TouchDesigner Level-Up: POP Fundamentals - Winter 2026

Tuesdays, 7pm - 9pm (IRL @ dadaLab in Austin, TX.)
February 3rd - 24th, 2026
4 class sessions total + opportunity to exhibit your work at dadaLab on March 13, 2025.
$195

Howdy, dadageeks 💙

We're glad you're here! dadageek is excited to offer this in-person course to the Austin, TX dadageek community. You can learn more about the course below. Feel free to reach out with any questions to kyle@dadageek.com

dadageek is a non-profit community of immersive artists and electronic musicians. Our mission is to offer education and community to those creating at the intersection of art, interactive media, and tech. Our community is filled with talented and creative technologists with a passion for sharing their expertise with others. https://dadageek.com/

What is this course about?

This intermediate-level course introduces you to TouchDesigner’s new POPs (Point Operators)—a GPU-accelerated operator family that transforms how point-based data and particle systems are created. You’ll explore the fundamentals of POP networks while building custom particle systems and interactive visuals that respond in real time.

Along the way, you’ll gain a clear understanding of when POPs outperform traditional SOP or TOP workflows and how to leverage their strengths for maximum creative flexibility. With a strong focus on optimization, you’ll learn techniques to keep calculations on the GPU, ensuring fast performance even with complex, large-scale projects.

If you’re ready to move beyond the basics and unlock the next generation of interactive design in TouchDesigner, this course is your gateway!

The course consists of four sessions that meet once a week, followed by an exhibition of student work scheduled for March 13, 2026.

What will I learn?

Students in this course will walk away with an understanding of:

• The fundamentals of the new POPs operator family in TouchDesigner
• How to build custom particle systems and other POP-based interactive visuals
• When and how to use POPs over traditional SOP or TOP-based workflows
• Optimization techniques for keeping calculations on the GPU to achieve maximum performance gains

Who is this course for?

This course is tailored for TouchDesigner users with intermediate-level experience. A general understanding of the TouchDesigner environment and familiarity with existing operator families is required.

What is the class like?

Each class session meets once a week at dadaLab, our headquarters in East Austin. The class is capped at 18 students, ensuring plenty of opportunities to connect with the instructor and ask questions. Your fellow students will be an eclectic mix of dadageeks—artists, musicians, programmers, and creative humans—excited to learn, create, and connect.

Are there any requirements?

• A Windows or Mac laptop
• 3-button mouse
• A recent version of TouchDesigner (free download)

TouchDesigner can be downloaded here:
https://derivative.ca/download

Meet your instructor!

Brandon Stargrave is a creative technologist focused on generative, interactive, and immersive audiovisual experiences. He builds deeply interconnected systems that meld hardware, software, and protocols into tangible expressions of art and technology. Brandon has extensive experience with laser technology, including serving as the lead laser technician for the national Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular tour. He is the Lab Manager for the Lab for Immersive Media (LIM) and an instructor in the Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies at UT Austin. He also designs, develops, and engineers interactive installations with dadaLab.

FYI

Refund Policy: Students can receive refunds up to 7 days before the class start date.

Class Minimums: If the class minimum has not been met, the class will be canceled or rescheduled. Those who have pre-paid will be notified in advance and will have the option to receive a class credit or a full refund.

Media Release: Please note that some events may be photographed or video recorded. Registering for this event hereby authorizes dadageek and dadaLab to use said photos or videos on social media or in future promotional materials.