Revealing the Hidden Patterns of Birds and Insects in Motion

A video shows the dreamlike voyages of starlings, water striders, and more.

Dennis Hlynsky, a film and animation professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, creates videos at the intersection of art and science. Hlynsky transforms ordinary footage of birds and insects into ethereal illustrations by digitally tracing the paths they travel.

In a new video from The Atlantic, Hlynsky discusses his work and creative process.

Little White Bugs (Dennis Hlynsky)
Water Striders (Dennis Hlynsky)

Hlynsky's work is typically featured in galleries, where the video is projected on large screens with recorded sound. To see more videos from Hlynsky, please visit his Vimeo channel, which features over 90 beautiful videos.

Sam Price-Waldman is a former senior associate producer for video at The Atlantic.