Mid-semester project update report from Week 7 on my journey to learn creative coding, as part of the University of Colorado Boulder’s “Professional Development in Computer Science” course.

Project Update: Creative Coding with p5.js

Table of contents

Original Project Description and Goals

At the start of the semester, my goal was to learn the fundamentals of creative coding with p5.js, using resources like The Coding Train, Steve’s Makerspace, and the book Generative Design. I planned to create a series of at least 8-10 original coding sketches, maintain a GitHub Pages blog / personal website, write weekly status updates, conduct at least 3 informational interviews with creative coders / artists, and write a short reflective essay at the end exploring the connection between code and drawing. The idea behind this project was to merge my computer science and fine arts backgrounds, and to help me start positioning myself professionally as a creative coder.

Changes to Project Scope and Goals

While I’ve maintained my time commitment of about 3-5 hours per week for this class, my progress has been slower than expected. My original goals were quite ambitious, especially considering that I work full-time and am enrolled in two other demanding CSPB classes. Consequently, I’ve adjusted my expectations as follows:

• Regarding creative sketches, I realized that creating original sketches requires a significant amount of time for ideation and experimentation. I’ve only completed The Coding Train video tutorials through Chapter 2 and followed along with the coding exercises, but I have not yet developed my own original sketches beyond the tutorial-based work.
• Regarding networking and professional development, I have shifted more of my project time towards networking and updating my professional presence online. This was not fully anticipated in my original proposal, but it has turned out to be very valuable. While reaching out to creative coding professionals, I realized that it also requires having an updated LinkedIn / Handshake profile, a polished CV, and an active online portfolio / blog / personal website when introducing myself to them.
• Overall, my project focus has broadened to include not just learning technical skills with p5.js, but also investing time in the professional development aspect.

Accomplishments So Far

Despite the time constraints and shift in project focus, I’ve made progress in the following:

• Technical Learning:
  • I completed The Coding Train video tutorials through Chapter 2.
  • I’ve practiced coding alongside the tutorials to become familiar with p5.js.
• Networking:
  • I emailed two professionals in the creative coding space thus far.
  • I researched additional digital art studios and creative technologies that I plan on reaching out to next.
• Professional Presence:
  • I spent a good portion of time setting up my GitHub Pages blog by learning and implementing the Astro framework.
  • I’ve maintained that blog by documenting weekly status updates for the class, with future plans to use it for “learning in public”.
  • I’ve been updating my LinkedIn profile to reflect my most recent job experiences, as well as my creative and technical interests.
  • I’ve started to update my CV, GitHub, and artistic portfolio to prepare for networking emails and job applications.

Reflection on Progress and Learning

Thus far, this project has taught me a lot about balancing technical growth alongside professional development. Although I haven’t yet produced the volume of creative sketches that I originally planned, I’ve learned about:

• The time and creative energy required to create original artistic coding work.
• How essential it is to have a clear, updated professional presence when networking.
• The diversity of tools and practices that creative technologists use today, beyond just p5.js.
• How connecting with people in the creative coding community might open doors and help clarify career directions.

Update of Project Goals and Assessments

For the remainder of the semester, my plan is the following:

• Technical Work:
  • Complete more Coding Train video tutorials and aim to produce at least a few original sketches, even if I can’t reach the original goal of 8-10.
• Networking:
  • Follow up with my initial contacts and continue to reach out to more creative professionals.
• Professional Presence:
  • Finalize my LinkedIn, Handshake, CV, GitHub Pages personal website, and artistic portfolio to showcase my skills and interests more clearly.
• Documentation:
  • Maintain weekly status updates in my personal website / blog.
  • Write a shorter reflective essay, focusing on my learnings from both technical and professional development angles.

Although my creative output for this project will be much less than I initially planned, I feel like I’ve built a solid foundation in learning how to learn the technical skills in creative coding. With this groundwork in place, I’m excited to have more time to pursue creative coding after I graduate from the CSPB program at the end of this semester. In the meantime, I’m glad that I can invest time in improving my professional presence online and connecting with people in the field I hope to one day transition into.