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Student
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a deeper creative ability
and depth of expression
using digital imaging, emerging, and mixed media art making methodologies.
2. Articulate more fully the interplay
between the observer, the observed, and the process of observation.
3. Develop applied technical/aesthetic knowledge
in the completion of a series of visual art projects, culminating in a
creative student directed final project.
4. Examine the work of several artists,
theoreticians, and institutions who engage in digital and mixed media art
creation.
5. Design and plan a detailed artist
statement document which expounds upon individual concepts, processes,
creative exploration, technical experimentation and documented references
for the final project.
6. Compare, contrast, describe and
critique the strengths and weaknesses of their own artwork and that of
their fellow classmates relating to formal, aesthetic, and content
attributes.
7. Successfully articulate informed,
philosophically and socially aware ideas relating to art, technology, and
culture as demonstrated in class discussions
and critiques and in short written reaction papers to the relevant readings
and events.
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Course
Assessment Measures & Grading Criteria:
These
outcomes will be evaluated in a series of short study projects at the
intermediate level that include studies in digital photography, raster,
& vector based imaging, digital painting/drawing, and emerging genres.
Students will produce two and three dimensional works utilizing digital
output, high end archival digital printing, mid-range digital printing,
installation and experimental methodologies. Students must demonstrate
satisfactory achievement of course objectives through fulfillment of course
projects and by contributing to class discussions and critiques
The short studies
include the following: 46%
total in the following increments:
* Surveillance: photo essay 9.17%
* Hyperrealism: HDR High Dynamic Range Photography 9.17%
* Panorama (VR, print, mixed media, or experimental techniques) 9.17%
* Personal Geographies/Maps of the Imagination (in vector or raster based
imaging in 2 or 3d or mixed media) 9.17%
* Future Spaces/Future Places using biomimicry montage/collage; 9.17%
* Fusion Media in Virtual & Ephemeral Images: experiments in using a
range of multimedia, blended/augmented reality experiments; (optional)
The final project
is a purposeful installation work in Art Activating Public Spaces 39%
Participation
in class, critiques & reading reaction papers 15%
A final web
portfolio of all perfected works is handed in on DVD on the last day of
class for final grading purposes.
Adherence to deadlines is expected.
It is the individual student's responsibility to keep track of deadlines
and to present the work to the class and instructor on the specified dates.
15% per day will be subtracted from late assignments not previously
discussed with the instructor.
Grades:
A
Excellent: consistent effort, timely 4.00 - 3.68
A - 3.67 - 3.34
B + 3.33 - 3.01
B Good:
effort, timely 3.00 - 2.68
B - 2.67 - 2.34
C + 2.33 - 2.01
C
Satisfactory: some effort, timely 2.00 - 1.68
C - 1.67 - 1.34
D + 1.33 - 1.01
D
Passable: little effort 1.00 - .68
F Failure 0.67 – 0
Students will be provided with assessment of their progress at
the time of critique. Projects
needing further work will be so declared. Students can then perfect the
work within the next week to change the grade. If you have any questions at
any time about your creative work trajectory or your grades, please speak
with your instructor at your earliest convenience. Students receiving less
than a grade of B will be informed immediately.
Class Attendance Policy: As an enrolled student, you have made a
commitment to this class and your attendance is a significant part of that
commitment. Attendance will be taken at every class. An absence is
considered excused if the student has informed the course instructor by
phone, email or in person before the beginning of the class and the excuse
is considered reasonable by the instructor. All students are required to be
on time and in attendance for each and every class. Students arriving to
class more than 10 minutes late may be counted as absent. Two (2) unexcused
absences will result in a reduction of one entire letter grade. Four or
more unexcused absences will result in expulsion from the class. Do the
readings and tutorials and come prepared to ask questions. Turn work in on
time. Contribute to the discussions.
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RESOURCES:
* Helpful Resources and Tools
* Drop Box Information
* Art Sites and Reference Resources
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EVENTS:
Please attend at least 3 events at EMPAC or the Sanctuary or
an approved event elsewhere and write a short critique for each, print, and
hand in on the first class after the event.
Click here for
a guideline for writing a critique if needed.
EMPAC http://empac.rpi.edu/
The Sanctuary for Independent Media http://www.mediasanctuary.org/
(Please carpool together if going as The Sanctuary is beyond walking
distance from campus.)
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PROJECTS & READINGS:
Short Study Project 1 due Sept. 3, 8, 11
Surveillance photo essay & text
Project: The
idea of photography as a research tool
You will increase your observational skills by looking at how
the world looks at you, or how you look at the world
Create an original Photo-essay about
surveillance in 3 parts: (You
must use your own images here.)
