Hudson Valley Community College
Introduction to Electronic Arts - Arts 145
Fall 2008 Syllabus
Meeting Time: Tuesday & Thursday - time?
Instructor: Andrew Lynn
Email: andrew@breathingplanet.net
Course Overview
This is an introductory course exploring the uses and techniques of digital imaging, web design, and multimedia production in art-making. Students will broaden their understanding of the media and expand visual awareness and design skills. Creativity through experimentation and inquiry is highly encouraged.
While you will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in the software packages and equipment we will use, you will not be graded on your technical mastery. Participation in class discussions and critiques, thoughtfulness about the process you use to make work, and a critical understanding of your own abilities as an artist inform your grade for the course in general and assignments in particular.
Required Textbook (available in the HVCC bookstore)
Digital Art (World of Art). Paul, Christiane. Thames and Hudson : 2003.
** If you have never worked with Photoshop or Dreamweaver before, I recommend you purchase a book on the software. I will supply you with handouts on the software instruction but if you feel you need more information to supplement the handouts, talk to me about your specific needs and I will recommend a book that will fit your needs.
** Additional readings and handouts distributed in class will also be required reading and discussion material.
Course Requirements
Class participation is vital to the success of the course and is required.
Working on your assignments out of class. This is important not just to get the projects done well but also because you need to practice the software if you want to learn it!
Reading the assignments-you can not participate in the class discussions if you don’t do the reading
A notebook is required to take notes and for working on projects.
Coming to lab prepared to work-that means bringing in images for the projects.
Attendance is required. You can not miss an excessive amount of classes and keep up with the discussions and projects.
Course Goals
To broaden your understanding of the field of Electronic Art.
To help you create a portfolio of art work to show to future employers or schools.
To learn the technical skills needed to be able to express yourself artistically using digital technology.
Understanding the difference between creating images for print and images for the web (you will be given a quiz on this after a technical lecture on the topic).
Ability to manipulate photographs using Photoshop CS2.
Understanding the structure of creating a website.
Ability to create artistic web pages using ImageReady and Dreamweaver.
To have fun with technology!!!!
Please note-this is not a web design class, this is an art class.
We will cover the basic elements for you to be able to create an online portfolio and an internet based art piece.
Course Assignments
10 projects and a final.
Readings throughout the semester (2 pop quizzes)
1 quiz on the Topic Input and Output: Understanding Resolution
Grading
Your final grade will evaluate a combination of your quiz grades, your project-based work, AND your in-class participation.
Your project work will not be graded on effort and thoroughness.
Your final project will be more heavily weighted than other projects
How to hand in Your Assignments
Create a folder with your last name and save your assignments in there.
Go to - H drive> Homepage folder > create a new folder > Rename it with your last name > save your files in this folder
Assignments
3 Pixel Art Pictograms
Use the pencil tool to make three 32 x 32 pixel icons. Each of the three icons should have a related theme that you find
interesting. Paste the three icons in a document that is 96 x 32, 72 dpi.
Warhol-Inspired Self Portraits LAB: 9/11 DUE
You will create a series of 8 Warhol inspired portraits on one canvas. To complete the assignment, you must use the techniques covered in class: making selections, applying adjustments to the specific selection, increasing canvas size, using the move tool and working with layers.
Look at examples of Warhol portraits, http://www.warhols.com/portraits.html,
Digital Collage
The digital collage will consist of multiple images that come together to create a new image.
The theme for this assignment is Utopia/Dystopia. You may use any images you like, but you must show a basic understanding of the possibilities of photomontage. Use the techniques covered in class: cutting and pasting selections with feathers, transforming layers, adjusting layer opacity, and understanding layer order.
Industrial Landscape Series
Requirement-resolution set for print, Print size of each images must be at least 5 x 7
Take several photographs of industrial landscapes .
Experiment with scale, perspective, and spatial representation. Your photographs should not include human subjects
Create a series of three images that relate to one another or work together visually in some way. Images should be digitally enhanced in some way. (re-touched, colored, etc.)
Image, Text, Sub-text.
Requirement-resolution set for print, Print size is at least 5 x 7
This is a conceptual project. Please spend some time thinking about the message you want to get across for the project and come to class prepared to work.
The objective of this project is to create new meaning for an image through the use of textual elements. Think about how the text interacts with the image as well as how it informs the meaning. You can and should take cues from ads in magazine, but please do not replicate them. Be conscious of your choice of font, as well as your text size and layout.
Public Service Announcement: Animated Web Banner & Poster
Think of a concept or message that you would like to promote in your community or to the public (it can be real or imaginary). Design an animated web banner that delivers your message or advertises your idea to an online viewer.
Then, keeping with the style and design of the online banner, create a poster version ready to be printed for an on-the-street campaign.
Keep in mind the formatting differences for web vs. print graphics.
Splash Webpage
A single page created in Photoshop with a navigation bar and rollovers created in ImageReady.
The non-linear text. Due
This will be your first web project. You are going to create a one page text in Dreamweaver. It can be a fictional story or a text based in reality. Every word in the text must link to another website that is related to that word. To complete this assignment you will practice working with text and hyper links. Look at the project: http://www.irational.org/_readme.html for an example.
