The base for technology and science, mathematics, can have yes/no answers. Art is not based on yes/no answers. It is not possible to be RIGHT in an English essay. It is not possible to be RIGHT in an art exam. With a mathematics exam it is possible to be 100% right.

John Maeda in his foreword for Processing (see previous post):

Hybrids that can fluidly cross the chasm between technology and the arts are mutations in the academic system. Traditionally, universities create technology students or art students—but never mix the two sides of the equation in the same person. During the 1990s the mutants that managed to defy this norm would either seek me out, or else I would reach out to find them myself…

These ‘mutants’ lie somewhere on the scale between technology and art. I’m naturally in the latter camp, but I want to be closer to the middle. I’ve chosen to design systems and services which make use of technology, so I need to know my platform. Technology needs ambiguity, too: as without creativity and ambiguity, a technology is an unused palette.

Image by Jared Tarbell (Complexification), made with Processing—this is rather brilliant, so look at the others.

I’m playing with Processing.

At the same time, I am making my way through this lovely book by Casey Reas and Ben Fry, which is “a programming handbook for visual designers and artists”. It’s not just a pretty book (the book is very pretty); it’s a compelling philosophical collection of essays and practical tasks for visual designers-who-wanna-be-programmers. The chasm between code and art has never been so narrow.

Processing is definitely an art platform but if you can do maths that helps. People can do some very cool interactive stuff with it. Though it’s also used for making quick interactive prototypes (I want to see what mobile-design extraordinaire Bryan Rieger has been up to with it.)

I don’t expect to accomplish anything particulary grand with it; at least not yet—I’m having fun typing out the code and seeing what I can do, and picking up the syntax.

Oh, and here’s some lines that stick to your cursor.

Pretty cool, eh?