Programmable applications for the arts: computational tools for hand, eye and mind

Commercial applications for the arts tend to enforce a division between the use of learnable direct manipulation interfaces and the use of powerful, well supported programming environments. In contrast, programmable applications integrate these two software-design paradigms (i.e. direct manipulation and programming languages) and thereby attempt to exploit the strengths of both. A sample graphics application, SchemePaint, is outlined, and some of the issues related to the creation of programmable applications for the arts are discussed.