The multimedia narrative Due
This project is a chance for you to use some of the skills you have acquired throughout the semester. Experimentation is encouraged. The piece should be a web-based story, but it can be told by means of collage, animation, digital photography and/or hypetext. It should consist of at least 15 separate webpages that are linked to one another, and there should be more than one way (non-linear) for the viewer to proceed through the narrative. You are encouraged to incorporate images gathered in your everyday life using cell-phone, or point & shoot cameras, but the photography should support the narrative.
Final
Create an online portfolio. Due last day of class
Requirements:
The homepage must be named index.htm
All of your projects from this class must be on the website, along with a bio page.
All buttons or forms of navigation should be made, either in photoshop or imageready.
There must be artist statements for all of your projects. An artist statement talks about your inspiration for the piece, your process in making the piece and artist who influenced you.
The final must be given to me on a CD. Make sure all of your images for your website are included on the CD.
SCHEDULE
**this is a tentative schedule and is subject to updates and changes
9/2
Introduction to the class and student accounts
Go over class syllabus and materials needed for class.
Intro. to Photoshop: Review the interface, open and save new documents, navigating in your document, file formats, rotate, and crop your image, increase canvas size and the history palette.
Homework: Think of ideas and sketches for 'pixelart pictograms'
9/4:
Lab: Introduction to painting in Photoshop. Working on a small scale to make favicon pixel artpieces
Homework: read pages 7-23 in Digital Art and take notes on the evolution of Digital Art. What were the earlier art forms Digital Art stemmed from and who were some of the first artists working with the concepts that led to Digital Art.
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9/9
Lecture- History of Digital Art. We will be going over the reading in class, come prepared to discuss the reading.
Technical lecture- How to make selections and apply adjustments. Introduction to layers and the layers palette.
Homework: Bring in a photo of yourself for next class (if you have something online you can download that is ok)
9/11
Lab- Create a series of 8 Warhol inspired portraits on a single canvas. Due 9/18
Homework:
Read pages 27-33. Take notes on the characteristics of technology in digital art.
Read: In Plato's Cave by Susan Sontag (availalbe on the 'readings section' of the Blackboard
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9/16
Lecture - Powers of Photography; The Age of Mechanical Reproduction ..... and now
Technical Lecture: input and output: understanding resolution for print and the web.
Viewing: Man With a Movie Camera; La Jetee (excerpts); Brad Will's Last Stand; Dove Ad: Behind the Beauty Industry
Prsentation: Some Photography
Homework: Take pictures outside of class for Industrial Landscape project and bring them prints (to be scanned) or files to class
9/18
Lab: Technical lecture: tools from the tool bar, retouching and repairing, preparing for print, making adjusmtents in color to selections
Technical lecture: Selections-copying, pasting and transforming. Layers-layer order and opacity.
Homework: read pages 43-60 and think about how these artists are influenced by digital technology. Also, take notes on the specific ways in which some of the artists work with translating what is analogue into the digital. Look at examples of their work from the Artist Links page.
Technical lecture: Selections-adjusting selections from the options bar and adding feathers.
Lab: Creating a digital collage that re-writes history. Due 9/18
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9/23: Quiz on Input and output
Lecture- Brief History of Collage - Analog to Digital
We will be going over the reading in class, come prepared to discuss the reading.
Technical Lecture- Intro. to color and the brushes, looking at the histogram, blending modes for the layers, quick mask mode, more on the history palette and history brush.
Homework: bring in images for making a digital collage. Theme-re-writing history.
9/25:
Lab - Work on Digital Collage - DUE 10/2
Homework: read 33-35. Take notes on Annu Palakunnathu Matthew and read more about her work from the Artist Links page.
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9/30: Lecture: Media Literacy, Text & Sub-text
Homework: bring in images for next assignment.
10/2: Lab- Image, Text & Sub-text. Due: 10/9
Homework: Homework: read-96-111 Film, video, and animation
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10/7: Lecture: The Moving Image - Making Animations
Technical Lecture: Animation in Image Ready
Homework: prepare to work on PSA project ( Due 10/16)
10/9:Image & Text assignment DUE
Present & critique ideas for Public Service Announcements
begin work on PSA project
Homework: read-36-42 and come to class prepared to talk about how the artists in the reading alter reality. Choose an artist to talk about. Look at the work of Moriko Mori from the Artists Links page on the class website.
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10/14
Lecture: Community Media; (h)Activist Media; Collaborative production
Continue Work on PSA project
Technical Lecture- Preparing images for the web.
10/16
Finish PSA project
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10/21: critique PSA Assignments
Technical Lecture- ImageReady: Rollovers;
Making a splashpage in photoshop; begin work on splash pages
Lab- Begin splash page with rollovers
10/23
Lab- Finish splash page with rollovers
Reading: Homework: read 189-194 Text and Narrative Environments
Look over the artists on the Artist Links page (from the class website) under Text and Narrative Environments.
