01. Introduction, the Interface, TOPs && CHOPs

Introduction

This is our introduction to TouchDesigner. We'll take it slow. If you feel as though you're ahead:

  • consider helping someone else
  • investigate other tutorials or program elements

How It'll Work

First, we'll go through an introductory tutorial, stopping frequently for people to stay on task. I will more than likely put people in groups relative to your your work. In order to facilitate the collective learning process.

What we will cover in class

  • Confirm everyone's install is okay.

  • Navigating the interface & how to think about nodes/objects.

  • Using TOPs like

    • Circle
    • Constant
    • Over
    • Null

  • Combining with CHOPs

    • mouse position
    • mouse click
    • LFO

  • Connecting TOPs to CHOPs

  • Outputting your work to a Window/monitor

What we got to in class (08/31/2026)

In class we did the following:

  • discussed the interface and navigating it
  • creating a Constant and Circle TOP
  • changing their properties
  • combining the two TOPs with an Over TOP
  • outputting the Over with a Window COMP
  • adjusting various settings with the window
  • changing the position of the circle with an LFO CHOP
  • connecting the CHOP to the TOP via a CHOP Reference.

I would like to have gotten to using the mouse. The tutorial playlist I linked from the class page

Homework

(for this homework you'll simply upload wherever you get + adding some idiosyncratic element like changing colors, add a webcam input, play with some other TOP etc.)

Week 02 (08/31/2026)

  • HW →