Digital Imaging

The purpose of this course is to help you learn to use digital imaging as a medium for the making of fine art. While computer-aided production has revolutionized movie making, music making, architecture, and graphic design, the use of computers to create fine art is relatively new and under explored. One reason for this is that the technical possibilities of digital media are so vast that they can be intimidating and inhibiting, and some artists trained in making and looking at painting and sculpture find working in a medium that appears less physical to be difficult. Furthermore, the use of the computer as a tool in digital imaging creates a kind of indirectness, an extra step between idea and output not unlike printmaking and photography, which can focus a lot of attention on technique (i.e. it must be "good/interesting/beautiful" if it's that hard to do). This, the elevation of technique or style at the expense of investigation and expression, is a problem in any medium. Therefore, in this course, we will focus on digital imaging as a tool, a means of investigating fundamental issues in two-dimensional visual art and a means of exploring self-expression.

It is essential in the study of art to develop concurrently the resonance of your own intuitive, spontaneous, and direct expression, the technical expertise with which to shape that expression, and the analytical tools with which to better understand and refine it (all of which is synthesized in the notion of process). Presumably, you have been doing exactly this in the art courses you have taken so far. This course will be a revisiting and extension of the work you have done, on the way to a method of working that is completely new.

The first section of the course will focus on deepening your understanding of formal concerns such as compositional structure, balance, movement, and the articulation of space through specific and narrow exercises. These exercises will involve nonobjective shapes, forms, and spaces that you create and manipulate using Adobe Photoshop's selection, drawing, painting, and layering tools. This will provide the context for learning the set of basic techniques you will need to get started in Photoshop. It will also provide us with an opportunity to experiment with and refine the analytical tools that you will need to communicate your insights to others and strengthen your work. The second section of the course will address more sophisticated techniques such as scanning, the digital camera, and using paths and channels, in projects where you have much more room to explore your own interests. At this stage, you will have the choice of working with imagery you generate in any way you choose, through drawing, painting, photography or anything else you can come up with. The final section of the course will leave you largely to your own devices, with only the expectation that you will explore your ideas thoroughly, give and take in critique, and push yourself.

Course requirements and grading

This course will be extremely demanding. The minimum requirements of this course are that you come to class and work hard. As your success will depend on how much practice and feedback you get, attendance is essential. Therefore, there are no excused absences without a letter from the Dean's Office. Missing class will dramatically affect your grade and you will be dropped upon your third unexcused absence. There will be six to eight hours of homework weekly. This is a substantial workload, and you should be certain that you are prepared to keep up. Late homework will be penalized one letter grade for each class it is late. You must attend the mid-term and final critiques to pass the class, and late mid-terms and finals will not be accepted. Homework, the mid-term, and the final will be weighted at 40, 30, and 30 percent respectively.

It is important that you be clear about the requirements and understand that you are in control of your performance and therefore your grade. It is also important that you understand that my only concern is what you can learn in this class. Therefore, I will be giving you extensive written feedback on all of your homework in addition to the grade. Provided that the work is submitted on time, I will also encourage you to revise your work and resubmit it the following Monday, at which point I will re-grade it. I am also happy to meet with you at any time to discuss your work.