Art Department • University of Utah
Policy Statement and Syllabus:
Digital Imaging for Visual Artists - Fall 2008

Art 3700-01; T TH 12:25 pm - 3:20 pm • Art 3700-02; T TH 3:40 pm - 6:30 pm
Art Department, Room 258
Instructor: Edward Bateman
Office: Art 269; Office Hours: See posted hours and by appointment
Office Phone: 581-7982; Personal Cel Phone: 554-0465
E-mail: capteddy@xmission.com
Web Information for using Fine Arts Server
http://help.finearts.utah.edu/

Pre-requisite:
First Year Studio Program. This class also assumes a basic understanding of computers.
Course Description
Today, it is essential that all artists have an understanding of digital image-making technology. This class will focus on making images that are meaningful, creative, and communicate, through an exploration of digital tools including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and others. These applications have become standard tools used by fine artists, photographers, graphic designers, web designers, and broadcast and video professionals. Additionally, they have become essential tools for artists to be able to submit work for shows and competitions as well as create self-promotional materials. Students will developed an understanding of these tools, both in terms of technical knowledge and creative potential. We will also cover elements of art theory and art history. This class is about art and creativity not just technology.

Projects include (subject to change): Surreal Composite Image, Capturing time in an image, Second State (Pushing project image further), colorization and color as expression, simple art animation, Icon/Logo creation, Expressive Typography, Preparing promotional images and files, personal portflio project, and a brief class presentation.
Materials
USB micro drive or portable hard drive (strongly recommended but not required)
Art Department print card (available at the Art Department office) or Access to a color printer
Personal photographs and images
Use of a Camera or digital camera (strongly recommended but not required)
Required Books
None.
These books will be referred to in class and may be useful to you (but are not required):
Professional Photoshop; The Classic Guide to Color Correction - Dan Margulis
Photoshop CS / CS2 Wow! Book - Linnea Dayton and Cristen Gillespie
Teach Yourself VISUALLY Photoshop CS3 - Michael Wooldridge
Understanding Comics; The Invisible Art - Scott McCloud
Photoshop CS3 Bible - Laurie Ulrich Fuller & Robert C. Fuller
Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book & Adobe Illustrator Classroom in a Book
Basic Course Requirements

In-Class Instruction
This consists of demonstrations where students are expected to follow along with using files provided by the instructor. Students are expected to use these files outside of class to practice with and gain competency of the techniques that are introduced in class. Like most skills, practice is a necessary mastery

Exercises
Exercises are short-term projects, generally due the next class period. They are designed to focus on technical skills and software familiarity, but many also have opportunities for creative expression. They are basically graded as pass/fail with extra consideration for creativity. Unless prior arrangements have been made, exercises will not be accepted after the due date.

Tests
Each unit in this class will have a test. These are typically multiple choice and you are allowed to use handouts, your own notes, and your computer. Test times will be announced and a brief review scheduled. If you cannot attend class on that day, make arrangements with the instructor prior to that day.

Projects
Projects are designed to explore aesthetic concepts using tools and techniques studied in class. We will also use these projects as a way to understand what makes an effective and engaging work of art. Each project will have a handout stating project goals and evaluation criteria. This handout will also discuss due dates for the assignment. Late assignments that are not presented during the critique will have lowered grades. Unless prior arrangements have been made, projects will not be accepted after one week from due date. Evaluations will be based on meeting the assignment goals, demonstrating your skills, understanding of the technology, formal mastery, and conceptual metaphors. Projects must meet or exceed the minimum evaluation criteria. Assignments are subject to change. Any changes will be announced in class. You are responsible for being aware of them. If you have a problem with a deadline, please contact the instructor before the due date to make arrangements for turning in the assignment.

Participation, Critiques, and Attendance Policy
ART 3700 is considered a studio class. This means that in-class exploration and work time is an important part of this class, but please note that outside work time will be necessary to practice the demonstrations and to work on projects and exercises. Another practice in studio classes is critiques. A critique is a discussion where we analyze work in a critical way. (By critical, we don't mean in a harshly judgmental way, but characterized by careful, exact evaluation and judgment.) Not attending a critique will lower your grade on that project.

As part of class participation, each student will also develop a presentation for the class on a topic relavant to the course subject. A handout will be provided detailing the presentation with suggested topics and a sign-up sheet will be circulated.

