Creative coding: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Activity of computer programming for expressive purposes}}

{{refimprove|date=March 2014}}

[[File:Creative coding breakout modification.png|thumb|upright|A heavily modified version of the classic 1980s video game ''[[Breakout (video game)|Breakout]]'' produces visually interesting glitches.]]

'''Creative coding''' is a type of [[computer programming]] in which the goal is to create something expressive instead of something functional. It is used to create live visuals and for [[VJing]], as well as creating visual art and design, entertainment (e.g. [[Video game|video games]]), art installations, projections and [[projection mapping]], sound art, advertising, product [[prototype]]s, and much more.

== History ==

Using programming to create art is a practice that started in the 1960s. In later decades groups such as Compos 68<ref>{{Cite web|title=Compos 68 - Monoskop|url=https://monoskop.org/Compos_68|access-date=2020-06-10|website=monoskop.org}}</ref> successfully explored programingprogramming for artistic purposes, having their work exhibited in international exhibitions. From the 80s onward expert programmers joined the [[demoscene]], and tested their skills against each other by creating "demos": highly technically competent visual creations.

Recent exhibitions and books, including Dominic Lopes' ''A Philosophy of Computer Art'' (2009) have sought to examine the integral role of coding in contemporary art beyond that of Human Computer Interface (HCI).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lopes|first1=Dominic|title=A Philosophy of Computer Art|date=2009|publisher=Routledge|___location=London|isbn=978-0415547628}}</ref> Criticising Lopes however, Juliff and Cox argue that Lopes continues to privilege interface and user at the expense of the integral condition of code in much computer art. Arguing for a more nuanced appreciation of coding, Juliff and Cox set out contemporary creative coding as the examination of code and intentionality as integral to the users understanding of the work.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Toby Juliff|first1=Travis Cox|title=The Post-display condition of contemporary computer art|journal=eMajEMaj|date=April 2015|volume=8|url=https://emajartjournal.com/2015/04/14/toby-juliff-travis-cox-the-post-display-condition-of-contemporary-computer-art/|accessdate=31 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629221917/https://emajartjournal.com/2015/04/14/toby-juliff-travis-cox-the-post-display-condition-of-contemporary-computer-art/|archive-date=29 June 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Currently there is a renewed interest in the question of why programming as a method of producing art hasn't flourished. [[Google]] has renewed interest within their Dev Art initiative,<ref>

{{cite web |url=https://devart.withgoogle.com |title= DevArt Website |access-date=29 September 2016}}

</ref> but this in turn has elicited strong reactions from a number of creative coders who claim that coining a new term to describe their practice is counterproductive.<ref name=hacktheartworld>{{cite web|url=http://hacktheartworld.com/|website=www.hacktheartworld.com|title=Hack The Art World|accessdate=16 July 2014}}</ref>

== Artists using creative coding==

Some contemporary artists who use creative coding in their work are [[Daniel Shiffman]], [[Zachary Lieberman]], [[Golan Levin]], [[Ben Fry]], and [[Giles Whitaker (artist)]].

== List of creative coding software ==

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|[[C++]]

|[[BSD licenses|2-Clause BSD License]]

|-

|[https://dittytoy.net/ Dittytoy]

|Platform that allows you to create generative music using a minimalistic javascript API.

|Any with a [[web browser]]

|[[JavaScript]]

|[[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]

|-

|generativepy

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|[[Cross-platform software|Cross-platform]]

|[[Python (programming language)|Python]]

|[[GPL#Version%203 3|GPLv3]]
|-

|[[SuperCollider]]

|An environment and [[programming language]] for [[Real-time computing|real-time]] [[audio synthesis]] and [[algorithmic composition]].

|[[Cross-platform software|Cross-platform]]

|SuperCollider

|[[GPL#Version%203 3|GPLv3]]

|-

|[[Vvvvvvvv]]

|Hybrid visual/textual live-programming environment for easy prototyping and development. It is designed to facilitate the handling of large media environments with physical interfaces, real-time motion graphics, audio and video

|[[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]

|[[Visual programming language]]

|[[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]

|-

|[https://zimjs.com ZIM]

|JavaScript Canvas Framework adding many conveniences, components and controls with an emphasis on simplifying code for learners and professionals.

|[[Cross-platform software|Cross-platform]]

|[[JavaScript]]

|[[MIT License]]

|}

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* [[Creative computing]]

* [[Computer art]]

* [[Demoscene]]

* [[Generative design]]

* [[Generative art]]

* [[List of mathematical art software]]

* [[Live coding]]

* [[Demoscene]]

== References ==

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| publisher = friends of ED

| page = 840

| isbn = 978-1-59059-617-X3

| url = http://friendsofed.com/book.html?isbn=159059617X

| access-date = March 12, 2014

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== External links ==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130119171828/http://video.pbs.org/video/2322911761/ The Art of Creative Coding] Video produced by [[Off Book]]

*[http://www.creativeapplications.net/ Creative Application Network, a website that showcases new work]

*[https://devart.withgoogle.com/ Dev Art - Art made with Code, a project by Google]

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[[Category:Computer programming]]

[[Category:Creativity techniques]]

[[Category:Creative coding| ]]