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ARTISTS' BOOKS course objectives:
Deborah Small
Spring 2012
syllabus
Deborah
Small
TA Randall Hasson blog CSUSM
Randall Hasson blog professional site
Randall Hasson Website
Wednesday
5:00-8:45 pm
ARTS 239
Office Hours: Tues 2:30-5:00, and by appointment
Telephone: 750-4151
Course Description
A primary
goal of the Artist's Books class is to foster experimentation for radical
new uses of the book format and to explore the interchange between the
physical/analog and digital versions of your work.
In this class, we will explore the role of narrative and the book in our digital zeitgeist. What is narrative—textual or visual, monologue
or double discourse, traditional or post-modern, linear or non-linear,
oral or written, erased or effaced, appropriated or original, remixed
or recycled, altered or altared.
We will explore the differences between
written narratives and visual narratives, word as image (in the beginning
was the WORD, in Western culture). We will experiment with typography’s
relationship to writing, writing on the body, what constitutes a book
page, books manifested as large-scale sculpture, sculpture manifested
as books, books as electronic projections, the walk-in book, books as
wall paintings (think Lascaux), books as diptychs, tryptychs, polyptychs,
books as lists, journals, diaries, or scraps.
Perhaps we will also explore
histories of censored books and book burnings. Perhaps we will burn books . . .
Artist’s books, both as physical objects and as digital
versions on the web or projections on the wall, are ideal vehicles for
our artwork and writing. As physical objects, artist’s books often
have strong sculptural presences, using three-dimensional space to create
their own environment.
Artist’s books engage readers/viewers in
a comprehensive and often immersive experience that goes beyond reading
the text and gazing at the images because of the physical, tactile quality
of the book itself as an object. For our artist’s books, we will
experiment combining digital imaging and hands-on traditional techniques,
including collage and transfer printing as well as the use of various
kinds of paper and transformations of paper.
InDesign CS5 is a sophisticated and powerful design and production tool
that seamlessly integrates with other graphics software such as Photoshop CS5
and Illustrator that we use in our computer labs. Using InDesign, we will
be able to produce professional-quality, full-color and/or black-and-white
books for printing, as well as for publishing versions on the
web as PDF files (or HTML files).
TA Randall Hasson will be giving a hands-on
workshop on altered books. Randall will provide us with a first hand
experience of book-making arts, similar to a “primary text”
in other academic areas.
In the class, we will work to develop new levels of sophistication in digital
imaging. Producing artist books offers extensive opportunities to explore
ways to combine writing and art in a compelling manner.
Adobe InDesign's PDF function will allow us to communicate with a broader audience than
is possible with printed books. The class will explore the paradigm shift in communication media
from the hard copy/book to electronic media and the intersection/tension
between the preciousness of a one-of-a-kind or limited edition books vs. the
electronic versions of the same book available to anyone with internet
access and a computer.
There are huge constraints in book publishing because
of the costs of color printing. We will explore this new wave of publishing
made possible by digital technologies. InDesign will allow us to produce
our work in multiple formats: copies of our artist books in
color, multiple copies, limited editions in black and white, and/or interactive
color productions for the web. The interchange between these two formats—analog/physical and digital/pdf— will help us to
imagine new forms of linear as well as non-linear narrative and storytelling
and new structures for the book.
We will write and edit, or i should say blog, text, stories, poetry, and/or narratives individually
and in collaboration with each other. We will examine the profound technological changes affecting our imaginations
and our lives, and consider the creative, technical, and social consequences
of using new media technologies.
In the last 35 years many book arts centers have opened across the
county; The Center for the Book (New York), The Minnesota Center for Book
Arts (Minneapolis), Iowa Center for the Book (Iowa City), San Francisco
Center for the Book (San Francisco), Columbia College Chicago Center for
Book and Paper Arts, Pyramid Atlanta (Washington, D.C.) to name a few.
The Artist Books class will allow CSUSM to join other institutions in fostering
the creation of artist’s books.
Required
Text:
Online subscription to www.lynda.com
$10/month for 3 months: total = @$30
lynda.com will allow you access to 5 software programs for the class
A journal/sketchbook you will bring to class each week.
Storage:
a) USB keychain storage device: purchase at Fry's, etc.
Minimum of 2GB This will allow you to store and to move images around
easily. Sales Fri-Sun at Fry's.
b) PURCHASE A HARDDRIVE, OR, CHECK OUT A HARD DRIVE from check-out in Arts 239
Chad Huggins', VPA Tech Director: Recommendation re External Hardrives:
While we have some hard drives to checkout, I would strongly advise that students purchase their own drives. Once we run out, we are out, and we have a limited number of 100GB drives which have quite a bit of wear and tear on them.
Also, students will be able to keep their purchased drive, instead of turning them in. From past experience, students end up purchasing a drive at some point anyway because we erase their drive at the end of the semester.
The best prices are online, and I'd recommend a triple interface drive that has a USB 2.0 and Firewire 800 connectors so that the drive can be used on any computer, Mac or PC.
