pocode is a new open-source C++ library designed by Potion for the production of interactive media across multiple platforms. The frameworks provides a robust, high-performance software infrastructure that allows for the creation of all types of software, from simple visual sketches to elegant mobile apps to entire software applications.

Continue reading.... Pocode – New open-source C++ library by Potion [c++]

(This essay was commissioned by Centre national des arts plastiques for Graphisme en France 2012)

- Edited by Casey Reas and Chandler McWilliams -

Technical mastery and innovation are part of the rich history of visual design. The printing press is the quintessential example of how a shift in design technology can ripple through society. In the Twenty-First Century, innovation in design often means pushing the role of computers within the visual arts in new directions. Writing software is something that’s not typically associated with the work of a visual designer, but there’s a growing number of designers who write custom software as a component of their work. Over the last decade, through personal experience, We’ve learned many of the benefits and pitfalls of writing code as a component of a visual arts practice, but our experience doesn’t cover the full spectrum. Custom software is changing typography, photography, and composition and is the foundation for new categories of design practice that includes design for networked media (web browsers, mobile phones, tablets) and interactive installations. Most importantly, designers writing software are pushing design thinking into new areas. To cut to the core of the matter, we asked a group of exceptional designers two deceptively simple questions:

1. Why do you write your own software rather than only use existing software tools?

2. How does writing your own software affect your design process and also the visual qualities of the final work?

Continue reading.... Designing Programs [Theory]

Mitchell Whitelaw, #climatedata proposal (2009)

One of the most articulate and accessible voices within the generative art scene is undoubtedly the Canberra-based scholar/practitioner Mitchell Whitelaw. Given his relative (internet) silence over the last year, news of an interview—conducted by Paul Prudence, no less—published in the most recent issue of Neural magazine, is cause for minor celebration. Mitchell posted the transcript of this conversation to his blog last night and it is noteworthy for several reasons. First, the opening response about the utopian nature of software art acknowledges some ideological underpinnings that are seldom discussed – and Paul’s query as to “where is the dystopian software art?” is both provocative and on point. Secondly, the comments about look vs. process and how even the glossiest eye candy often embodies a “narrative of systems” is a useful means of considering the ‘performative’ capabilities of generative art. Finally, Mitchell’s description of algorithm popularity as ‘a memetic ecology unto itself’ is exactly the kind of meta-commentary that is desperately needed in (generally) uncritical software art circles.

A particularly sharp passage on system design and pedagogy:

The link there for me is a sense of “procedurality” or “processuality”. In Casey Reas’ work we can see a strong relationship between computational and non-computational procedures such as those of Sol LeWitt. In teaching programming to designers, I have students write and execute a LeWitt style procedure, with pencil and paper. Digital generative systems are just formal procedures, executed by machines. Treating processes as human-executable helps unpack the black boxes of generative systems mentioned earlier, and hopefully reveal them as contingent and hackable.

This notion of “human executable” procedures is a handy frame of reference in introducing agency into system design…

Otherwise: the joy of materiality. Generative art and design covets the lush tangibility of traditional media; and with the wave of interest in fabrication we are seeing ever more generative work realised in “off-screen” forms. The challenge then, for pasty code-artist types, is to match the craft skills of hands-on makers in realising the work.

…and serves as a perfect segue into Mitchell’s thinking about transmateriality (craft/making/material culture). Read the full conversation between Mitchell and Paul here.

Created by Katarzyna Kijek and Przemysław Adamski, ”In statu nascendi” captures the ”under construction” process, in this case, of global illumination pass in rendering. Where one would normally be interested in the final results, the team finds beauty in these half rendered images and their temporal qualities.

To highlight a peculiar inability to reflect reality by the film, we focus on the “struggle” of generating an image. We capture the process of rendering “in statu nascendi” (“under construction”). Therefore we try to intercept this moment of the creative process, which is the most ephemeral – a temporary, piecemeal render phases (mostly global illumination pass). In the course of animation every next frame is more accurately rendered but still far from the target appearance. By analogy to chemical processes, the term “in statu nascendi” refers to the intermediate products of chemical reactions, which can not be isolated from the environment of this reaction. They are therefore just “under construction”, and then disappear.

