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A repository of generative art book resources

Books

The following books are resources that I've found helpful in discovering the interesting nuances of generative art. There is much to be said and will continue to improve over time.

English

Name Published Author Category Rating
Digital Design Theory: Readings from the Field 2016 Helen Armstrong General
The Computational Beauty of Nature: Computer Explorations of Fractals, Chaos, Complex Systems, and Adaptation 2000 Gary William Flake Processing
Form+Code in Design, Art, and Architecture 2010 Casey Reas, Chandler McWilliams Processing, p5.js
Getting Started with p5.js: Making Interactive Graphics in JavaScript and Processing 2015 Lauren McCarthy, Casey Reas, Ben Fry Processing
Processing, second edition: A Programming Handbook for Visual Designers and Artists 2014 Casey Reas, Ben Fry Processing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Nature of Code 2012 Daniel Shiffman Processing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Truthful Art, The: Data, Charts, and Maps for Communication (Voices That Matter 2016 Alberto Cairo Data Graphics
Visualizing Data: Exploring and Explaining Data with the Processing Environment 2008 Ben Fry Data Graphics
Data Flow 2: Visualizing Information in Graphic Design 2010 Robert Klanten, Sven Ehmann Data Graphics
Dear Data 2016 Giorgia, Stefanie Posavec Data Graphics ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Visualization Analysis and Design 2014 Tamara Munzner Data Graphics
Envisioning Information Edward Tufte Data Graphics
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information Edward Tufte Data Graphics
Designing Programmes: Programme as Typeface, Typography, Picture, Method Karl Gerstner Aesthetics
Point and Line to Plane Wassily Kandinsky Aesthetics
Visual Grammar: A Design Handbook Christian Leborg Aesthetics
White Heat Cold Logic: British Computer Art 1960–1980 Paul Brown History
Morphing Joseph Choma ⭐⭐⭐
Hands-On Music Generation with Magenta Alexandre DuBreuil
Math for Programmers Paul Orland
Physics for JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations Adrian Dobre, Dev Ramtal
Anton's OpenGL 4 Tutorials Anton Gerdelan
Graphics Shaders: Theory and Practice Mike Bailey, Steve Cunningham
Real-Time Rendering Tomas Akenine-Möller, Eric Haines, Naty Hoffman
Ray Tracing in One Weekend Peter Shirley
Playing with chaos Keith Peters Javascript
Foundation HTML5 Animation with JavaScript Billy Lamberta), Keith Peters Javascript
Algorithms for Visual Design Using the Processing Language Kostas Terzidis Processing
Mastering openFrameworks: Creative Coding Demystified Denis Perevalov C++
openFrameworks Essentials Denis Perevalov, Igor (Sodazot) Tatarnikov C++, OpenFrameworks
Programming Interactivity Joshua Noble OpenFrameworks, Processing
Generative Deep Learning: Teaching Machines to Paint, Write, Compose, and Play David Foster Deep Learning
The Algorithmic Beauty of Plants Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz, Aristid Lindenmayer
Digital Mantras Steven R. Holtzman Philosophy
The Nonlinear Workbook: Chaos, Fractals, Cellular Automata, Genetic Algorithms Willi-Hans Steeb C++
The Symmetry of Things 2009 John Conway, Heidi Burgiel, Chaim G-Strauss Mathematics
Automata: A Historical and Technological Study 1958 Alfred Chapuis and Edmond Droz Generative
Mathematical Games: The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's New Solitaire Game 1970 Martin Gardner Generative
The Computational Beauty of Nature 1998 Gary William Flake Generative
The Interaction of Color 1975 Joseph Albers Color
Personal website: Colour Spaces
sThe Elements of Color 1970 Johannes Itten Color
Evolutionary Design by Computers 1999 Peter Bently
Abstraction in Art and Nature 1993 Nathan Cabot Hale Abstraction
Mathematics and Physics for Programmers 1985 Danny Kodicek Physics