ART 116: DIGITAL MEDIA

Fall 2006

Justyna Badach

Mon-Wed 9:05-11:05

justyna@udel.edu

 

Course Syllabus

This course in an introduction to the language and technology of digital media. We will use a variety of computer programs and digital tools to explore visual structure, time, narrative and point of view. Technical information concerning digital photography, video capture, scanners, and various output devices will be covered. In addition we will examine the visual and conceptual principles, which differentiate or connect digital media to other art making processes.

 

Grading:

Design term presentation 30 pts

7 B/W photos 100 pts

7 Color photos 100 pts

Text as design 100 pts

Cubist Object              100pts

Story Board presentation 30 pts

Attendance/Participation 40 pts

 

450-500 pts = A (450-465 =A-, 466-481= A, 482-500 = A+)

400-449 pts = B (400-415 =B-, 416-431=B, 432-449 = B+)

350-399 pts = C (350-365 =C-, 366-381 = C, 382-399 = C+)

300-349 pts = D (300-315 = D-, 316-331= D, 332-348 = D+)

348-0 pts = F

 

Students must attend class and have all necessary assignments completed on time. No late work will be accepted. 4 missed classes will result in an automatic F for the term. Arriving to class late 3 times equals one missed class.

 

COURSE OUTLINE:

 

Week 1

Day 1

Introduction to the class materials list, lab hours and grading. Using Power Point for presentation. Design terms assignment. Each of you will be assigned a design term from a list handed out in class. Define and find a visual example of the term on line. You will need to give a brief Power Point presentation of your findings in the next class.

Assignment: Complete research for design term presentations and buy supplies.

 

Day 2

Design Terms presentations. Introduction to the computer, basic operation, file formats, , using portable storage devices and what programs are available.

 

Week 2

TUESDAY COLLOQUIUM PRESENTATION: 7 Black and White Photographs Project (line, shape, repetition, high contrast lighting, low contrast lighting, edge tension, balance)

 

Day 2

Introduction to the digital camera and its functions. Difference between TIFF, JPEG, RAW and histograms.

Discussion of composition and using the camera to create visual structure and perspective.

Assignment: Using B/W mode shoot a minimum of 15 variations of each of the following: line, shape, repetition, high contrast lighting, low contrast lighting, edge tension, balance.

 

Week 3

Day 1

Down loading images from camera to computer, creating contact sheets in Photoshop.

Assignment: Finish contact sheets for next class and save them to the desktop folder on the teacher demo computer.

 

TUESDAY COLLOQUIUM PRESENTATION: 7 Color Photographs Project (glow time, contrasting color, warm color, cool color, saturated color, de-saturated color and monochromatic color)

 

Day 2

In class review of contact sheets from last class, using the Epson printer.

Assignment: Re-shoot images from last assignment as needed and make final contact sheet with your final 7 images from the B/W assignment for the next class. Make print of the contact sheet. Save your final images as power point presentation to the teachers demo computer.

 

Week 4

Day 1

Final Critique of 7 B/W images images.

Lecture: Color light and color temperature when to use or not to use white balance.

Assignment: Using color mode shoot a minimum of 15 variations of each of the following: glow time, contrasting color, warm color, cool color, saturated color, de-saturated color and monochromatic color. Make 7 contact sheets for next class.

 

Day 2

In class review of contact sheets for color images.

Assignment: Finish shooting variations print and save a copy of contact sheet of final 7 images to teacher computer for next class.

 

 

Week 5

Day 1

Final Critique of 7 Color Images Project.

Assignment: Bring in a magazine tear sheet or web page where the text is used as an image.

 

TUESDAY COLLOQUIUM PRESENTATION: Text As Design

 

Day 2

Introduction to Illustrator

Modifying scale, shape and masking of text in Illustrator.

