Patching, programming visually by connecting virtual patch cords between onscreen objects, has generally been the domain of the few. Max/MSP/Jitter and Pd lovers and modular soft synth fans all patch regularly. But the mainstream audience? Now, Yahoo is letting you “remix” and “mash-up” RSS feeds from the Web, and guess what interface they’re using? Yahoo […]

Once, digital image editing was a fringe medium. Now, almost everyone who uses a computer does basic image editing. So, I’m pleased to get to talk today at Macworld Expo about live visuals and reactive/interactive animation. I chose some relatively simple examples since time was short, just to cover the basics. I think some of […]

I’m here in San Francisco all week at Macworld, a hub not only for the Mac platform but the visualist/VJ scene as well. I’ll be reporting all week (and next, as I catch up) for both CDMotion and CDMusic. This is a huge chance to learn about Flash (Flashforward is hosting a special Macworld edition), […]

I’m now in San Francisco at Macworld Expo, and will be reporting all week for CDMusic and CDMotion. Sure, word is Steve Jobs is going to be introducing some new gadget, but that’s not even the highlight for me. There’s a terrific lineup of music and visual events and parties, many of which will appeal […]

Forget predictions. It’s hard enough just processing (or is that Processing) the powerful, new visual tools digital artists got in 2006. With that in mind, we, the Create Digital Motion co-editors Peter Kirn and Jaymis Loveday, take a fond look at our favorite tools and art for 2006. And you can bet that this list […]

Tobias, the talented creator of the NitroTracker homebrew software for Nintendo DS (see our DS homebrew roundup), sends us a new project: wireless MIDI control. The MIDI implementation is pretty clever: tap keys with the stylus to play them, and get vibrato/modulation by rubbing a key. You can send MIDI data from the DS, which […]

Forget waiting until tomorrow to see photos of a party on lastnightsparty.com: now, see snapshots of partygoers projected around a space in real-time. That’s the idea behind Party People Photos, an interactive installation at the Walker Art Center in Minnesota. Co-creator Justin Heideman writes to point us to coverage of the installation: The idea for […]

This year’s Macworld, due to hit San Francisco in January, is shaping up to be an epic event for visuals and motion graphics. True, Macworlds of late have paled in comparison to the heyday of the conferenece, but this year looks extraordinary, especially if you’re interested in motion graphics and visuals, especially since there’s a […]

For custom 3D work or GPU-native processing of images and videos, a working knowledge of coding shaders is essential. Custom shaders are widely supported in tools like Max/MSP/Jitter, Processing (with some work), Java coding, Pd/GEM, Quartz Composer, and even many other video and 3D apps. In Jitter, for instance, you can basically add some custom […]