OpenFrameworks / Animation by Code
Parsons The New School for Design / MFA Design & Technology
Spring 2015 / PGTE 5566 / CRN 5982
Instructor: Bernardo Schorr
E-mail: bernardo@newschool.edu
When: Tuesdays 7:00 - 9:40 PM
Where: Room D1200
Course Description
Animation is all about things that move... or better yet, a sequence of stills that represent movement when flipped through in high speed. Some of the great challenges in animation lie in defining where the subject will be in the next frame as the artist tries to represent a particular vision of movement: natural, dramatic, exaggerated. Code can help us in this task.
Code brings a whole new toolset to an already rich collection of animation techniques, such as drawings, puppets, etching, pixilation and others. To understand animation made through computer programming, we'll go through basic geometry and physics principles that govern the motion of objects – trigonometry, gravity, attraction and repulsion and others. We'll understand how these principles act in real w.orld objects and how they can be simulated through code. Natural movement will be our goal in this class.
This class will be taught using the OpenFrameworks toolkit. There is a lot of coding involved and we'll go through a lot of different concepts. Expect to develop an extensive amount of homework throughout the course.
Learning Outcomes
Students who take this class will:
- Build on their knowledge of computer graphics programming in OpenFrameworks.
- Build on their understanding of C++ and how to extend OpenFrameworks.
- Understand how real world physics and mathematics translates to animated motion.
- Learn how to use code for animation expression.
- Learn how to translate these concepts to other programming languages.
Course Outline
| WEEK | DATE | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 01/27 | CANCELLED / Juno Storm |
| 02 | 02/03 | Setup / OOP / Interpolation |
| 03 | 02/10 | Shapes / Randomness / Noise |
| 04 | 02/17 | Trigonometry / Oscillation |
| 05 | 02/24 | Vectors / Forces |
| 06 | 03/03 | Particles / Particle Systems |
| 07 | 03/10 | Box2D / C++ Primer |
| 08 | 03/17 | MIDTERM PRESENTATIONS |
| 09 | 03/24 | NO CLASS / Spring Break |
| 10 | 03/31 | Autonomous Elements I |
| 11 | 04/07 | Autonomous Elements II |
| 12 | 04/14 | NO CLASS / Bernardo at FITC |
| 13 | 04/21 | TBD (Springs? / Verlet? / Fractals?) |
| 14 | 04/28 | TBD (Shaders? FBO? VBO?) |
| 15 | 05/05 | Final Workshop |
| 16 | 05/12 | FINAL PRESENTATIONS |
##Software
#####OpenFrameworks + IDE of choice This course will be taught using OpenFrameworks C++ creative coding toolkit. You can run OF in your IDE of choice, depending on your OS. Download the correct OF version and follow the setup guide in the OF download page to get up and running.
#####Running the code in this repo The code in this repository is compatible with OF version 0.8.4, the latest stable release at the start date of this class. To run the code in this repo, place it inside the root folder of OpenFrameworks.
#####Git + GitHub We will use Git for source control and GitHub as the online platform to store most of the class materials, especially example code. Github will also be the platform used to deliver homework for this class. Install Git in your machine and sign up for Github before the start of class.
##Submitting Homework You'll need to set up your own Git/Github repo to submit homework. Follow the instructions in the homework file in this repo on how to do it.
##Tutoring and Support Nicole Messier is the tutor for this class. She's available via e-mail or in person for upt to 3 hours/week (for everyone, of course). Use the animationbycode google group to post e-mail questions and e-mail her directly to schedule office hours at messn168@newschool.edu
##Resources #####Code resources This class draws inspiration from many origins, but other teachers have masterfully taught in similar subjects and can provide amazing materials. Some of them are:
- Algorithmic Animation by Zach Lieberman
- AVSYS by Zach Lieberman
- Simulation Studio by Patricio Gonzalez Vivo
- DT Playful Systems by Ramsey Nasser
#####OpenFrameworks channels
#####Books, papers and others
- Mastering Openframeworks: Creative Coding Demystified by Denis Perevalov
- Nature of Code by Daniel Shiffman
- Generative Design by Hartmut Bohnacker, Benedikt Gross, Julia Laub and Claudius Lazzeroni
- Generative Art by Matt Pearson
Final Grade Calculation
- 10% participation
- 10% attendance
- 10% homework
- 30% mid term
- 50% final project
Grading Standards
- A Work of exceptional quality
- A- Work of high quality
- B+ Very good work
- B Good work; satisfies course requirements Satisfactory completion of a course is considered to be a grade of B or higher.
