Assignment 3

Read

Digital Art, Chapter 2 "Digital Technologies as Medium" (p. 66-137)

Respond
responses due by 6pm Monday September 27


---> Respond with your comment to this post<---


Christiane Paul states that the artistic use of digital technologies as a medium "implies that the work exclusively uses the digital platform from production to presentation, and that it exhibits and explores that platform's inherent possibilities." (p.67)
How does this differ from artistic use of digital technologies as a tool? (as in chapter 1)
Do you think his analysis is useful? Why or why not?
Use examples from the book (&/or elsewhere) to support your answers.
(75-125 words)

---> Respond with your comment to this post<---

Discuss
Conversation options are limited here on blogger (in terms having threaded discussion) but we'll try it out anyhow.

After everyone has responded with their comment to this post
(by class time on Monday Sept 27), participate in discussion with your classmates in this same comment thread with a minimum of two comments.

Please be thoughtful about your comments.  You have a week to engage in this discussion, with all comments due by 6pm Monday October 4. (Needless to say, please do not wait until the last minute).

If you want to indicate that you are responding directly to someone's post, you can start with "@:" in front of their name ("@:Jennings")

for those who plan to pursue higher-ed teaching...

If College Art Association is not yet on you radar, make sure that it is.

MFA STUDENTS MAY APPLY FOR CAA’S 2010 PROFESSIONAL-DEVELOPMENT FELLOWSHIPS IN THE VISUAL ARTS

Assignment 2

read

Digital Art - Chapter 1 "Digital Technologies as a Tool" (p 26-66)

investigate

Select one artwork from this chapter and find a relationship to 3 non-digital artworks.

Find one correlation that pertains to all four artworks.

This might be a central concept or idea, something specific about the form or expression, or another criteria that you find intriguing and want to explore further.

the artworks you select must include:

one digital (from the book)

one contemporary

one 20th century

one pre-20th century

post

due: by 6pm Monday September 13

Make a new post on your blog with pictures of all 4 pieces.

Where possible, include title, artist, date, medium, and size.

Explain why you selected that particular digital artwork.

Discuss the connection that you see between it and the other artworks you have chosen.

respond

due by 6pm, Wednesday September 15

Access everybody's online journals from here.

Read and respond thoughtfully to each student's posting with ideas, resources, anecdotes, etc.

Please read my feedback about comments in the previous post.

first assignment - general comments

Everyone's got their online journals up and running with introductions about themselves and their ideas about this class this semester.  Good job!  Almost everyone has been successful at getting them linked to this page-- almost there!

I have some general critique for the blogs.  First, I think there is a kind of perception that blogs are a place for casual writing.  I want to encourage most everyone to tighten up their writing style.  Use paragraphs, correct capitalization, and clear structure.  Please do not post the first draft of your writing-- construct and save your post but go back later to proofread and improve.

Please read assignments carefully.  Responses should thoughtfully and specifically address the assignment.

As for the responses, the positive and encouraging tone of everyone's comments is great!  However, I see a tendency sometimes of simply cheerleading or reiterating what the writer has said.  On the flip-side, there have been many good responses made already-- and I consider a "good" response to be one that points the writer towards a useful resource, gives them perspective that they may not have had already, proposes an appropriate direction to explore, or other specifically constructive suggestions.

the next reading is Digital Art Chapter 1, "Digital Technologies as a Tool" (p.26-65)
watch this space--  the assignment is coming soon

First Assignment

read
Digital Art, Introduction (p. 6-25)

watch
Art & Technology | Contemporary Art & New Media

write
due by 6pm, Monday August 30
Introduce yourself to your classmates on your online journal.

What is your general attitude towards digital tools/why?

What do you hope to get out of the class/why?

And, SPECIFICALLY, which digital skill or tool do you plan to master over the course of the term/why?

(250-350 words).

respond

due by 6pm, Wednesday September 1

Access everybody's online journals from here.  Read and respond thoughtfully to each student's posting with ideas, resources, anecdotes, etc.

-------> keep an eye on this space!!

I will likely get into a regular rhythm of posting the new assignments to coincide with class meeting times, but want to keep a little flexibility at first.