All students are required to attend the full class period and be prepared to work on projects and exercises, and to participate in discussions and critiques. Attendance is crucial since there is no textbook for this class. Attending lectures, studio work time, interacting with the instructor and other students, as well as participating in critiques are essential parts of this class. Participation in these activities will be one way of demonstrating an understanding of class information.

It is important that this class starts on time. Late arrivals and early departures can be disruptive to the class. Try to be considerate of your fellow students. More than three absences will lower your grade one with additional absences continuing to lower your grade. Three unexcused late arrivals or early departures will be marked as the equivalent of one absence. Unless prior arrangements have been made, six consecutive absences will result in failure. Absence from a class is not an excuse for skipping a lecture, quiz, or project. You are fully responsible for following up on missed work and obtaining missed handouts. Please contact me immediately if an attendance problem arises. We can often resolve problems if caught early enough - if you wait until the end of the semester, it is generally too late.
Extra Credit and Assignment Re-dos
These will be dealt with on an individual basis. All work (excluding the final project), including Re-dos must be completed one week, prior to the end of each unit. Please note policies on late projects and exercised detailed above.
Final Grade Percentages:
• Projects (30%)
• Exercises (25%)
• Tests (30%)
• Participation (15%)

A = Excellent. Generally awarded to the strongest and most dedicated students who have produced work that addresses technical, conceptual, and formal issues.
B = Good. Work reflects technical competency with improved sense of formal and conceptual skills.
C = Fair. Problems with attendance, effort, and quality.
D = Poor. Inconsistent attendance and effort. Missing many of the class’s objectives.

Additional Information
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities. Please contact the instructor of the course at the beginning of the semester to discuss any such accommodations for this course.

This document does not constitute a contract.

Art 3700 Schedule
(Subject to change based on class needs and interests)
All changes will be announced in class. This document does not constitue a contract.

Week 1
Aug 26 (Day1) Introduction to class, discuss syllabus and class expectations, sign up for server space
Lecture/Discussion: What is art?
Exercise 1: Critical Viewing - hand out

Aug 28 (Day 2) Introduction to Photoshop: Demo and Presentation
Due: Exercise 1: Critical Viewing
Announce/Handout: Exercise 2: The Power of Cropping - Three Triptychs
Announce Exercise 3 - Scanning, Scaling, Sharpening, and Printing

Week 2
Sept 2 (Day 3) Starting an image. Resolution and Cropping Presentation
Resolution, Scanning, Cropping, Perspective Cropping, Canvas Size, Making Selections, Cutting and Pasting Layers, David in Frame
File Formats (Lossless & lossy), Sharpening, and Color Range Sharpening,
Announce Project 1: Imagining Time
Announce/Handout: Exercise 4: Symmetry
Lecture: Types of Printing
Lecture: Copyright

Sept 4 (Day 4) Making Selections, Cutting & Pasting, Moving, Modifying just the selected area (and protecting the inverse).
DUE: Exercise 2: The Power of Cropping - Three Triptychs
DUE: Exercise 3 - Scanning, Scaling, Sharpening, and Printing (as a print)

Week 3
Sept 9 (Day 5) CRITIQUE
DUE: PROJECT 1 - Imagining Time
DUE: Exercise 4: Symmetry
Announce PROJECT 2 Surrealism - Handout
Lectures: Brief History of Surrealism
Finish Selections, Layer Masks,Channels Palette and Saving Selections
Announce Exercise 5 - UFO composite

Sept 11 (Day 6)Paths and Vector information
DUE: Exercise 5 - UFO composite
Lecture: Blending Modes
Announce: Exercise 6 - Path Exercise

Week 4
Sept 16 (Day 7) Exploring Color Tools: Color, Profiles, gamuts, and modes, color tools, color correction, adjustment layers,
Lecture: Color.
DUE: Exercise 6 - Path Exercise
Announce: Exercise 7 - Grayscale Correction with Curves

Sept 18 (Day 8) CRITIQUE
DUE: Project 2 - Surrealism
Announce Project 3: Second State Project - Handout
DUE: Exercise 7: Grayscale Correction with Curves
Color Correction continued - Exploring Color Tools: Color, Profiles, gamuts, and modes, color tools, color correction, adjustment layers
Announce Exercise 8 - Color correction - Lighthouse