- B- Below-average work
- C+ Less than adequate work
- C Well below average work
- C- Poor work; lowest possible passing grade
- F Failure
- GM Grade missing for an individual
Grades of D are not used in graduate level courses.
Grade of W
The grade of W may be issued by the Office of the Registrar to a student who officially withdraws from a course within the applicable deadline. There is no academic penalty, but the grade will appear on the student transcript. A grade of W may also be issued by an instructor to a graduate student (except at Parsons and Mannes) who has not completed course requirements nor arranged for an Incomplete.
Grade of WF
The grade of WF is issued by an instructor to a student (all undergraduates and all graduate students) who has not attended or not completed all required work in a course but did not officially withdraw before the withdrawal deadline. It differs from an “F,” which would indicate that the student technically completed requirements but that the level of work did not qualify for a passing grade. The WF is equivalent to an F in calculating the grade point average (zero grade points), and no credit is awarded.
Grades of Incomplete
The grade of I, or temporary incomplete, may be granted to a student under unusual and extenuating circumstances, such as when the student’s academic life is interrupted by a medical or personal emergency. This mark is not given automatically but only upon the student’s request and at the discretion of the instructor. A Request for Incomplete form must be completed and signed by student and instructor. The time allowed for completion of the work and removal of the “I” mark will be set by the instructor with the following limitations:
Graduate students Work must be completed no later than one year following the end of the class. Grades of “I” not revised in the prescribed time will be recorded as a final grade of “WF” (for Parsons and Mannes graduate students) or “N” (for all other graduate students) by the Office of the Registrar. The grade of “N” does not affect the GPA but does indicate a permanent incomplete.
Divisional, Program and Class Policies
● Responsibility Students are responsible for all assignments, even if they are absent. Late assignments, failure to complete the assignments for class discussion and/or critique, and lack of preparedness for in-class discussions, presentations and/or critiques will jeopardize your successful completion of this course.
● Participation Class participation is an essential part of class and includes: keeping up with reading, assignments, projects, contributing meaningfully to class discussions, active participation in group work, and coming to class regularly and on time.
● Attendance Parsons’ attendance guidelines were developed to encourage students’ success in all aspects of their academic programs. Full participation is essential to the successful completion of coursework and enhances the quality of the educational experience for all, particularly in courses where group work is integral; thus, Parsons promotes high levels of attendance. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and promptly and in compliance with the standards stated in this course syllabus.
While attendance is just one aspect of active participation, absence from a significant portion of class time may prevent the successful attainment of course objectives. A significant portion of class time is generally defined as the equivalent of three weeks, or 20%, of class time. Lateness or early departure from class may be recorded as one full absence. Students may be asked to withdraw from a course if habitual absenteeism or tardiness has a negative impact on the class environment.
● Electronic Devices The use of electronic devices (phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, etc.) is permitted when the device is being used in relation to the course's work. All other uses are prohibited in the classroom and devices should be turned off before class starts.
● Academic Honesty and Integrity The New School views “academic honesty and integrity” as the duty of every member of an academic community to claim authorship for his or her own work and only for that work, and to recognize the contributions of others accurately and completely. This obligation is fundamental to the integrity of intellectual debate, and creative and academic pursuits. Academic honesty and integrity includes accurate use of quotations, as well as appropriate and explicit citation of sources in instances of paraphrasing and describing ideas, or reporting on research findings or any aspect of the work of others (including that of faculty members and other students). Academic dishonesty results from infractions of this “accurate use”. The standards of academic honesty and integrity, and citation of sources, apply to all forms of academic work, including submissions of drafts of final papers or projects. All members of the University community are expected to conduct themselves in accord with the standards of academic honesty and integrity. Please see the complete policy in the Parsons Catalog.
It is the responsibility of students to learn the procedures specific to their discipline for correctly and appropriately differentiating their own work from that of others. Compromising your academic integrity may lead to serious consequences, including (but not limited to) one or more of the following: failure of the assignment, failure of the course, academic warning, disciplinary probation, suspension from the university, or dismissal from the university.
● Student Disability Services (SDS) In keeping with the University’s policy of providing equal access for students with disabilities, any student with a disability who needs academic accommodations is welcome to meet with me privately. All conversations will be kept confidential. Students requesting any accommodations will also need to meet with Jason Luchs in the Office of Student Disability Services, who will conduct an intake, and if appropriate, provide an academic accommodation notification letter to you to bring to me. SDS assists students with disabilities in need of academic and programmatic accommodations as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. http://www.newschool.edu/studentservices/disability/.