Link to Sketch: https://editor.p5js.org/james.m.marshall12/sketches/DkKDcnMMT

As a complete beginner to using p5.js, I was excited to dig in. I’ve done coding with HTML, CSS and some Javascript in the past, so the concept of variables and syntax weren’t foreign to me. With that base knowledge, I figured this new language would be something I’d pick up  fairly quickly, but the part that is a new to me is applying the creative process to coding.

When I think of my own creative process, and how it can be applied technically, I think of 3 things: ideating, trying and correcting. That ended up being my entire process for this exercise, and it worked out pretty well for me. I didn’t really have a set goal for self-portrait, but I wanted color to play a big role; I figured that would be the anchor for its interactive elements. The random background color on load and having the mouse’s position change the eye colors worked as planned.

Taking an idea from sketch to code felt similar to taking it from sketch to final draft, and the revisions and course-corrections it took along the way felt like a natural part of the process. In terms of challenges, the beard gave me the most trouble, but after a few Google searches, I was able to figure out the right syntax. It still doesn’t look “right” to me, but I will continue to tinker with it.