Lissajous curves: an experiment in creative coding

Abstract

Do you want to become a creative coder for a day? When artists use a computer to make art, they often experience the need of improving their mathematical skills. On the other hand, students with technical skills are less comfortable with aesthetic issues and creative work. In this workshop we use Processing to build two animations that involve: (1) the use of trigonometry and polar coordinates in parametric curves, and (2) the (soft) implementation of Hooke’s law. Our goal is to show that creative coding is a rewarding way of learning mathematics, with a creative approach.