Generative Design

What is it about?

This workshop was designed as an introduction to the world of generative design using the Processing development environment. The emphasis will be put on modeling and reasoning about systems which, unlike traditional design tools, can output an endless number of results. We will learn how to master those systems, so that the final result is tailored to suit our wishes.

The first part of the workshop will introduce the participants to Processing by using real-life problems and practical work. In addition to getting familiar with the syntax and the basic building blocks of a Processing sketch, we will talk about time modeling, animation and parameter spaces. Due to a two-week gap between the first and the second part of the workshop, the participants will be assigned with some homework, while staying in touch with the lecturer via email or Slack.

The second part of the workshop will be focused on one-man projects on the given topic, with assistance of the lecturer. The topic will be interesting and related to identity design, and it will not be revealed until the beginning of the course. The idea is to allow the participants to come up with their very own creation which can later be altered, animated, printed…

Processing is an open source computer programming language and integrated development environment (IDE), built for the electronic arts, new media art and visual design communities with the purpose of teaching non-programmers the fundamentals of computer programming in a visual context. The language is built on the fundaments of Java, but it uses simplified syntax and a graphics user interface. The whole project was initiated in 2001 by Casey Reas and Ben Fry, formerly engaged with the Aesthetics and Computation Group at the MIT Media Lab. In 2012, they started the Processing Foundation, along with Daniel Shiffman, who joined as a third project leader.

https://processing.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processing_(programming_language)

The realization of the course was supported by Development Agency of Serbia.

Who is it for?

The workshop is tailored for the creatives in visual arts. It’s not mandatory for you to know how to code, draw or model – all it takes is a passion for graphics. However, keep in mind that the majority of the course will include coding, it being the most important tool for describing generative systems.

It’s necessary for all the participants to own a laptop which they can use during the course, and also to install the Processing program beforehand. The program can be downloaded for free at https://processing.org/download/.