IM4490 Special Topics in Interactive Media

Topics are based upon important trends and developments in Interactive Media Design. Lectures, demonstrations, or research reports pertaining to areas of interest in Interactive Media Design presented by resident faculty, expert visitors, and working professionals. Group projects may also be assigned. Topics selected are based upon important trends and developments in the industry. Study and discussion of computer hardware, operating systems, networking, programming languages, interactive digital media, streaming media, entrepreneurship, marketing, workgroup organization, and the interactive industry are but a few possible topics that might be covered.

Instructor: John Keston

Meeting Times and Location:
Monday / Wednesday
10am – 11am (with appropriate breaks), Room L229, LaSalle building

Syllabus: Please visit e-Companion to download the current syllabus
Textbook:
Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6
Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11

Session 1: In this class we will explore a variety of technologies and techniques that are used for new media art installations. We will look at a wide variety works by artists that span multiple disciplines. The media covered will include video, projection, motion graphics, data visualization, physical computing, touchscreen, mobile devices, and sound. As we research and propose projects we will also immerse ourselves in learning tools like Processing, MaxMSP, PureData, and SuperCollider. Using these technologies might seem overwhelming. One key thing to keep in mind is that it is not the complexity of a project that makes it successful, but the merit of the idea.

Session 2: Today we will review the requirements for the first assignment. It involves creating a project proposal and an artist statement. These are two distinct documents, but when submitting proposals for arts organizations an artist statement is often required. Artist statements are short documents that describe your motivation and inspiration as an artist. They may also describe your interests, goals, and existing work. They differ from biographies that are more likely to list projects, awards, performances, or exhibitions.

A project proposal describes in detail work that you plan to create for a particular exhibition, festival, or event. Project proposals include a three or four paragraph description of the work. They might also include diagrams, scores, images, sounds, or video files. Budgets are often necessary for grant applications or when reimbursement is expected. Today we will look at examples of both types of documents and outline what’s expected for the assignment.

Session 1: Today we will begin an extended examination of the Open Source Processing language for experimental projects and research. Developed by Ben Fry and Casey Reas at MIT Processing has been used by artists, students, instructors, scientists, data visualization studios, and many others since 2001. If you have had IM2490 Motion Scripting then you have probably used Processing.js, a port of the Processing language to Javascript by jQuery founder, John Resig. In this class we will focus on using the Processing IDE (integrated development environment).

Session 2: Today let’s review the requirements for Special Topics: Problem Set #1. Out first problem set originates from examples that are packaged with the Processing IDE. Upcoming problem sets will require the book Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists.

Special Topics: Problem Set #1 (5 points)
1. Create a new Processing sketch from the example found under Basics > Arrays > Array2D.
2. Modify the example in a minimum of five places to produce your new sketch.
3. Experiment with fill colors, background color, dimensions, coordinates, strokes, etc.
4. Save your experiment on the drop off drive under “John Keston/IM4490/Last, First/Problem Set 1/Array2D_demo.pde”
5. Be prepared to explain your modifications before class starts on session 1, week 3.

Session 1: Today each of you will present your work on problem set #1. I will also be providing the final feedback for your proposals and artist statements. Once all of that has been covered I will present another Processing.org demo.

Session 2: Today you will be reviewing the requirements for problem set #2 involving radial gradients using the HSB color mode.

Special Topics: Problem Set #2 (5 points)
1. Create a new Processing sketch from the example found under Basics > Color > RadialGradient.
2. Modify the example in a minimum of five places to produce your new sketch.
3. Experiment with frame rate, x-y-r, background color, dimensions, coordinates, strokes, etc.
4. Save your experiment on the drop off drive under “John Keston/IM4490/Last, First/Problem Set 2/RadialGradientPS2.pde”
5. Be prepared to explain your modifications before class starts on session 1, week 4.

Session 1: Today we will be presenting Problem Set #2. Also, final drafts of your project proposals and artist statements are due for jurying. I will also talk about some of my experiences at Moogfest.

Session 2: Today we will review the details of Problem Set #3. After that Vote on project proposals. Assign groups to each projects.
Homework: Solve Problem Set #3. Organize initial project tasks for group.

Special Topics: Problem Set #3 (5 points)
1. Create a new Processing sketch from the example found under Basics > Objects > Objects.
2. Modify the sketch to create an array of objects.
3. Modify the example in a minimum of four more places to produce your new sketch.
4. Experiment with color, shapes, keyboard input, mouse input, etc.
5. Save your experiment on the drop off drive under “John Keston/IM4490/Last, First/Problem Set 3/ObjectsPS3.pde”
6. Be prepared to explain your modifications before class starts on session 1, week 4.

Session 1: Be prepared to present problem Set #3 to the class. Following the presentations let’s discuss details regarding the group project. Demonstrations may involve looking at specific problems related to your Northern Spark project. The examples found under Basics > Objects might be a good follow up to last weeks problem set.

Assignment For Week 5, Session 2: Look through the examples found in the Processing IDE and pick and example that you would like explained in class. Share what it is that you don’t quite understand about your example.

Session 2: Let’s review the details for Problem Set #4. Also, present your Processing example for explanations during the in class demonstrations. Finally, assign tasks for each group member for the final project. The assigned tasks should relate to each participant skill set. Be prepared to demonstrate your progress next week.

Special Topics: Problem Set #4 (5 points)
1. Create a new Processing sketch from the example found under Basics > Form > TriangleStrip.
2. Modify the sketch to create a kaleidoscope effect.
3. Modify the example in a minimum of four more places to produce your new sketch.
4. Experiment with any Y axis mouse interaction, keyboard input, and color effects.
5. Save your experiment on the drop off drive under “John Keston/IM4490/Last, First/Problem Set 4/KaleidoscopePS4.pde”
6. Be prepared to demonstrate and explain your modifications in class starts on session 1, week 6.

Session 1: Present your results for Problem Set #4. Today each group member will be showing their progress on the project so far. Discuss your progress on the assigned tasks and show any sketches, or examples of code that you have created.

Session 2: Today we will review the requirements for Problem Set #5. Also, we will continue demonstrations in Processing that relate to the final group project.

Special Topics: Problem Set #5 (5 points)
1. Create a new Processing sketch from the example found under Topics > Simulate > SimpleParticleSystem.
2. Modify the sketch to involve user interaction with the mouse and keyboard.
3. Apply behaviors to mouseX and mouseY.
4. Experiment with keyboard controls to change particle size and color.
5. Save your experiment on the drop off drive under “John Keston/IM4490/Last, First/Problem Set 5/ParticlesPS5.pde”
6. Be prepared to demonstrate and explain your modifications in class on session 1, week 7.

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