Final Project: Second Life Avatars

                             (Digitally Beautiful or Weird Harry Potter?)

Due Monday, May 14, 10:15am - 12:15pm - 

We will hold our final class meeting in Second Life!

As you all know, our final project will consist of the creation of two avatars in Second Life. We will start with a tour of Second Life locations with Joseph Delappe, head of the Digital Media Department, as our Docent. Also, Clint will be giving us a workshop on how to get things done in Second Life. The "Community Learning" idea is a theme we have followed through out the semester and will, of course, be continued in our final project. Think of the project as a mixture of the traditional self-portrait and social practice new media art. Please check out this Front Line "Digital Nation" (I believe its on Netflix too) to start thinking about the digitalization of various aspects of our lives.

Part 1: First Self

Representational Avatar/Self
If you haven't done so already, sign up for a free account and get acquainted with Second Life. Your first avatar will be representational and reflective of who your are in real (or meat) space. Look above to see mine as an example.

Follow these steps:
A) Begin by playing with the appearance interface to get accustomed to playing in Second Life. Play with eye color, body shape, etc. to build your digital self. You will need to find, create, or buy (I'll give you some SL cash called Lindens) clothing and accessories to create a realistic avatar. Think of the Second Life tools as just another medium used to create human representations.

Below is a tutorial that will help you get comfortable playing with your appearance.
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Appearance_Editor

B) Once you have created an avatar, save this as an outfit. The next step is to use Photoshop to create a "photo" realistic avatar. I've included tons of tutorials and the avatar template I used to create my beautiful self. Like everything related to Digital Media, it looks harder than it really is. You will start by taking a profile and front head shot to work with in Photoshop. Make sure these are taken together so the light is consistent. You will use these photos as source material to build your portrait with a Master Template. Remember, patience and  the Clone Stamp Tool are your best friend in this project.

Here is the main tutorial page for clothing and skin tutorials:
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Clothing_Tutorials

I used this link to create my avatar. Her website is full of helpful tutorials on all sorts of fun subjects:
Robin Wood

Here are some files that I used in my process.

This is the final result using the template I downloaded from Robin Wood. Remember to hide the template layers before saving your file as a .tga.

                                                                   Mugshot!

Its easier to only work with one half of your source photo to make your portrait have symmetry.

Below is the template Joe used to create his senator candidate avatar:
http://www.annotoole.com/CMFF/ (you will need CMFF_Master_Template_Head.zip)

This is a tutorial on making and importing skin. The version of SL used is old but the tutorial gives you a good sense of how to think about the process of creating your portrait:
http://www.avatars-3d.com/tutorial-template-secondlife/273-second-life-how-to-use-a-skin-template

Though the artist is using a different program in this video, the process you can use is the same. Its helpful to watch this as it quickly gives you tips on how to successfully use your tools to create your avatar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHQKQKQROyc&feature=related

We will meet in Second Life next week for a trial run of our avatar critiques. We will discuss the success of your avatar and what you can do to improve it for the final critique on April 14. Like Dylan said, this should be fun and somewhat of a digital party. I hope it is the funnest final you have this semester. Also, remember what I told you about flexibility and patience with each other for this project. The success of the critiques will rely on us working as a community and sometimes Second Life can be poopy in how it loads, functions, whatever. Good screen shots posted to your blog are vital for this project.

 

Part 2 – Second Self

For the second part of this project, you will create a "fantasy/experimental/imaginary" avatar. Your imagination is the only limit for the second avatar. Consider the variety of ways you can express your inner-self, your interests, or any way you would like to represent yourself. One requirement of this project is that at least one of the items of clothing or objects used for your outfit are made using the building tools in Second Life.

Remember the Google Rule when tackling this project and have fun. Really use your imagination and artistic creativity with this piece.

Some Additional Links for Tutorials!

A TON of tutorials here, please note "how to embed texture onto an object" for example:

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Video_Tutorials#Official_Video_Tutorials

Clothing Tutorial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBOiPspH6vs&feature=related

Importing Textures: Important for importing your portrait texture.

http://collaborate.extension.org/wiki/Second_Life/Building#Importing_Texture

Build stuff:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyrBXnbWjsE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c08WOhStkPg&feature=watch_response

Aimee's Panda

Projects #7 Crowdsourcing!

Crowdsourcing!
Projects due and Critique: April 23, 1pm!

This project explores the creative possibilities of "crowdsourcing" - inviting you to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in three unique "crowdsourcing" art projects online and to conceive of a proposal for your own crowd sourcing project.

What is crowdsourcing? 

From Webopedia:
A slang term used to describe the practice of using both the skills and time of underpaid — or unpaid — amateurs to create content or solutions for established businesses. Basically, crowdsourcing means to "use talents of the crowd", and is a play on the word outsourcing. The origins of the word crowdsourcing are credited to Jeff Howe, a Wired Magazine writer who first brought crowdsourcing to people's attention and vocabulary with his 2006 story, "The Rise of Crowdsourcing".

