Processing

Processing is a programming language, development environment, and online community. Since 2001, Processing has promoted software literacy within the visual arts and visual literacy within technology. Initially created to serve as a software sketchbook and to teach computer programming fundamentals within a visual context, Processing evolved into a development tool for professionals. Today, there are tens of thousands of students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists who use Processing for learning, prototyping, and production.
 
Many previous visual artists work that I have been looking at usually have used Processing at some point through their work stage, it seems like the simplist for of programming language out there at the minute which would suit my visual art needs. I have just bought a Processing textbook which is a revised version from the first book back in 2009 that has been thoroughly updated, influenced by the seven years of Processing being taught in classrooms, computer labs, universities, and art schools, since the first edition. Every chapter has been revised, and new chapters introduce more ways to work with data and geometry. New “synthesis” chapters offer discussion and worked examples of such topics as sketching with code, modularity, and algorithms. I personally think that i wil gain a better understanding from sitting down with an actual step by step guide rather than watching videos and trying to figure out how to do myself.



This is a really big step for me within my work as I have never really worked with code before, apart from in Max MXP when using the Arduino Kits but that is on a much simplifed scale.  
I'm hoping that this will help me gain an understandance in our Callaborative work when Zac is creating the visual Imagery eventhough he will be using OpenFrameWorks.