I was creating some lighting effects for a dance recital. To break up the monotony of a monotonic cyc background, I wanted to create some simple color effects. As I've been wanting to, and have done so yet, I wanted to give processing 2 a go. It turns out to be a c-like language based upon an actual underlying java engine.
The program starts with a full screen rainbow. Then left clicking anywhere on the image, it uses the y value to determine the number of ripples, and the x value to determine the color upon which the ripples are centered. A right click will save the image to a file. Default image name is c000.jpg. The directory is hardcoded in the source. By typing a lower case 'c' then a sequence of digits, a new file name can be created. I used the letter 'c' to designate the cue for which the image was to be used. 'b' will toggle a black background in and out.
My plan was to use the Processing program during the light show, hence the use of midi to bring in images. The midi code is incomplete as I decided that show programming would become somewhat complex for what I needed. Rather than deleting the code, I have left the midi code in as a template for what could be done in the future. It is operational, and does trigger on midi messages, so it becomes a good working starting point for something different in the future.
While on the subject of Generative Art, some sites to which I'd like to return:
- Processing: the place for the application
- Wikpedia's entry for Generative Art
- zenbullets: prolific generative art producer
- Abandoned Art: art from zenbullets
- 25 life-saving tips for Processing
- Processing Wiki
- Processing, Midi, Renoise, Scripting
Continue reading "Creating Rainbow Backgrounds With Processing" »