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10/28: Lecture: brief history of the internet
Go over reading p. 189-194 Text and Narrative Environments
Homework: look up http://www.irational.org/_readme.html (link on the Arts Links page on the class website)
bring in text for non-linear text project
10/30:Setting up Dreamweaver
Lab - Non-Linear Text (Due 11/6)
Reading
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11/4
Lecture: Combining Media for storytelling
Homework: bring in ideas (on paper) for Multimedia narrative
Homework: read 204-211 Tactical media, activism, and hactivism.
11/6
Lab - critique Multimedia narrative proposals
Lab-Creating a practice website.
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11/11
Technical lecture- More Dreamweaver & using html
Begin work on Multimedia Narratives
11/13:
Continue work on Multimedia Narratives
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11/18
Lecture TBA
Continue work on Multimedia Narratives
11/20 Technical lecture- Dreamweaver
Continue work on Multimedia Narratives
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11/25 Continue work on Multimedia Narratives
11/27- NO CLASS
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12/2: Multimedia Narratives and/or Online Portfolios
12/4: Multimedia Narratives and/or Online Portfolios
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12/9: Multimedia Narratives and/or Online Portfolios
12/11: Final presentations- Attendance required!!!!!!!
FROM CAT:
READINGS and SCREENINGS
During the semester there will be required readings related to the lecture topics. Pick 2 of the 5 required readings to write about
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT DUE ON THE DAY THE READING IS DUE. These should be a one page summary of the essay’s major points
and should also include your personal reflections on the content. *You may also chose to write about an iEAR Presents! lecture,
an artist talk that is held throughout the semester; describe the artists work and intent, and include your written critique.
List of Readings (subject to change, there may be additions/subtractions)
Excerpt Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction – Walter Benjamin
Excerpt from Hybrid Culture – David Weinberger
Excerpt from The Tipping Point – Malcolm Gladwell
Excerpt of Society of the Spectacle – Guy Debord
Excerpt of Free Culture – Laurence Lessig
Excerpt of Immediatism – Hakim Bey
Excerpt of Abstract Hacktivism – Otto von Busch
Project 1: Pixel Art Pictograms
Assignment Due: Monday September 17
Lab Critique: Monday September 17
Use the pencil tool to make three 32 x 32 pixel icons. Each of the three icons should have a related theme that you find
interesting. Paste the three icons in a document that is 96 x 32, 72 dpi.
Project 2: Identity Portrait
Assignment Due: Monday October 1
Critique: Monday October 1
For the Identity Portrait assignment you may A) create a traditional self portrait that uses figurative representations of you, or B)
create an artwork that expresses your point of view on an issue of identity politics – gender, class, race, nationality, culture,
ethnicity, etc. (feel free to combine more than one of these issues into your piece.)
The Identity Portrait should combine digital photographs, scanned materials, found images, etc. DO NOT USE TEXT, try to express
your ideas through visual representations only.
Document size: (portrait or landscape)
640 x 480 pixels at 300dpi
Project 3: Site Map
Assignment Due: October 15
Create a Site Map organizing data for Project 4.
Document size: (portrait or landscape)
canvas size: 8 1/2 x 11 inches
Project 4: Net Narrative
Assignment Due: Monday November 5
Critique: Monday November 5
Create a mini website that has 5-10 html files. Use text and images to tell a story with hypertext. Draw on the examples given in
lecture. The user experience should be non-linear.
Project 5: Animated gif
Assignment Due: Monday November 12
Critique: Monday November 12
Make an animated gif with 5-10 frames. Experimentation is encouraged, take scans or photos of found objects, experiment with
movement and color.
Under 300 x 300 pixels, 72 dpi
FINAL PROJECT – NET ART
Create an original work you consider your best “net art”. It should be 15-20 pages of html. The project should be an exploration
that expands on one of the lecture topics (Pixel Art, Identity Politics, Social Networks, (e)Mail Art / Memetics / Forwarding,
Appropriation and Parody, Time Based Media, Media Spectacle, Commodity Fetishism, Biotech the Body and Art, or Eco Interactive
Art.)
PART 1 Due: November 22, by 11:59pm to Web CT (5 points)
Final Project Sitemap
PART 2 Due: November 29, by 11:59pm to Web CT (5 points)
Final Project Draft
In Progress Critique: during LAB November 30 & December 1
PART 3 Due: December 13, by 11:59pm to Web CT (5 points)
FINAL CRITIQUE: DECEMBER 14 & 15
Syllabus Statement, Accommodation for Student with Disabilities 2007
“Under the guideline of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the College is required to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. In coordination with the Disability Resource Center and the Learning Disabilities Specialist, reasonable accommodation will be provided for qualified students with disabilities. If you have a diagnosed disability that might affect your performance in this class, please meet with the instructor as soon as possible. This information is kept confidential. The DRC is located on the first floor of the Campus Center, Room 130 phone number 629-7154, TDD 629-7596. The Learning Disabilities Specialist is located in the Learning Assistance Center, in the lower level of the Marvin Library, phone number 629-7552.”
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