Imaging in Digital Practices

EDPX 2000

Course Description

Imaging in Digital Practices is one of the foundations for Emergent Digital Practices. This class introduces: principles of the visual field, contemporary digital technologies for representation, creative processes, the culture of critique, visual semiotics - to understand how meaning is formed. It consists of experimental designerly practices.

Course Objectives:

• Create a historical and theorectical context: We will develop an understanding of the history and theory of New Media art.
• Learning new tools: We will begin to develop new media production skills with basic software literacy. We will also create lifelong professional practices that enable you to continually learn uses and applications of new tools.
• Creative applications: We will apply this knowledge and skill in new media based projects.
• Critical engagement: We will learn to critique projects rigorously and constructively.

Course Policies

In order to meet course objectives the following requirements are critical:

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. 3 unexcused absences constitutes the drop of 1 letter grade (3 lates=1 absence). The 5th absence is an automatic failure from the class. An unexcused absence from any critique or portion of a critique will constitute the drop of 1 letter grade for that project. An unexcused absence from the final critique will constitute a failure (F) for that project.

Participation

Active and supportive participation in all project critiques, discussions, and presentations will be expected from all group members. Class preparedness, dedication, self-direction and self-motivation are expected. Class projects (concept, critical content, technical proficiency, craftsmanship and presentation) do not entirely revolve around a completed product; other factors such as level of risk and ambition, process, progress and creative problem solving affect your project and thus your grade.
You are expected to check your email daily, but not during class time. Assignment changes and announcements will be sent via email; it is your responsibility to keep up with the class via electronic means.
Turn cell phones OFF before you arrive to class (no text messaging etc). NO headphones during class, unless instructed.

Critiques

Active participation in all discussions and critiques is essential. Critiques are the fundamental exercise in developing your skills as an artist. It is in this arena which interaction and collaboration with your peers determine the success of your work. 3 major and several minor critiques are planned; this is for work in progress and exercises as well as completed projects. Successful critiques include: thoughtful input during critiques and class discussions, and the ability to give and receive critical feedback. Your full attention and participation is required for every student’s project. An unexcused absence from any critique or any portion of a critique will constitute the drop of one letter grade for that project. An unexcused absence or missing any portion of the final critique will result in a failing grade for the final project.

Required Materials

You will need at least 1GB of portable storage (flash or thumb drives, portable hard drive, etc.) and DVDs (-R). In addition you may need other items as indicated per project. Other supplies will vary from individual to individual.
There is no required textbook.

Quality of Work

All creative work under consideration for critique or discussion under this course should be of a completed/finished quality that warrants the attention and respect of your class colleagues. No excuses, or explanations.

Grading

A= exceptional performance in all areas, consistent and excellent progress in areas of concept development, technique and creativity close to a professional level. Exceptional critique performance, thorough understanding of course issues, completion of all work
B= above average performance in all areas listed above - solutions are unique, noteworthy and beyond competent, but not consistently excellent.
C= average performance and acceptable progress in areas of concept development, technique, creativity and critique performance, understands basic course issues, completion of all work and acceptable attendance
D= below average work and progress, does not attempt to further one’s current level of technical abilities, poor development and research of project concepts, marginal creativity, very little critique interaction, poor understanding of course issues, not all assignments completed
F= failing performance and progress, fails to grasp course concepts, failure to complete assignments, poor attendance

Total is based on 100%
Participation / Critique Involvement / Community and Personal Commitment=20%
Presentations=10%
Exercises=10%
Projects=30%
Final Project=20%
Sketchblog and Reading Reaction Statements=10%

Evaluation Standards

Participation with peers, craft, experimentation, and effective execution are all vital components of a successful project both in the classroom and in the world of professional practice. As a student in this class you will be expected to carry out your work with an objective of cultivating knowledge and collecting new experiences, not just completing projects for a grade.
Additional note- If a student has a documented disability and wishes to have special arrangements made to facilitate a more effective learning environment, I must be notified by the student within the first two weeks of the start of the course. The student must also provide proper documentation stating the condition of the disability. This will remain confidential unless the student chooses otherwise.

Expectations

This is a demanding course intended for mature students. I will expect a full and consistent commitment of time and effort. Projects that are late for critiques and deadlines will be failed.
Deadlines do not change for equipment problems. In the case of equipment failures you are to find alternative means of producing assignments. If after reading this syllabus, and hearing the class introduction, you are hesitant about your commitment do not take the class.

process sketchblog/journal

Sketchblogs/journals will be maintained and sustained by each course participant and should compile all rough project sketches, writings, storyboards, architectures and related materials to the works in progress and finished works. The sketchbook will be used as reference for grading and end of project evaluation, so it's imperative that each student's sketchblog be consistently updated with all class coursework.

