syllabus
info
title Digital Arts Workshop
credits 2
time Thu 3:30 - 5pm
place Sci 217
level introductory
faculty Jim Mahoney
repeat yes, may be repeated for credit
prereq none
description
An introduction and open exploration of computer manipulation of images,
sound, animation, and video, 3D, and all that. Some background
topics in computing technology, optics, acoustics, and the internet
will also be presented and discussed.
This course is aimed at anyone who wants do art
with a computer. No prior experience is required.
The equipment and software will be flexible, but will emphasize
exploration of open source software (see the list below)
and commonly available equipment (i.e. smart phones).
Grading will be based on a final project of your choice
and a number of smaller assignments. As a 2 credit class,
you should expect to spend about 6 hours per week,
including our once weekly class.
Class time will be spent both discussing the underlying
ideas and technology as well as collaborating with
classmates while working with various software tools.
Expect more of a chance to explore different
applications - i.e. read manuals, work through online tutorials,
and share your experience and work with the class - than
technical training on specific which menu options in
PhotoShop version 1073.23429 produce which wiz-bang effect.
Depending on student interests and background,
the list of topics and applications will among
* images: Gimp (raster graphics), Inkscape (vector graphics - maybe)
* sound: Audacity (edit, mix), Pure Data (music programming - maybe)
* 3D and animation: Sketchup (simpler), blender (complicated & powerful - maybe)
* video: Final Cut Pro (library lab), Avidemux (free, more limited)
* interactive: Processing, Kinect (maybe)
as well as discussions of bits, bytes, bandwidth, compression,
codecs, copyright, and all that.
schedule
You'll be expected to turn in something for each of four small
(2 weeks each on image, audio, 3D, video) projects, and then
create a final larger (4 week) work in a medium of your choice.
Thu -- week -- -- work due -- -- in class --
Sep 4 0 intro
6 1 open discussion : my & your past experience & tools
12 2 image 1 : Q/A assignment due ; discuss Gimp
19 3 image 2 : image proposal due ; Gimp work in class
26 4 sound 1 : image due & share ; discuss Audacity
Oct 3 5 sound 2 : sound proposal due ; Audacity work in class
11 6 3D 1 : sound due & share ; discuss Sketchup
17 7 3D 2 : 3D proposal due ; Sketchup work in class
23 8 video 1 : 3D due & share ; discuss video
31 9 video 2 : video proposal due ; Hilary library lab intro (?)
Nov 7 10 project : video due & share ; discuss projects & other tech
14 11 project : project proposal ; project work and/or other tech
21 12 project : project rough draft; present project draft
Thanksgiving
Dec 5 13 project : ; present final projects
13 Fri project final version due
