Lab 1: Introduction to Processing
CS145: Images and Imagination, Spring 2010

Reading

Pages 17-41 of textbook. Also, for discussion of Color, see pages 85-92 in textbook.

Goals

Become familiar with

• The Processing Development Environment (PDE).
• Running and debugging a processing program.
• Some of the basic Processing commands.

Activities

In class, we will go over the Processing environment as well as some of the syntax and behavior or a number of the commands in Processing including: Your job is to practice using them. For example, work through the following. Try things as you go!:

• Window Coordinates
• Color
  • Other information on color can be found at Brown and Understanding Color
• Getting Started: read through the opening paragraphs as well as the sections "Sketching with Processing", "Hello World", "Creating images from your work", "Examples and reference", "More about size()". Skip the other sections.

At a minimum, be certain that you are familiar with the following basic commands:

• Window setup: size(), background()
• Shapes: line(), point(), rect(), ellipse(), triangle()
• Styles: fill(), noFill(), stroke(), strokeWeight(), smooth(), noSmooth,
• Comments
• Saving an image: save()

Once you are familiar with the above, create and save 3-4 images (png or jpg format) that make use of these commands and that also apply some of the design elements and principles. These images may be abstract or representational. Be prepared to discuss what you did.

Once you are somewhat familiar with the above, create and save 3-4 images (png or jpg format) that make use of these commands and that also apply some of the principles of design. Be prepared to discuss what you did.

Deliverables

Monday, January 25:

Be prepared to show preliminary work during class.

Wednesday, January 27

Before turning in any of your code, make sure that you have cleaned it up as follows:

• Delete any unused code.
• Format the code so that it is easy to read.
• Add comments so that someone else looking at the code can follow what the code does.

You should have a Processing Sketchbook for each of your 3-4 images. Each sketchbook should contain the processing program (file extention .pde) as well as an image that was generated from the program (jpg or png format). Place your sketchbooks into a single folder called yourLastName_lab1. Zip together everything in the folder and submit via Wise. In WISE, also include a few sentences for each sketch describing the thought process that went into its creation and/or the design elements and principles that were used. We will go over this submission process in class, in case you have any questions.

Try to get this turned in 30 minutes before class on Wednesday, Jan 27th. Since the first lab is always the most confusing, don't worry if you have problems with the submission process. We will go over it again Wednesday for those who have problems. However, it is assumed that future labs will always be turned in 30 minutes before class on the day they are due.