READ THIS FOR DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK:
http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Arts/2011/0114/Crowdsourcing-The-art-of-a-crowd

-AND-

Pages 111-124 Participative Systems from Rethinking Curating (pdf file will be emailed to you!)

Develop TWO questions for discussion - one for each reading!

Part 1: Choose THREE of the following and participate! Fully document your participation and provide appropriate links, images and writing on your blog posting for your final project effort:

1) Upload a video segment to the online video/film collaborative experiment, Man With A Movie Camera: The Global Remake http://dziga.perrybard.net/

2) Create a photo essay to submit to the Collected Visions project: http://cvisions.nyu.edu/mantle/info.html

3) Participate in The Johnny Cash Project http://www.thejohnnycashproject.com/

4) Create a proposal for the iraqimemorial.org project: http://www.iraqimemorial.org

5) Participate in the Young Me/Now Me project: http://www.zefrank.com/youngmenowme/ 



6) Revisit the past with Dear Photograph: http://dearphotograph.com/

Part 2: What if you were to make a crowdsourcing art project? What would it be? This is your challenge! Come up with an original crowdsourcing art project and create a design for an imagined home page. Think carefully about the idea of crowdsourcing art - please don't simply copy what has already been done (for instance, don't take a Lady Gaga song and do the Johnny Cash Project). Come up with something original. It can be funny, political, change the world? Be creative! Post your website homepage design and concept for this original crowdsourcing art project concept to your blog!

You are expected to expand upon what you have learned over the course of the semester in terms of your technical and conceptual growth. Do not choose simply what looks to be the “easiest” path to engaging these online crowdsourcing projects or in developing your own concept! Challenge yourself by conceiving an approach to these projects that will present you with new possibilities to advance your capabilities and thought processes as an artist! Projects are graded considering the complexity of concept, technical execution and the apparent level of difficulty in regard to what you choose to do! Good luck and have fun!

Projects due and Critique: April 23, 1pm!

Crowdsourcing Links:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2007/07/crowd_captain
http://mashable.com/2010/11/06/crowdsourced-art-projects/
http://kk.org/ct2/2009/07/crowdsourced-music-video.php
http://www.crowdsourcing.org/video/eric-whitacres-virtual-choir---lux-aurumque-/2881
http://www.starwarsuncut.com/
http://www.learningtoloveyoumore.com/

Lynda

Here is a website full of tutorials to learn a variety of software. I will email you the UNR access codes.

http://www.lynda.com

Writing and Presentation Assignment

1) This is a two part final assignment.  You will be creating a 5 to 7 minute presentation for class and a 1500 word Illustrated Blog Post/Paper on the same subject matter.

2) Choose two artists (or artists groups/collaboratives) from the following websites featuring literally hundreds of artists for you to explore.  You are to choose artists we have not covered in class:
http://www.eyebeam.org/people/current (search through "fellows" and "residents" for hundreds of amazing artists, links to their websites will generally be on their profile pages)
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/wilson.artlinks2.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_art
http://rhizome.org/art/
http://www.gamescenes.org/

2) Research your chosen artists. Make sure to record citations of where to find the works, links, etc.

3) Choose ONE representative work from each of your artists for a total of two works to be considered in your paper and presentation - you may choose to include more works by these artists in your visual presentation to the class.

4) Describe, analyze, interpret, compare and contrast the artist’s works, considering broadly their chosen formal and conceptual strategies, being careful to address genre (film, video, performance, interactive art, simulation, game art, etc) in your general analysis of the works. As part of your research, make an attempt to contact both of your artists to ask questions regarding the work. (If you don't hear back from them please note such in your paper and presentation). You need to reference the readings from the class when completing both parts of the research project. For the paper/blog post, make appropriate citations following standard academic paper guidelines (MLA or Chicago Manual Style)

Please limit your chosen artists/works to those created after 1980 - the only requirement is that the artists are somehow intrinsically involved in the creative use of digital technologies in their works.

The intent here is to give you the opportunity to critically engage in basic research and analysis of artists and artworks while at the same time encouraging a greater depth of experience of various artist’s creative production and contexts.

The paper is to be in the form of an extended blog post - include illustrations, videos where appropriate, etc.

Here are some online resources to help you in considering how to critique, compare and contrast your chosen artist's works:
http://clackhi.nclack.k12.or.us/~edgintonwWeb/page%20files/Critiquing_Writing%20about%20art.htm
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/comparison_contrast.html
http://projects.uwc.utexas.edu/handouts/?q=node/15

Grading:
Your presentation and writing will be graded according to the quality of your research, the originality of your analysis, the clarity of your writing, design and clarity of your presentation.

Due Dates:

In Class Presentations (chosen at random)

Monday, May 7th
Kelli
Austin
Kelsey
Bryan
Jessica
Bret
Christen
Fantasia
Katie
Aimee
Nicole
Dylan
Sarah
Jason
Sam

Paper as Illustrated Blog Post:
Posted by: Wednesday, May 9th Midnight

Project # 6 YouTube Mixer

Youtube remixes are due emailed to Clint by Wednesday, April 4 at 5pm! clintsleeper "@" gmail.com

Workshops: Tuesday and Wednesday @ 11 am.

