Casey Reas and Ben Fry, the principal developers of the Processing Programming language have developed a well illustrated and well described introduction to graphical programming in Processing taking a similar approach to Massimo Banzi's "Getting Started with Arduino". Written for the Artist and others who might be intimidated by a traditional programming text Reas and Fry first give a brief illustrated introduction to graphical programming and Processing (6 pages), and then proceed gently to illustrations and program listings of how one draws circles lines and triangles in just a few lines of code. By the end of this compact, well illustrated and non-intimidating 195 page introduction the reader regardless of his/her former background will be producing sophisticated art work in Processing and mixing Processing graphical applications with simple electronic interfaces based upon the Arduino Physical Computing platform. The book is carefully divided into 2-4 page graphically illustrated examples that enable the development of new skills in drawing, animating and interfacing with the computer. This exceptionally clear and non-threatening introduction has several unique features: 1. It is directed at the Artist or non-technical individual, 2. It allows Drawing, Animating, and Building User Interfaces with the computer, 3. Based on the Processing Language a simple easy-to-learn graphical subset of Java it introduces the non-technical individual to a common C-like Java-based language rather than a specialized "kiddie" interface like "Scratch", 4. It combines an introduction to graphical programming with the easy Physical Computing tools of Arduino to allow the artist to create Interactive Exhibitions.
This is the perfect introduction for an Artist, Talented Child, or Graphically-Oriented Non-Technical Individual to Create their own
Artwork or Compositions with Simple Yet-Powerful Programming Tools and learn the best Integration between an Artistic Culture and Modern Technology.
--Ira Laefsky
MSE/MBA Human Computer Interaction Researcher and Consultant