Breaking barriers to creative coding through analog techniques with Rita Eperjesi

In this podcast, you will learn how Rita Eperjesi is rethinking the way creative coding is taught with her project, DECODE: A Friendly Introduction to Creative Coding through Analog Techniques. Rita Eperjesi is a Berlin-based Hungarian artist and creative technologist dedicated to merging art and technology through innovative projects, international exhibitions, and educational initiatives. During the conversation, Rita Eperjesi shares her innovative approach to creative coding, emphasising the use of analog techniques like drawing and note-taking to make learning more accessible.

Her work aims to demystify coding for beginners by addressing common pain points such as error messages, isolation, and the challenges of abstract thinking.

Rita reimagines how coding can be taught by prioritising algorithmic thinking, encouraging learners to read code before writing it, and using hands-on tools like paper and pencil. 

Listen to this episode to learn about:

• How analog tools can enhance memory and engagement in coding education.
• The importance of algorithmic thinking before diving into syntax.
• Overcoming common challenges in learning to code, including error messages and isolation.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) Introduction to language learning and coding

• (00:00:35) Acknowledging traditional owners
• (00:00:59) Meet Rita Eperjesi: artist and technologist
• (00:01:59) Challenges in learning creative coding
• (00:04:51) Rita's approach: decode project
• (00:07:35) Principles of learning coding
• (00:09:53) Analog techniques in coding
• (00:12:21) The role of community in learning
• (00:17:50) Conclusion and final thoughts

About Rita Eperjesi

Rita Eperjesi is a Berlin-based Hungarian artist and creative technologist who bridges the gap between art and technology through her innovative projects and education initiatives. With an MSc in Creative Technologies from Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf and a background in architecture, Rita has earned accolades such as the Gold Prize at New Stars in Busan and a Cannes Young Lions award. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including “Life in Plastic” in Berlin and “Real-time War Rug” in Madrid. As the founder of Creative Code Budapest and co-founder of VJ Open Lab, Rita fosters creative communities and facilitates workshops in creative coding, projection mapping, and virtual reality.

Key Takeaways from this interview with Rita Eperjesi

Algorithmic thinking first

“We solve problems in our daily lives with algorithms—we just don’t always call them that.”

Rita highlights the importance of starting with algorithmic thinking, enabling learners to break problems into manageable steps and avoid frustration with syntax errors.

Reading before writing code

“Reading code first reduces intimidation and makes writing less scary.”

Rita’s flipped approach encourages beginners to familiarize themselves with syntax and logic through reading and translating code before attempting to write it.

Analog techniques in learning

“Paper and pencil tools engage the brain more deeply than digital methods.”

By incorporating drawing and note-taking, Rita’s methods help learners retain concepts and stay focused in a way that digital tools can’t always match.

Community support

“The creative coding community online is incredibly supportive if you know where to look.”

Rita emphasizes the value of community, encouraging learners to seek help through forums, chatbots, and collaborative platforms.

Error messages as learning moments

“Error messages aren’t barriers—they’re opportunities to learn.”

Reframing error messages as part of the learning process can help beginners stay motivated and persistent.

Relating concepts to everyday life

“Walking, brushing your teeth, or building a snowman can all teach you algorithms.”

Rita connects abstract coding concepts to familiar activities, making them more approachable and easier to understand.

The joy of learning

“The process of creating should always involve joy, even in technical fields.”

Rita encourages learners to find inspiration and joy in their journey, fostering a positive mindset that supports long-term growth.

Links from the podcast  

• Visit Rita Eperjesi's website.
• Follow Rita Eperjesi on Instagram.
• Learn more about Rita’s approach to learning creative coding with DECODE: A Friendly Introduction to Creative Coding through Analog Techniques.
• Join Rita Eperjesi in one of her courses at the School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe, where she teaches using her DECODE method.

Edited transcript of this interview with Rita Eperjesi

How to make creative coding easier for beginners

Robin Petterd:
You're deep into thinking about how to make creative coding easier to learn. Why do you think it’s often really hard?

Rita Eperjesi:
That’s a very good question. I’ve asked myself that a lot—why is it so hard? There are so many reasons. I think one thing that makes creative coding particularly interesting—and challenging—is that people come to it from very different backgrounds. There's no common starting point. Some people come from Twitter, others from architecture or maths. So how do you teach something when everyone is starting from such different places?

And then there’s the whole thing about talking to computers. That’s surprisingly complicated.

Robin Petterd:
That complexity—talking to computers—what do you think makes it so difficult?

Rita Eperjesi:
We’re used to natural languages. We operate in this blurry zone where we assume people will understand us, even if they don’t completely. With computers, there’s none of that. They only understand what you tell them—precisely. And often, we don’t know exactly what we want to say. That can be painful to get used to. The idea that someone—or something—is understanding you perfectly. Though, honestly, we probably never fully understand each other anyway.

Robin Petterd:
One day someone said to me, “You're dyslexic and your writing's terrible—how can you code?” And I thought, actually, coding is quite rigid. There are ten things you can learn, and that's it. In a way, it’s simpler than the vagueness of spoken language—especially English. And maybe that’s part of why AI chatbots have become so popular—because we can just talk to them in our own language.

Rita Eperjesi:
That’s really interesting. I did a lot of interviews with creative coders about how they learned to code, and the biggest pain point everyone mentioned was error messages. Seeing one was intimidating. But I realised that maybe for someone like you, those messages are actually helpful. They show you exactly where you went wrong. But for others, they're terrifying. That red text can feel like a wall.