You will be developing a webpage as a multichannel video/audio work inspired by the In Bb 2.0 as available online: http://www.inbflat.net

Your project is to have at minimum no less than 5 videos to mix. You can duplicate the format as in the "inbflat" project, using 20 videos or use no less than five videos to mix.

Examples:

You are making a video remix, net art project, imagine someone coming to your webpage and randomly clicking on your videos to create a unique, live montage of videos and sound.

There are a wide range of possibilities and variables to consider as you develop these pieces.  You are the director!  Consider all aspects of creating this piece.

This includes:

-change the background color (THIS IS REQUIRED)
-change the title text on the page (THIS IS REQUIRED)
-The shape of your grid?
-Color or tonality of your videos in the grid (all black and white, all towards one color spectrum, light, dark, day, night?)
-Camerawork - all hand held?  All from tripod?  All zooming?  All panning left to right or up and down?  Or some combination?
-What or who is your subject and why?
-What is the sound or sounds either repeated or different for each video?

-subject matter – this is of course up to you - the video sources will come primarily from videos you create and upload to youtube.  These are to constitute no less than 2/3rds of your project.  You may use appropriated videos from youtube but these must be used sparingly - no more that 1/3rd of your videos may be from existing youtube sources.  (these are general guidelines of course, if you use 5 videos total, at least 3 must be of your making for example). 

-techniques - you will be learning some basic html coding with this project while using Dreamweaver for basic production.

-sound – for this piece you have you may have up to 20 audio channels interacting and mixing in real time! These can be all different or repeats of the same audio/video. Choose carefully as the mix of sound is very important to this project.

Youtube remixes are due emailed to Clint by Wednesday, April 4 at 5pm! clintsleeper "@" gmail.com

Follow these instructions carefully BEFORE sending these to Clint!

-CHANGE THE NAME OF THE index.html file that I will send to your name as follows: Save the file with your name on it EXACTLY as follows: john_smith.html

He will upload these to the Digital Media area website from where you can link this to your blog. You must also take a screen grab of your entire remixed work and post this to your blog, link this image to your remix project once the associated web page is finished.

EXAMPLE - replace the highlighted code with the embed you cut from your chosen youtube video. Remember to use the OLD YouTube embed codes:

Interventionist Design Assignment #5

Assignment #5

Interventionist Design - Online

"Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, which takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice."
-Arnold J. Toynbee

Objective:

We are inundated with a plethora of information in our daily use of various technologies. A recent study indicated that on average, adults spend about 8 hours a day looking at screens of various types, including computer monitors. Most of the information we experience is developed by others – we are the consumers – or are we consumed?  On average we see an estimated 3000 advertisements per day.

This assignment asks you to generate a digital art 'intervention'.

You will make a creative re-design, with new content of a political or satirical nature, of an existing commercial web page. The objective here to is to create a work that serves as a visual, cultural critique through the appropriation and re-purposing of the design of an existing web page. Consider this project as a type of conceptual, artistic intervention - an artistic intervention is an action by an artist in a real world situation for the sake of promoting reflection and altered perceptions by the participants (or in this instance, your audience).

On first glance, the web site should look identical to the original, the changes you make will be in terms of content – you are to duplicate the formal aspects. Replace text, re-configure logos, take your own photographs as needed. Choose your web site/source carefully! You are creating a visual form that seeks to mirror a given visual reality – that upon closer examination reveals itself through the alteration of content. You can address issues of politics, race, class, the environment, peace, war, etc. Keywords: parody, satire, commentary, humor, design, art, activism.

Take a stance! What are you passionate about in regard to what is going on in the world? Politics, Global Warming, War? This is your chance to voice your opinion. Artists, in the modernist/post modernist millieau, have often addressed critical issues through their creative practice. Feel free to use satire and humor to critique some aspect of online and real world culture.  Be prepared to talk about your work. Good satire is intelligent and pokes fun while encouraging thoughtful critique. It can certainly be irreverent but please do so in an intelligent manner!

Timeline:

Monday, March, 12 – Assign Project

Monday, March, 19 – Spring Break 

Monday, March, 26 – Reading discussion: Rita Raley Tactical Media Introduction
                                    (bring two questions for discussion and reading to class) 

                                 – Projects Due Posted to Your Blog! Critique!


BROWSE THROUGH ALL THE LINKS BELOW PLEASE!