1. Observations: due Sept 3 take at
least 24 photographs of various types of surveillance you see or are aware
of. Reflect on what you photographed and why your gaze or attention was
drawn to this particular type of surveillance. Try to become aware of the
roles of observer, observed, and the process of observation. Who is looking
at whom and why?
2. Statement: Sept 8 Next take a point of view on what you
observe. Do you like what you saw... why? Or are you critical of what you
saw…why? Go back to the particular site or sites and take 24 more
photographs with either an empathetic or antagonistic eye towards the
issue.
3. PDF Photo Essay: due Sept 10
Edit all of the images down into a clear statement piece of 10 images.
You can use just straight photography, or you may use photomontage, or text
to make a PDF photo essay that expresses your viewpoint. Consider the placement of your images
and your layout design for maximum impact.
Some broad examples of straight photo essays are below; however, you are
encouraged to use your imagination and be creative with text and treatment!
* the
social life of wireless urban spaces
http://www.mysocialnetwork.net/downloads/WirelessPlacesPhotoEssay.pdf
* Photo
Essay - American Birding Association www.aba.org/nab/v65n2sparrows.pdf
* Situated Technologies Pamphlets http://archleague.org/category/publications/publications-situated-technologies/
Download the pamphlets there and
study the use of image/text/layout
Readings: due Sept 8
* He Served in Silence by Igor Vamos
* The Panopticon by
Jeremy Bentham skim though His
letters http://cryptome.org/cartome/panopticon2.htm
and see some of the history of
surveillance thinking
* The
Tradeoff Fallacy by Turow, Hennessy, Draper skim and see what you make of this
* The Creative Process by Alan Hurlbert The Design Concept pgs. 10-15 how to get your
creative juices flowing
create a short
reaction paragraph about each (your views and interpretations)
* Associated tutorials: we have tutorial CDs that can be
used to learn at an individualized pace. Please avail yourself of this
resource.
They are also at the front reference desk of the library.
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Short Study Project 2 due Sept 22
HDR High Dynamic
Range Photography: Hyperrealism
Project: After
our lecture in class on HDR, take your handout, (found here) camera and tripod
out into the field to explore ways of making HDR (High Dynamic Range)
photography.
Set your ISO to 100 or the lowest value possible, as the HDR technique
creates additional noise.
Take a number of shots using Camera Raw (with an accompanying
high resolution JPEG) of the same scene.
Use you tripod! Any shake in
your exposures will create ghosting in HDR post processing.
Use auto-bracketing if your camera has this function: Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) and select exposure increments
for bracketing: +2EV, 0EV, -2EV
(EV=Exposure Value).
Make sure your camera is set to Aperture
Priority (AV).
Also select the Continuous Shooting
mode to enable one press of your shutter button, per your three AEB
exposures. This will ensure each image exposure is registered to each other
seamlessly.
(However, if you do not have Auto Bracketing you can exposure manually, but do not change your Aperture as that would change the depth of
field of the photos. Simply change
your speed: for example if your EV
0 photo taken at 1/60 second with f/8, the lighter one (+2EV) should be shot at 1/15 second with f/8,
and the darker one (-2EV) should be
shot at 1/250 with f/8.)
Bring the images into Photoshop: File > Automate > Merge to HDR Pro
(or an HDR program such as Photomatix or Dynamic
Photo-HDR).
Tone Map In Photoshop (Image
> Mode > choose either 8-bit or 16-bit) or in Photomatix or Dynamic
Photo-HDR.
Utilize the techniques learned to help you express your message through a
mood or tone.
Experiment with
different subjects, objects, environments, landscapes, skyscapes, lighting
conditions (outdoor/indoor/studio).
(You can also experiment with taking only one Raw image of the same scene
and compare the amount of shadow or highlight detail after processing.
Using one image will have much less richness of details.)
Create
at least 15 excellent, in-focus, high quality HDR images that utilize the
technique and software for creative impact. Show the works on the large
monitors in class and we will select one image to print on the Epson 9800
archival printer.
Readings: due Sept 15
* technical
readings and research about HDR
* Associated tutorials
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Short Study Project 3 due Oct 6
Panorama
(QTVR, print, mixed media, experimental techniques)
Project: Using
the idea and technique of panorama, tell a story or narrative through the
use of various photographic or graphic elements, object scans, textures,
etc. which work together to give visual form to your ideas. Text can be
used if desired, either incorporated as part of the image or as captions.
