This is a constantly growing list of workshops introducing some of the techniques and technologies used in Electronic and Time-Based Art:

Visit our video workshops on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpRduIvkIUO3YgaESyjpokw

Electronics/Robotics
Basics of Electricity/Electronics (.pdf, 4.3MB): Introduction to electronic circuits for artists, includes circuit examples and a useful appendix of conversion tables and component symbols.

Open circuits: most complete selection of techniques, circuit building blocks, components, etc. - http://www.opencircuits.com

Solar Sound Module (.pdf, 700KB): A sun powered circuit that emits buzzing, chirping and whistling noises, similar to the sounds of birds or insects.

Robotics 01: DC Motor cotrol (.pdf, 752KB): a basic introduction to DC motor control with the Arduino board and the SN75441 IC.

Robotics 02: low-cost robot platform (.pdf, 9.4MB): instructions to turn an inexpensive RC toy tank into an autonomous robot using the Arduino board and the SN754410 IC.

Arduino/Processing
Honors College Design Garage: Multimedia graphics programming with Processing (.pdf, 784KB): combining an introductory Processing workshop with foundational principles of 2D design and color.

Arduino/Processing Workshop (.pdf, 284KB): a collection of circuits and code interfacing the Arduino board with Processing, from simple push-button interactions to more advanced media control with analog sensors. Download a folder with media for the examples in the workshop: media_for_Processing_examples.zip (.zip, 2.2MB).

Physical Computing (.zip, 6.4MB, contributed by: Yagiz Mungan): this is an introductory workshop series to a range of physical computing projects with the Arduino and Processing, e.g. working with temperature sensor, email clients, LED displays and servo motors.

Max/MSP, PureData
Introduction to algorithmic composition in PureData (.rar, 979KB, contributed by: Yagiz Mungan): algorithmic composition is defined here as a system, a set of rules or a function to create music. The process introduced in this workshop works well for Max/MSP, too.

Vision to Sound (.rar, 212KB, contributed by: Yagiz Mungan): this workshop uses Max/MSP to create interactive sonic artifacts that are triggered by movements in front of a webcam.

Max/MSP to Unity3D (.rar, 78.7MB, contributed by: Yagiz Mungan): this workshop connects Unity3D to the audiovisual processing power of Max/MSP allowing Max/MSP to trigger events in Unity3D and vice versa.

Unity3D/3D Game Development
Pong (.rar, 553KB, contributed by: Yagiz Mungan): an introductory workshop to Unity3D 4.x recreating the classic computer game Pong.

Introduction to Unity3D, vers. 4.2 (.pdf, 1.8MB): a basic introduction to Unity3D's interface, and basic concepts creating a bouncing ball, a terrain and a first person controller.

Scripting in Unity3D, vers. 4.2 (.pdf, 2.2MB): an introduction to scripting with JavaScript in Unity3D creating interactive trigger zones.

Creating Bullets, vers. 4.2 (.pdf, 1.8MB): a basic example of how to create bullets in Unity3D using the conepts of prefabs and instantiation.

Raycasting, vers. 4.2 (.pdf, 1.6MB): a basic tutorial on raycasting in Unity3D, also introduces a lineRenderer component to draw line of sight vectors.

UV Texture Mapping (.pdf, 2.2MB): a basic tutorial using the free modeling program Wings3D and Unity to create textures for gameobjects. Download texture files here: textures.zip (.zip, 139KB).

Unity/Kinect Integration (.pdf, 41KB): a short guide written by Christian Barret in 2011 on how to connect the Kinect to Unity3D.

Sound
How to build a contact microphone: please see Collins, Nicolas. Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware Hacking. New York: Routledge, 2006. Chapter 7, pp. 27-36 (Purdue HSSE library has a copy of the book - call number: 786.71923 C695h).

Audio Recording (.pdf, 636KB): Introduction to recording digitial audio, either with the Zoom H2 recorder or your own computer using Audacity.

Sound Editing and Distribution (.pdf, 464KB): workshop on how to edit recorded sounds with Audacity and introduction to sound distribution in form of Audio CDs and as mp3 files with iTunes.

Soundsnap: useful and comprehensive sound effects library

Digital Video
Introduction to the Digital Video Camera (.pdf, 308KB): a general overview of the functions of a digital video camera, how they work and what they do.

Final Cut Pro 6 Workshop – Digitizing (.pdf, 3.6MB): Introduction to Final Cut Pro 6 with a focus on digitizing video material from mini-DV tapes (SD) and flash memory (HD).

Video conversion with MPEG Streamclip (.pdf, 788KB): A workshop on converting digital videos from a variety of different formats to Final Cut Pro compatible files.

Basic editing in Final Cut Pro (.pdf, 1.9MB): An introductory workshop to editing video in Final Cut Pro applying strategies of montage theory.

Sound editing for video (.pdf, 2.1MB): a workshop on editing sound along with images in Final Cut Pro, making use of diegetic sound and crossfades.

Final Cut Pro stop frame animation (.pdf, 932KB): introduction to using Final Cut Pro for animating a series of still images. Download folder with sample sequence of still images: Money_animation_still_720x480.zip (.zip, 9.1MB)

Keyframe-based Animation in Final Cut Pro (.pdf, 1.6MB): loosely based on Oskar Fischinger's "Kreise" (circles) animation this workshop animates a series of Photoshop images using keyframes. Download a folder with sample still images: circles.zip (.zip, 272KB)

Exporting Quicktime videos from Final Cut Pro (.pdf, 492KB): exporting a standalone Quicktime movie for further conversion in Compressor / DVD Studio Pro.

Compressor (.pdf, 472KB): Converting Final Cut Pro Quicktime videos for inclusion in DVD Studio Pro projects.

Introduction to DVD Studio Pro (.pdf, 3.1MB): an introductory workshop on authoring a video DVD with a simple menu structure.

Non-linear narratives in DVD Studio Pro (.pdf, 2.4MB): create non-linear storylines and database narratives using the scripting features in DVD studio Pro.

Digital Still Images
Photoshop CS3 - Basics (.pdf, 3.3MB): Introduction to Adobe Photoshop - pixel resolution, working with layers, image formats. Download test image: surf_xl.jpg (.jpg, 536KB)

Scanning (.pdf, 1.9MB): Integration of Photoshop and Canon CanoScan LiDE 600F (available in the ETB Mac lab, STEW B31).

Color Printing (.pdf, 456KB): Printing digital still images from within Photoshop using color printing resources on campus.

Batch Processing in Photoshop (.pdf, 456KB): Using Photoshop Actions to process a large number of still images in preparation for a stop frame animation. Download folder with sample sequence of still images: Money_animation_stills_highres.zip (.zip, 8.8MB)

2025 Purdue University Electronic and Time-Based Art