Sketching is an important component of professional practice. One sketches in order to plan and to test one's ideas about work. One cannot fully understand how a work functions in the world until one brings the work out of one's imagination and into the world. Sketching makes ideas shareable. Our work is increasingly made up of complicated and complex components that interact with each other. If we seek help when something breaks, we need to have a shareable example of our intent. Shareable sketching processes enable collaboration and empower someone to help us when we are stuck. Collaboration is the de facto shape of contemporary and future work environments. Sketching creates a document of thought processes. This document provides important evidence that ones outcomes are thoughtful and intentional. These are important evidence for claims of intellectual property, and of professional conduct meriting compensation.

There are a number of sketching methods. Students should try out a variety of sketching processes and adopt and adapt ones that work for themselves.

Questions to always address within your sketchbook/blog include but are not limited to:

• Who are the artists who have influenced this work?
• What artwork presently or in history would fall into the category of the work I'm making?
• Why am I making choices with imagery, color, location, permanence? How do these choices effect/relate to my concept?
• What do I want the viewer to see/understand/take away from my work?
• What is unsuccessful about this work? Can it be changed?
• What is successful about this work? Can it be built upon?

readings

artist statement

An artist's statement should not necessarily explain your work. The statement is an opportunity for the artist to establish the context within which the work may be understood and to provide the necessary framework for reception and criticism. The most succesful artists' statements stir in the reader the interest to view or re-view the work.

There is no conventional length or format for an artist's statement, but for this class we will require at minimum one page, typed, double spaced.

Here are some excellent tips from artist Nayland Blake:

1. Tell the truth. Describe your work, and your life as it is, not as you think someone wants to hear it to be. Don’t anticipate your reader’s biases.
2. Write often. Get into the habit of writing about what you do on a regular basis. It will give you much more material to pick from when the time comes for you to make a formal statement.
3. Rewrite often. It’s much easier to edit and rewrite an existing piece than it is to generate something new on deadline. Revising allows you to sharpen ideas and cut out redundancies. Allow yourself to make messy first drafts and then go back into them.
4. Use specific examples. Watch out for generalities about your work. If you want to make a point about how an idea functions for you, show how it functions in a specific piece. Don’t feel like what you have to say has to be equally true of everything you make. Practice describing pieces as if your audience was sightless.
5. Use history sparingly Don’t assume that everyone will know what you mean when you refer to the work of other artists or artistic movements: their ideas my well be antithetical to yours and your point may be lost.
6. Big words do not make your work look better, or make it any more meaningful.
7. Phrases to watch out for:
   1. “As a...” often used to sneak in biographical information and as justification for the work, i.e.: “As a veteran my work is concerned with the ideologies of bodily distress...”, “as a volcano survivor I want my pieces to have a certain vibrancy...” Find another way to tell people who you are and why you do what you do.
   2. “The viewer is invited...” or any of its variations. Often folks use this to try to force people into a specific experience of the work. It begs the questions How and Why is the viewer invited.
   3. “Interest, interesting, interests...” Try writing about your enthusiasms rather than your interests.
   4. “The body...” Resist the temptation to make an idea sound more theoretical by sticking the word “the” in front of it. Always ask yourself “which body?”, or “whose body?”
8. Finally, imagine that you are writing in sand, not carving in stone. Your artist’s statement is not a contract made for all eternity: it is a snapshot of your thinking about your practice at a specific moment.

reading reaction paragraphs

Reading reaction paragraphs should contain your perceived synopsis of the reading, your personal reaction to the reading, and at least two questions you may have about the reading you wish to bring up in class. Note: any form of plagiarism will result in an automatic “F” for the course. Minimum 250 words. Post these to your sketchblog (either as attachments or links to the document, or simply as a text post).

Questions to consider in your writing:

• What is this reading about?
• Why is this reading pertinent to the practice of new media art or advanced design?
• Who is the author and how has their work affected contemporary design practice?
• How can I build upon these ideas to further my own creative practice?

cultural events

To encourage broader cultural experience and instill the habit of support for the arts, students enrolled in this course are required to attend three cultural events during this quarter and write about each. Events include art openings, lectures, theater productions, musical performances, poetry readings, etc.

resources

Projects

schedule