Processing – A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists - Hardcover

Casey Reas; Ben Fry

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0262182629 ISBN 13: 9780262182621

Publisher: MIT Press, 2007

Synopsis

An introduction to the ideas of computer programming within the context of the visual arts that also serves as a reference and text for Processing, an open-source programming language designed for creating images, animation, and interactivity.

About this title

Review

"Processing, the handbook and tutorial, is an indispensable companion to Processing, the integrated programming language and environment that has developed from phenomenon to revolution. Bridging the gap between programming and visual arts, the Processing handbook, in a concise way, connects software elements to principles of visual form, motion, and
interaction. The book's modular structure allows for different combinations of its units and self-directed reading. Interviews with artists who create software-based works and extension chapters that expand software practice
into computer vision, sound, and electronics successfully connect the realms of art and technology. Now used by artists, visual designers, and in educational institutions around the world, Processing has been groundbreaking not only as an alternative language for expanding programming
space, but as an attempt to nurture programming literacy in the broader context of art and cultural production." -- -Christiane Paul, Adjunct Curator of New Media Arts, Whitney Museum of American Art

"This is an elegant and practical introduction to programming for artists and designers. It is rigorously grounded, informed by a vast amount of practical experience, and visually compelling. The worked examples are terrific. There's no better starting point for visual artists who want to learn how to think computationally, or for programmers who want to give visual and spatial expression to their ideas."
-- -William J. Mitchell, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT

"Why did we have to wait so long for this marvellous gem? It is, indeed, rare to find a technical book of such clarity and insight and especially so in books concerning computer programming. I've grappled with many programming books over the years in an effort to teach myself programming and none come close to Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists. Casey Reas and Ben Fry are to be congratulated on two counts. Firstly, for writing this 710 page comprehensive book, and secondly for producing the associated open-source programming language software, also called Processing, which is a companion to the book so to speak...The Processing language was written specifically for visual artists and designers whether they be interested in producing still images, animation or interactivity using their own programming efforts, rather than relying on commercially available software applications. For those artists who use computers in their work and like to have control at a fundamental level this book will be a revelation and worth every cent it costs. I was stunned at how few lines of code are required to produce complex images, one such example is a colour wheel. The software comes loaded with numerous examples of what can be achieved with Processsing using existing modules of code...Processing gets results fast, seems to be naturally intuitive and due to Reas and Fry's brilliance, easy to learn...This book is so well thought out and referenced it is quite astonishing. For example, there is a general Index and Code index. Numerous Appendices cover such basic, though important topics such as, code comparisons, reserved code words and programming languages. There is even a table of contents, then a Contents by Category and further, and Extended Contents section. These sections enable the reader to quickly find exactly what they are looking for without ploughing through the whole book sequentially... I cannot recommend this book highly enough, all I wish is that it was written 10 years ago. I'm sure, like me, many artists who have wanted to experiment with computer control and programming for artistic projects have been frustrated to the limit by poorly written, obscurely referenced and inappropriate programming books and languages. This book remedies all this and is even very reasonably priced. All I can say to Casey Reas and Ben Fry is - Thank you. -- - Leonardo Reviews, Rob Harle, December 2007

Synopsis

This work presents an introduction to the ideas of computer programming within the context of the visual arts that also serves as a reference and text for Processing, an open-source programming language designed for creating images, animation, and interactivity.It has been more than twenty years since desktop publishing reinvented design, and it's clear that there is a growing need for designers and artists to learn programming skills to fill the widening gap between their ideas and the capability of their purchased software. This book is an introduction to the concepts of computer programming within the context of the visual arts.The ideas in Processing have been tested in classrooms, workshops, and arts institutions, including UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, New York University, and Harvard University. Tutorial units make up the bulk of the book and introduce the syntax and concepts of software (including variables, functions, and object-oriented programming), cover such topics as photography and drawing in relation to software, and feature many short, prototypical example programs with related images and explanations.More advanced professional projects from such domains as animation, performance, and typography are discussed in interviews with their creators.

"Extensions" present concise introductions to further areas of investigation, including computer vision, sound, and electronics. Appendixes, references to additional material, and a glossary contain additional technical details. Processing can be used by reading each unit in order, or by following each category from the beginning of the book to the end. The Processing software and all of the code presented can be downloaded and run for future exploration.

Edition details

• Publisher: MIT Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0262182629
• ISBN 13: 9780262182621
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 768