Getting Started with Processing [Format Kindle]

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.

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.

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