Syllabus - Art 451
Integration of image, video and sound for the creation of internet art, such as tactical media and identity construction. Technical and aesthetic concepts emphasized. 5 credit hrs. 2 3-hr cl/labs.
Prerequisite: ART 350 or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 15 cr hrs
Instructor: Amy Youngs
e-mail: youngs.6@osu.edu
Phone: Art Department # (614) 292-5072 - a place to leave messages for me.
Office: 206 Haskett Hall, hours by appointment
Meeting Time: Mondays and Wednesdays 11:30 - 2:18
Location and Lab: Fergus Gilmore Computer Lab, Hopkins Hall Annex, Room 184
Class will meet in this lab, unless otherwise specified. Our final class will meet in Haskett Hall Gallery for the end of the quarter exhibition. Make a note of the lab hours so you can use it to further pursue your work (usually the hours are posted on the lab door). Another specialized lab you may use are the New Media lab in Haskett Hall, room 308. These labs are specially designed for the needs of art students and they are only open to students in the art department and to those taking art and technology classes.
Course Objectives and Procedures
- To create original art projects designed for the world wide web.
- To gain an understanding of net art. Through readings, lectures, discussions, critiques, writing and artmaking we will explore the context of the web as a place for art, cultural exchanges and experiences. While this is a studio course in which we will learn software and techniques, there will be also be a strong focus on the content and conceptual quality of the multimedia works created in this class.
- To achieve a level of comfort with the tools and techniques needed to create and manipulate multimedia elements for the web. We will be using Macintosh computers, imaging software and the web authoring tools Dreamweaver and Flash. There will be demos on technique as well as assignments to be completed in-class and out-of-class. Time spent working on assignments outside of class will be necessary; plan on an average of 8 out-of-class hours per week. Making good art always takes longer than you think!
- To professionally mount and exhibit digitally-created artworks in the end of the quarter Art & Tech Exhibition.
Critiques
Class critiques are very important and will be held at the beginning of class on the due date of each project. If your assignment is not complete for the critique your grade on that assignment will be lowered by one full letter for each class day it is late. You are required to attend critiques even if your work is not complete. Critiques are not for my benefit; instead, they are most likely your best method to learn about artmaking - from your fellow artmakers.
Grading
55% - assignments - includes 2 art assignments (20% each) and 3 writing assignments (5% each).
30% - final art project and end of quarter exhibition.
15% - Participation - includes active participation in class discussions, in-class work and general class citizenship.To receive a letter grade of "C" you must maintain regular attendance, complete all assignments and participate in class discussions and critiques. An "A" in this course will require that exceed the minimum expectations for both quality and concept. Your work should show a highly developed understanding of the concepts and techniques of digital image manipulation, as well as an innovative incorporation of this medium into your own developed aesthetic. Your contribution to class discussions and class critiques is vital for an "A".
Policies
Turning in your work
Your work is due at the beginning of class and is considered late if turned in later. Your project is late if ALL portions are not turned in on time. Due to frequent file glitches, you must also be prepared with a backup of your final project files on removable storage, such as a USB drive. Your project grade will be reduced by one full letter for each class day it is late, regardless of whether or not you were absent.Attendance policy
Don't miss class. Don't arrive late or leave early. You are expected to come to class on time, ready to work and with all necessary supplies and materials. Your final grade will be lowered by one full letter upon your third absence - and again for each additional absence. 3 late arrivals or early departures = 1 absence. Excused absences are: family emergencies, established religious holidays and illness with an official doctor's note indicating that you could not attend class on that particular day. You are responsible to find out what you missed and to complete any missed work.Policy on student conduct
Students are expected to abide by the Ohio State University's Code of Student Conduct. (online: http://studentaffairs.osu.edu/resource_csc.asp) Any violations will be reported to the Committee on Academic Misconduct.
A few examples of violations you should avoid
- Turning in work as your own that was created in some part by someone else.
- Turning in work that violates copyright law.
- Turning in work for this class that has already been turned in for another class.
- Dishonesty concerning absences.
Disability policy
Any student who feels he/she may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately, as soon as possible, to discuss specific needs. Students need to also be working with the Office for Disability Services (on campus at 150 Pomerene Hall, ph. 614-292-3307) so that we may coordinate reasonable accommodations.
Supplies
Books
Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 Classroom in a Book, ISBN 978-0-321-57381-0
New Media Art, Tribe, Mark / Jana, Reena ISBN 3-8228-3041-0 This one is entirely online, so you won't need to buy it if you don't mind reading online.
Digital Storage
You will need a USB thumb drive, or some other removable storage device to backup your files and easily transport them to different computers. Get one that holds at least 2 Gigs, but get a larger capacity drive if you plan to archive all of your work in this class on this one device. You will be alloted 2 Gigs of storage space on the server for your work during this quarter, however, in order to follow good digital practices, you must always back up your work, because hard-drive crashes do happen - and they are not an excuse for late projects.Website Hosting Space
This is where you will upload your assignments. They will be public. There are some inexpensive hosting services that cost around $10 per month and include the purchase of a domain name. It is best to purchase the domain from the same company that you are purchasing hosting services with. It can be complicated to transfer your domain to another company.Notebook - taking notes will be necessary in this information-intensive course.
Reading and Writing
In addition to the required book, I will be giving you required readings related to digital art and ideas that you will be expected discuss in class. There will also be short writing assignments on relevant artists and artist lectures as well as written project proposals required for each art project.
Related readings in Internet Art and New Media Art (non-required)
Internet Art, (Thames & Hudson), by Rachel Greene
At The Edge of Art, (Thames & Hudson), by Jonline Blais & Jon Ippolito
The Language of New Media, (MIT Press), by Lev Manovich
Snap to Grid, (MIT Press), by Peter Lunenfeld
Leonardo, (MIT Press) is the leading international journal for readers interested in the application of contemporary science and technology to the arts and music. It is available in the Fine Arts Library at the Wexner Center.Ultimate online resource for net.art viewing and reading: Rhizome.org