what it is
ART 153 Creative Problem Solving
Fall 2006
Instructor Anna Campbell
Meeting Time & Classroom location Mondays 2:00pm - 4:50pm Calder Art Center [CAC] 703
Wednesdays 2:00 PM - 4:50 PM Calder Art Center [CAC] 1718
Prerequisites Freshman art major or instructor permission
Final Exam Monday, December 11th, 2:00pm 3:50pm
Office Hours Mondays & Wednesdays 9:45 10:45; Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:15 3:15
Office 1112 Calder Art Center [CAC]
Phone 616.331.3495 or Ext.: 13495
Email campbean@gvsu.edu
Website http://look.gvsu.edu:8000/pony & http://bb.gvsu.edu/
Course Objectives
CPS is creative problem solving. In this studio we will focus on understanding and making meaning in images and objects in a contemporary context. This will require investigating the contemporary practice of art and design, study in how images and objects work, and the development of basic studio processes and experimentation. The contemporary focus of the course requires that we learn and use digital media forms in combination with traditional media.
CPS structure
The primary studio source is the online collaborative web site, or wiki at http://look.gvsu.edu:8000/pony Studio participants are expected to use and check the web regularly (at least every other day) for announcements and new information. Clicking on the "changes" button will take you to a page that lists recent activity on the whole site. Critical announcements will be posted on the CPS blog on the home page of the web. Also regularly check the calendar page.
The focus of the studio is on preparing participants for future practice as a visual artists as well as gaining awareness and engagement as citizens. We want to aspire to the best in professional practice, but work in the full context of the larger world of culture, commerce, politics, and civic dialogue. We will engage the range of visual culture that includes fine art, design, and our daily visual experience.
Subjects we will engage
complexities of representation
desire/consumption
environments
multiple meanings
context of presentation
wonder collections
visual perception
Studio guides
art intends interaction
form and content are not separable
"seeing is forgetting the name of the thing one sees" -Lawrence Weschler
every detail is a locus for meaning
meaning is conveyed in multiple ways by multiple parts of the image/object
Recquired Travel
A bus trip to Chicago is scheduled for Tuesday, September 19th .The cost is $30. I will provide you with more information as the deadline for sign-up [September 12th ] approaches.
Required Lecture
Douglas Rushkoff will speak on media and culture Thursday, October 12th at 7:00pm in the Armstrong Theatre.
Recommended Lectures
There are many other lectures sponsored by the university. Among those are the lectures presented by the Office of Multicultural Affairs; their itinerary can be accessed at www.gvsu.edu/oma/
Civic Studio [http://civicstudio.org] will hold informal open studios every Friday this semester from 4:00pm -5:00pm at the Central Station on Granville, one block north of Wealthy. The building is adjacent to the RAPID (Grand Rapids City Bus) Platform with the swooping white fabric roof along 131.
Feel free to alert the class to any lectures/ exhibits/ important local events that may be relevant.
Attendance
The nature of studio working and learning is experiential and active, so being here and being here on time is essential and expected. You may miss two class periods without affecting your grade. If you are late to, or leave early from class by 10 minutes or more this will count as 1/3 absence. Your final grade will drop a grade level per additional absence. The department mandates that any absence exceeding 5 results in an automatic failure. Religious holidays are excused absences, but you must contact me in advance of missing a class for any reason.
Please keep in mind that the allowable absences are meant for personal/family illness, travel prior to holidays, etc; do not use them carelessly, as this frequently causes problems for students later in the semester. If you do miss a class, please confirm any assignments/discussion content with me.
Critiques
Critiques are meant to help you evaluate your investigations into contemporary art. Our critiques will focus on the quality of physical execution in your work, as well as the formal and conceptual concerns addressed by the assignments, and your interpretations. Successful critiques depend on your thoughtful and honest evaluations of your and your classmates work. You must be present for all critiques, and your work should be set up and ready before class time.
Sketchbook
You will need to keep a sketchbook for this class. It should serve as a tool for you to work out ideas, take notes on demos, plan for projects, and record your process and progress over the course of the semester. You will need it for every class; this sketchbook should not be used for any other courses. Dimensions should be conducive to portability; approximately between 6 x 8 and 9 x 12
Participation
Participation requires that you are physically and mentally alert and active in class. You need to have a position, response or opinion about the ideas and work presented in class.
Be prepared to work during class; do not come to class with the intent of leaving to purchase or collect materials.
Late homework will not be graded; late projects will be lowered on full grade for each class period the work is late.
