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BEGINNERCOURSE

Generative Art With TouchDesigner

A beginner-friendly course, containing 12 hours of content for budding digital artists

Taught by

Rik Lomas

Create digital artwork like a professional, and find your style in generative digital art!

Learn how to use and combine different (existing) algorithms to turn a blank canvas or an existing picture into dynamic works of art, without having to touch any code or AI. Through the simplicity of a drag-and-drop interface, you can whip up unique variations in no time while having full control over what your art will look like. Slightly adjust your settings, and see new art come to life.

In this course, Rik Lomas will teach you the skills needed to make art, in your own style, using the secret techniques of experts. All you’ll need is a computer and your imagination! From classic brushstrokes, funky particles, and abstract gradients to ancient 3D gods, don’t be afraid to get a little weird before you get your wow, that’s the magic of generative art.

Chapter 01

Alla Prima

In our first project, our objective is to create generative art by manipulating textures. Through the application of random noise, we will be able to make art with a distinctive, cloud-like watercolor effect. Additionally, we will provide detailed instructions on how to customize the TouchDesigner program to match any of our specific requirements. Lastly, we will learn how to export our artistic creations as both images and videos.

Hello and welcome to our Generative Art course! Let's discover what we have in store on the first chapter.

Lesson 01

Welcome to the course

Hello and welcome to our Generative Art course! Let's discover what we have in store on the first chapter.

Why would we use TouchDesigner over other options that are out there, such as Adobe After Effects or Processing?

Lesson 02

What options are there when making generative art?

Why would we use TouchDesigner over other options that are out there, such as Adobe After Effects or Processing?

How do we actually work with TouchDesigner? Well, we press Tab a lot and drag a lot!

Lesson 03

What is the network graph in TouchDesigner?

How do we actually work with TouchDesigner? Well, we press Tab a lot and drag a lot!

Go to chapter

Chapter 02

Circle of Fifths

Sometimes, we want to make something out of nothing! In this project, we'll create our own shapes, split their color channels, distort them, and put them back together again! We will then remap the colors to align harmoniously with a bespoke color scheme of your own design.

What exactly can we do with this project? Let's find out! P.S. If you're wondering about the name, it's from the musical pattern of a sequence of chords.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Circle of Fifths

What exactly can we do with this project? Let's find out! P.S. If you're wondering about the name, it's from the musical pattern of a sequence of chords.

Firstly, let's set up our project with our display layout, so we have a better view when it comes to making our project.

Lesson 02

Setting up Circle of Fifths

Firstly, let's set up our project with our display layout, so we have a better view when it comes to making our project.

We could create our own shapes in an image program but luckily TouchDesigner has a bunch of defaults we can use quickly!

Lesson 03

Creating new shapes using TOPs

We could create our own shapes in an image program but luckily TouchDesigner has a bunch of defaults we can use quickly!

Go to chapter

Chapter 03

Kurinuki

To achieve a more brutalist style of texturing within our artwork, we’ll embark on an enlightening exploration. In this project, we’ll draw inspiration from a renowned Japanese ceramics technique known as Kurinuki and adapt its principles to our own unique textures.

Chop chop chop! In chapter 3, we'll be using a Japanese ceramics technique as inspiration for texturing a source image.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Kurinuki

Chop chop chop! In chapter 3, we'll be using a Japanese ceramics technique as inspiration for texturing a source image.

Before we delve into the project, we need to know exactly what Kurinuki is and how we're using a ceramic technique to cut sharp pieces out of our texture.

Lesson 02

What is Kurinuki anyway?

Before we delve into the project, we need to know exactly what Kurinuki is and how we're using a ceramic technique to cut sharp pieces out of our texture.

Lesson 03

Setting up the project

Let's go! Let's start by setting up the project from scratch! This should look like a similar process to the first project.

Go to chapter

Homework 01

Contort Yourself

Your first chance to test out your new skills! Contort Yourself lets you distort yourself by using techniques learned from previous projects. Can you make yourself distorted?

Go to homework

Chapter 04

Vapor Trail

In this project, our focus lies in crafting a captivating piece of art through the mesmerizing interplay of color mixing and blending. We will be using several techniques from the TouchDesigner library, such as transform, feedback, and blur to make beautiful artworks from simple shapes.

Time to blend! In this chapter, we'll be working with mixing and blending of shapes and colors. Fun fact, this project was named after a song by 90s band Ride.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Vapor Trail

Time to blend! In this chapter, we'll be working with mixing and blending of shapes and colors. Fun fact, this project was named after a song by 90s band Ride.

