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Processing: Creative Coding and Computational Art

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PROCESSING: CREATIVE CODING AND COMPUTATIONAL ART<br />

54<br />

Summary<br />

In this chapter, I introduced creative coding as an approach to programming that integrates<br />

both analytical <strong>and</strong> creative processes. Using my friend Mark as an example, I<br />

described some of the stereotypes <strong>and</strong> biases that can make this cross-brain integration so<br />

challenging—a problem often (<strong>and</strong> sadly) reinforced in the classroom, which helped motivate<br />

me to teach creative coding <strong>and</strong> eventually write this book.<br />

I gave a very top-view description about how <strong>Processing</strong> works, built on top of the Java<br />

programming language, <strong>and</strong> I described some ways of structuring your code, including<br />

procedural <strong>and</strong> object-oriented approaches—both utilized within <strong>Processing</strong>. I tried to<br />

demystify the term “algorithm” <strong>and</strong> show the relationship between an algorithm <strong>and</strong> its<br />

implementation in code. I also discussed the challenge of learning to think like a “dumb”<br />

machine.<br />

Finally, I covered the important role of happy accidents in the creative coding process, <strong>and</strong><br />

I illustrated the point with an algorithmic tree example. In the next chapter, you’ll begin to<br />

explore the actual nuts <strong>and</strong> bolts of coding.

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