Getting Started with Processing [Paperback]

Casey Reas (Author), Ben Fry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 2010

Learn computer programming the easy way with Processing, a simple language that lets you use code to create drawings, animation, and interactive graphics. Programming courses usually start with theory, but this book lets you jump right into creative and fun projects. It's ideal for anyone who wants to learn basic programming, and serves as a simple introduction to graphics for people with some programming skills.

Written by the founders of Processing, this book takes you through the learning process one step at a time to help you grasp core programming concepts. You'll learn how to sketch with code -- creating a program with one a line of code, observing the result, and then adding to it. Join the thousands of hobbyists, students, and professionals who have discovered this free and educational community platform.

• Quickly learn programming basics, from variables to objects
• Understand the fundamentals of computer graphics
• Get acquainted with the Processing software development environment
• Create interactive graphics with easy-to-follow projects
• Use the Arduino open source prototyping platform to control your Processing graphics

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The perfect introduction to creating software for people without an engineering background."
--Aaron Koblin, Technology Lead, Google Creative Lab

"Making a computer program used to be as easy as turning it on and typing one or two lines of code to get it to say, ‘Hello.' Now it takes a 500+-page manual and an entire village. Not anymore. This little book by Ben and Casey gets you computationally drawing lines, triangles, and circles within minutes of clicking the ‘download' button. They've made making computer programs humanly and humanely possible again -- and that's no small feat."
--John Maeda, President of Rhode Island School of Design

"Getting Started with Processing is not only a straightforward introduction to basic programming -- it's fun! It almost feels like an activity workbook for grownups. You may want to buy it even if you never thought you were interested in programming, because you will be."
--Mark Allen, Founder and Director, Machine Project

"This is an excellent primer for those wanting to dip their feet into programming graphics. Its learning by doing approach makes it particularly appropriate for artists and designers who are often put off by more traditional theory first approaches. The price of the book and the fact that the Processing environment is open source makes this an excellent choice for students."
--Gillian Crampton Smith, Fondazione Venezia Professor of Design, IUAV University of Venice

"Processing changed dramatically the way we teach programming and it's one of the major factors of the success of Arduino."
--Massimo Banzi, Cofounder of Arduino

"Casey Reas and Ben Fry champion the exciting power of programming for creatives in Getting Started with Processing, a hands-on guide for making code-based drawings and interactive graphics. Reas and Fry are clear and direct, but as artists, they're not afraid to be a bit eccen- tric and offbeat. This makes their unique form of teaching powerful."
--Holly Willis, Director of Academic Programs, Institute for Multimedia Literacy, School of Cinematic Arts, USC

About the Author

Casey Reas is a professor in the Department of Design Media Arts at UCLA and a graduate of the MIT Media Laboratory. Reas' software has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions at museums and galleries in the United States, Europe, and Asia. With Ben Fry, he co-founded Processing in 2001. He is the co-author of Processing: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists (2007) and Form+Code in Design, Art, and Architecture (2010). His work is archived at http://www.reas.comwww.reas.com.

Ben Fry has a doctorate from the MIT Media Laboratory and was the 2006-2007 Nierenberg Chair of Design for the Carnegie Mellon School of Design. He worked with Casey Reas to develop Processing, which won a Golden Nica from the Prix Ars Electronica in 2005. Ben's work has received a New Media Fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation, and been shown at the Museum of Modern Art, Ars Electronica, the 2002 Whitney Biennial, and the 2003 Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: Make; 1 edition (July 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 144937980X
• ISBN-13: 978-1449379803
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,341 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Media Management > Video Production
  • #20 in Books > Computers & Technology > Web Development & Design > User Experience & Usability
  • #62 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Graphics & Multimedia

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is THE first book to get for learning Processing June 29, 2010

By R. Severson

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you have an interest in Processing, you will want to start with this gentle introduction. This book provides straightforward example and clear, concise code. For 200 pages the book is heavy with graphics and example code.

The book provides an introduction to the Processing environment and to the fundamentals of the language. With the knowledge in this book you will quickly be doing graphical things on the PC - a lot faster than with any Microsoft development environment!

If your goal is to use a PC language to develop graphics and apps on a PC, but don't feel that you are a 'programmer', then this is the language and book for you. The book is approachable and the language is very clean. The result is after going through this book you will have the confidence to 'do things' on a PC that you didn't think you could do. Programming is within reach of 'non programmers' again.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction August 15, 2010

By L. Smith

Format:Paperback

This small book is an excellent introduction to the Processing language. It is based on simple examples that show the language features, getting to reasonably advanced topics such as using a timer and handling images. While this book is aimed at beginners, it's a good place to start for experienced programmers who want a quick overview of the language without wading through wordy explanations of elementary topics.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gentle Introduction To The Processing Language For Artists & Others August 12, 2010

By Ira Laefsky VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

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