Here are some links that will be of interest as you develop your ideas for the re-design of an existing website:

The Yes Men: http://theyesmen.org/

http://www.yelp.com/topic/portland-best-parody-websites

http://dir.yahoo.com/Entertainment/Humor/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/Web_Site_Parodies/

http://www.philb.com/fakesites2.htm

A spoof website of the George Bush Whitehouse site:

http://whitehouse.georgewbush.org/index.asp

A spoof website of the Barack Obama Whitehouse site:

http://whitehouse.gov1.info/

Some curious corporate logo spoofs and such:

http://indiacorporatewatch.blogspot.com/2005/10/subvertized-part-i-brilliant-spoofs-of.html

http://www.logoblog.org/wordpress/imitating-logos/

The NYtimes "Special Edition" an amazing, elaborate parody that involved the creation of an entire website identical to the NYtimes and a print edition that was freely distributed on the streets of NYC. The Yes Men were involved in this project along with many other artists and activists (including your professor - see story "America's Army Game Cancelled!"):

-watch this first- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vvPvaDkIUo

http://www.nytimes-se.com/


And finally, not a spoof website but The Onion - some of the best satire online and in print:

http://www.theonion.com/content/index 

Tactical Media Links!

Some links related to the reading:

http://www.critical-art.net/
http://www.theyrule.net/
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1487185
http://turbulence.org/Works/oilstandard/
http://www.molleindustria.org/en/tuboflex
http://www.antiwargame.org/
http://www.0100101110101101.org/projects.html
http://www.tmcrew.org/enghome.htm
http://www.appliedautonomy.com/projects.html
http://www.notbored.org/the-scp.html
http://www.revbilly.com/
http://www.cityarts.com/colorado/release/index.html

Some Formatting Suggestions for the Website:

1) After choosing your website, take a full screen grab or manually select your website using Snapz Pro X or any method of your choosing. Look this up on the internet if you are using a PC and you will find instructions.

2) You will grab a larger screen image if you are working on a larger monitor - feel free to take advantage of the ginormous monitors in the lab! I would not recommend grabbing your image on a laptop although this will work you will have a smaller image to work with - always better to start with the best possible source/background image!

3) Open your screen grab in Photoshop. I recommend immediately going to "Image - Image Size" and upping your resolution to 200-250 dpi. When you are finished with the re-design, save a separate version at 72 dpi to upload to your blog. Screen sizes will vary depending on your source monitor.

Go To New York!!

Graded Blogs

I just finished grading everyone's blogs. As I mentioned FERPA laws prevent me from posting your grades but I did make comments on your top post. I kept very soft "kid" gloves on as this is our first go and we were learning expectations. That being said, we had some great work completed on this project and some "so, so" / incomplete projects. This should come as no surprise because you all know what you did and didn't do.  Even so I was still generous to everyone and now it is time to focus on the video project. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE follow every blog post to the letter or you will not succeed in this course. Have a good week and I will see you all on Monday.

Assignment #4 Video Reenactment and Viewing

 
VIDEO ART

1) Visit the website ubuweb and explore the many experimental films and videos available on this site: http://www.ubu.com/film/

Choose a video/film of your liking. Shoot and edit your own version of the chosen video/film preserving the soundtrack from the original source to be added to your video creation. This is an interpretive experiment. Be creative in how you approach this project! You are expected to directly attempt to recreate or copy the point of view, camera angles, timing, subject matter and such of your original or creatively re-interpret. Your video creation should somehow reflect your chosen work. There are many hundreds of choices on this site - take some time to explore these many varied historical and contemporary works and have fun!

Minimum length is 45 seconds. (you may choose a part of a larger work for example - some of these run longer than 15 minutes, redo at minimum 30 seconds).

In our critique we will be viewing your original source video and your reenactment, please be sure BOTH works are embedded blog post!

Equipment and techniques: You may use anything from a cell phone video camera, laptop webcam to a high end HD camcorder. This is up to you! I recommend you use Final Cut Pro to edit your work after capturing the audio with Snapz Pro X (This program is only available in the lab)

Clint will hold a workshop on Tuesday, 28th at 11am and on Wednesday the 29th at 11am in the lab!

Your video is due, posted to your blog (embed through Youtube or Vimeo) by the start of class time Monday, March 12th.

2) Read "Chapter 2 Video Art" for next week, Monday, March 5th and post two questions on your blog prior to class time.  Research artists mentioned in the reading - find videos of their work where possible online as this will greatly enhance your understanding and appreciation of their works!  New week we will be discussing and viewing further examples of contemporary and historical video art in class.

Nam June Paik

Matthew Barney

Lectures, Screening, and Exhibitions

Approved Lectures and Screenings for Digital Media Class Requirements!

LECTURES: (ATTEND AND WRITE ABOUT TWO!)



Mar 6 (T)      5:30-6:30    TBD                   Visual Lecture Ariana Page Russell, visiting artist

Mar 8 (TR)   5:30-6:30    UNR CFA 153    Visual lecture by Erik Burke, visiting artist

Mar 15 (TR) 5:30-6:30    TBA                    Annual Student Art Show, lecture
                                                                   by guest juror NMA Curator JoAnne Northrup
                     6:30-8:00                              Sheppard Gallery Reception

Apr 4 (W)     5:30-6:30    UNR WRB 2030 Game Art lecture by visiting artist Dr. Henry Lowood

April 5 (TR)  5:30-6:30    UNR CFA 153    Visual lecture by MFA Thesis Candidate Kevin Kremler
                     6:30-8:00                              Sheppard Gallery Reception

May 4 (F)     12noon       NMA                   Gail Wight: http://www.stanford.edu/~gailw/


SCREENINGS/PERFORMANCES/EXHIBITIONS: (ATTEND AND WRITE ABOUT ONE!)

