Quil and Field: Using Clojure for Algorithmic Digital Art
summary
Quil wraps Processing so Clojure code live-patches running sketches, uses atoms for per-sketch state and lets many sketches run independently; Quil hijacks Processing. Field sequences Python code on a timeline, calls into Clojure on the JVM, and drove a 12-minute church projection of spring-linked dots plus a Kinetica Whitney Rose piece and a multiscreen hospital installation; Field mixes Python and Clojure. Audio pipeline (mic → Ableton → Max/MSP → OSC → Field → Clojure → OpenGL) proves integration works. Functional generators simplify color/size over time but carry hidden mutable state (double-use speeds generators), and phase-based continuation composition yields more maintainable, testable time-based behaviors.
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chapters (13)
- 0:00Introduction
- 2:14Computer art history
- 5:06Quill for Clojure graphics
- 7:41Live coding in Quill
- 9:56Field for visual programming
- 12:51Field with large projections
- 16:22Python to Clojure in Field
- 18:52Hybrid Python-Clojure workflow
- 21:42Generative art in Field
- 24:52Audio-reactive visuals
- 27:04Cancer cell growth visualization
- 30:38Maintainable monadic code
- 31:09Q&A
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