So I’ve been toying around with ASCII art for about 10 years now.  My last ASCII project was multi-layered ASCII art, which looked pretty awesome I think, here’s my ASCII take on Da Vinci’s masterpiece.  I also wrote a program that converts videos into ASCII videos, here’s me mountain biking, and here’s me mountain biking some more.  I have ideas for taking ASCII art to a whole level way beyond all that.  But the world isn’t ready for that yet, first I wanted to try an idea I’d been kicking around: phrase based ASCII art.  The idea is to just throw in a bunch of phrases related to the subject, hidden like in a word search, but in places where they contribute the picture, or at least don’t ruin it.

I wrote most of the code on the way to Moab (9 hr drive each way).  Below is a “picture” of me in Moab. Hidden inside are phrases like “slickrock” and “mountain biking”, 23 phrases in all.  Somehow the phrases are harder to find than I thought they would be, I’m not sure it passes the “would I want to print it out, frame it, and hang it on the wall” test.

::::::......::::::::::::::.:....................:.::::::::::::Z2 .::::::::lML2:::::::::::::::::::::::::::Tkkh:::::::::.........
...``````.`````````.......................................;:vYzzc!;......lE2}:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::?k0h:::::::::::::::::
```                     ```  ````.```................::c2::zc='.? !..::::EE3!:.:::::::ugpz;z::::::::::::::}IQS2::::::::::::::::
                                    `.._.........:::'.;c='`......Q .___;dMKLQpgpppgpgpgMMNg@z;.::.::::::::: gkL::::::::::::::::
              g_______          _______MMQgp.:::..;::``..........:2gMMMgggH#MMMMMMHH#VYzSgMgp2:::::::::::::`QkE:..:::::::::::::
               7M###N#Hgmmp__gggMMM#MMM^`:::_.:```      ```````___MEE"""MMM````    __ggHMMMbdBen.:...:....:.#kE...............:
                    `gMMNp`*"M#"'MdgMN=..::^`.              _,zgMMMMH;  (@z .  __gHM#"_gpZ02z2zi2.........:!1kb...............`
`                _;"*""^` `:..  .?;`````    1:....o;l`     _MH#Mv"IEMh_ !Mh2_gHMNF^_ggN^ ..lHh:....`.......zkH:```````````
                 `          `.._ .z .....`` ...:.l;_l;.___s".:`    IMHb2ggMMMM^ __gM#'   ````7c:__.``   .:zQQt
                               `:`!}_2=Moabzcz_____gMNHMMMMt        TEMHMMMME2 +MM"`      `    yz}     ._AQgt
                                 __Mgm__    `WM#bHMMNW#MMMMMNgNggp__gMMMMMMMNQ2_'.        ...:``     ._ikQ#'
                                 Ng].`#B}      `T#MM}   `"W##HgQMMNMMNMMMNHgm8NMbz...:```         ...z0QHC
                                 ![' . }`       "`2.         *WMVUFMMMM@Tbdgb:!7MBQz;__........__;z:?:_c.
                                  (    !__       (:`        .*`..l' 7QMXZEo"     `"#NHgQggggQgQQgHMblHM'
                                   }`.c_QQ_____  2.                  _gggg__          `^"""""""^!MMM@^
                                  _p_)gMMMMNHg0nz2. .              _gMMMMMMMg_                 _yE[*               .......    .