Feb 27 (M)    5:30           KC 124               Film - The Black Power Mixtape
                                                                   http://youtu.be/jFWHNpfjByQ

Mar 1 (TR)    5:30-6:30   UNR CFA 153    Performance by visiting artist/scholar Joanna                                                                      Frueh

Mar 3 (S)       6:00-10:00pm                      Low Lives Occupy with Art! International online  performance festival.  WATCH ONE HOUR AND WRITE ABOUT IT! http://www.occupywithart.com/llo-live-channel/

Mar 12 (M)    5:30pm      KC 124 Film - Culture Jam - Hijacking Commercial Culture http://www.culturejamthefilm.com/

Mar 26 (M)    5:30pm      KC 124 Film - RIP - A Remix - A Manifesto
http://ripremix.com/


THIS LAST ONE IS A MAYBE, WE ARE AWAITING WORD THAT THE FILM WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR!

Apr 16 (M)     5:30pm      KC 124 Film - This Space Available - The Grassroots Movement Against Visual Pollution
http://thisspaceavailablefilm.com/

Collaborative Animation Rubric

Here is the completed video as it stands now. Watching it I realized we are still missing some segments. If your transition is missing, have it ready (in the correct format) for our next meeting. If you noticed your clip is faster, I changed it to fit the assigned format. You should take this as a hint to change yours as well. We will be finished with this project on our next meeting. Please have everything ready and in the right format.

I will be grading your blogs during the week of the 27th. Remember that every assignment is worth 100 points each.

Please make sure your blog reflects all aspects of this Check List!!

Collaborative Animation Check List

1. Montage Triptych:

• All three images loaded correctly (must enlarge when clicked)
• Format and Requirements laid out in the class blog post must be followed, 25 images, scanned word, etc.

2. Animation

• You need to have your entire animation EMBEDED in your blog.
• Your entire animation means the transition before your base animation, your base animation, then your final transition. I want to see all the animation work you did for the project.
• Your animation must meet the format requirements expressed in the class blog.

3. Audio

• Follow (to perfection) the assignment parameters outlined in the class blog.
• Remember everything you learn in the workshops. If Clint tells you to do it, it is not an option.
• File format! File format! File format!
• On the 27th we will critique your audio on Monday, then you will turn the files in. Make sure they work. Scrambling at the beginning of class is too late. 

I understand that we are learning complicated software at a fast pace but you have two weeks to get your blogs perfect for Monday the 27th. Take the time to make it right!
Please email me if you have any questions.

Assignment #3 Soundtracks for Animations!

 
http://www.soundcloud.com/
http://www.freesound.org/browse/

Animation Soundtracks:
Working with Audacity or another audio editing/mixing program of your choice create a unique soundtrack to compliment your individual animation segment.

Your audio samples are due at the beginning of class on Monday, February 27th!!!


The audio piece you will create for this will start with four tracks:

1) The "Drone" sound we agreed upon in class, (do not change or otherwise alter this particular channel as you work on your piece - we want this to provide a steady background sound that carries across the entire looping animation.)

2) One sound recorded using a microphone.

3) The other two sounds are to be found/downloaded or otherwise appropriated from the internet.

Creatively mix your segment to effectively work with your animated piece - use filtering, repetition, Left/Right stereo mixing to assemble the best possible audio mix that works flawlessly to complete your animated sequence! Remember to create audio for your first transition and your original animation.

Bring your finished piece as a .wav file on a flash drive for next class as we will be working to ad these piece by piece to the assembled animation.  Please number your audio piece with 001, 002 NAME, and so on depending on your location on the sequence list.

Please send me any questions!  Workshops Tuesday and Wednesday, both at 11!  Have fun!

Two links from class:


Cory Arcangel


Marina Zurkow

Animation List

1. Austin

2. Sarah

3. Sam

4. Aimee

5. Dylan

6. Bret

7. Nicole

8. Katie

9. Kelsey

10. Bryan

11. Kelli

12. Jason

13. Jessica

14. Christen

Animation Collaboration!

Tales from the Heart (An animated exquisite corpse, perfect for Valentines Day.) from Droolart on Vimeo.

Animations due Monday, February 13th!!! Here is how to proceed.

Instructions:
At this point, you each have an individual 5-10 second animation of your photoshop image.  Now, you will work together to link all your animations into one big looping animation sequence!  First step is to make a list ordering the animations after you look at all of them in class today.  Second, meet with the person in front of and after you to create an animated transition that blend well between your separate animated sequences!  Please remember, the expectation is 6 hours minimum per week on outside assignments, you should be spending 3 hours with the person before you and 3 hours with the person after you!  Make these interesting and feel free to continue honing your individual animations if you feel it might use some further refining (particularly after seeing the work of your classmates - if you feel as though your work doesn't stand up - make it better!).

1) You will have established working with Clint the progression for the creation of the class-wide combination of your individual animations.  Clint will send me the list which I will post below!

