Some side projects start out as “just trying something new” and end up pulling you in deeper than expected. Inspiral Web, Nathan Friend’s digital toy, is exactly that kind of project. Bringing a spirograph to the web might sound like a nostalgic gimmick, but this wasn’t just about making a fun interface—it began as an excuse to learn D3.js and TypeScript. And then it grew—both technically and virally.
If you grew up in the ’90s, you probably remember those strange but hypnotic plastic gears called spirographs. You stick a pen in, trace around, and boom—mesmerizing patterns appear. Inspiral Web brings that entire experience to the browser. But the magic isn’t just in the drawing—it’s in watching the mechanism work.
Nathan could have just slapped on some pre-made gear images and called it a day. Instead, he built every gear programmatically using SVG commands. He dove into trigonometry, wrote utility functions for every arc, angle, and line. And because it’s all parameterized—things like toothCount and radius—you can make endless variations just by changing a few numbers.
Here’s the thing: Inspiral Web isn’t just a drawing tool. It’s also a brilliant example of user interface design, dynamic vector rendering, interactive graphics, and frontend engineering done right. Start a side project to learn something, and sometimes you end up creating something delightful for the world—and yourself.
If you haven’t tried it yet, go play with it. Because sometimes, the best ideas begin with a curve.
