Learn Python Visually

Book excerpt: An accessible, visual, and creative approach to teaching core coding concepts using Python's Processing.py, an open-source graphical development environment. This beginners book introduces non-programmers to the fundamentals of computer coding within a visual, arts-focused context. Tristan Bunn’s remarkably effective teaching approach is designed to help you visualize core programming concepts while you make cool pictures, animations, and simulations using Python Mode for the open-source Processing development environment. Right from the first chapter, you'll produce and manipulate colorful drawings, shapes and patterns as Bunn walks you through a series of easy-to-follow graphical coding projects that grow increasingly complex. You’ll go from drawing with code to animating a bouncing DVD screensaver and practicing data-visualization techniques. Along the way, you’ll encounter creative-yet-practical skill-building challenges that relate to everything from video games, cars, and coffee, to fine art, amoebas, and Pink Floyd. As you grow more fluent in both Python and programming in general, topics shift toward the mastery of algorithmic thinking, as you explore periodic motion, Lissajous curves, and using classes to create objects. You’ll learn about: Basic coding theories and concepts, like variables, data types, pixel coordinates, control flow and algorithms Writing code that produces drawings, patterns, animations, data visualizations, user interfaces, and simulations Using conditional statements, iteration, randomness, lists and dictionaries Defining functions, reducing repetition, and making your code more modular How to write classes, and create objects to structure code more efficiently In addition to giving you a good grounding in general programming, the skills and knowledge you’ll gain in this book are your entry point to coding for an ever-expanding horizon of creative technologies.