In this Skillshare course Create Abstract Digital Paintings With Processing, Benjamin Halsall teaches how to use Processing to create abstract digital paintings with a random layout of images. He supplies the Processing code (called a sketch) and some basic images for demonstrating how the code works. As you are not expected to do any coding yourself, you only need to replace the generic images with your own graphics and run the sketch. However, he does explain the sketch code in case you wish to make adjustments to the sketch for variations in the results. This course is all about the precoded project sketch that is ready to use.

Have you ever wanted to create a random layout for some simple shapes? For a wedding project, I wanted to place a group of heart images randomly on a notebook cover but just couldn't get a good grouping. So, I tried Benjamin Halsall's Skillshare Processing course sketch and it worked.

As this is a precoded project, Halsall assumes that you already have the Processing software installed on your computer and doesn't cover how to download and install the app. He begins with a discussion of what is in the download zip. He explains that the ImageGrid.pde sketch will use the png images included in the download zip along with the Processing sketch.

Halsall discusses the colored square images and how you can edit these images in any graphics app or replace them with your own graphics. He also discusses the five black and white image masks and how these image masks will work.

Next, Halsall opens the code in to Processing and discusses the basic functions performed by the code. He points out the variables used throughout the code and how he uses random numbers in the translate, scale and rotation methods. He also points out that you can get several variations in your results just by commenting out one or more sections of the code.

Finally, Halsall discusses how easy it is for you to save your results with just a keypress. The sketch will automatically export the results as a png image.

If you are new to coding or Processing, don't get overwhelmed. Remember that all you really need to do is to replace the color and mask images with your own and run the sketch in Processing.

Benjamin Halsall is a technical coach and teaches Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Create Abstract Digital Paintings With Processing by Benjamin Halsall (affiliate link)

Disclosure: As a participant in the Skillshare affiliate program, some of the links in this article are affiliate links. However, my opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Screenshots used by permission of Skillshare, Inc.