Date: June 29, 2025

Challenge: Exploding Sun – Variable Growth with draw()

What I Worked On:

Today I animated a sun by creating a draw() function and using a variable called sunSize to make the sun grow over time. I started with a static scene (sun + land), then wrapped it inside draw() so it could update continuously. I increased the sun’s size by adding 1 to the sunSize variable on each frame.

What I Learned:

• The draw() function runs over and over again, making animation possible.
• I can make things grow, move, or change by updating variables inside draw().
• Setting a background inside draw() prevents trailing effects and keeps the animation clean.
• Structuring my code with clear comments helps me understand what’s happening each step of the way.

What Went Wrong / What I Fixed:

At first, I placed the background color inside setup() and couldn’t understand why the sun left a trail. Once I realized the canvas needs to be cleared each frame, I moved background() into draw(). I also forgot to initialize sunSize at the top, but fixing that made the sun grow correctly.

Next Steps / Improvements:

I want to add a limit to how big the sun gets or maybe make it reset after reaching a certain size. Eventually, I’d like to animate a sunset or include clouds that move.