Creative Code. Colourful Thinking.
Final Project
Your creative milestonePlan, code, test and improve an original Turtle artwork using framed freedom.
You have built the skills. Now combine them into a design that feels unmistakably yours.
Use these stages to plan, create, test and improve your final creative coding outcome.
To create and improve an original Turtle artwork using programming concepts from the lessons.
By the end of this project, you will be able to plan, build, test and evaluate an original creative coding outcome using ideas from across the unit.
Design Critique
Stretch: Sketch one improvement you could make.
Plan before coding so your project has a clear direction.
What am I creating?
What shapes will I use?
What colours will I use?
How many repeats or segments will I use?
What variables will I need?
What will I change first?
How will I improve my design?
What problem did I debug?
Choose the pathway that gives you the right amount of support. You can move pathway later if you need to.
Start from a template and change colours, shape size, number of repeats, pen thickness and shape choices.
from turtle import *
shape_size = 60
repeats = 12
turn_angle = 30
pen_colour = "#00DCC8"
pen_thickness = 3
speed(0)
bgcolor("black")
pencolor(pen_colour)
pensize(pen_thickness)
for i in range(repeats):
circle(shape_size)
right(turn_angle)
done()Combine ideas from previous lessons to create a flower, starburst, mandala or geometric pattern.
from turtle import *
repeats = 18
shape_size = 70
turn_angle = 360 / repeats
pen_colour = "magenta"
pen_thickness = 3
speed(0)
bgcolor("black")
pencolor(pen_colour)
pensize(pen_thickness)
def draw_shape():
circle(shape_size)
right(60)
circle(shape_size / 2)
for i in range(repeats):
draw_shape()
right(turn_angle)
done()Create your own design using variables, loops, functions and user input if appropriate.
from turtle import *
from random import choice, randint
repeats = 24
shape_size = 80
colours = ["#00DCC8", "#FF5AA0", "#8C46FF", "#EEFF00"]
speed(0)
bgcolor("black")
def draw_starburst(size):
pencolor(choice(colours))
pensize(randint(2, 5))
forward(size)
right(140)
forward(size / 2)
backward(size / 2)
left(140)
backward(size)
for i in range(repeats):
draw_starburst(shape_size)
right(360 / repeats)
done()Use these small examples when you need a starting point. Type them into Mu Editor and adapt them.
pencolor("blue")
pensize(3)
circle(50)for i in range(4):
forward(100)
right(90)for i in range(12):
circle(50)
right(30)Make one change at a time, run the program, then decide what to improve next.
Starter template for supported projects. Type it into Mu Editor, then adapt it.
from turtle import *
shape_size = 50
repeats = 12
turn_angle = 30
pencolor("cyan")
pensize(3)
speed(0)
for i in range(repeats):
circle(shape_size)
right(turn_angle)
done()Typing the code yourself helps build Python fluency and debugging skills.
Share your final artwork and explain one programming choice you made.
Example code and output.
Compare the example code with the finished Starburst artwork.
Example code
from turtle import *
from random import choice, randint
repeats = 24
shape_size = 80
colours = ["#00DCC8", "#FF5AA0", "#8C46FF", "#EEFF00"]
speed(0)
bgcolor("black")
def draw_starburst(size):
pencolor(choice(colours))
pensize(randint(2, 5))
forward(size)
right(140)
forward(size / 2)
backward(size / 2)
left(140)
backward(size)
for i in range(repeats):
draw_starburst(shape_size)
right(360 / repeats)
done()This WAGOLL combines the key skills from the Creative Coding unit. It uses variables, data types, loops, selection and random values to create a neon starburst design. Use the comments to identify parts of the code you can modify to make the design your own.
Click image to enlarge.
Evaluate the finished project and explain the programming decisions behind it.
Add a function or user input so someone else can change part of your artwork.