In class discussion of tear sheets/ examples of text as image

Assignment: Select a form of text from the fonts available in Illustrator. Pick one letter of the alphabet that you will work with for this project. Begin manipulating the appearance of that text using illustrator.

 

Week 6

Day 1

Illustrator, strokes, appearances, layers, tools and cutting/pasting. In class review of modified letterforms.

Assignment: Begin to layout positive/negative design using your modified text form. You will need to make 4 variations.

 

Day 2

In class work session for Text Project

Assignment: Finish your 4 variations for next class.

Week 7

Day 1

In progress critique of the 4 variations you have created for the Text as Design.

Assignment: Begin work on a final design for Text as Design project for next class.

Day 2

In class work session

Assignment: Finish design and make print for Text as Design project.

 

Week 8

Day 1

Final Critique of Text as Design

 

TUESDAY COLLOQUIUM PRESENTATION: Scanned Object /Cubist Object Diptych.

 

 

 

 

Day 2

Introduction to scanning.

Assignment: Scan 4 objects you may want to use for your project. Bring in the scans to the next class.

 

Week 9

Day 1

Basic retouching, color correction and cropping in Photoshop

Assignment: Select one of the objects you have scanned to work with. You need to set up and photograph 4 still life compositions, which feature this object. Pay close attention to the composition, color, lighting, space in which it is located and the framing you are using. You will need to eventually recreate one of these and re shoot it so that it uses principles of cubism. This final image will be made up of a minimum of 16 separate images and will be displayed next to your scan.

 

Day 2

Photoshop tools, cutting, pasting, laying out multiple images and working with layers.

In class review of still life images.

Assignment: Choose one of your still life set ups and re-photograph it using at least 16

Different view points to generate a cubist image.

 

Week 10

Day 1

In class work session, laying out the cubist image in Photoshop.

Assignment: Finish laying out cubist image and scan onto single page. Make final print for next class.

 

TUESDAY COLLOQUIUM PRESENTATION: Stop Action Video Project. You will create a stop action video, which alters or makes obvious the passage of time.

 

Day 2

Final Critique of Scanned Object /Cubist Object Diptych

Assignment: Shoot 10-20 images and compile them into a Power Point storyboard for the stop action video project. Remember composition and point of view. Read

 

Week 11

Day 1

View storyboard presentations.

Assignment: Read handout Time; from Contemporary Themes in Art

 

Day 2

Discussion of reading project.

Using I Movie.

Assignment: Begin shooting the image sequences for your video scenes.

 

 

Week 12

Day 1

Video viewing in class.

In class work session

Assignment: Shoot all images and continue editing.

 

Day 2

Video viewing.

In class work session.

 

Week 13

Day 1

In class work session. Saving video.

Assignment: Finalize all editing save video to DVD.

 

Day 2

Final critiques of videos.

Assignment: Put together final portfolio of all projects to be handed in next class.

 

Week 14

Day 1

Final portfolios due. Sign up for individual meeting.

 

TUESDAY COLLOQUIUM PRESENTATION: SCREENING THE BEST OF THE VIDEO PROJECTS

 

Day 2

Individual Meetings hand back final portfolios.

 

Project Evaluation Criteria:

 

1) Visual Interest:

These are some of the topics, which will be used to evaluate this criterion: visual structure, composition, hierarchy/point of view, harmony, repetition, balance use of color, light/shadow,

Shape and volume/scale, line, shape, time, rhythm, tension, narrative and layering.

(Keep in mind since each project utilizes different production methods or visual themes the elements that determine each projectπs visual interest will vary)

 

2) Craft/ Understanding technical concepts

 

3) Concept/ideas

 

4) Participation in critiques/being prepared for class

 

 

 

Supplies:

Nikon D-50 and memory card

For storing your work you will need either of the following a portable hard drive, I Pod jump drive or DVD

8x10 inch Epson printer paper photo matte

 

Course Links:
Digital Studio	Drawing I and II	Design I	Design 2	Research Studio	Colloquium