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Digital Art: Interactive | ADA385 | Spring 2008 | Monday 8:00-11:50 am

The course serves as an introduction into computer programming for visual artists. Using the open source programming environment Processing artist students will utilize code as a visual medium.

We will begin by thinking and making observations about the real space around us and move towards creatively weaving original observation and information into rich visual allegories that portend toward new forms of narrative.

This syllabus was originally written by Ricardo Miranda and has been modified after it's initial offering.

Weekly Schedule

Week 1

Demo: Access your TCNJ web space, create a basic page with a table or css class divs to organize sketch book samples and written course work.

What is programming and how have artists used it?

Introduction to the Processing Environment: Open, Save; Run; Sketchbook; Exporting

Opening and compiling examples included with Processing

Commenting; Coordinates; Color; Line, Primitives; Drawing Attributes

In-class Examples:

size()
background()
line()
Iterations and for()
Week 1 demo

Sign up for artist presentations

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Week 2

Intro to Object Orientated Programming. We're not going to push this style of programming, but it's helpful to know that it exists when you begin to make more complicated sketches.

Introducing variables and datatypes. Bais logic; using conditional statements (if-then-else).

Exploring Processing

In-Class Examples

Objects
Software Structures
Image Downsampling
Animation

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Week 3

Extending our concept of variables and using constants. Using the computer in it strongest capacity, quickly automating repetitive tasks with iteration: for() loops.

for() loops
while() loops

In-Class examples

for() iteration - pattern
for() iteration - follow mouse
nested for() iteration
basic drawing tool

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Week 4

Methods, Functions, and Classes. What does it all mean? Discover Processing's built-in methods, and explore how to create custom ones.

In-Class Examples

Functions
Objects redux, with arrays
Image Rollovers

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Week 5

Arrays. The power and confusion of array objects. Constructors (more of the custom Class junk). Programming unpredictability with random() and noise().

In-Class Examples

Basic Arrays
Two Dimensional Arrays
Storing data with an Array
Storing more data with two Arrays

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Week 6

Input. Half of the Input/Output cycle. Necessary for interaction. How to get singals from the user using the mouse and keyboard. Using input to control varible values and, in turn, animation.

In-Class examples

Image mosaic, using the mouse position to determine the tile size.
Image tile, using the mouse position to determine the tile source.
Basic slideshow

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Week 7

3D Processing. Processing's environment suppurts full 3D with either it's built in rendering (P3D) or OpenGL hardware acceleration (OPENGL). You can easily draw primitive shapes (boxes, spheres, etc), or with help from external libraries, you can import 3d models from a modeling program.

You can attach images as textures to these 3d surfaces. Also, iteration with for() loops allow for rapid creation of visually deep and complex 3d structures.

In-Class examples

Primitives
Vertices 3D
Textures

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Week 8

Audio with Processing. With the Sonia or ESS sound libraries, Processing can playback, record and analyze sound samples or a live input. This data can be visualized or used to drive other animation within your sketch.

In-Class Examples

you'll need to have a mic input for these
Sound Spectrum
Cube Spectrum

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Week 9

Connecting Processing to external devices. Video cameras, game controller, diy switches with hacked up keyboards.

Get the user away from the keyboard and mouse! Create sketches that derive input from alternate devices. Analyze a webcam, track color and motion. Build switches that users can interact with.

In-Class examples

you'll need a video camera for most of these examples, and they might not work in a browser - download them
JMyron (WebCamXtra) Reference
Basic Capture
Difference Image
Rotoscope (globs)
Hijack - for using JMyron with non-camera sources.

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Week 10

Data import. You can import data from external sources. Have statistics? Export them as a test file from a spreadsheet program.

Data Import

Constructing Final Project

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Week 11

Constructing Final Project

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Week 12

Constructing Final Project