2) Meet up with the persons in front of you and after you on your list.

3) Brainstorm/collaborate on how best to animate the transition between your works to create a smooth and aesthetically pleasing flow between your animation and your partners.

4) You will be making this piece to exist as a stand alone "single channel" video installation thus you do not need a title or credit sequence - the first and last person's on the list need to mix their start and finish respectively with each other so as to give the impression of a never ending, smoothly transitioning looping video that will go on forever!

5) Sound! We will be making our own, collective soundtracks for this project, we will discuss details for such next week!

6) Animations due Monday, February 13th!!! Save your file and number these "01 LASTNAME" This is essential so that we may edit these together! (Since this is a group collaboration, please be patient and flexible so we can successfully complete this project)

Project #2 Animate

Animation Samples: (find many more on youtube, vimeo, etc.)
http://www.tinkin.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLlJfGybBcc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7MdpwNvhkU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIPgWlE2Ybs&feature=related

Create a minimum 5-10 second long animation from one or more of your triptych images.

DUE Monday, February 6!!! Since CS3 was introduced, Photoshop now includes some rather simple yet effective animation tools similar to those available in more sophisticated animation programs such as Flash.

•FINISHED ANIMATIONS ARE TO BE EXPORTED FROM PHOTOSHOP AND UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE OR VIMEO FOR EMBEDDING INTO YOUR BLOGS! DO THIS BEFORE CLASS NEXT Monday!•

IMPORTANT SIZE INFORMATION!!!
Everybody, work at the following resolution: 1920 Height x1080 Width at 72dpi!!!
This is the standard HD 16:9 format although it is rotated for vertical formatting!

Here are some video tutorials that should help get you started.

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/

From this link, go to the window on the left, scroll down and select "Photoshop CS3 Extended".

Then select in the window to the right "Animation".

Click on the video title "Animating Layers Palette" and "Using the Animation Palette" both of these are really good tutorials!

Pay particular attention to the brief tutorial using frames for animation and the timeline.

This next one is really good too! - watch the whole thing and use as a reference!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WdYqPx_SFU

Clint recommends this one! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw0sZwK7az4
These tutorials and others available online have some great information for you! They go through the process pretty fast, don't stress, watch over and over again and try the steps as described on your work.

Most important is to figure out the basics of animation using photoshop for the project. You will want to know how to place your layers in the frames, tweening, durations, movement, etc. Essentially the animation tool allows you to use your layers in an image to animate between them - it is really that simple - the complexity is in figuring out the various tools and using them effectively. Watch these tutorials as many times as it takes to figure out how to animate something. Have fun and get started immediately! If you put this off until the last minute you will not succeed in mastering these tools and creating an interesting animation!

ANIMATION WORKSHOPS WITH CLINT!!!

Laboratory Workshops will be on Tuesday at 11 and Wednesdays at 11.

Student Blog Links

Kelli McKeegan

Bryan Andres

Katie Overhouse

Samantha Piscopo

Jessica Treece

Dylan Szewczak

Nicole LaMaina

Aimee Jensen

Kelsey Lister

Sarah Gotschall

Austin Clinton

Bret Holmes

Jason Libby

Christen Chryssos

Fantasia Bolden

LA Field Trip with Eunkang Koh!!!

If you are interested in going on a field trip this semester to L.A. to look at art, do studio visits, and have an all around good time, please contact me so I can forward you the information! This is an incredible opportunity so take advantage if you can!!! <----- notice the exclamation marks.

Montage Lecture Links

Art 245 photo montage

View more presentations from Joseph DeLappe

Please take the time and look through the powerpoint slides embedded above and the links below. You might notice that I did not show you ANY works by artists working with computers to create their work. Physical montage seems to have a gravitas, a weight of form and content that has never quite been matched by the possibilities of digital photo processing. You might think about this as you create your compositions.

•Two artists below we did not look at in class, they are highlighted in red FYI:

http://winstonsmith.com/
http://www.jonathanallen.org/collage.html
http://matthewrosestudio.net/Matthew_Rose_COLLAGES_A_KICK.html
http://hollischorno.com/index.html
http://www.fredtorres.com/artists/george-rahme/
http://www.chamblissgiobbi.com/index.html
http://mattcusick.com/paintings-collage/map-works/view/197
http://www.chamuconegro.com/

Project #1 Triptych Montage

 







Winston Smith, hand made montage

Assignment #1 Triptych Digital Montage

triptych (ˈtrɪptɪk) — n 1. a set of three pictures or panels, usually hinged so that the two wing panels fold over the larger central one: often used as an altarpiece 2. a set of three hinged writing tablets

Image Size for each of the three images:

 



Objective:
Create a series of three works of digital photographic montage in Adobe Photoshop from specific source material. You must use as your subject matter for each of the three works at minimum the same 25 scanned images. Yes 25 source images! These 25 source images are to be comprised from some combination of the following: scanned objects (flatbed scanned), images appropriated from books and magazines (flatbed scanned), and images downloaded from the Internet. At least one of the images you use must be of a word.