Sound designed by Adam Witkowski is a direct transcription of the image made with a software dedicated for blind people.
Work commissioned by The Baltic Cultural Centre as a part of exhibition “Art is generally suspicious”.

Created using Cinema 4D.

More at kijekadamski.blogspot.com

/via triangulationblog

Super Pikix is a free VJ software for the portable console Caanoo created by Piklipita, duo of visual artists based in London, UK & Wroclaw, Poland. The Caanoo is an open-source, Linux-based handheld video game console and media player (wikipedia) priced at about US $150.

The Caanoo device fits into your pocket, it includes a touch screen, powered by a rechargeable battery and in addition to SD card storage it also includes a composite video out (PAL and NTSC supported). The Super Pikix software supports two video layers to be blended together, allows you to save and load playlists, special effects and filters and has a video resolution output of 320×240 pixels.

Piklipita is also the author of VJ-tools for Playstation 2, Nintendo GBA and soon to come PIKI900, VJ Software for Nokia N900. When it comes to the iOS platform, Piklipita have collaborated with Lingouf to create kovoclak and runkovo.

Also below are attached some of Piklipita‘s VJ performances.

[found via digitaltools]

Satromizer started as a Adobe After Effects 3.0 plugin written by Ben Syverson as a response to Jon Satrom’s video KOLOBOKZ. About a year ago Ben and Jon Satrom joined forces and released the Satromizer for the iPhone. The duo has just announced Satromizer OS, the new version of Satromizer for the iPad. Taking the concept of glitch further, the new Satromizer OS will include a bug game, a glitchy word processor, a desktop drum machine and an MP3 sample corruptor, all of this in addition to the standard features of Satromizer. Each of the modes explore the notion of glitch in a slightly different way, utilising iOS features and providing an alternative interface to manipulate media on your device (see video below).

When asked to participate in the Funware Exhibition curated by Olga Goriunova at MU, Eindhoven, NL, 2010, and Hartware MedienKunstVerein, Dortmund, DE, 2011; Satrom and Syverson struggled with the imagery to install on the device to allow gallery viewers to Satromize. The two playfully gravitated towards inventing an alternative operating system built atop the Satromizer. Satromizer OS (or sOS) is positioned as a productivity and entertainment platform for glitch art.

In sOS, Satromizing is more than just mere file corruption, it’s a foundational building block that can be integrated into any app. From sliders to scalers; from loaders to pre-loaders, the Satromizer building blocks are unmistakeable in Satromizer OS. Nearly everything you touch glitches before your eyes!

Coming soon…

Previously on CAN: Satromizer [iPhone]

Olga Midlenko is motion/graphic designer and director. Olga graduated an interior design department and from the time of studying she fell in love with spaces, architecture and industrial design. She started her professional career as an interior designer mostly working with private interiors, event and corporate spaces. After two years she moved to graphic and motion design, spreading her interests. From that moment till now she works with corporate branding, identification systems, commercials, network branding for such brands as Xbox, Playstation, Konami, Adobe, Kenzo, Nike, Marlboro, Volvo. Olga works as director and designer on motion/graphic projects. Open for freelance.

More: midlenko.com + Vimeo

Continue reading.... DaisyDisk [Mac]

There are three things that make wakoopa very appealing. The first one is that wakoopa is a great way to monitor your productivity, evaluating how much time you spend using particular “productivity” apps and how much time you spend on social sites and just goofing about. The second thing is that wakoopa is a great tool to keep the track of interesting apps. Watch the recommendations, download them and try the apps yourself. Last but least, is the ability to share your apps with your friends, see what they use and what apps they have discovered. Of course, wakoopa offers privacy functionality so if you prefer to keep you usage private you can do that.

There is also a widget available that you can integrate on your own site and of course, a facebook plugin. Just recently, FriendFeed has integrated Wakoopa support and there are new goodies added all the time.

If you like Wakoopa, be sure to nominate it for a Best International Crunchies award.

Platform: WebApp, Mac, Windows
Cost: Free
Developer: Wakoopa
Wakoopa