It all starts with the Filler Words

How important is it to visually identify yourself? Does it mean to be seen in whole or just a part of your profile is enough? Would having anonymity stimulate your search for identity, prompt you to a new form of expression? What is level of deconstruction possible to be anonymous yet be identifiable?

The Creative Coding expertise explores the use of Interactive Pixels to address the above questions? And it all starts with Filler Words…

At the beginning of the semester, I was looking to collect data and represent them visually. In one of the lectures I noticed we (you, me, your classmates) use filler words a lot. You know….  ummmm…  the kind of words that are errrrr…. used to 'fill' your train of thought while presenting. 

Once I started documenting, I realized I needed an easier and organized method to document this data, a shorthand, which became the first task in exploring creative coding. The process started with setting the shapes in a grid and using code (with the help of ChatGPT) to activate specific functions. 

Even though I find the manual data set more attractive (colors right!), this exercise got me curios to explore the rigidity and playfulness of a GRID.

Hello GRID

I explored various options using the structure of the grid. My background with illustrations, graphics and also as a tutor gave rise to new ideas leading to the creation of pattern making, games and visual exploration. 

On the 3rd day, Karsten introduced us to working with images, sound and videos thus opening another Pandora's box of ideas. After further explorations, I was attracted by how pixellated image distorted my identity to an extent where I could still recognize a part of me. 

One experiment led to another and the final outcome was a playful bubbly pixellated palette of colors that aroused curiosity in the user. The curiosity was to be able to identify oneself through movement and distance. I personally enjoyed the fact that I could recognize it was me but it still wasn't. Even the surrounding environment was a pixellated, giving a sense of a live impressionist painting.

Inspired by filters, newsprint and the grid, below are the various visuals and explorations that were part of the Expertise.

How important is it to visually identify yourself? Does it mean to be seen in whole or just a part of your profile is enough? Would having anonymity stimulate your search for identity, prompt you to a new form of expression? What is level of deconstruction possible to be anonymous yet be identifiable?

The Creative Coding expertise explores the use of Interactive Pixels to address the above questions.

Playing with Pixels

Keeping the end result in mind, which was to be a screening for DDS, the idea then was to make the code interactive and playful. 

Inspired by various filters such as newsprint, bubbles and other pixellated explorations, I selected parameters which had a balance of identity, playfulness and pixellation. I was curious with the fact that I could recognize it was me but it still wasn't.

Conclusions and Learnings

I cannot thank Karsten enough for being so patient and attentive to each and everyone in the class. The fact that he gave every project the due time it required and much more is deeply appreciated. 

I also thank Chat GPT for patiently interpreting my creative prompts and giving amazing results to my ideas. This is the first time I used GPT so extensively. It was fascinating to see how a simple line of code could do something so visually creative.

Processing, as a platform, has opened a whole new Pandora's box of ideas and set them in motion- literally. :) 

Pixellated Regards,

Harsh