Intro to Digital Media
Art 194
Spring Semester 2012, Arizona State University
Hours: 7:40 - 10:30, Monday and Wednesday
Room 301
Instructor:
Lara Shipley
lkshiple@asu.edu
Office hours: Monday 3-4, Tuesday: 4:45-5:45 (please email for appointment)
Office Location: RM 216 in Tower
Course Description:
ART 194, Intro to Digital Media, is a studio course that concentrates on the fundamentals of digital media, including imagery, sound, video, animation, and the web. Assignments are given to engage students in the technical, conceptual, and aesthetic aspects of digital media.Students will employ a diverse range of techniques and software, as they become familiar with contemporary artistic processes involving the use of the computer and/or other technologies. The class will consist of hands-on experimentation and production supplemented by slide lectures, videos, visiting artists, and academic research.
This course may be substituted for the Art Major requirement of ART 113, Color, for Intermedia and Digital Art majors. All other majors require a petition to substitute this course for ART 113, Color. If you have already taken ART 113, this course may be counted as an art elective. However, keep in mind it is a 100-level elective. Please see your academic advisor for more specific information.
Objectives:
At the completion of the course, successful students will be able to…
* Place digital media historically in the context of contemporary art practice
* Use the technical vocabulary related to digital media production
* demonstrate competence with a full array of software and computer hardware
* create original artwork employing digital media
* reflect critically on the current and future uses of digital media in society.
Course Text/References:
Class Blog: http://art194asu.blogspot.com/
The recommended text is Launching the Imagination: A Comprehensive Guide to Basic Design, by Mary Stewart (Third Edition) and is available at the campus bookstore. Hopefully, you already own this for other core classes.
Adobe Tutorials Online (Photoshop & Illustrator):
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Photoshop/11.0/WS5441FC84-6A84-45f8-9041-
C3EA3E357507a.html
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Illustrator/14.0/WS714a382cdf7d304e7e07d0100196cbc5f-
6537a.html
Course Requirements:
The goal of this course is to give the students the basic skills necessary to create art using specific computer software. While this course is meant to give you new technical skills, we will also consider the ways in which we can apply these useful technical abilities in the creation of strong, meaningful, and sophisticated art works.
Without exceptions, all assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date specified by the instructor. Each due date is listed in the schedule and will be also included on the assignment sheets to be handed during class. Late assignments will not be accepted. If your assignment is unfinished, you will still have to present what you have to the class. All students are expected to participate in critiques, even if their work is unfinished.
Grading:
Completing all of the assigned projects on time with a reasonable degree of craftsmanship and care and regular attendance is the minimum expectation. You can “re-do” any project without penalty for a higher grade – as long as you turn the work in on time and show your best effort. No late work will be accepted. Top grades will be awarded for a combination of design excellence, conceptual depth, intelligent participation in discussion, and most importantly, individual improvement.
Participation is also incredibly important. Participation means not only listening attentively in class, but also actively participating in class discussions and critiques, and in general, being a thoughtful contributing member of the class. At the sole discretion of the instructor, poor participation can hurt your grade by up to 5%.
Overall, projects and critiques will be evaluated as follows:
A- Work shows a strong sense of imagination, creativity, with excellent execution both technically and conceptually, participating openly and willing in class and during critiques, spending time on assignments.
B- Work shows above average imagination, creativity, with good execution, attending class
regularly.
C- Work shows some imagination, creativity, with fair execution, but it is not above
average, last minute execution of assignments, being later for class, absences.
D- Projects are weak, no participation, regularly late and/or absent.
Lab Maintenance:
This lab contains expensive equipment. Students are not permitted to use any equipment with which they are unfamiliar. Also, you are not permitted to have food or beverages at the computer desks. This is a shared classroom so it is important that you clean up after yourself.
Proper lab maintenance will be monitored and evaluated. It is also expected that you will act in a safe manor. Unsafe or destructive behavior will not be tolerated and may result in expulsion from the class. A complete list of safety policies and procedures can be found at:
http://www.asu.edu/cfa/wwwcourses/art/SOACore/safety.htm
Storage:
Each student is responsible for the storage and back up of their own files/projects.
While there is temporary workspace available in the shared folder on each machine, this space is cleared regularly. Do not attempt to use the shared folder as a permanent storage solution. Again, you will need your own storage media device (external hard drive). Do not keep your projects in the desktop or else they will be deleted automatically.
Materials:
Materials for each assignment will vary, and you are expected to purchase materials as the class progresses. You have access to the Coor 150 Computing site, the Main Computing Commons, and Art 301 lab. However, there are some mandatory materials that you must own or have immediate access to:
‐ A Mac compatible external Firewire hard drive (7200 RPM, 250 Gig minimum) is required. At the very least you must have a flash/thumb drive (1 Gig minimum).
Be warned, armed with only a thumb drive you will have a very hard time completing
your projects.
‐ A digital camera with appropriate data cord
‐ A pair of headphones for lab use
- An external hard drive
‐ A valid and current Sun Card for access to lab
‐ A bit of extra cash for purchases and expenses that may come up for projects
‐ An ASU e-mail account and regular access to Black Board system
‐ A notebook to take notes during class
The following would be helpful, but not mandatory:
‐ lap-top with personal editing software
‐ digital camcorder (different than camera)*
‐ lighting equipment
‐ tripod*
‐ a computer microphone*
Class Fees:
Technology expenses $50 per student (personal expenses and/or x capital equipment)
Attendance Policy:
3 unexcused absences = one letter grade drop from final grade
3 partial attendance (late arrivals and/or early class departures) = 1 absence
7 or more unexcused absences will result in failing the class
Arriving more than 15 minutes after attendance has been taken and/or departing more than 30 minutes early from class will result in a partial attendance for that day.
