metabiosis

Workshop ‘Hello Process’
5-6-7 March 2008
10:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 17:00
Sign, Winschoterkade 10, Groningen, NL
Costs: Free!

Chaos theory, finite state machines, randomness, entropy, non linear systems and non deterministic automata, l-systems, self-similar series, recursions and iterations. WTF? LOLZ

The term generative art should not attempt to describe any art-movement or ideology. It’s a method of making digital art. This term refers to how the art is made, and not taking into account why it was made, what the content of the artwork is or what the intention of the artist is.

Generative techniques applied to digital art and sound art can greatly enhance and widen the field of possibilities brought inside an artwork by giving an extra degree of freedom to creative processes designed by the artist.

Generative strategies and algorithmic exploration bring the designer in a situation in which s/he is not replaced by the machine but moved to a position where s/he initiates and develops a digital chemistry where artistic processes can evolve on their own.

During this 3 day workshop, the participants will be introduced to dataflow programming, simple Digital Signal Processing, generative and algorithmic techniques that they will be able to apply in any other field once the course is completed.

The main goal is to move creativity from the design of a formal object-effect to the design of the model of an object-cause in which autonomous processes will be injected in order to reach emerging spaces the participants would not have been able to design using a top down approach.

The goal of the workshop is not to learn a new software, but to get acquainted with certain techniques and strategies for the creation of a media art work or design. The software Pure Data will be used to illustrate most of the different techniques, but the emphasis will be
put on introducing and explaining the generative processes so the participant can understand them and will be able to implement these techniques in his/her creative work.

The participants who are interested in learning more about the software used in the workshop, can come to the Openlab sessions following the workshop.

The workshop is based on 100% Free/Libre/Open Source Software. All the material used during the workshop will be available on-line under an open content license. During the workshop we’ll work with the pure:dyne GNU/Linux operating system.

No previous knowledge of programming is required, but knowing how to use
computers is :)

Schedule

DAY 1

introduction to puredata
– basic pd layout
– triggers and messages
– hot and cold inlets
– random and select
– audio and control signals

introduction to gem
– basic gem layout
– gem objects
– spatial organisation
– colors and rendering priority

iterations and recursion
– the basics
– some examples in Pd

DAY 2

deterministic automata
– what is an automaton?
– build a simple automaton in Pd
– stochastic processes
– an example of more advanced automata: cellular automata

introduction to chaos
– a bit of theory
– analysis of the logistic function of Robert May
– presentation of other chaotic functions
– mini pdp introduction
– feedback in pdp

DAY 3

self similarity
– writing a self similar poem
– self similarity in music
– a simple tracer in gem
– L-systems, an introduction
– Some L-systems in Pd

resources for further investigation
– books, sites, lists, etc.
– Openlab
– FLOSS interesting in this context (processing, fluxus, Pd, …)
– Q&A