                                _gMH} 2^"H2'*UMHkkL..              gMMMMMMMMMg;               _22z'           ..:::::road trip:
                               iHME9z :  (h;   *M@Qh[              WMMM#MEMMMM{              l2:::__...::::::::::::::::::::z2z2
                  ......:.....iMHQE;:2 :c;z2;::.z2NB0L.._          MMMMMMN#NMh;...__.;;;zzzzA2::zz2zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz2zzzzz
..........:::..::::.:::::::zzzHEQ@22:z)!::?hz;::3QzM@kL`z2sweat2222TBzzE_?22Z2zzzzzzzzzzzz20022z22qkzzzzzzzzyyyzzzzzzzzzyzz0zzz
:::.:::::::::::::::::downhillQEhH:::::2 :2_Z22c:czMpMBkLlyzz:2czzz22Mp2U23slickrock22222::2zknobbies333:::33:::::32223333333323
::::::::::::::::::::::::....:qkzPc2:czz} qNQk02::::ZhMHQ0k00k00y22zgHMp;__z2zczgpzzgQHb:::czgA2:::::::::z:::::::::z2:::::::::::
:::::::::::::::.:::::.:::..::g0ZLcccZQp2 IMMM2z:::::qgHgBkkkg0z000XMMMMMM2zyHy0M0QQgMM@2zzy0t.................:::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::c::::::zzzzzz;z;q0ZL::::0XQ}_MMMNg2z2c2ZbNM@MkgMk@00zzzzH@X0000X0000gM@MMM2zQ2..:.......:...:::::::::::::::::::zzz
:::::2::z22::::c:cczz22z222z2dE2D::::zzMMMMMM22zcczzcz#@NMBBM@Mpzzzzz2ZMBzy0000QgMMHMMMNMM}::::::..::.::::::::c:::::_zzz2::cc;:
zzc::::::::cc22:czz22czz222czzBzZ2::::022switchback22zHMNMMkg@XNzzzzzz..zz0z0z0HkMMgMMM#Y:::::::_z;:::::::zc:iz2:::jEdz2z2cz2z2
:::::::::zccccz2222c2zpedallingh2drop-offs222c::::...zM#M:l@EM00M222sandz2zzz00000EB2:::::::.:::VY::::::::zzz2zc::zzqHh22z2222q
zzzzzzz2zz2zz2zz22z2222zzz2zzzzMh2z2zz2zzzz:::::.....qMMP.lH0MbH0k0gpz;z22::z0z00Q2:::::::::::::..:::::z2zzNQzz2zgbhHMh2zzzzzz#
helmetzzzzyzzzzzz2zzzzz2z2zzzz2zMb29z2zzfat tires:..zHMM}:qMhSMkMHQ000MNH#MME0000H::::cc::cc::::c::;zQgQzygzMNz2zMNHMM@bzzzzzgM
::::z2z2z2zzzzzy00yzzzzzzyzzz0z0XMp3202...:.:::::..zHMMb..qMMNQMk000HQ00yz000Q00QHhz2:z2czzz2zczzzgQgMMM00XXgM@zzpgMMMMMQQ0QQMM
::zz2zzzz22222zzz2zzzz2zy000z0zz00*b2=2u;_::::.:::QHMMt...gMkMEMNkQQzzz0Q000zzz0k222zz2zzygQpAyzzgHMMMMM@@20SMNyzMHMMMM@0QQ0HMM
zz2staircasezzzzzzzz2zyy0zyy00z22::.*Nppzz2222zQgHMM#:...:#MNpMkHHNQ0XXX0y00yzz02:zz2gHk0kEMM#00gMMMgMMMN#zzzMMhz0MMMMMME0SMMMM
zzz2cc222z22Utahzzzzsunshine2::...:..::TMNHHHNMMMMY::::::zMMBMNEMMMMEEXXQAk00z002;2z2MN@kkQMM@hHMMMMMMHMM@22g2qhykQMBb2yzzQMMMM
zz2222zzzz2zzzz22zz22zzzzzz2::::::..:..:::zmountain bikingMMM00XMQ000H00zzzz0z0zz2zHEMMMMN#MMM0gMMMMMMMHME2qMEd0y0HMMkzzzzgMMMM
zzzzz22z22zz2zzzzzzz2zzzzz2::::::::::::::;:zccccccc:c::::zgMMMHQQ0XMhzzzy0zzzzyzzzzz2z2:cqMMM@MMMMMMMMMMMMEqMbyzzgM#k2zyhz0MMMM
Ezz2z2z2Camelback2zzz2zzz2::::c:zzccc2wheelszzccczc::::::zHMEB000NQ0000000yz00zzzzzy002zzZMMBM#MMMMMMMMMMMzAy00zygMHk2zzzz00HMM
zz2z2zz2zzzzzz2222zzzzzz2::::::22zz2z2:zzzzzzzzzz22:c2zzzgk0MQ0yy0XNQzzz0000zzzzzy0z0kkzQH@M0XMMMMMMMMMMMMb0HEyzgM@Qgggk0D0z0HM