You must be on time for class with your work finished to receive credit for it; this applies to all coursework. Projects not finished before critique will not be discussed. Contact me as soon as possible if you need an extension based on documented illness or extreme family trauma.
Grading
Grades are the result of a combination of your efforts in projects and studio performance/participation. You will get a performance report at midterm and then again at the end of the studio.
You have the option to redo studio work if you are not happy with the grade. Improvements in concept, design and craft will raise your grade; simply redoing the piece without making tangible improvements will not raise your grade. Reworked assignments should be turned in to me by December 1st.
A
Individual Responsibility for Learning - reserved for exceptional exploration, in-depth research, original problem-solving, highly competent execution, and contributing a leading presence to the classroom. This includes:
Attendance- on time ready to work; Work in Class - engage the work at hand / be ready with materials and discipline for class work/ maintain appropriate studio organization; Work Outside of Class - work hard out of class to learn and practice what we are studying in class/ do out of class work; Contribution - input and impact on group dynamic, practice, and learning; Willingness/ Readiness to progress - be ready with materials and discipline for class work / go with the direction of the class / follow the detail of projects and exercises/ move on from old comfortable ways of doing things.
B
Demonstration of understanding of course content -above average work effort, well-considered problem solving, good craftsmanship, enthusiastic participation. This includes:
Good creative process and practice; Management and application of ideas; Skill and understanding in use of computers
C
average work: parameters of assignments are fulfilled satisfactorily, participation is regular
D
understanding of concepts not evidenced through effort, work may be incomplete or hastily constructed, unwillingness to participate regularly
F
insignificant attempt made
Technology
A significant part of the course is an introduction to digital media, or the use of computing technologies in the production of visual art.
Resolution
using the appropriate pixels per inch for your output. This is controlled by paying attention to image size (how many pixels does your image have). This includes acquiring the optimum image size and handling the image so this size/quality is maintained. This is where scanner and digital camera settings come in. It also requires an understanding of resolutions appropriate for various outputs. 72 pix/inch for output to monitors (internet), 200 pix/inch for output to laser printing, 300 plus for professional printing.
Maintaining Project Files
keeping all primary and resource documents organized. This involves understanding when a digital project is a standalone document and when alternately it is using other files as resources. It also involves keeping and organized and appropriate structure to your digital files as you store and move them from media to media. Digital files that use external sources include; html or web files, desk-top publishing programs such as freehand, quark, and indesign, and image organizing/presenting programs like iview-multimedia.
Supplies, Material, Media
removable media -at least 256 mb (hard drive, ipod, usb drive)
10 burnable cds
one compact flash card -at least 32 mb
compact flash card reader [if you have a digital camera to use for the class (minimum 3megapixels) you do not need the compact flash card or reader]
Various found, collected, and purchased project-specific materials and supplies. [See CPS project materials]
Various art supplies as needed that may overlap other course materials.
You may also want to use a portfolio or packet to keep your things together
Plan for approximately an additional $70 for supplies you will need to purchase later. It is often difficult to hold back funds for projects late in the semester, but it can be very important to have some resources for the appropriate materials for projects.
Important Dates
Classes Begin Monday, August 28th
Labor Day Recess Sunday, September 3rd Tuesday, September 5th
Pay for Chicago Trip Tuesday, September 12th
Chicago Trip Tuesday, September 19th
Rushkoff Lecture Thursday, October 12th
Last day to withdraw Friday, October 20th, 5pm
Thanksgiving Wednesday, November 22nd Sunday, November 26th
Reworked assignments due Friday, December 1st
Classes End Saturday, December 9th
Commencement Saturday, December 9th
Examinations Monday, December 11th - Saturday, December 16th
Semester Ends Saturday, December 16th
Grades Due Tuesday, December 19th
Community of Practice
With the purpose of maximizing applicable learning these following practices are valued:
Information and knowledge is readily distributed and shared.
Substantive social interaction is valued because learning is fundamentally social.
Knowledge is integrated in the activity of the group.
Learning is an act of membership in a community of practice. "Knowing" and "learning" require engaging in practice.
Learning requires empowerment and responsibility.
"Our intelligence is not just based on how "smart" we are, but reflects the richness of the learning communities we have organized for ourselves." - J. Cleveland and P.Stark
Ability Statement
If there is any student in this class who has special needs because of a learning, physical, or other disability, please contact me or the Disability Support Services [DSS] at 616.331.2490.
Source
This syllabus has been constructed with the assistance of Paul Wittenbraker, Renee Zettle-Sterling and Norwood Viviano.