FA 363 Special Topics: Collage and Photomontage

Instructor: Harrison Higgs
Office hours: M, W 11:45-12:15
MMC 102N
higgs@vancouver.wsu.edu

This course will study and practice the art of collage and photomontage using cameras, software, found materials, and paper. Cameras will be available for checkout from the studio.

It is recommended that the student has either completed or is concurrently enrolled in FA 332 (or equivalent).

Some of the main themes will be:

> contribution of collage to modern art
> the transformation of the found image
> immateriality
> hybrid forms of collage and photomontage
> photo illustration
> special techniques

For software, we will mainly use Adobe Photoshop CS3. There will also be a substantial amount of work created by hand (eg. knife and glue).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Required texts:
I will provide your readings as handouts for this class. I'd like you to spend your customary book budget on art supplies instead. I will be making suggestions concerning materials as we go along.

Useful supplementary texts:
Real World Photoshop CS3  by Blatner and Fraser (Peachpit Press).

Consult the Resources web page for a full bibliography of books I use as source material for this class.

Grading
assignments: 50%
exams: 25%
participation: 25%

You will have roughly 6 assignments, and 2 exams. I may choose to tweak those numbers as each class moves at a different pace.

Assignments-- Assignments will be evaluated on craftsmanship, technical proficiency, conceptual complexity, how well you follow instructions for the assignment, integration of relating course materials such as readings, visual problem-solving, effort, and your overall success on the assignment. (Different assignments may emphasize one aspect over others.) Late work will be docked 3 points for each class past the deadline. If you know you're going to miss a class, get the assignment in early so that you will not be penalized.

Exams-- The examinations will test your comprehension and retention of the readings, demonstrations, lectures, discussions and major themes of the course.

Exams-- The examinations will test your comprehension and retention of the handouts, as well as the material presented during lectures and demos.

Participation:
It's important that you make an honest effort to make this class count (and not just fulfill a requirement). The largest share of your participation grade will come from class discussions, and from your electronic journal. This is a place to base your investigations, outline your ideas, notes, images of inspiration, etc. This collecting and organizing of resources will be self-driven, so it is up to you to prove your engagement and level of scholarship. I will be giving you a few directed assignments for the journal as well, but the bulk will be of your own design. The electronic journal will be collected and graded periodically. What I am trying to assess is how involved you are with your work, evidence of refelective thinking, problem solving, and also your working process. One deficiency I often see in these journals is that you will have a good idea, but then no follow through.

Attendance-- We all have families, jobs, medical appointments, and unforseen emergencies. It is none of my business why you need to miss an occasional class or arrive late (or leave early), so do not report to me your schedule conflicts. Set your own priorities and live with the consequences of your decisions.

You are allowed four absences without penalty. For each absence beyond that, your final grade will be lowered 3 points. If you frequently arrive late or leave early, this too will count against your final grade. If you miss more than twenty minutes of a class period, it's considered an absence.

I use the standard grading scale.
A ..... 93-100
A- .... 90-92
B+ ... 87-89
B ..... 83-86
B- .... 80-82
C+ ... 77-79
C ..... 73-76
C- .... 70-72
D+ ... 67-69
D ..... 63-66
D- .... 60-62
F ...... below 60

Supplies

> collage materials
See art supplies list for required materials.

> digital storage
The most convenient way to transport digital files from one location to another is flash memory, also known as a "thumb drive", "jump drive," or keychain storage. These are miniature USB drives that hold roughly between 32 MB - 2 GB.

Computers do occasionally break down. A handful of CD-R discs for archiving or backing up your work may be wise. You may not store work on the network drive, which is to be used only for turning in assignments, and for shuttling files around when flash memory is less convenient. Keep the network drive clean and lean.

The lab fee covers consumables such as pigment ink and paper for the inkjet printers, cutting blades for our studio's knives and paper cutters, and to help defray the cost of software upgrades.

Class website
http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/higgs/cl/fa363/
(This is also linked from my faculty homepage.) I will use this space to update the class calendar, distribute assignments, post online resources and visual aids, and for other miscellaneous uses.

Note-- you should be putting in roughly five hours a week outside of class practicing your skills and refining your creative work. (It's a lot like practicing a musical instrument; you cannot expect to get good at visual art if you don't practice.) So practice, practice, practice...

Students with Disabilities:
I am committed to providing assistance to help  you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. Please contact the Assistant Director for Student Development (VSSC 20C, 360-546-9155) during the first two weeks of every semester to seek information or to qualify for accommodations. All accommodations MUST be approved through the Assistant Director for Student Development. Call 360-546-9155 to make an appointment with a disability counselor.

Academic Honesty:
WSU is committed to principles of truth and academic honesty. Academic
dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication in the process of
academic work, and can result in suspension or dismissal from the
university. In this class academic dishonesty will result in penalty, which can include failure of the assignment or failure of the course. In most cases, the student will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct.
See…
http://www.conduct.wsu.edu/default.asp?PageID=343
for more information.