👻 Henry’s Pythonic Ghost
A novice coder, Python 3, the Python Processing IDE — and a little AI magic.
About This Animation — Henry’s Story
Henry is a beginning programmer who used Python 3 inside the Python Processing IDE to create the interactive ghost animation you see here. He came to the project with a basic knowledge of Python — variables, functions, loops, and dictionaries — and partnered with an AI agent to bring his vision to life.
The result is genuinely impressive for a first sketch: each ghost floats with a sinusoidal bob, has eyes that track the mouse cursor, a wavy hem that ripples each frame, and a randomized blinking system. Ghosts can be clicked to select them, then moved around the canvas with the WASD keys. Clicking empty space spawns a new ghost. A twinkling star field provides the spooky atmosphere.
This is Python Processing — the same creative coding environment as p5.js, but
written entirely in Python. Henry wrote his sketch in a file called
henryGhost.py and ran it directly in the Python Processing IDE, with no
HTML, no JavaScript, and no browser involved.
The bigger picture: Henry’s ghost is the seed of a development saga. See the “What’s Next” section below for where this project is headed.
Video is only available in larger viewports.
On some mobile devices, rotating to landscape will allow viewing.
Recorded 2026-09-22 • Python Processing IDE • Henry
Henry’s Source Code — henryGhost.py
The complete Python 3 sketch as written in the Python Processing IDE. Copy it into your own Python Processing environment and run it — it works as-is.
size(), draw(), fill(), etc.)
are available automatically in the Python Processing environment.
The Ghost Saga — Where It Stands
Henry’s sketch grew into a multi-stage Creative Cross Training project at TNT. The recording on this page shows Stage 0 — the original Python Processing design exactly as Henry wrote it. Here is how the saga has evolved since:
- Stage 0 (This page): Original Python Processing sketch — procedural, dictionary-based, interactive. The video above.
- Stage 1 (Complete): Full p5.js port + Java Processing port + three-language cross-training comparison. Ghost Wrangler runs live in the browser.
- Stage 2 (Complete): Twinkling Stars backdrop extracted and redesigned — named constants replace magic numbers, HSB color mode replaces raw RGB, sinusoidal phase offsets give every star independent twinkling. Documented across all three languages.
- Stage 3 (In Queue): Full Ghost Rebuild — OOP structure, constants for every magic number, improved star backdrop wired back in. Quality code a student can read, understand, and extend.
- Stages 4–5 (Future): PyWave and SketchWave library upgrades — the raw Processing math becomes named, encapsulated library calls. The before/after comparison is the payoff for everything built in Stages 1–3.
The saga has its own home page, a live p5.js showcase, a three-language comparison, and a full S.P.A.R.K. development chat log:
Ghost Saga Home • Ghost Wrangler (p5.js) • Cross Training (3 Languages) • Dev Chat Log