August 25 - Welcome to Digital Tools

Dear Grads,

I wish I could be there with you tonight, but am confident that Justin Boyd is going to take great care of you.  If all goes as planned, I should be on the other side of giving birth & at home with my newborn daughter.

We will not meet face to face for the first 8 weeks, but I am available via email-- please do not hesitate to contact me.  We'll spend the first half of the class exploring the text (see below).

My email address is: leslie(dot)raymond(at)utsa(dot)edu

Obviously, replace the (dot) for . and (at) for @

There are a few orders of business to take care of tonight so that we can get everything up and running smoothly.  Though I can't make any promises (never having had a baby before), I will do everything I can to be available by phone/email tonight to insure that we can get our business done.

Last I knew, the password for grads on the machines in the New Media Studio (1.01.30) was: zoetrope

Syllabus-------->do this tonight while in class!<---------

Justin will pass this out.  Look it over, sign the form at the end, tear it off & give it to Justin.  Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have.

Textbook-------->get it tonight at the bookstore!<---------

For the first half of the term we will be reading Digital Tools by Christiane Paul, and having online discussion with some specific lines of inquiry designed to enhance our understanding of digital media.  Please note that you must have the SECOND EDITION of this book.  The bookstore should have it in.  If they do not, let me know right away & I will post a .pdf of the first reading in the shared googledox folder (see below).

Gmail Accounts-------->set this up & email me tonight while in class!<---------

Everybody is going to need a gmail account because I'm going to put all of the class documents into a googledox folder.  If you don't already have gmail, get it set up. Pass along your gmail address to me right away (tonight).  If I'm not online now, know that this is my A-1 priority and I'll be on it later tonight or first thing tomorrow.

Class Website-------->we may be able to complete tonight while in class!<---------

This is it.  I'll use your gmail address (unless you prefer something else for some reason) to invite each of you to be an author to it.  Look for an email from blogger.com with said invitation, and get yourself onboard as an author right away by following the link.  Once everyone is in, I'll make this site private so that only our class can access its contents.

Personal Online Journals-------->set this up tonight while in class!<---------

Everyone will create their own online journal using blogger.com.  You will be posting 250-350 words every 2 weeks, for a total of 8 journal entries this term.  I will assign the first post, but aside from that you will decide what to write about, provided that there is a connection to your work, particularly in relation to what you are doing in here.

If you already have a blogger.com account, use your existing blog or set up a new one for this class.  Once you get your author access to our class website, add the link to the "everyone's blogs" area here on the right by signing in and clicking on the wrench-screwdriver icon.

A Side Note

Why aren't we using Blackboard, the UTSA online web tool, for all of this?
Good question!

The most important reason is that you should all be comfortable using these free, easy, handy and ubiquitous online tools that will continue to serve you long after you leave UTSA.

I have a rough schedule for the first half of class worked out, but want to start out slowly to see how things go.  Please visit this website often to help you stay on top of readings, assignments, discussion, etc.

Again, we will not meet face to face for the first 8 weeks.  I am available via email-- please do not hesitate to contact me.  If you are in need of a phone conference, please let me know.

Feel free to use the New Media Studio (1.01.30).  Your student ID should get you card key access-- if you have any problem after the "census date," send an email to me AND greg(dot)elliott(at)utsa(dot)edu.  New Media equipment is also available for you to check out at the Visual Recourses Collection on the 3rd floor.

When we do begin meeting in person on Monday & Wednesday nights, there will be plenty of studio time, demos and other presentations, experiments, critique, etc. Our first meeting will likely be a work-in-progress critique, so that we can have a look at the direction your work is going in relation to the digital skills/tools you have set out to conquer.  I have lots of plans and ideas, but please do let me know if there is anything special that you want to do.  As always, I aim to tailor the course to suit your needs.

Thanks for pioneering the online coursework with me-- just one more facet of the new digital paradigm to explore.  A bit overwhelming for the first night?  If so, simply slow down, breathe deeply and take your time going through it.  I think it will prove to be simpler than it might seem at first glance.  I am so looking forward to working with all of you this term!

Welcome to Fall 2010!
-Your Prof.
Leslie Raymond

PS - the first assignment is set to autopost at 7:15pm tonight.