yyyzzzzz2zzzzz22zz2zz2zz2::::::zz22z2::z2222zzz2z22zz2zzzM@Hky00yzzzXX0000zzzzzzzzzzzkSk00Hk0QMMMMMMMMMMMMMBHHz0HMEk0000k0h00MM
zz00zzzzzzz2zzz2zzzzzzyyNnz:2zcczhike-a-bikezz22zz2zz22zZMMNggQQQ00000MM000zzzQQzzzzzHHQk0SB00MMMMMMMMMMMMMBHM@HMMHHh2000X0k0gM
zzyyzyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy002::33bunny hop2zc:::::...:::.!:::IMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM@z0zzQXHE0000gMMMMMMMMMMMMMEXM@MD@XMb000k0kB0MM
0000y0zzz0000k0000kyzzz2z::...``.```...:::::::::::::::::gNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMbzgggMMMMQQHQHMMMMMMMMMMM@zz0qMHz0zz00ykh00X0MM
0zz0000kkkkkHM@00zzzzzz0Qp.......`........::.....``:::.qMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMB:z2c2c22ZXMMMMMMMMMMMMMMDz0zHMNzzy00000k00kkMM
zzz00kkkkkkEE0zzzz22222="``... ......:::::::..:::.....:gMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMp22::cz2c:zX#MMMMMMMMMMMQQQzMM@z0k00kzz00yk0#M
y00000Qk000zzz222222229Bc;:::::::::::::::....::..```` gMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMb202::zz2ZBkbZMMMMMMMHMMMMMMMMMp0000QpygHMMMMM
z000000zzz2222222222222X22:::::Qpcz22c::::.``.. ..   !MMMMMMMMMMMMMEgMMMMMMMMMMMM@..::.endozzzgy0ZXzXMXz0XMMMMMXXNMH0HMMMMMMMMM
zyzyzz222222222222222ccz23c2z22:Tb2::2:::....... ```.`MMMMMMMMMMMMbqMMMMMMMMMMMMMb:::;;;Yg2pzZXXzz2QgMkH222:z22zzy2z0zAQk2zzXMM
002222222222222222cccczghzzzzzzzzz5;::z:........ ....qMMMMMMMMMMMM:#MMMMMMMMMMMMMccc:::z:TMMMMMHgpgzp0z2brakes22222zzQ0EMEzzzz2
22222222222222cccccccczE2zz2zzzzzzz2z2z2cc:z2;;czz;::MMMMMMMMMMMMM:MMMMMMMMMMMMMb:::z:22:::MMMMhzzQp2zzzzzzzzz2zzy2zXMEXzzz002z

So I decided to try again using only the phrases and select non-distracting ASCII characters: .:#*(){}[]/!, etc.

::::::......::::::::::::::.:....................:.::::::::::::*[ .::::::::(#[=:::::::::::::::::::::::::::*@@[:::::::::.........
...........    ...........................................;:=*[[;!;......(@[}:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::!@@[:::::::::::::::::
                                ... .................::::::;==..: !..::::@[:!:.:::::::+[@[;;::::::::::::::}(@@[::::::::::::::::
                                    ..._.........::::.;;=^.......> .___;(#@[[[@[;;[;[+@###@@:;.::.::::::::: @@[::::::::::::::::
              +_______          _______##@[{.:::..;::............:}+###@@@@#######@@#@*[@@#@[;::::::::::::: @@@:..:::::::::::::
               *######@@@[___+@@#######^.:::_.:^^              ___#@@***#@# .      __++####@@Ben.:...:....:.#@@...............:
                     ####, *^##*^#@###=..::^ .              _,<######;  (@[ .  __+###*_+[=@[[[[:=.........:!(@]................