All images are to be found or otherwise appropriated (including the word – scan text from an original print source). Use Adobe Photoshop to creatively combine your image elements into three cohesive image compositions that will exist as a triptych. Remember, each of your images MUST include all of 25 of your source images in each composition! Consider the conceptual link between image, object and word that will be created by their combination.

Very important! Save your images with layers intact as we will be further using your image for the next project.

Examples:
The content of your work is up to you. Consider the possibilities of Adobe Photoshop to cut, paste, resize, etc.. Scan photographs from family albums, magazines, etc.. Bring in various found objects to scan - junk, a meaningful keepsake, etc.. Pick a word or words, either scanned from text, handwritten or otherwise created outside of the computer, scan it and include the work in the image. Think about how the creative unexpected associations of disparate images and texts functions to establish new and multiple readings of the works.

Techniques:
Much of this you will learn by doing – some basics will be covered in class - Adobe Photoshop, image scanning, image sizes, resolution, etc. Two workshops this week run by Clint Sleeper, Digital Media Area Tech Staff. We will determine the workshop times today.
Both held in the Digital Media Studio CFA 207.

Due Dates:
VERY IMPORTANT!!! Monday January 30th

Part 1 - Completed triptych posted to your blog! Save your files in the above noted size and resolution. Save a second set of each image, first flatten each image in the layers palette, then save at 50% at 72dpi for web resolution - then and only then upload the images to your blog. Be sure not to overwrite your originals!

Part 2 - Reading - The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction - Walter Benjamin Write two questions for discussion! Post these to your blog! Please write intelligent, probing questions that allow for deep discussion...see this link for some helpful advice for creating good discussion questions: http://homepages.wmich.edu/~acareywe/discussion.html

Part 3 - Create your blog on Blogger! Include your full name in the title please!
http://www.blogger.com

Some useful Photoshop Tutorials:
http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/
http://www.adobe.com/support/photoshop/gettingstarted/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVnza1_BlPo
http://vimeo.com/14437441
http://vimeo.com/15139239
http://vimeo.com/14551877

These are just a few of the many thousands of tutorials available free, online, take a look try some of these techniques! If you are curious about specific functions of CS5 type in the name of the function in Google with "_________ tutorial CS5" and you will find the information you need!

Art 245 Digital Media 1 Syllabus (aka you're new home)

                                 Visit the Digital Media Studio Website!

Art 245 Digital Media I
Instructor: Peter Whittenberger
Monday 1-3:45pm
Lab and Office: CFA 207 Digital Media Studio
Office Hours: By Appointment
Email: pwhittenberger@peterwhittenberger.com
Class Blog: http://art245spring2012.blogspot.com

Prerequisites: At least one art studio course, such as Visual Foundations, Beginning Photography, Drawing, etc. No computer experience required.

Course Objectives: The primary objective of Art 245, Digital Media I is to provide an introduction to the critical studies of digital media. Students will learn how to analyze the foundations, cultural forces and context that are synthesized in contemporary media art and technology. This will be accomplished through a balanced investigation of both the history and theory surrounding digital media while at the same time being involved in the creation of visual art through the conceptual utilization of the computer and related technologies. This course emphasizes the personal development of critical thinking, artistic and technical skills. You will be challenged with controlled experimentation using a variety of digital processes towards visual art production. The course presents students with opportunities to work with digital imaging, animation, video/sound/time-based media, the internet and social media as creative areas of discourse. This course is the introductory course to the Digital Media program and is a prerequisite for all other course offerings required for the studio major and minor.

Course Philosophy: The Digital Media program exists as part of the larger Art Studio program for the Department of Art – all studio programs currently focus on the development of a contemporary approach to studio art practice and theory. Digital Media emphasizes an artistic, experimental and technical approach to learning to utilize media systems for the creation of art. The intent is to provide an intensive learning environment that considers the computer as a broadly flexible tool or medium available to the contemporary artist. Specific project assignments will also push you to consider the conceptual use of such tools. This is a thoroughly hands-on course. You will be expected to learn how to use the tools at your disposal – this is not a software-training course. You will learn in this class by doing – students will be given broad introductions to a variety of applications and devices as incorporated into their project assignments. Learning to use these complex graphics programs, online technologies and computer peripherals takes much dedication of time and a flexible attitude towards experiential practice and learning. Learning to become proficient utilizing new technologies is accomplished through both individual and shared experience. What you derive from this class in terms of technical learning will largely be defined by the amount of time you spend exploring and experimenting and taking advantage of the support resources available to you through the Digital Media Studio, the Dynamic Media Lab (@ One) in the KC and through online tutorials. Finally, you will be challenged constantly to consider just what you are doing with these new tools - the true challenge of this course is to engage in the creation of critical, challenging, thoughtful, meaningful and conceptually sound creative experiments.

