COD 207 Fall Semester 2025–2026 Active Syllabus

COD 207 Creative Coding I

Introduction to computational thinking, algorithmic composition, and visual programming using JavaScript and p5.js. Explores the expressive possibilities of generative art, procedural drawing, interaction design, and autonomous agents.

Institution Özyeğin University
Department Communication Design
Instructor Alp Tuğan ↗
Course Hub RandomSeed Archive ↗
COD 207 Creative Coding I Cover
Weekly Syllabus & Interactive Decks (14 Weeks)
Week 01 Available

Introduction & Class Environment

  • Course overview & Creative Coding philosophy
  • What is Creative Coding vs. traditional software engineering?
  • Course structure, grading criteria, and milestones
  • Course materials, digital repositories & dev environments
  • Class collaborative environment and studio culture
Open Week 01
Week 02 Available

Shapes & Abstraction

  • Programming, coding & language paradigms
  • p5.js web editor & local dev environment
  • p5.js fundamentals: setup(), draw(), and the canvas
  • "Hello World" in visual programming
  • Primitive shapes: point, line, rect, ellipse, arc
  • Color, stroke, fill, alpha styling & drawing order
Open Week 02
Week 03 Available

Computational Thinking Framework

  • Decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction & algorithm design
  • Case study: Abstracted visual illustrations
  • Variables: scope, data types, declaration & assignment
  • Conditionals: if, else if, else & logical operators
  • Repetition concepts and state modification
Open Week 03
Week 04 Available

Loops, Motion & Moiré Patterns

  • Transforming position, scale, and style of multiple objects with minimal variables
  • Computational Thinking as a generator for visual algorithms
  • Optical phenomena: Moiré interference patterns in code
  • For loops, nested loops, and procedural grid generation
Open Week 04
Week 05 Available

Generative Art Paradigms: Randomness & Repetition

  • What is Generative Art? Historical definitions & philosophy
  • 1950s–60s early computer art: Computers and Automation Magazine
  • Deterministic vs. Stochastic randomness
  • Controlled chaos in generative compositions
  • Case study: Vera Molnar, Désordres (1974)
Open Week 05
Week 06 Available

Media & Images

  • Asynchronous asset loading & preload() cycle
  • Working with external raster images in p5.js
  • Computational Collage and procedural remixing
  • Image positioning, tinting, blend modes, and scaling
Open Week 06
Week 07 Available

Image Processing & Interactivity

  • Pixel manipulation: the pixels[] array and get()/set()
  • Transforming images mathematically (brightness, threshold, glitch)
  • User input events: mousePressed(), mouseMoved(), keyPressed()
  • Transforming static visual sketches into responsive interactive instruments
Open Week 07
Week 08 Available

Typography: Computational Poster

  • Typography as an interactive, malleable graphic element
  • Case study: Computational posters, book covers & kinetic editorial design
  • Transform matrix: push(), pop(), translate(), rotate(), scale()
  • Font metrics, text bounds, and procedural layout grids
Open Week 08
Week 09 Available

Sound Interactivity & Game Logic

  • p5.sound library fundamentals: loadSound(), play(), loop(), stop()
  • Designing audiovisual responses to user interactions
  • Case study: Interactive drum kit & trigger surfaces
  • Case study: Sound-reactive arcade mini-game
  • Case study: "Museum of Sounds" sonic archive application
Open Week 09
Week 10 Available

Autonomous Agents & Algorithmic Motion

  • Randomness vs. Natural Coherence: Perlin Noise (noise())
  • Algorithmic Art Praxis: Frieder Nake's early computational drawings
  • Random Walk simulations and particle vectors
  • Harmonic oscillations and cyclic motion with trigonometry
Open Week 10
Week 11 In Studio

Final Project Discussion & Proposals

  • Presenting concept moodboards and technical architecture
  • Background research, aesthetic intent, and computational methods
  • Peer critique and structured feedback roundtables
  • Refining proposal texts and technical roadmaps
Studio Discussion
Week 12 Reviews

Final Project Reviews I

  • Individual code reviews, logic troubleshooting & algorithmic debugging
  • Evaluating interactivity feel, timing, and aesthetic coherence
  • Milestone prototype checks
Desk Critiques
Week 13 Reviews

Final Project Reviews II

  • Polishing interactions, performance optimization & frame-rate profiling
  • Documentation preparation and GitHub repository staging
  • Presentation dry runs and staging setups
Desk Critiques
Week 14 Final Jury

Final Project Presentations

  • Live showcase of generative pieces, interactive posters & games
  • Inspiration, mathematical/algorithmic decisions & retrospective
  • Peer discussions, guest critiques & final evaluations
Exhibition / Jury