Analog techniques for learning programming

Robin Petterd:
Tell me more about your approach—DECODE: A Friendly Introduction to Creative Coding. What is it?

Rita Eperjesi:
As part of my master’s in creative technologies, I chose to write a book to teach coding. It might sound a bit odd—telling people to go read a book instead of staring at their computer—but I found that analog techniques can really help.

I studied architecture, and they didn’t let us use a computer for the first three years. At the time, I was furious. I spent nights cutting things by hand instead of using a laser cutter. But now I see the value in it. Drawing and writing in a notebook—these physical actions help the brain learn.

It’s funny—when we learn a new language, nobody says, “Hey, say something in Spanish right now.” You first listen. You read. Only later do you speak. But with coding, we expect people to write in a language they’ve never even seen before. How can someone type a variable when they don’t even know what it is?

Robin Petterd:
I’ve never thought of coding like that—like learning a language.

Rita Eperjesi:
I was struggling with this myself, and I tried to find parallels. For example, my mother tongue isn’t English. So when I learned maths in high school, it was in Hungarian. But then coding is in English, and I had to mentally translate everything. I even started naming variables in Hungarian so I’d remember I created them—but that made it harder for others to help me debug. The error messages didn’t make sense to anyone else.

Reading code before writing: a beginner’s strategy

Robin Petterd:
So you’ve developed a kind of formula or set of principles in the book. What are they?

Rita Eperjesi:
The first is that we should start with algorithmic thinking—before jumping into code. It’s something we already use in our daily lives, but we don’t always name it. We break problems into smaller steps and solve them one at a time. That’s the essence of coding. If you don’t have that foundation, it’s easy to get lost in a forest of error messages.

The second idea is to read code before writing it. Reading is less scary. When you see the same terms and logic repeatedly, it becomes familiar. So I structured the book around that: instead of typing code and getting a visual result, you read code and draw the output yourself. It’s the reverse of how Processing or p5.js usually works. You learn to think like the computer.

Robin Petterd:
That reminds me of language again—you absorb it by listening and reading, not just jumping straight into speaking.

Rita Eperjesi:
Exactly. I think they’re very similar.

Dealing with error messages when learning to code

Robin Petterd:
And the third principle—using analog techniques. What do you mean?

Rita Eperjesi:
I mean drawing, making notes, colouring, cutting paper—anything physical. For example, I do ballet, and I realised that even there, we use a kind of code. The teacher says something like “deux temps plié,” and everyone knows what to do. It’s an algorithm. These patterns exist in everyday life—brushing your teeth, walking somewhere. They're not just abstract.

Robin Petterd:
When you arrange ideas on paper or sequence them in a visual way, it’s easier for our brains to retain that.

Rita Eperjesi:
Exactly. Computers are amazing, but they’re also very distracting. On a screen, it’s harder to remember things. But if you write something down, you remember where it was in your notebook. It sticks. And there are studies showing this.

Robin Petterd:
I used to not take notes at conferences. Then I tried both approaches—and the difference was huge. The act of writing helped me understand and remember things better. And there's a chatbot to go along with your book?

Rita Eperjesi:
Yes. I collaborated with Menny Grisman to create a chatbot to help with the book. In my interviews, the two biggest pain points people mentioned were error messages and feeling alone. People often gave up because they hit a problem and didn’t have anyone to ask.

So I thought—what if there’s a chatbot to answer questions? You’re less alone. I started building it in 2022, before ChatGPT became mainstream. It was a hardcoded chatbot based on the book. Then ChatGPT came out, and suddenly, this idea was everywhere.

Understanding algorithmic thinking through everyday life

Robin Petterd:
That reminds me of another guest, Nigel Helyer. He’s collaborated with others for years to handle different parts of his projects—whether it’s laser cutting or sculpting. He often asked friends what language to use or how to approach something. But now he uses ChatGPT for debugging because it’s fast and always there.

You mentioned node-based tools like Max or TouchDesigner. Many creatives find them more intuitive. Why did you choose to work with p5.js, which is more traditional and text-based?

Rita Eperjesi:
I felt like anyone who gets into creative coding eventually encounters p5.js. It’s such a core tool. A great foundation for moving into more advanced languages later.

Robin Petterd:
Node-based languages like Max/MSP or TouchDesigner bring a certain mindset, a way of thinking that influences how you create. Text-based languages are different—they give you more flexibility, but they require a different way of thinking.

Rita Eperjesi:
Exactly. And when we think, we usually think in words. Coding in text mirrors that process. It helps clarify our thinking. If you can write something in one sentence, it probably works.

Robin Petterd:
It becomes a push and pull between visualising and writing—between words and structure. So if someone wants to learn creative coding, what’s your best piece of advice?

Rita Eperjesi:
There are many ways to make things easier. But something I learned from a friend really stuck with me: have faith.

Creative coding is full of unknowns. You’re constantly searching for how to do something. Problems come up. And if you take them personally, it becomes really hard. But if you believe that error messages have a reason—and you have the patience to learn what that reason is—you’ll get through it.

If you think some higher power is trying to stop you from doing your art, it’s easy to give up. But with a community, you don’t feel alone. That helps.

Robin Petterd:
It’s a bit of a cheat—but I think that’s one reason people do formal courses: for the community. If someone isn’t doing a course, how can they build that?

Rita Eperjesi:
The creative coding community is actually very kind. They’re all online—in forums, Discord groups, mailing lists. Lots of people are generous with their time. We often feel alone, but we’re not. Everyone’s sitting at their computer, struggling with the same things. You just have to go looking for your people.