Techniques: You will be introduced to the following basic programs and systems: Adobe Photoshop Soundtrack and/or Audacity Final Cut Pro/iMovie Website/Blog Development Flatbed scanners Digital cameras Laser printer Color inkjet printers, small and large format Etc., etc., etc.,

Course Requirements:
1) Each student will complete a total of 7 regular class projects followed by the creation of a general studio atmosphere for the investigation of individual and/or group projects. All projects will be uploaded and accessible to the Professor and students on individual student blogs that will be created in the first week of the course. Each project posted online will also feature a brief artists statement describing your approach to the specific assignment.

2) Critiques. Selected projects will be discussed and critiqued in open sessions. Talking about your work and others is a crucial aspect of creating art. Learning to articulate verbally and in writing, just what your work is about, is just as important as the actual making of the work. The ideas shared in an open critique will help us all learn from each other and greatly increase our ability to understand our creative practice.

3) Readings: Specific Xeroxed articles, tutorials and other online source material will be assigned as needed. For each non-tutorial reading you are required to create two questions for discussion based on that weeks reading. These are to be posted to your blog prior to that day’s reading discussion.

4) Attendance is mandatory at all class sessions. More than two un-excused absences will affect your final grade.

5) Each student will require a minimum 8 gb FLASH DRIVE to transfer their files. Other supplies will be individualized for each student. Student’s lab fee of $25 will be allocated to their printing budget. If there are any concerns with this budget, please see the instructor.

6) Grading: Students will be graded according to how well their participation in reading discussions and creative projects reflect an understanding and willingness to engage with the techniques, issues and practices covered in class. Students should expect to spend at least six hours a week outside of class on their work. The final grade is broken down as follows:

•40% studio projects - 700 pts (7 projects x 100 pts ea)
•10% Questions for reading discussion on blogs - 175 pts (7 readings x 25 pts ea)
•9% Class participation/critiques, discussions, attendance - 150 pts (15 weeks x 10 pts per week)
•10% Written lecture and exhibition reviews - 180 pts (3 reviews x 60 pts ea)
•14% Final Paper/Presentation - 245 points 
•17% Second Life - 300 points

TOTAL POSSIBLE: 1750 POINTS

GRADING RUBRIC:

1750-1575=A

1575-1400=B

1400-1225=C

1225-1050=D

1050-0000=F

7) Each student is REQUIRED to attend two approved lectures and one exhibition/performance or film screening, that are regularly announced in class. I will provide you with a list of approved lectures/screenings/exhibitions both on campus and off. You are required to write a short, one page critical summary of the event.

8) Blog Participation: All assignments, large or small, MUST be documented weekly on the class blog! In addition, share links and discuss pertinent issues. Website portfolio: Each student will be creating a website/portfolio blog as an archive of all projects created in this course – this site will serve as the repository for all of your class projects and writing assignments created in this course and any future courses taken through the Digital Media Program. We will go over the creation of your blog on the first day of the class.

9) Laboratory Workshops: Clint Sleeper, Digital Media area half-time Staff, will be scheduling one-hour workshops outside of class time related to specific technical issues surrounding individual projects. It is highly recommended that students take full advantage of these workshops! Clint’s general availability as a daily lab assistant and to be there to assist students with projects is between 11-4pm, Tuesday - Thursday. Laboratory Workshops will be on Tuesdays at 11 and Wednesdays at 11.

10) Cell phones and PDA's - please do NOT use your cell phones for texting or any other purposes during class times - shut them down please! If I see you texting in class I will confiscate your phone.
 
11) Course communications. I will be using email extensively to communicate important information to the class. I will be using the email that is available to me through the MyNevada system. If you do not know or are not sure which email the University has posted to this system, please check and be sure you have an email that you check regularly so you will receive all class messages!

12) Academic Honesty Policy. I would refer all students to the University of Nevada, Reno, Academic Honesty Policy. This class will adhere strictly to these policies. Anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing either in written or studio assignments will be dealt with accordingly. http://www.unr.edu/stsv/acdispol.html
 
Computer Access: Due to the ongoing financial crisis and resulting budget cuts to the University, the Digital Media Studio has in the past year faced a drastic re-organization of our facility. Funding has not been made available to replace our aging, 20-workstation laboratory. As such, we have created a streamlined, smaller laboratory with a limited number of student workstations. In light of this situation and specifically in recognition of the fact that we cannot provide a workstation for each student during scheduled class times, we will be working from a lecture/lab model that requires all student work to be completed outside of our scheduled class period. All student projects are to be completed during available lab hours in the Digital Media Studio, on your own computers or in the Knowledge Center’s Dynamic Media Lab. The media lab of the Knowledge Center’s Dynamic Media Lab as well has capable staff on site to assist students. You will be assigned a digital access code for after-hours access to the Digital Media Studio by the end of the second week of the term.

The Montag: The Montag is a student-edited undergraduate research journal that publishes essays, art, creative writing, and other work by students taking courses in the College of Liberal Arts. If you receive a grade of A for an assignment in this class, we encourage you to consider submitting it for publication in The Montag. The maximum page limit for submissions is 20 pages, and there is no minimum. To submit a piece of work, e-mail it along with your name and contact information to themontag@unr.edu.