Print your work on the large format printer at the VCC or on the Epson 9800
archival printer in sizes that utilize panoramic vision. You could instead
create a virtual panorama, or a VR panorama. Experiment with ideas
including polar panoramas, cycloramas, or encompassing dioramas. You can
use straight photography or digital and/or physical photomontage, collage
or assemblage techniques. Discover new forms of panoramic vision!
Readings: Due Sept 29
* Techniques
of the Observer by Jonathan Crary
create a short reaction paper
* Associated tutorials
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Oct 20
MIDTERM EVALUATIONS (please upload all
work to class exchange drop box)
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Short
Study Project 4 due Nov 3
Fusion
Media in Virtual & Ephemeral Images:
(using a range of multimedia, blended/augmented
reality/code art experiments)
Project: Experiment with blended and augmented reality techniques to
explore the ways you can communicate an issue or idea you are passionate about. You may use any
combination of media: (such as print, audio, video/film/IT
digital/mobile/tablet, augmented reality applications and environments,
code, etc.) in conjunction with the fusion media experiment.
Readings: Due Oct 20
*
Simulations by Jean Baudrillard
And
* Baudrillard
and Hollywood: subverting the mechanism of control and The Matrix by Jim Rovira
create a short reaction paper
* Personal Research readings
* Associated tutorials
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Install
Nov 10 for our
IDI Exhibition Opening Nov 11,
6:30 to 7:30pm
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Short Study Project 5 due Nov 17 (EXTRA CREDIT)
Personal Geographies: Maps
of the Imagination
(vector or raster
based imaging/2 or 3d mixed media)
Project: Create a map which shows your
relationship to your world, your experiences and your personal journey
using either vector based imagery, raster imagery, 3dimensional objects in
assemblage or any combination thereof. This can be a “true map” or an
imaginative expressive map, but it should aim for an understanding
of the world around us and your place in it.
Readings: Due Nov 10
* Cartography of Excess http://brianholmes.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/cartography-of-excess/#more-3031
create a short reaction paper
* Associated tutorials
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Final
Project due Dec 8
Art Activating Public Spaces
Project: Activating public spaces with digital images,
installations, and art delivery systems
Final Project pre-REVIEWS: Nov 24
Artist
Statement & Digital Ideograph –
The artist
statement and digital ideograph begin the development of your individual
ideas and starts the trajectory towards the final project. It utilizes the
techniques, theory and history learned in class and in individual research.
It is, in essence, a digital ideograph of your art delivery system in
action, virtually. Create a web page that illuminates your idea and its
location in terms of what you want to reconstruct in it. Photograph the
exact location and then digitally create your ideas within it. You are
required to articulate your final project in an artist statement of from
one to two paragraphs whereby your concept, methodology and at least 5
bibliographic references/influences are stated.
FULLY REALIZED FINAL PROJECTS DUE (IN SITE) – Dec 8
The actual project manifested as an original (billboard, large poster
series, drive by car art, aerial art, photo projection, data projection,
etc.) art system device that carries your message to those who may not have
the opportunity to see your work inside a normal gallery environment. Your
work must be realized physically and you must photograph the work in the
site for inclusion in your final project CD web site file.
Readings: (Due Nov 24)
Critical
Issues in Public Art: Content, Context, and Controversy by Harriet F. Seni, & Sally Webster,
eds.
create a short reaction paper
And
Critical
Issues in Public Art: Phillips Temporality and Public Art by Harriet F. Seni, & Sally Webster,
eds.
create a short reaction paper
* Associated tutorials & your
personal research readings
Browse: browse through and see other
artists and ideas you are interested in:
* New
Media Art by Mark Tribe
* Imagery-in-the-21st-Century http://www.scribd.com/doc/90812469/Imagery-in-the-21st-Century-Figures
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Final Web Portfolio due Dec 14
in West Hall 314c between before
1pm
Project: Web
portfolio & documentation: create a simple website that features all of
your perfected works and
documentation of works in situ. This will be used for final grading.
Readings:
* Associated tutorials & website creation research
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Class Schedule:
Week 1 Sept 1, 3
* Introduction to the course,
* Lecture & discussion overview on digital imaging, the power of
images, “truth” and images
*
See best works to date and articulate aspirations
* Technique overview on composition, form, perspective, light, color,
proportion, motion,
* working in Camera Raw, Image file formats
* Lecture & discussion on Surveillance
Week 2 Sept 8, 10
* Review & discussion of short study projects: Surveillance part 1
* Technique overview: handouts on studio set ups: going off automatic: the
all-important triangle: using aperture, shutter and ISO
* Brief discussion of readings: the history of
surveillance thinking: He Served in
Silence, The Panopticon, The Tradeoff Fallacy, and The Creative Process
* Critiques of short study projects: Surveillance Photo Essays
* Technique overview:
*
studio practice in tabletop photography with objects using Aperture/
Shutter / ISO.
