Summer Season 2025 out now!
Welcome to another season of quality education in visual programming and experience design!
We have curated a range of learning experiences for beginners and intermediate users of TouchDesigner and VVVV.
On top of that NODE Toolkit will be featuring software tools that complement existing workflows and empower artists and developers to create better experiences. (check out the last season as well)
You want to sharpen your creative profile, create real life portfolio pieces and get to know your future collaborators? Then look no further and check out our Creative Masterclasses.
All our courses are designed to work live just as well as recorded!
Don’t worry if you’re unable to make it to any or all of the live lessons; the recordings will be available online the following day, complete with extensive learning resources. If you encounter any challenges along the way, our instructors will be there to assist you through our exclusive Discord channel.
No matter what your preferred learning style is, we’ve got you covered!
TOUCHDESIGNER EDUCATION
Our weekly online sessions, led by seasoned instructors, are structured to help you acquire valuable skills that can complement your work and studies. The Beginner class is available as a comprehensive package, while the Professional modules can be purchased either as a bundle or individually.
TOUCHDESIGNER BEGINNER CLASS
April 29 to August 5, 2025
Tuesdays, 6-9 PM, Berlin Time
12 lessons at 3 hours in English Language
12 online lessons, carefully crafted to introduce you the world of visual programming with TouchDesigner. The course explores basic techniques and workflows, empowering participants to get started with their own projects in minimum time. You’ll be part of a diverse group of learners hailing from various countries and backgrounds, united in the pursuit of mastering this new skill.
Learn more about this class
TOUCHDESIGNER PROFESSIONALS
May 7 to August 6, 2025
Wednesday, 6 – 9 PM Berlin Time
13 modules at 3 hours in English Language
13 intense modules, led by experienced instructors and well known contributors to the TouchDesigner commnunity.
This bundle is structured to help you acquire valuable and specific skills that will enhance your work and studies. Buy the Complete Bundle or pick only the modules that you need.
CREATIVE MASTERCLASSES
These courses led by experienced professionals, are project-driven case studies and provide a guided design process that not only leads to a real world application, but also to an in-person meeting with your instructors, course mates and our location and technology partners. A unique opportunity to create stunning portfolio pieces and set foot in an industry that isn’t easy to enter.
AMIR BASTAN
Creative Robotics
From May 7 to June 25, 2025
Wednesdays, 4-7 PM, Berlin Time
6 online lessons at 3 hours in English Language via Zoom & one in person showcase in Berlin.
Join us for a 7-lesson masterclass on Creative Robotics, presented in collaboration with the Creative Robotics Lab at the University of Art and Design Linz.
Hosted by Amir Bastan, an educator and researcher at Creative Robotics, this course explores how robots can become creative partners in artistic projects. By merging engineering with artistic expression, robots are transformed into versatile tools for creating interactive installations, dynamic visual designs, and further research into human-robot interaction.
The course includes an online collaborative robot simulation, where participants will control a virtual robot in real-time. It concludes with an in-person session featuring Spot, the Boston Dynamics quadruped robot, offering a hands-on exploration of robotic interaction in an artistic setting at the Zönoteka gallery in Berlin.
Learn more about this course
HELIN ULAS & BELCIM YAVUZ
New Media Dramaturgy
From April 30 to June 27, 2025
Wednesdays, 6-9 PM, Berlin Time
6 online lessons at 3 hours in English Language via Zoom & one in person showcase in Berlin.
Join us for a 7-lesson masterclass study on movement media and technology, telling stories through media environments, presented in collaboration with Kanapé Collective.
Hosted by Helin Ulas, an educator and researcher in the Digital Arts Department at HfG Karlsruhe, this course will concentrate on media dramaturgy within performative environments, following a practice-based learning approach. Helin will be assisted by Belçim Yavuz, an interdisciplinary artist, performer, and multimedia designer.
The final output will be a collaborative and interactive performance bridging physical and digital spaces to create a shared experience. This final, hybrid group performance will be staged at the Zoenoteka project space, a symbiotic project and production space for innovative encounters located in the heart of Neukölln.
