As I sit here, about to publish the first beta version of this curriculum website that I've painstakingly built from scratch, I find myself reminiscing about how it all began. It's a story that started with chance, curiosity, and a hint of naiveté.
My journey into the world of coding had a rather unconventional beginning. It all began when I decided to take a leap into drawing with pen plotters. Mid 2020, I had bought online one of those you can build by yourself, and was eager to start drawing with it.
I had in mind to start experimenting with mathematics and geometry and be able to create art, visually appealing patterns and graphics formed by formula and calculations. A whole lot of processes that need to be automated
Little did I know, those "drawings" needed to be in vector format in order for the program to guide plotter's pen along its path. I was clueless about how to produce these "vectors," all those reasons lead me to embark on a quest to learn to code.
little side note here: I am aware of the fact there are plenty of Adobe and Co. Products to edit and produce vector Data but.. you know, as a creative, I do like essentially to make my hands dirty to better know the tools
My first steps were, (as anybody would nowadays do..) a quick search on the internet; And as the search results poured in, I found myself staring at those intimidating black images filled with code, commands, and mysterious languages. I won't lie; it was terrifying at first.
But there was also an undeniable attraction to it, like peering into the unknown, stepping out of the comfort zone.
So, I dove headfirst into this new adventure, navigating the vast sea of information with Google searches and Bookmarks as my compass.
In my quest, I stumbled upon a tool called Processing, a coding framework that offered a surprisingly straightforward way to write code in Java (yes, that Java) and see the results on a canvas window. It was a revelation that coding could be somewhat less cryptic. It was a revelation that coding was, essentially, a unique way of conversing with machines.
The learning process was rife with options and tutorials. Yet, among the multitude of resources available, two gems shone the brightest:
the Coding Train by Daniel Shiffman aka the "Bob Ross" of Creative Coding
TRCC a very well made Learning Platform Build by Tim Rodenbröcker for all those who wants to step into the world of creative coding.
Those introduced me to this world and welcomed me into their inspiring and passionate community
All of this unfolded during the tumultuous year of 2021, while I was juggling a job in the food industry, not just as a vendor but also as a coffee specialist conducting workshops for budding baristas. And, perhaps fueled by the coffee or just my sheer fascination, I often found myself glued to the computer after work, or late into the night, experimenting and learning how to code from scratch using Processing. My mission? To create visually stunning geometric patterns for my trusty pen plotter. It was like falling in love for the first time—exciting and heart-pounding.
Day by day, I discovered that what I was doing had a purpose. Those lines of code, which at first seemed like gibberish, were building complex systems that allowed me at the end to create not only vector drawings but also videos, motion graphics, music, and various digital artifacts. Each creation was a new crush, an infatuation with the endless possibilities of code.
Then came 2022, and with it, an invitation from Tim Rodenbröcker to one of his captivating workshops. We spent the time coding a graphic visualization of Bach's Prelude in C, and the result was nothing short of amazing.
In the month after, I had the opportunity to participate in an international digital art exhibition in the Netherlands called the DE.MO Festival . Those were the days when I felt an unmistakable calling to switch careers, to follow my true passion and create something meaningful.
By chance again (seems like chance had a knack for guiding me), I crossed paths with the WBS coding school which campus residential is right backdoor in the area I'm living. After a quick get-to-know, It became clear that their hybrid Web Dev Bootcamp was the path I needed to follow to solidify my skills and enter the industry.
The journey was intense—four and a half months of daily lectures, coding challenges, and exercises, all following AGILE methodologies learning every day something new and useful. And it was worth every effort. I emerged as a graduate, ready to dive into the industry.
Now, here I am, still honing my skills, learning, and exercising on platforms like CodeWars, and putting the finishing touches on this very website. Looking back, it's a journey filled with chance encounters, passion, and the unmistakable allure of code. Who would have thought that my quest to create drawings with a pen plotter would lead me here?
As I share this story, I can't help but smile at the humble beginnings that set me on this path. It's a journey that reminds me that sometimes, the most remarkable adventures begin with a simple, chance encounter. And so, I continue to code, create, and embrace the exciting unknown with a sense of gratitude for where it all started.
and always think by myself: "Seize the day "