                 _;^***^   :..  .!;         (:....[;(      _###@=^(@#@_ !#@}_+####^__##^ ..(@[:............:@@:.........
                             .._ .: .....   ...:.:;_(;.___[^.:     (##@[_####@^ __###^    .  =[:__. .   .:;[@{
                                :.!}_;=Moab[;;_____(#######}        (@######@[ +##*            =[}     ._(@@{
                                 __@@#__    !+##@#########@@#@#+;___#########@[_}.        ...:       .__@@#^
                                 ##].!#@}       ###@}    ^####@@@##########@@###@[...:.           ...(@@@{
                                 ![. . }        ^^[.         *####@####@#@+@@:!*#@[[;__........__;[:!:_[.
                                  (    !__       (:.        .* ..(  *@#@*@;^      *##@@@[[[[[[[@@@#@(@#^
                                   } .__@@_____  [.                  _;@##__           ^^*****^^!###@^
                                  _@_)######@@@[_[. .              _+#######@_                 _@@[*               .......    .
                                _##@} =^^@[^*@##@@[..              ##########@;               _[:=            ..:::::road trip:
                               _##@@= :  ([;   *#@@@[              ######@####{              ([:::__...::::::::::::::::::::;[::
                  ......:.....;##@@;:[ ::;=[;::.==#@@[.._          ##########];...__.;;;;;[[[[:::[[:[[[[[[[[;;;;;;;;;[[=[=[[==[
..........:::..::::.:::::::::=#@[@:::=)!:::[=;::=@[#@@[.::sweat::::#@[=@_*[:@[:=[[[[[[=[===@[[[[[:=@[[[[[[[[[[[[[=[[[[[[[[[[[=[
:::.:::::::::::::::::downhill@@[#:::::[ :;_([[::::#@#@@[([[;:;::;;::#[:#=:slickrock=====:::=knobbies:::::::::::::::::::=====:::
::::::::::::::::::::::::....:#@[@:::::=} ##[@[[::::*[#@@@@@@@@[[[:;+##@;__[[[:;;[[[[@#@::::=[[}:::::::::::::::::::([:::::::::::
:::::::::::::::.:::::.:::..::#@@[:::*@[[ (###[[:::::(#@@@@@@@[[[@@@@####@[[[#[@#@@@@##@=[[[@^.................:::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::;:;;[;;;#@@]::::@#[}_#####[;;::*@#@@#@@#@@[[[[[[#@@@[[@@@[@@##@###[=[}..:.......:...:::::::::::::::::::===
:::::::::=[::::::::::[==[===[#@[@::::=;@#####[[[:::::=#@##@@#@#@[[[[[[@#@[[[@[@@##########}::::::..::.::::::::::::::_;;[:::::;:
:[:::::::::::::::::;::[:[=:::=@[=[::::=;[switchback===###@#@#@@#[[[[[:..;;[[[[@@@@######*:::::::_;;:::::::::::[;:::(@@[[[;::[:[
:::::::::[::::::::[:::pedalling@[drop-offs[[::::::...(###::@@#[@#[}:sand[[[[[[@@@@@@\:::::::.:::#=:::::::::[;[[:::([@#@[::::===
;[[[[[[[[[[[;;:[;[[;:::::::::=[#@;:[[[[[[=::::::.....@##@.(@@#@#@@@@[[;=[;::([[[@@[:::::::::::::..:::::;;[=#@[=[:#@[##@[[[[[[=#
helmet[[[[[[[[[[=[[[[[[[[[=[[=[=#@[#[=[[fat tires:..(###}:(#@@#@##@@[@######@@[@@@:::::::::::::::::;;[@@[[[=##[==#####@@[[[[=##
