  We study creating and analyzing symmetry and broken symmetry in digital art.
Our focus is not so much on computer-generating artistic images, but rather on
analyzing concepts and templates for incorporating symmetry and symmetry
breaking into the creation process. Taking as a starting point patterns
generated algorithmically by emulating the collective feeding behavior of
sand-bubbler crabs, all four types of two-dimensional symmetry are used as
isometric maps. Apart from a geometric interpretation of symmetry, we also
consider color as an object of symmetric transformations. Color symmetry is
realized as a color permutation consistent with the isometries. Moreover, we
analyze the abilities of computational aesthetic measures to serve as a metric
that reflects design parameters, i.e. the type of symmetry and the degree of
symmetry breaking.