Let's start by making a circle move in a circular pattern by using a Circle TOP to draw the circle, then two Pattern CHOPs to control its position.

Lesson 02

Circle moving in a circle

Let's start by making a circle move in a circular pattern by using a Circle TOP to draw the circle, then two Pattern CHOPs to control its position.

With CHOPs, we have a lot of control over the circle. It doesn't need to be in a circular pattern and it doesn't need to stay the same size!

Lesson 03

Changing the path and radius of the circle using CHOPs

With CHOPs, we have a lot of control over the circle. It doesn't need to be in a circular pattern and it doesn't need to stay the same size!

Go to chapter

Chapter 05

Xan / Xor

To give our artworks a sense of depth, we’ll dive into the world of the third dimension. In this project, the first of our 3D projects, we will discover how to work closely with 3D shapes, including existing models, and then alter them to fit our own styles.

Put your 3D glasses on, it's time to get deep. This project was named after Alexander (Xan, for short) and the logic term, XOR (exclusive "or", for long), which is often used in switches.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Xan / Xor

Put your 3D glasses on, it's time to get deep. This project was named after Alexander (Xan, for short) and the logic term, XOR (exclusive "or", for long), which is often used in switches.

Let's get soppy by introducing SOPs... surface operators. SOPs describe things that live in a 3D space, from boxes and balls, to point systems.

Lesson 02

What exactly is a SOP?

Let's get soppy by introducing SOPs... surface operators. SOPs describe things that live in a 3D space, from boxes and balls, to point systems.

Our artwork doesn't live in a 3D space as it's an image or video, so how do we convert our 3D system into a flattened 2D texture?

Lesson 03

How to convert 3D shapes into a 2D texture

Our artwork doesn't live in a 3D space as it's an image or video, so how do we convert our 3D system into a flattened 2D texture?

Go to chapter

Chapter 06

Peak District

To create realistic natural art, sometimes we have to resort to unnatural techniques, exclusive to what computers can do. In this project, through a harmony of vibrant hues and dynamic waveforms, we can create an artwork with a soothing ambiance.

Say hello, waves goodbye. Let's add some noise to our 3D shapes. This project was named after a national park near Manchester, around 5 miles away from where Rik is from.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Peak District

Say hello, waves goodbye. Let's add some noise to our 3D shapes. This project was named after a national park near Manchester, around 5 miles away from where Rik is from.

There is a simple way to create an effect similar to the final output using TOPs only (2D version!). However, the downside is that it looks less realistic due to its inherent flatness!

Lesson 02

The quick and dirty version: 2D only

There is a simple way to create an effect similar to the final output using TOPs only (2D version!). However, the downside is that it looks less realistic due to its inherent flatness!

To get our 3D version started, we need to set up our standard 3D-to-2D pipeline.

Lesson 03

Setting up a 3D environment

To get our 3D version started, we need to set up our standard 3D-to-2D pipeline.

Go to chapter

Chapter 07

Negative Space

In our artistic efforts, we often find that working with a large number of shapes can be challenging when relying only on manual and repetitive techniques. Through the exploration of instancing, we'll gain precise control over a wide-ranging collection of shapes. This helps us to craft mesmerizing artworks, that exude both coherence and complexity.

Inspired by the work in the #36daysoftype challenge, this project takes thousands of shapes to form letter shapes.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Negative Space

Inspired by the work in the #36daysoftype challenge, this project takes thousands of shapes to form letter shapes.

We've done this a few times now, so let's run through this quickly! Let's make a 3D shape and render it to a 2D texture.

Lesson 02

Setting up a 3D to 2D environment

We've done this a few times now, so let's run through this quickly! Let's make a 3D shape and render it to a 2D texture.

Instancing is the ability to copy and paste our geometry based on some kind of data. Here we are copying our sphere to every point within the grid SOP.

Lesson 03

What is instancing?

Instancing is the ability to copy and paste our geometry based on some kind of data. Here we are copying our sphere to every point within the grid SOP.

Go to chapter

Chapter 08

Lodestone

Introducing organic movement into our artwork not only makes it more realistic but also brings in an element of warmth, preventing any computerized sterility. Using TouchDesigner's particle systems, we can create shapes that exhibit life cycles, from birth to death, and engage in collective behaviors such as flocking and attraction to other objects. Through this interplay, our artwork goes beyond the boundaries of artificiality, with a natural feel that will resonate with your viewers.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Lodestone

Organic, dynamic movement? Yes please. Lodestone is named after the mineral pieces which were used as the first magnetic compasses!

