The Fundamentals of Digital Art

Richard Colson is a senior reader in Digital Art at Thames Valley University, UK. He holds a BA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, UK and an MA in Electronic Arts from Middlesex University, UK. Richard has been working with computer systems for over 20 years and has exhibited his work at the Design Museum in London, the New York Digital Salon, the Deluxe Arts Gallery and Watermans Arts Centre in London. Richard has had one-man shows at Theo Waddington Fine Art Ltd. and at the Solomon Gallery, Dublin.

Introduction. How to get the most out of this book. The history & development of digital art: A timeline of digital art; Dynamic exchanges; Cultural dialogues; Cybernetic serendipity. Live art: using response: Unmasking the digital image; Physical computing; Reverse engineering; Using feedback; Communicating digitally; Dynamic spaces; Electronics in the studio. Data into art: Data as a creative asset; New displays for interpreting data; Intelligent environments; The internet as a collaboration arena; Narratives and the database; Comparing human and computer vision. Creative priorities for coding: Finding a heart in the code; New programming tools; Relinquishing creative control; Object-orientated programming; Hierarchies; Computer principles for artists. Art and networks: Online networks; The roaming artist; Mischief and subversion; Mixed-reality gaming; Online gaming; A sense of place; Telematics and vicarious experience; Collaborative art using networks. Digital hybrids: Taking creative risks with technology; Virtual environments; Changing interfaces; Negotiating with specialists; Working across media and platforms; Digital media and other practice. Postscript: Conclusion; Further resources; Glossary; Index; Acknowledgements.