Practice being able to demonstrate in your studies an understanding of:
~ Aperture (Av), lens, and subject distance to show depth of field
~ Time Value (Tv) Shutter priority in freezing action or in blurring
action, panning
~ Manual
(Bring in cameras, tripods, lighting kits, a collection of small objects,
and one that moves or a ball)
Week 3 Sept 15, 17
* Lecture & discussion on High Dynamic Range photography and how
these lighting techniques are used in games, cinema, ads, architecture, and
beyond)
* Technique overview: HDR photography (distribute HDR technique
handouts)
* Field studies in HDR landscape photography
*
studio practice in HDR: Raw, tripod, AEB
(Auto Exposure Balance), Aperture priority (Av), continuous shooting, low
ISO for the least grain possible, merge for tone mapping, experimentation
for creative expression using the techniques learned
(Bring in cameras & tripods)
Week 4 Sept 22
* Critiques of short study projects: HDR
* Lecture & discussion on Panorama, Cyclorama, VR, Oculus Rift, Immersion,
Caves, Polar Panorama, HDR & Panorama, Stereo Imaging, and contemporary
viewing techniques
* Technique overview: intro studio practice panorama: stitching, content aware selection tools
(Bring in cameras & tripods)
Week 5 Sept 29
4 to 5:30pm:
* Technique overview: studio practice in lighting the subject:
Rembrandt, butterfly, edge lighting
(Bring in cameras, tripods, lighting kits, and/or drawing implements of
choice)
5:30 TO 7:30PM MODEL in Studio:
We will conduct a
series of modeling sessions in studio to further develop
drawing/imaging/photographic skills with the human body with an eye towards
obtaining high quality still and moving images for use for panorama and/or
AR studies:
8 - 30 second poses = 240 seconds (4 minutes)
8 – 60 second poses = 480 seconds (8 minutes)
4 – 3 minute poses = 720 seconds (12 minutes)
3 - 5 minute poses = 900 seconds (15 minutes)
Request poses (15 minutes)
Break, then repeat as time allows.
7:30- 7:50
* Technique overview: printing & high end archival printing on multiple
substrates
* Discussion of the Techniques of the Observer by Jonathan Crary &
various viewing conventions over time
Week 6 Oct 6
* Critiques and discussion of short study projects: Panoramas
* Technique overview: compositing,
masking, histograms, levels
* Introduction to the AR, Fusion Media, Virtual & Ephemeral Images
study
using high end archival printing with seamlessly embedded markers for AR
experiences using a range of multimedia and sound
* studio practice: initial experiments with a range of multimedia,
blended/augmented reality/code art
(Bring in cameras, tripods)
Week 7 Oct 13 off (Institute
schedule follows a Monday schedule)
(Continue work on your AR project ideas, inspiration, and technical
research.)
Please ensure all perfected work to date is
in your class exchange drop box for midterm review next week.
Week 8 Oct 20
* MIDTERM EVALUATIONS
(please ensure all perfected work to date is in your class
exchange drop box)
* Intensive studio in development and printing of high end archival AR
print works containing incorporated AR markers, multimedia and sound
production.
* Review and discussion of Simulations by Jean Baudrillard,
and Baudrillard and Hollywood: subverting the mechanism
of control and The Matrix by Jim Rovira
(Bring in cameras, tripods, lighting kits, and subject matter elements for
production.)
Week 9 Oct 27
5:30 TO 7:30PM MODEL in Studio
*
Technique overview: studio practice in composing an augmented experience
using video, image sequencing and stop-action animation, using the live
model
(Bring in cameras, tripods, lighting kits)
Week 10 Nov 3
* Critiques and discussion of Fusion Media in Virtual & Ephemeral Images project
* Lecture & discussion on Cartography & Mapping in art and
industry in 2 and 3D, Brian Holms’ “Cartography of Excess”, Assemblage
* Technique overview: vector imaging, assemblage
* studio practice (Bring in various maps, globes, objects and
materials that you find inspirational for charting your map)
Week 11 Nov 10
* Install artworks for our IDI Pop-up Exhibition in the Corridor of Creativity, Sage 1st
and 2nd floors
* Intensive studio for Personal Geographies: Maps of the
Imagination
Exhibition Opening to
the Public is Nov 11, 6:30 to 8:30pm
Week 12 Nov 17
* Critiques of short study project: Personal Geographies: Maps of the
Imagination
* Lecture & discussion of the final project, Art Activating Public Spaces
* discussions about final project ideas and research trajectories
(Bring in cameras & tripods)
Visitor
from industry.