:::::[=====[[[[[@@[[[=[[[[[=[[[[@#[==[[...:.:::::..;###[..(###@#@[@@@@[@[[[@@@[@@#@[;::::=;=[;:::=#@####[[@@##@[;[######@@@@[##
::::[;[;;;=====[[=[[[[[=[[@[[[[[@[*#_=[[;_::::.:::[###\...+#@#@##@@[[[[@@@@[[[[@@[=::=[[=[@[[[[;;=######@@=@@##[=######@@@@@###
[[[staircase=[[======[[[[[[[[[[==::.*#@[[[[[[[[[[####:...:###@#@@##@@@@@[[[[[[[@[::[[#@@@@@###@[@#########[=[##[=[######@@@####
[[:::::::=[=Utah[[[[sunshine=::...:..::*###@@#####*:::::::##@##@@##@@@@@[[@@@[[@:;===##@@@@##@[##########@[[@[@[[@[#@@[[[[@####
[=[:::;;;=:::[=[===[[=[[[=[[::::::..:..::::mountain biking###@@@#@[@[#@@[[[[[[[[[[=#@########@@##########@=##@@@[@###@[=[[#####
[[=[[[[[=[:[[=[=[=[[[=[[[[[::::::::::::::;:::::::::::::::(####@@[[@#@[[[[[[[[[[[[[[=[;;::####@###########@@##@[[[@##@[=[[[[####
@=[====[Camelback=[=[[[=[=::::::::;:::wheels[::::::::::::=##@@@@@#@[@@@@[[[[[[[[[[[[@@[[=*##@############@[@[[[[[###@[[[[[@@###
[=====[[[[[===[[=[[==[[[[::::::====[;::;;[[:[[[::::::::::@@[#@[[[[@#@[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[@@@[[@@#@@############@@#@[=@#@@@@@@@@@[@##
[[[[[[[[[=[[[==[[=[===[[;:::::::[===[::==[[::[[[:[::::;[=#@#@[[[[[[[@@@[[[[[[[[[[[[[=@@@@@#@@@#############@#@[@##@@@@@@@@[[@##
[[@[[[[[[[[[[==[[=[[[[[[#[[:::::=hike-a-bike:[=:[[[:[[[;*###@@@[[@@@@@@#@@[[[[[[[[[==##@@[@@[@#############@##@####@@[@@@@@@@##
[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[=[@@=::::bunny hop[:::::::...:::.!:::(#######################@[[[[@@#@@@@@##############@@#@#@@@#@@@@@@@@@##
@@[[[[[[[[@@@@@@[@@[[[[[:::....... ....:::::::::::::::::+#######################@:[@@@###@@#@############@=[[##@[[[=@[[@[@@@@##
[[[[[[@@@@@@##@@@[[[[[[@@[....... ........::......::::.(########################@::;:::[:*###############@[[[###[[[@@@[[@[@@@##
[[[[@@@@@@@@@@[[[=======^..... ......:::::::..:::.....:##########################[:[::[:;::(@############@[[=##@[@@@@@[[@@[@@##
[@@@@@@@@@[[[=====[[[[#@[;:::::::::::::::....::..     ###########################@==::::[;*@@@=@######@#########@@@[@@[[@######
=@[[[@[[[[[===[[[[[::::@[[:::::%[::::;::::..... ..   !#############@#############@..::.endo==[[[@@@=@@@[@@####@@@##@[##########
[[[[[[====[[[[[[:::::::=[::::=}:*@:::::::....... .  ..############@*#############]:::;;;=@[[[@@@[=[=@#@@[=[::[[=[[[=@[[@@[;;@##
[[[===[[[[[[[::::::::::@[;:[;=[[[[@;::::........ ....(############:##############::::::[:@#####@@[=[@[=[brakes=====[[[@@#@===[=
==[[[[[[[[::::::::::::(@[[[[[====[[[=[:[::::;;;::;;::#############:#############@:::::*=:::####[;[[[[==[=[[[[[::=[[[@#@@[=[[[[

And ultimately I decided I like the first version a lot better.  I printed it out and put it up in my cubicle at work.  I don’t think it’s going to take the ASCII art world by storm, but you never know…