Paris-based software engineer Etienne Jacob (previously) takes a creative approach to coding with his mesmerizing animations that fall at the intersection of art and math. Gravitating toward space-filling curves and spiral equations, Jacob designs engrossing geometries that twirl around a central axis, coil into parallel black holes, and disperse into individual dots.

Looping is an essential part of each animation, he tells Colossal, noting that the constraint influences the shapes and movements he’s able to create. Most designs are planned, although Jacob diverges when a new technique or method seems appealing. “When I start to code a loop, I give the project a name that sums up the main idea I’m planning to work on, and it seems that the end result always matches that initial project name (and idea), despite the experimentation and unplanned features,” he shares.

Jacob shares much of his work on Tumblr, along with tutorials on his website.