Week 13 Nov 24
Please note: All work for final projects must have a
pre-review signoff from Professor Ruiz before leaving for Thanksgiving
break
That is, an artist
statement & research trajectory: that includes the following:
- an articulation of the idea,
- the artistic influences,
- the technical research, and
- the ideation.
* final project pre-reviews
* Discussion of the readings in Critical Issues in Public Art:
Content, Context, and Controversy
by Harriet F. Seni, &
Sally Webster
* studio in creating initial ideations and field practice scouting
Week 14 Dec 1 (Second to last day of class)
Intensive work studio for individual final
projects: ideation creations in virtuality from field image recordings.
Visitor from industry.
Week 15 Dec 8
Last Day of Class
* Critiques of Final Project works in situ: Art Activating Public Spaces
* photographing documentation of your actual works on site
(Bring in cameras & tripods)
Dec 14 Final Web Portfolios due in West
Hall 314c before 1PM
Please
drop off your web portfolio of all your perfected works for the entire
semester, including your reading and event reactions, and your Art
Activating Public Space final project ideation, artist statement/research,
and in situ documentation on a
(non-returnable) DVD or thumb drive (labeled with Your Full Name, and the
words: IDI Fall 2015) with your website address. This will be used for
final grading.
All final web portfolios must additionally be uploaded to
your class share drop box folder.
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Academic Integrity
Trust: Student-teacher relationships are built on trust. For
example, students must trust that teachers have made appropriate decisions
about the structure and content of the courses they teach, and teachers
must trust that the assignments that students turn in are their own. Acts
that violate this trust undermine the educational process. The Rensselaer
Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities defines various forms of
Academic Dishonesty and you should make yourself familiar with these. In
this class, all assignments that are turned in for a grade must represent
the student’s own work. In cases where help was received, or teamwork was
allowed, a notation on the assignment should indicate your collaboration.
If you have any question concerning this policy before submitting an
assignment, please ask for clarification.
Plagiarism: All work produced in
this course must be original and created by the student. First infraction
will result in a failure for the course and a report to the Office of the
Dean.
Class
Specific: Collaboration and discussion about
class projects is actively encouraged, and is in no way considered
cheating. This is a studio course, and personal ownership of information is
not deemed to be appropriate. Original work and images are required, except
if indicated otherwise. Projects are expected to reflect personal endeavor,
but may also be collaborative in nature as long as the collaboration is
clearly defined and approved by the professor previously.
Gender-fair
language: Because
the way we speak and write affects the way we think, everyone in this
course is expected to use gender-fair language in all discussions and
writing. A guide to gender-fair language is available from the Writing
Center and from the Library.
Other Course
Specific Information:
Required
materials:
* A laptop
computer (bring laptops to class every class)
* An active RCS account.
*High capacity external hard drive, or usb drive (minimum 64GB)
* A camera (preferred: digital, 35 MM DSL, or the new mirrorless
cameras, or high end point and shoot with manual overdrive). A variety of
cameras can be signed out from the equipment room as well.
* Software for Intermediate
Digital Imaging: Adobe CS6
Design Edition (which includes: Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver
and Flash) suggested to purchase, but you can use the mac computers in
Studio WH 214 that have this software.
* Other materials on a project basis
* Journal: it is highly recommended that you keep a working journal of
ideas, drawings, photographs, dream records, etc. which will act a source
for your creative process. You should carry this with you at all times to
record your creative insights.
Fabrication
costs/materials:
You will be
making a number of digital prints/manifestations of your work. The costs of
digital printing vary, but be prepared to incur approximately $50 to $100
in fabrication/material costs.
Assumed
Knowledge and Skills: Awareness of digital imaging and
interactivity concepts, skills, and topics in electronic arts from media
arts studio classes (ARTS-1020) and/or other personal achievement. These
include basic knowledge of formal topics (light, scale, color, composition,
form, motion, proportion), scanning; basic raster and vector imaging
skills; resolution; ppi; dpi; ability to draw with a digital stylus and
understand gesture, point, line, plane; basic digital photography skills;
and basic printing skills.
For Issues in
Lab: Please contact hasshelp@rpi.edu
Printing: please
see Helpful
Resources and Tools for much more detail.
For high end archival printing: Location: Sage 2410
This
suite contains the Epson Pro
9800 large format archival printer operated by a specialized print
coordinator available by appointment only.
Please setup appointment with operator well in advance to your
printing due dates.
Info:
http://hassinfo.rpi.edu/large-format-printing-information/
request form:
http://hassinfo.rpi.edu/files/2013/08/Large-Format-Printing-Request-Form.pdf
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