1st Edition

Programming Media Art Using Processing A Beginner's Guide

By Margaret Noble Copyright 2021
    248 Pages 278 Color Illustrations
    by Chapman & Hall

    248 Pages 278 Color Illustrations
    by Chapman & Hall

    248 Pages 278 Color Illustrations
    by Chapman & Hall

    Programming Media Art Using Processing: A Beginner's Guide provides an entry-level exploration into visual design through computer programming using the open source and artist-friendly language, Processing. Used by hundreds of students, this learning system breaks lessons down into strategic steps towards fun and creative media art projects.

    This book provides a linear series of lessons with step-by-step examples that lead to beginning media art projects, including abstract designs, pixel landscapes, rollover animations, and simple video games. Computer programming can be overwhelming for the first-time learner, but this book makes the learning of code more digestible and fun through a full color, well-diagrammed, and deeply explained text presentation. Lessons are rhythmically broken down into digestible parts with code annotations and illustrations that help learners focus on the details one step at a time. The content is legible, flexible, and fun to work with because of its project-based nature.

    By following the lessons and producing the projects sequentially in this book, readers will develop the beginning foundational skills needed to understand computer programming basics across many languages and also explore the art of graphic design. Ultimately, this is a hands-on, practical guide.

    To learn more about Margaret Noble's work, please visit her artist's website and educator website.

    Acknowledgements and Contributor List

    Author Bio

    Introduction and Best Practices

    Chapter 1: Designing Graphically with the Language of Code

    Getting Started & Basic Overview

    Lesson 1.1: Pixel Grid System

    Lesson 1.2: Code and Canvas Windows

    Lesson 1.3: More Shapes

    Lesson 1.4: Grayscale

    Lesson 1.5: Syntax, Comments, and Order of Code

    Lesson 1.6: Line Commands (Stroke and No Stroke)

    Lesson 1.7: Coloring Pixels

    Lesson 1.8: Adding Transparency Values

    Lesson 1.9: The Processing Reference – Important Resource!

    Project: Geometric Design

    Chapter 2: Creating Responsive Environments

    Lesson 2.1: Dynamic Computer Programs

    Lesson 2.2: First Animations

    Lesson 2.3: Animation Trails 

    Lesson 2.4: Finding Exact Coordinates

    Lesson 2.5: Complex Shapes

    Lesson 2.6: Linking Shapes for Synched Movement

    Lesson 2.7: Adding Text

    Lesson 2.8: Rotating Shapes

    Project: Interactive Environment

    Chapter 3: Automated Animations

    Lesson 3.1: Counting Variables

    Lesson 3.2: Moving Objects in Multiple Directions

    Lesson 3.3: Growing Shapes with the Mouse

    Lesson 3.4: Println() for Debugging

    Lesson 3.5: Constrain() for Stopping Animations

    Lesson 3.6: Random() Opportunities

    Lesson 3.7: Automated Rotations

    Project: Automated Environment

    Chapter 4: Animated Collages

    Lesson 4.1: Preparing and Importing Imagery

    Lesson 4.2: Moving Images

    Lesson 4.3: Fading and Coloring Images using Tint()

    Lesson 4.4: Resizing Images & Multiples

    Lesson 4.5: Constraining Mouse Movements

    Lesson 4.6: Void Key Pressed() and Image Rotations

    Lesson 4.7: Create Fonts

    Lesson 4.8: Project Optimization and noSmooth()

    Project: Animated and Interactive Collage

    Chapter 5: Conditional Interactions and Rollovers

                Lesson 5.1: Conditional Statements and Relational Operators

                Lesson 5.2: Conditional Statements with Custom Variables

                Lesson 5.3: And vs. Or

                Lesson 5.4: Logical Operators Defining Spaces

                Lesson 5.5: Variations with Mouse and Keyboard Actions

    Lesson 5.6: Two Variables: Alternating Movements

    Lesson 5.7: Color Detection Using the Get() Function

    Project: Rollover Animation

    Chapter 6: Events and Interactions for Simple Games: Part 1

                Lesson 6.1: Turning Things on with Boolean Variables

                Lesson 6.2: Toggling Between Two States Using Boolean Variables

                Lesson 6.3: Multiple Buttons Alternating

                Lesson 6.4: Booleans Working with Counting Variables

                Lesson 6.5: Specific Keyboard Interactions

                Lesson 6.6: Creating a Walking Character

    Lesson 6.7: Boundaries

    Chapter 7: Events and Interactions for Simple Games: Part 2

                Lesson 7.1: Timers

    Lesson 7.2: Continuous Motion Key Controls

    Lesson 7.3: For Loops are Efficient

    Lesson 7.4: Color Detection with For Loops

    Lesson 7.5: Game Creation from Keys, Loops, and Color Detection

    Lesson 7.6: Image Collisions with the Distance() Function

    Lesson 7.7: Two Players, Directional Movement, and Jumping!

    Chapter 8: Multilevel Architectures and Arrays

                Lesson 8.1: Basic Levels Architecture

    Lesson 8.2: States within Levels

    Lesson 8.3: Arrays

    Lesson 8.4: Image Arrays

    Lesson 8.5: Player Options

    Lesson 8.6: Choice Based Projects

    Conclusion

    Final Project: Multilevel Interactive Experience

    Biography

    Margaret Noble was born in Texas, raised in San Diego, and received her key artistic training in Chicago. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego and an MFA in Studio and Sound Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Margaret Noble is an accomplished media producer with a background in public education, artistic production, and large-scale exhibition development. Her artworks have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Margaret Noble came to education from industry as a professional artist. Throughout her 13+ years of teaching in secondary and higher education, she has consistently supported diverse learners in producing meaningful, community driven, multimedia projects. Margaret and her students have also received several awards and recognitions for their classroom projects including features in Edutopia and Wired magazine. To learn more about Margaret Noble’s work, please visit: https://www.margaretnoble.com/