Programming for Artists - Workshop September 12, 2009

Length: Two day weekend workshop
Times: 10am - 5pm
Dates: 12 - 13 September 09
At: Lighthouse
Tutor: Ollie Glass
Cost: £130 (full) £100 (concessions)
(You may be able to get a grant for all or part of the course fee, for info contact emma@lighthouse.org.uk)

“The workshop was delivered in an easy manner so that everyone grasped the topic well. As a visual artist I was never able to add programming in to my skills, since the workshop I have been able to see the potential within programming that relates to a great extent to my work”
Feedback from previous workshop participant

This course unlocks the door to the world of programming. Often seen as a cryptic, complicated and opaque activity, this workshop offers a clear, step-by-step path into Processing (processing.org), a programming environment for creating graphics, animations and interactive works.

We will work on a series of interesting and creative tasks and so learn how to program practically and experientially, by exploring and playing with the medium. We’ll move at a pace that’s accessible to the whole class, with particular emphasis placed on your own experimentation. Practical time is complemented with discussion and critical reflection of your work and programming genrally, to enrich your understanding of the medium, situate your work among other creative practices and develop your own style.

On completion you will have a collection of your own sketches from the workshop, a good grasp of the fundamentals of Processing and the ability to continue working independently. You'll be well equipped to learn more about programming, will have an understanding of what it is possible to create with Processing and a good outline of the possibilities opened up by programming generally.

The course tutor is Ollie Glass. Ollie currently teaches Java and Processing to artists, designers and computer scientists, privately and at the Universities of Sussex and Brighton. He's interested in thinking, teaching and learning, how people learn to program and how programmatic thinking affects and can be integrated with everyday cognition. His past works include an interactive musical sculpture, evolutionary cocktail bar and an "artificially intelligent" drum machine.

This course is suitable for anyone interested in programming, and may be especially interesting to artists working in or curious about visual, digital and interactive media. Some basic computer literacy would be helpful, but no previous experience with programming is necessary. It is recommended that you bring your own laptop if possible, Mac or PC, and all software used will be provided.

More feedback from previous students:

“Teaching was great - The way we were talked through a process, then left to experiment with it, then offered help on a one to one basis, then group discussion. It really worked well, and kept everyone interested.”

“I thought programming might be a little over my head, but realise, like learning a new language, it just takes a little while to get your head round the rules and ultimately leads you to a kind of empowerment and better understanding.”