Here's a link to a very good drive (the 500GB is an especially good deal): http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/on-the-go
Locally, Fry's Electronics has the best hard drive prices.
These are just recommendations; students can search (online or in store) for a Firewire 800/USB 2.0 drive and they will find great deals.
If students are solely going to use their drives for photo storage, than they could use a USB 2.0 drive without Firewire. These drives are great for photo editing (faster burst/transfer rate for photos than Firewire). But, if they want to do any video editing on their drive, they'll need one with a Firewire port also.
Please purchase your own hard drive; it is a valuable tool that you will be able to use while in school and after they graduate.
Thanks, and please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Chad Huggins
Technical Director
Visual & Performing Arts Department
cehuggin@csusm.edu
SUPPLIES in an Artists Books box: start assembling an altered book toolbox:
a book to alter
exacto knife and blades
a good pair of scissors
straight edge ruler
glue stick (archival)
tape
papers
stuff . . .
Equipment Check-out
Still and viideo cameras, tripods, and portable external hard drives can be checked out from ARTS 239. We will spend
the third week working with the cameras to familiarize you with them,
but you must also spend time with the manuals. Check-out times and rules
are posted on the door to ARTS 239. Albert Rascon will be visiting us the second week of class to talk about check-out procedures.
Lab Access
Arts 239 is open so you can do your homework assignments. Hours are posted
on the door. I will also send everyone's
name to public safety, and you can call using the phone outside the lab
and they will come to let you in. Labs are open 24/7.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Learn the language:
a)
of digital media, focusing on Adobe Indesign CS5, Photoshop CS5, and scanning software through classroom lectures and use of online tutorials at lynda.com.
b) of the history and principles of contemporary artist's book-making through lectures, web research, field trip to a book art special collections, museum and gallery visits,and guest lecturers.
2. Use the Language/Making Work: Using Indesign CS5, Photoshop CS5, and Illustrator CS5, as well as hands-ons techniques that you will learn, you will complete the following projects:
Projects:
1) Sketchbook/Journal
Must include digital/printed materials, found texts, objects-real or scanned, etc. Composites can assembled in InDesign and Photoshop, as well as Illustrator, then incorporated into your sketchbook: these projectsare testing grounds and experiments for your book: make use of textures, fonts, borders, and images. These experimental pages will be uploaded to your blog will also be scanned or photographed and posted on your blog. Randy will be teaching how to produce background textures and how to incorporate them as part of our digital work
You will work in your journal/sketchbook on a weekly basis, and these sketches and journal entries are part of your weekly assignments.
2) Book as Altered Book Pages Project: Analog: with Randall Hasson
3) Book as Sculpture
4)A Book of Transformations: Artist as Alchemist: an 40 page book project to be printed at Blurb.com. Cost is $35-55, depending on format size. This will be your major work for the semester. LAYOUT SHOULD BE DONE IN ADOBE INDESIGN, NOT BLURB. You will import completed pages as PDF's from InDesign into Blurb.
CMYK article
Make use of textures, fonts, borders, and images enhanced in Photoshop and Illustrator for a deeply layered book about your inner and outer landscapes. This could be a book about your travels, your journeys inward and outward, your obsessions, passions, etc.
5) Blog: You will use your blog site/electronic portfolio, for all thoughts, ideas, research, etc, on your project. This is the place for you to develop your ideas and your narrative, throughout the semester. All class experiments, experimental page pieces, your altered book (photo), and several book spreads from your final book project should be uploaded to your blog.
Assessment:
1) Attendance:
Part of your final evaluation will focus on your ability to respond thoughtfully
to other students' artwork and your ability to work collaboratively with
each other. For this reason, it is essential that you attend class regularly.
I will take ATTENDANCE at the beginning and
at the end of each class. More than two absences will
result in the lowering of your grade. Class
attendance and participation for the entire class period is mandatory.
2) Art Events: The course includes the Visual and Performing Arts Department's Arts Events
Attendance Requirement, and this will be satisfied with online artists. You will look closely at THREE online book artists or graphic designers, study their work, and write on your blog about their work in relation to your own: what inspires you about the work, what repels you, etc. LENGTH should be the equivalent of a page, or approximately 250 words. You will also use your blog site to write focused freewrites after some of the class presentations.
3) Writing
Your writing requirement will be fulfilled by your personal Blog site. In class, we will discuss how to incorporate
narratives, texts, lists, dialogues, descriptions, etc, that will be a part of your book. Every week, we will view 2-3 blog sites.
4) Projects: Demonstration of technical and theoretical knowledge using digital media in conjunction with experimental hands-on techniques. Each week, you will be assigned specific chapters from lynda.com to review as homework.
5) Class Participation in Discussions: This
course is conducted as a workshop: all students will be asked to
participate actively and consistently. Much of the class will be devoted
to the development and discussion of your projects. I'm interested in your creativity and your innovative approach to the assignments. . .
25% Journal/Sketchbook
15% Altered Book
10% Book as Sculpture
25% Final Printed Book at Blurb
25% Blog Site including writings about THREE online artists as well as responses to class presentations and your experiments |