Week 5
Sept 23 (Day 9) Color continued
DUE: Exercise 8 - Color correction - Lighthouse
Exercise 9: Color correct faded photo
Lecture: Perception and Composition

Sept 25 (Day 10) CRITIQUE
DUE: Project 3 - Second State
DUE: Exercise 9: Color correct faded photo
Announce Project 4 (Subject to change)
Retouching Demos, Making Brushes, Combination effects

Week 6
Sept 30 (Day 11) Retouching Demos + Liquify + Filters, Making Brushes, Combination effects
DUE: Exercise 10: Liquify Exercise with Heads
Announce Project 4 - Art in Motion
Animation in Photoshop
Review and Special Topics
Exercise 10: Liquify Exercise with Heads
Exercise 11: Working with Textures

Oct 2 (Day 12) Making and working with textures; Filters
Color decisions for commercial printing
DUE: Exercise 11: Working with Textures
Announce: Exercise 12 - Mandala Exercise

Week 7
Oct 7 (Day 13) CRITIQUE PROJECT 4 (Subject to change)
DUE: Project 4
Hand Coloring Demonstration and Exercise
DUE: Exercise 12 - Mandalas
Photoshop Test review

Oct 9 (Day 14) Photoshop Test
Work on Final Photoshop Project - (Last day to turn in any additional Photoshop Projects)
DUE: Project 5 - Art in Motion

Week 8
Oct 14 Fall Break - No class

Oct 16 Fall Break - No class

Week 9
Oct 21 (Day 15) CRITIQUE - Photoshop Project 5 - Art in Motion
Introduction to Adobe Illustrator
Announce Illustrator Project 1: Personal Icons.
Announce Exercise 1: Icon sketches

Oct 23 (Day 16) Explore Illustrator Tools + Paths
DUE: Exercise 1: Icon sketches
Announce Exercise 2: The Bear

Week 10
Oct 28 (Day 17) Paths, Eye dropper Demo, Patch Demo, Compound Path Demo, Clipping Mask Demo, Pathfinder Demo
DUE: Exercise 2: The Bear
Announce Exercise 3: Illustrator Brain Teaser - The Target
Announce Exercise 4: Cat trace

Oct 30 (Day 18) CRITIQUE
DUE: Illustrator Project 1: Icons.
DUE: Exercise 3: Illustrator Brain Teaser - The Target
DUE: Exercise 4: Cat trace
Typography
Announce Exercise 5 - Type Styles
Announce: Illustrator Project 2: Wordplay Project

Week 11
Nov 4 (Day 19) Color: Swatches and PMS colors, Gradients, Gradient Meshes, Transparency
DUE: Exercise 4 - Type Styles

Nov 6 (Day 20) Critique
DUE: Illustrator Project 2: Wordplay Project
Announce Illustrator Project 3: Promotional Card
Swatches +PMS BOOK, Gradients, Transparency, continued
Announce Exercise 6 : Illustrator Brain Teaser - Three Colored Layers

Week 12
Nov 11 (Day 21) Distortions & Transform Palette, Perspective Presentation, Filters & Effects, Appearance and Styles,
DUE: Exercise 6 : Illustrator Brain Teaser - Three Colored Layers
Announce Final Project
Announce: Exercise 7 - 3D Bottle
Announce: Exercise: Exercise 8 - Illustrator Brainteaser - Perspective

Nov 13 (Day 22) CRITIQUE
DUE: llustrator Project 3: Promotional Card
DUE: Exercise 7 - Illustrator Brainteaser - Perspective; Exercise 6 - 3D Bottle

Week 13
Nov 18 (Day 23) Patterns, Brushes, Symbols, Moving files between Illustrator into Photoshop,Rasterize, Export, Auto Trace
Review for Illustrator Test

Nov 20 (Day 24) Illustrator Test
Introduce and explore Adobe InDesign

Week 14
Nov 25 (Day 25) Explore Adobe InDesign and introduction to 3D Modeling with Cinema 4D

Nov 27 Thanksgiving Break

Week 15
Dec 2 (Day 26) Explore 3D Modeling - Final project work time

Dec 4 (Day 27) Special Topics and reviews

Week 16
Dec 9 (Day 28) Last day to turn in any missing Projects (Illustrator Unit) - Final project work time

Dec 11 (Day 29) Last day of Class - Final Projects DUE - Critique