love for video games and the desire to create experiences that evoke emotions similar to those he felt from movies and games as a child. Despite initial academic challenges, he found joy in programming and overcame difficulties to succeed.

The golden ratio, approximately 1.618, is a mathematical proportion found in nature and art. Chris uses it to create visual experiences with 3js and React, demonstrating how math can be beautiful and integral to creating compelling digital interfaces.

Chris incorporates the golden ratio by using it to create spirals and patterns in his digital projects with 3js and React 3 Fiber. This approach reflects natural patterns and allows for efficient, visually pleasing designs.

Chris uses 3js and React 3 Fiber to create interactive visual experiences. These technologies allow him to transform complex shaders into reusable React components that can be easily integrated into projects.

React 3 Fiber allows Chris to integrate complex visual components into his projects with ease. It enables real-time interaction and makes it simple to create and manage 3D graphics within React applications.

Chris leaves his audience with the advice to find joy in the things they do and create, and to seek meaning in why they do it, quoting advice from Chris Do.

Chris sees math and art as interconnected in his work, using mathematical concepts like the golden ratio to inform and enhance the artistic aspects of his digital creations, resulting in visually compelling and meaningful experiences.

Chris enjoys working with frontend technology because it is where math meets art, design meets engineering, and curiosity turns into creation. It allows him to create engaging, interactive experiences that resonate with users.