Any additional excused absences MUST be accompanied by a note from doctors, student services, or other evidence that demonstrates the need to miss additional classes. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in a final grade reduction, and more than 7 unexcused absences will result in failure of the class. Every effort will be made to accommodate extenuating circumstances when necessary.
Students required to miss classes due to university sanctioned activities will not be counted absent. However, absence from class or examinations due to university-sanctioned activities does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of the absence. Students should inform the instructor early in the semester of upcoming absences. Reasonable accommodation to make up missed exams or other required assignments will be made. Consult the instructor BEFORE the absence to arrange for this accommodation.
When contacting your instructor:
When emailing your instructor please address your emails with the course and specific subject matter in the subject line of the email--for example: “ART294 scanner not recognized.” Emails that do not contain the subject heading can easily get lost in our bulk mail. We will attempt to answer emails as soon as received, but do allow at least a day.
Disabilities: Rights and Responsibilities of Students
If a student desires accommodation for a disability, he or she must be registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and submit the appropriate documentation from the DRC to the instructor. To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact the ASU Disability Resource Center – Phone: (480) 965-1234. This should be done in a timely manner because accommodations cannot be made retroactively.
ASU’s Academic Integrity Policy:
The highest standard of academic integrity is expected of all students. The failure of any student to meet these standards may result in suspension or expulsion from the university an/or other sanctions as specified in the academic integrity policies of the individual colleges. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, cheating, fabrication, tampering, plagiarism, or facilitating such activities. The university and college academic integrity policies are available online at
http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity
All use of non-original materials is discouraged. However, if non-original material is used, you are responsible for the proper citation and legal usage of the resource. Violations are punishable by assignment failure, class failure (E), or failure due to academic dishonesty (XE) depending on the severity of the infraction.
Your instructor will sanction any incidents of academic dishonesty in the course using University and HIDA guidelines. Should you have any question about whether or not something falls subject to this clause, feel free to contact your instructor or review the university policy on academic integrity at the above link.
Classroom Conduct:
* You are expected to behave in a responsible manner that allows everyone in the
classroom access to resources and learning. Behavior that disrupts classroom learning
will not be tolerated. If your actions are disrespectful to the Instructor or to other
students, you will be asked to leave and counted absent
* Cell phone and PDA use is prohibited during class unless the Instructor is informed of a pending emergency at the beginning class. These units should be muted or set to vibrate.
* Access to the Internet is permitted ONLY when it is related to the class material.
* Respect should be given at all times to the Instructor, classmates and your working environment. This includes appropriate behavior, language, and use of classroom resources.
* Safety is primary concern for all students to work effectively. You must follow all the safety procedures and guidelines posted in the studio you are working.
* Dressing appropriately for the studio activity that you are engaging in is another important safety factor. This may include no food/drink, open toe shoes, excessively exposing clothing, dangling jewelry, and/or tying hair back.
* At all times you must use the equipment in the studio in the manner it was intended for use and per the instructions of your Instructor.
The ABOR Student Code of Conduct is designed to promote and protect an environment that encourages reasoned discourse, intellectual honesty, openness to constructive change and respect for the rights of all individuals. In keeping with this mission, the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities staff seeks to balance the rights and needs of the individual with responsibility of the individual to meet the needs of the community. In addition, it reviews allegations of student misconduct, determines whether a violation has occurred and if applicable, imposes appropriate sanctions. Students are expected to adhere to the ABOR Student Code of Conduct. See it here: http://www.abor.asu.edu/1%5Fthe%5Fregents/policymanual/chap5/
Self -discipline and a respect for the rights of others in the classroom or studio and university community are necessary for a conducive learning and teaching environment. Threatening or violent behavior will result in the administrative withdrawal of the student from the class. Disruptive behavior may result in the removal of the student from the class.
See also, Student Rights and Responsibilities: http://students.asu.edu/srr/code
The Computer, Internet and Electronic Communications Policy
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd125.html
Potentially Offensive Course Material:
Some course content may be deemed offensive. Reasonable advance warning will be made of potentially offensive material by the instructor; it is the student’s responsibility to remove him/herself from the class during those classes/lectures/field trips in which potentially offensive content is shared. Generally, there will be nothing that exceeds the standards of any PG13 movie.
Intellectual Property Rights:
The course content, including lectures and other handouts, is copyrighted material. Students may not record lectures or sell notes taken during the course.
Disclaimer:
The information in this syllabus, other than grade and absence policies, may be subject to change with reasonable advance notice.
Calendar (Tentative):
The instructor has the right of changing the dates and/or projects content at any point during the semester.
Unit 1 - Raster
Jan. 9 to Jan 25
Unit 2 - Vector
Feb 1 to Feb 8
Unit 3 - Animation and Sound
Feb 13 to March 5
Unit 4 - Video
March 7 - April 4
Unit 5 - Web
April 9 - April 23
ASU Academic Calendar: http://students.asu.edu/academic-calendar
