REWIRE MY __________ ! — Sedef Bayram

REWIRE MY _________ !
Designing Dêq Tattoos with Creative Coding

2023

MA Thesis Creative Coding Generative Design Handpoke Tattooing Book Design

This thesis project explores tattoo design through creative coding as a method of cultural interpretation and preservation. During the research process, Dêq—a traditional Kurdish tattoo practice—was identified as a central reference, with the project motivated by the desire to preserve and reinterpret this gradually disappearing art form through generative systems.

The study examined multiple Dêq motifs, investigating how their visual structures could be translated and regenerated within a generative design framework. The first prototype focused on reinterpreting one of the most commonly tattooed motifs, Roj. A second prototype expanded this approach, generating variable compositions from a defined set of shapes derived from Dêq symbolism.

As a final outcome, one of the generative designs was tattooed on the author’s left hand using a self-performed hand-poke technique. This gesture extended the research beyond the digital realm, transforming the system into a lived, embodied artifact and prompting conversations following the MA graduation.

SUPERVISORS
Dr. Jan-Henning Raff Dr. Felix Kosok

Sedef Bayram