I have almost finished reading “Processing for Visual Artists: How to Create Expressive Images and Interactive Art” by Andrew Glassner. And not a day goes by when I do not learn how to do something new in Processing.js. For example, today I learned the formula for finding points on a bézier curve given the anchor points and the control points. This will come in useful when I attempt to reproduce curves that must hit certain points.
Although Processing is somewhat limited to geometric art, I continue to find interesting projects within this limitation. Some of my recent projects in sacred geometry have included; Metatron’s Cube, the Seed of Life, the Flower of Life, and a shaman’s dreamcatcher. I plan to explore other possible projects in gem or crystal geometry, Art Deco geometry, Islamic tile geometry, and various signs or symbols. I share a few of my sketches at Open Processing.
Processing gives me a fun way to solve programming challenges that involve some math without getting bored. It is a great way to learn more about computer graphics without being overwhelmed by technical material. Sometimes I figure out how to do the same thing in Python using its Matplotlib plotting library.
I think this is the ideal way to express my creativity using my existing professional skills. I bought a lot of books on figure drawing but I never get around to reading them and it would take a lot of practice to improve my drawing skills. Drawing would also lack the problem solving that Processing requires. Messing around with Processing is almost as fun as playing a computer game because you are dealing with the same kinds of computer graphics, only with more creative control.
Some of my work is cutting edge even if it isn’t all that spectacular. I have figured out how to do some simple things in Processing that have never been done before. I am still in the process of exploring various ways to produce basic shapes. Eventually I will seek to promote my work in the greater art community.