Learn more about this course
STEFAN KRAUS
IMMERSIVE VJ PERFORMANCE
COMING SOON
7 online lessons at 3 hours in English language via Zoom, culminating in a live showcase in Berlin.
The Club : A Contemporary Canvas for Media Art Performance
In collaboration with Studio1111, a cutting-edge immersive club experience in Berlin featuring a 16,000-pixel-wide screen that wraps around 270°.
Enroll into this course to explore various techniques and aesthetic concepts for delivering live visuals that blend cinematic grandeur with playful improvisation under the guidance of an experienced creative producer and visual performer.
TBC
FULL DOME PRODUCTION
COMING SOON
7 online lessons at 3 hours in English language via Zoom, culminating in a live showcase in Berlin.
The Full Dome : Shared Immersive Experience of Virtual Worlds
In collaboration with b-dome, a geodesic dome designed for 360° immersive events in Berlin.
Enroll in this course to learn how to conceptualize, previsualize, and ultimately render and deliver audio-visual content for the full-dome format. While we will develop a short pre-rendered piece during the course, we will also explore how to create interactive visual performances, such as for concerts in the dome.
NODE TOOLKIT
NODE TOOLKIT is dedicated to software tools and design strategies that we find useful in the context of immersive and interactive performances and installations. Working with industry leading experts, we have created a series of courses, that have the potential to enhance your ability to design and execute your visions. Don’t waste your time watching tons of tutorials, but get the knowledge that you need right away.
MERT AKBAL
Introduction to Blender 3D
for Real-time Applications
From May 2 to 16, 2025
Fridays, 1-4 PM, Berlin Time
3 lessons at 3 hours in English Language live via Zoom, or as recording
This course is designed to provide a structured and comprehensive introduction to Blender, one of the most powerful and versatile 3D modeling software available today. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your foundational skills, this course will guide you through essential tools and workflows used in professional 3D design and animation.
Hosted by Mert Akbal, a digital media artist and academic working at the intersection of generative art, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science, this course will introduce you to Blender’s core features and workflows, equipping you with the skills to create and texture 3D models efficiently. No prior experience with Blender is required—just a passion for creativity and a willingness to explore the world of 3D design.
Learn more about this course
MAX SCHWEDER
Unity VFX : Audio-Reactive Particles
& Real-Time Effects
July 4 to 25, 2025
Fridays, 1-4 PM, Berlin Time
3 lessons at 3 hours in English Language live via Zoom, or as recording
Unlock the full potential of real-time visual effects in Unity with this specialized course designed for artists, designers, and developers. Whether you’re transitioning from TouchDesigner or diving deeper into Unity’s powerful VFX tools, this hands-on program will equip you with the skills to create high-quality, interactive, and audio-reactive particle simulations.
Through a structured, project-based approach, you’ll learn to design millions of particles that react to music, integrate Unity’s Visual Effect Graph, and explore real-time rendering techniques to enhance performance. You’ll also gain insights into Unity’s different rendering pipelines (HDRP, URP, Built-in) and how to choose the best one for your projects.
Learn more about this course
VVVV EDUCATION
Our weekly online sessions, led by seasoned instructors, are structured to help you acquire valuable skills that can complement your work and studies.
VVVV Beginner Class
From March 24 to June 30 2025
6-9 PM Berlin Time / Online via Zoom in English Language
Weekly online sessions, carefully crafted to introduce you the world of visual programming with VVVV. The course explores basic techniques and workflows, empowering participants to get started with their own projects in minimum time.
Learn more about this class
Derivative is recognizing individuals who have made significant investments in their TouchDesigner education with a special offer for a commercial or professional TouchDesigner license.
Meet in Person
While we strongly believe in the effectiveness of online courses for acquiring skills, we also recognize that nothing can replace face-to-face interactions with like-minded peers.
That’s why we remain committed to organizing meetups, workshops, and lectures at various locations and festivals. You can meet us—and the community—in person here: