TouchDesigner Level-Up Workshop: Creating with RayTK
Unlock the world of shaders and ray tracing in TouchDesigner!
Workshop led by DEVRAS PLEXI
🗓️ Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 6:30pm - 9:30pm
📍 IRL @ dadaLab| Austin, TX
🎟️ $45 ($35 early bird, first 4 signups!)
Howdy, dadageeks 💙
We're glad you're here! dadageek is excited to offer this in-person workshop to the Austin, TX dadageek community. You can learn more about the workshop 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?
RayTK brings the power of GPU-based raymarching to the node-based workflow of TouchDesigner. In this hands-on workshop, we will demystify the RayTK toolkit by connecting it to the fundamentals of GLSL and raymarching. You will learn how rays traverse a scene, how Signed Distance Functions (SDFs) define shapes, and how shaders calculate color and light in real-time. Within TouchDesigner, you will learn how RayTK translates complex Signed Distance Functions (SDFs) into visual geometry, moving from mesh-based rendering to the fluid, infinite world of raymarching.
What is RayTK?
RayTK is a library of components for TouchDesigner that empowers creators to use raymarching and shaders without having to write any code. Shaders are powerful, but writing them is complicated and requires programming knowledge that many artists do not have. Even for artists that do have that knowledge, it can be a tedious and error-prone process.
New to TouchDesigner?
This workshop is designed for intermediate users, but anyone with a basic understanding of navigating the TouchDesigner interface can follow along. You can learn the basics by working through the free TouchDesigner 100 series course found here: https://learn.derivative.ca/
TouchDesigner is a visual programming environment designed for artists and technologists exploring generative and interactive visual content creation. Embraced globally by artists, programmers, creative coders, software designers, and performers, TouchDesigner is the go-to tool for crafting immersive performances, large-scale installations, and interactive artworks that captivate and inspire.
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.
Students who enroll in this course are:
TouchDesigner users looking to advance their capabilities,
technologists and programmers looking to explore creative approaches to tech,
musicians looking to add audio-reactive visuals to their music, and
anyone interested in the intersection of art, tech, and design!
What is the class like?
This workshop will meet at dadaLab; our headquarters in East Austin. The class is capped at 18 students so you will have plenty of opportunities to connect with your instructor and ask questions. Your fellow students in the class will be an eclectic mix of dadageeks from artists, musicians, programmers, and creative humans excited to learn, create, and connect!
Are there any requirements?
An introductory understanding of TouchDesigner
A Windows or Mac laptop
3-button mouse is recommended
A recent version of TouchDesigner (free download)
TouchDesigner can be downloaded here: https://derivative.ca/download
Meet your instructor!
Devin Ryan, known by his artistic alias Devras Plexi, is a new media artist, producer, and educator from Austin, TX. His art is influenced by music and seeks to enrich auditory perception through abstract patterns, geometry, and color.
Devin has worked heavily in TouchDesigner since 2021 and his growth has been closely intertwined with the dadageek community.
He's collaborated with acclaimed artists LSDream and CloZee for their collaborative project, LSZEE, contributing many of the visuals for performances at Electric Forest, Bass Canyon, Red Rocks, Mirage, and more.
Devin has also lent his visual designs to artists such as Josh Teed, Ghostland Observatory, Detroit icon Juan Atkins, and many artists in Austin, including Beecave Buzzfest in 2022 and 2023.
https://www.instagram.com/devrasplexi
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 Art Club to use said photos or videos on social media or in future promotional materials.
Location
dadaLab, 78722