You might have guessed it, but the first thing we're going to do is make a 3D shape and render it to a 2D texture.

Lesson 02

Adding a 3D to 2D render

You might have guessed it, but the first thing we're going to do is make a 3D shape and render it to a 2D texture.

Next, let's replicate our 3D shapes to a lot of different places using our geometry's instancing options.

Lesson 03

Copy and pasting our geometry using instancing

Next, let's replicate our 3D shapes to a lot of different places using our geometry's instancing options.

Go to chapter

Homework 02

Ball Twist

Have you worked out the twist? If not, then now is the time! In this homework, take a go at making a wavy twisting circle that leaves a trail behind.

Go to homework

Chapter 09

Trail of Dead

As creatives, we often go beyond the boundaries set by off-the-shelf tools. To do this, we must dig into the foundations of our art and acquire an understanding of its underlying medium. This project will uncover and take apart TouchDesigner's tooling to fit our own custom needs to create a redux of our earlier Vapor Trail project.

Lesson 01

Welcome to Trail of Dead

And you will know us by the Trail of Dead. How do we make things that don't exist within the tools we're using? By breaking them apart and stitching them back together again.

As similar to the last project, we will turn out SOPs to TOPs by using a 3D to 2D pipeline.

Lesson 02

Setting up our 3D to 2D pipeline

As similar to the last project, we will turn out SOPs to TOPs by using a 3D to 2D pipeline.

We will use instancing to make a point system from scratch.

Lesson 03

Making a point system using instancing

We will use instancing to make a point system from scratch.

Go to chapter

Chapter 10

Paintwork

In our ultimate capstone project, we'll seamlessly integrate the diverse techniques we have learned over the course of this artistic journey. Our artwork will be composed of an impressive amount of miniature pen strokes that together form an abstract piece, based on an existing source texture. Are you ready to crown all of your hard work?

Lesson 01

Welcome to Paintwork

It's our final chapter! Sometimes they say... hey Rik, you're spoiling all the paintwork. Let's explore what we can do within this project.

Despite this looking like a 2D project, we're actually using 3D shapes and instancing to represent the pen strokes.

Lesson 02

Setting up the project

Despite this looking like a 2D project, we're actually using 3D shapes and instancing to represent the pen strokes.

Let's convert our instancing system into a CHOP system so that we can start to add more information into it.

Lesson 03

Converting a point system into a CHOP system

Let's convert our instancing system into a CHOP system so that we can start to add more information into it.

Go to chapter

Homework 03

Box of Balls

When the shapes hit your eyes and patterns falsify, that's moiré. By using 8,000 small spheres, laid in a 20x20x20 grid, we will create an interference pattern called a 'moiré effect'. Your job is to lay out the spheres and spin the whole thing around to create a consistently moving interference pattern!

Go to homework

Extras

We have created a range of extra projects to take your learnings even further. Each video is self-contained and around 20-40 minutes in length. Keep in mind that it's worth completing the course before watching these videos as they contain assumptions based on skills taught within the course itself!

In this project, we talk how about how to add a long exposure style effect to our source images.

Lesson 01

Long Collapse

In this project, we talk how about how to add a long exposure style effect to our source images.

The material we've used throughout the course is the Phong shader but what about other materials? In this project, we talk how about to make reflective materials with an environment light.

Lesson 02

Shiny Shiny

The material we've used throughout the course is the Phong shader but what about other materials? In this project, we talk how about to make reflective materials with an environment light.

We've generally been using a single shape to draw our outcomes but what if we want to use a variety within the same render? In this project, we'll talk about how to use multiple geometries together while still letting it be cohesive.

Lesson 03

Multi Geom

We've generally been using a single shape to draw our outcomes but what if we want to use a variety within the same render? In this project, we'll talk about how to use multiple geometries together while still letting it be cohesive.

Go to chapter

Get access to Generative Art With TouchDesigner

Practical, go-at-your-own pace learning, with help from our industry experts and experienced teachers
Projects and code that you can alter and include in your own sites and portfolio
Resources to get you started and going post-course

Your instructor

Rik Lomas

Founder + CEO at SuperHi

Rik has taught tens of thousands of people worldwide to learn new creative skills. In this course, he will get you comfortable and competent with making your own digital art using TouchDesigner.