Creative Coding for Absolute Beginners

Instructors: Jack B. Du

Dates: 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 July (2:00 – 4:00 UTC +8 CST)

Themes: Interactive Design / Computational Design

Software: Mozilla Firefox / Google Chrome (or any other web browser), p5.js Web Editor: https://editor.p5js.org

Prerequisites: Basic arithmetic knowledge required. Prior coding knowledge is helpful but not required.

Number of Students: 60

Workshop is full please refer to live stream during and after the workshops

Description:

Creative coding is a practice where programming is used as a tool for art or design. Sketching is traditionally done with pencil and paper. Now, with the help of software tools such as Processing, p5.js, and openFrameworks, sketching with code has become more accessible than ever. Whether you are an artist, designer, architect, educator, or just someone who is curious, creative coding can help you unlock endless creative possibilities. In this workshop series, participants will learn how to write code (in JavaScript) to create digital sketches as well as how to think computationally and algorithmically to take full advantage of this medium. By the end of this workshop series, participants will gain the essential knowledge and resources to further explore creative coding on their own.

Learning Objectives :

By the end of the workshop series, participants will

– Be able to create both still and animated sketches using p5.js

– Be able to create visuals dynamically rendered based on mouse input or webcam feed

– Have a clear understanding of the differences between different creative coding platforms

– Be able to identify the technologies required for more specialized/advanced projects

– Have a creative and algorithmic mindset that leads to surprising results

– Gain essential knowledge of creative coding to further develop skills beyond this workshop series.

Detailed Schedule :

July 24 2–4pm (UTC +8 CST)

Workshop #1: Let’s Start Sketching

This workshop provides an overview of creative coding and gets you started with sketching using p5.js.

July 25 2–4pm (UTC +8 CST)

Workshop #2: Repeat, Repeat, and Repeat

This workshop shows you how repetition can be used to create mesmerizing patterns and seamless transitions.

July 26 2–4pm (UTC +8 CST)

Workshop #3: Beauty of Noises

This workshop introduces you to Perlin noise, an algorithm that helps to make sketches appear more organic and natural.

July 27 2–4pm (UTC +8 CST)

Workshop #4: Object-Oriented Creativity

This workshop introduces you to object-oriented programming and how it can be used to create interactive sketches.

July 28 2–4pm (UTC +8 CST)

Workshop #5: Virtual Reflections

This workshop shows you how to utilize a webcam to create sketches that reflect images like a mirror.

Instructor:

Jack B. Du:

Jack B. Du is an artist, technologist, and educator who creates images, videos, and interactive experiences with code. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Interactive Media Arts from New York University Shanghai. Currently, he works as an Associate Arts Instructor of Interactive Media at New York University Abu Dhabi. Jack’s work embodies a fusion of exploration and innovation, blending experimentation with a quest for novelty. Through his work, Jack seeks to harness the transformative power of computational technology to inspire greater creativity in the realm of art, design, and education.