W.O.L.K.: A Visual Tool For RBDJAN

RBDJAN's rap lyrics have multiple layers and a strong literary significance. Words and their context are essential to the artist, and RBDJAN is searching for ways to deepen this meaning further in live performances.

 

As part of the Open Culture Tech project, RBDJAN collaborated with Creative Technologist Wesley Hartogs, creative studio Cablai, and VJ Bikkel to find a way to give words a central place in his performance. This led to the W.O.L.K. concept: Words on Live Kanvas. W.O.L.K. is an open-source tool that transforms words from song lyrics into visuals in real time.

 

To keep the creative possibilities of the tool flexible, W.O.L.K. was developed as an open system. For example, you can load your own 3D model and apply transformations to create unique scenes. The tool is not intended as a one-stop-shop, but as a foundation. The renders can be seen as a base on which you can add extra effects, editing, or live mapping in your favorite software. Whether that's Resolume, After Effects, or even PowerPoint. The tool is like a mini-After Effects for words.

 

 

Algorithmic design instead of AI

Under the hood, W.O.L.K. works with algorithmic design. This is a method where visual patterns are generated through mathematical rules and procedures rather than through machine learning. This means that based on a word (the seed), all random elements are locked in place. This creates a system where images are predictable for the maker and remain repeatable, but are surprising for the viewer.

 

A word always produces the same visuals, but the combinations of words in a sentence create unique combinations. For an artist like RBDJAN, who works so deliberately with language, this means that each word gets its own visual identity that remains consistent across different performances. The visuals respond to the beat and energy of the track. The words are pulled from a database and change along with the music.

 

 

The entire application is built with JavaScript and TypeScript, with Vue.js for the interface and Electron for the back-end. By using these technologies, the code remains accessible and inviting for the open-source community to write their own scenes or extensions.

 

VJing with words

The interface allows artists and VJs to quickly experiment with different visualizations without having to dive deep into the code. For those who do want to, all code will be made available open-source. This is currently still work-in-progress.

 

What's still on the agenda: fixing a number of rendering issues and a final run-through of the tool before it can be considered 'finished'. After that, the GitHub repository will be opened up to the open-source community.

 

 

Live premiere on May 23, 2026

W.O.L.K. will be deployed live for the first time during a performance on May 23, 2026 at 8:00 PM at Cinetol, Amsterdam. More info and ticketlinks will be shared later. The performance demonstrates what is possible with open-source technology in the creative sector, and how tools adapt to the artist's vision.