...the truly radical transformation is not from chemical to digital systems of production,...but rather in the composition of the output, which has shifted from the discrete photograph to the essentially unbounded graphic. It is here that the "revolutionary" shift can be located. The "unique" photograph is now forced to merge, even submerge, into the overall graphic environment. There formerly discrete photographic elements blend even further into the computer's digital soup...

-Peter Lunenfeld, 2000

Photography as it has been for the last 160 years has already been subsumed by digital imaging. Most images you see have gone through a computer at some point. Be it at a gallery, in a magazine, or on a billboard the standard for production is already through the computer. It's actually out of the ordinary to produce an image without using some sort of digital technology.

This class is set up to start shifting your focus to that type of thinking. The semester will be divided into three sections. Each section has been designed to cover conceptual issues, aesthetic decisions and technical concerns. Discussions and readings throughout will cover ideas and conceptual approaches. Technical concerns will be covered as demonstrations and readings of a number of techniques used for creating, manipulating and outputting images from the computer. The program we will be focusing on is Adobe Photoshop 6.0 (with a little bit of Adobe ImageReady at the end). If you have experience with the computer some of the technical side of this class will serve as a refresher, but the rest will be new to you.

My main concern throughout the class is that you consider both the technical and conceptual aspects of what you are doing and try to push them further than you’d think they could go. Your thoughts about how to use the computer are far more important than any technical information I can provide you with and they are what you are here to cultivate.

The Nuts and Bolts:

You will be expected to become familiar with the Mac OS and develop a thorough understanding of Adobe Photoshop. Working outside of class is a requirement. Expect to spend at least 16 hours a week outside of class on your projects. I will check progress on your projects from week to week and expect to hear your questions regarding the previous week’s demonstrations. We will not be backtracking and if you don't learn things the week we do them you will not be able to keep up.

To receive credit for the class you must complete all assignments and participate in all discussions and critiques. If you miss more than six sessions (morning is one session, afternoon is another) you will not receive credit (we will be going through technical information very quickly - if you miss even one session you will be at a huge disadvantage). If you show up to a lab or work day without things to work on (things for this class) it will count as an absence. If you show up to a discussion without having done the readings it will count as an absence. If you show up to a critique without work or show up, but don't take part in the critique, it will count as a late. I will be starting class at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm sharp. If you are late 3 times it will count as one absence. Attendance will be taken every morning and afternoon. Please check the attendance ticker regularly to see your progress in class.

required: Real World Adobe Photoshop, Adobe and Peachpit Press

I will be posting information on techniques compiled from a variety of places and will suggest different sources for information throughout the semester. I am also going to be relying heavily on the required text, Real World Adobe Photoshop (Adobe and Peachpit Press), to flesh out technical information I go over in class. The text is available at Utrecht and can also be found at most major bookstores and on-line distributors. Other technical books I recommend are:

Photoshop In Depth (with CD-ROM), Creative Professional Press
Adobe Photoshop Bible, IDG Books (Photoshop 5.0 Bible is available from the Flaxman Library)
Adobe Photoshop H-O-T (Hands on Training), Peachpit Press

There are a number of non-technical books that I recommend also. None are required and I will posting links and other sources of information throughout the semester.

Artnet Magazine, website dedicated to discussions of contemporary art, online now
Artforum Magazine, website version of popular contemporary art magazine, online now
Iterations: The New Image, edited by Timothy Druckery, ICP exhibition catalogue 1994
Electronic Culture: Technology and Visual Representation, edited by Timothy Druckery, 1996
Photography after Photography (Memory and Representation in the Digital Age), edited by Hubertus v. Amelunxen, Stefan Iglhaut, Florian Rötzer, G+B Arts 1996
Snap to Grid (A User’s Guide to Digital Arts, Media, and Cultures), Peter Lununfeld, The MIT Press, 2000
Remediation, Jay David Bolter and Richard Grusin, The MIT Press, 2000
Rhizome, website dedicated to discussions of digital art, online now

Supplies:

There are not too many required supplies. Most of your work will be done on the computer. Here are some things you will definitely need (other things will come up on an as needed basis):

A notebook in which to keep track of technical information, write down questions, and record ideas.
A pen with which to write in the notebook
Recordable CDs as needed
Other removable media as needed
inkjet and other printing paper as needed

This is an extremely general and tentative schedule. If the class wants to move forward faster or slower we will. If the interests of the class veer from the syllabus we may change directions. Do not print this syllabus out because it will change throughout the semester.

Day 1 / Jan 24

• 9:00 - 12:00 Art, introductions, facilities orientation, digital cameras, Mac overview, help, art
• 1:00 - 4:00  Art, museum visit, CD burning, reading 1, and assignment 1
  

Day 2 / Jan 31

• 9:00 - 12:00 Art, Photoshop basics, file types, resolution, basic color correction
• 1:00 - 4:00   Discussion of reading 1, reading 2, inkjet printers, lab

Day 3 / Feb 7

• 9:00 - 12:00 Discuss reading 2, more advanced color corrections, lab
• 1:00 - 4:00  Lab

Day 4 / Feb 14

• 9:00 - 12:00 Assignment 1 critique
• 1:00 - 4:00  Assignment 1 critique continued, assignment 2, art

Day 5 / Feb 21

• 9:00 - 12:00 Scanners, reading 3, basic retouching
• 1:00 - 4:00  More retouching, lab

Day 6 / Feb 28

• 9:00 - 12:00 more advanced retouching, lab
• 1:00 - 4:00   Leah's critique, lab

Day 7 / March 7

• 9:00 - 12:00 Lab
• 1:00 - 4:00  Discuss reading 3, lab

Day 8 / March 14

• 9:00 - 12:00 Critique assignment 2
• 1:00 - 4:00  Critique assignment 2 continued, assignment 3

Day 9 / March 21

• 9:00 - 12:00  Spring break (no class)
• 1:00 - 4:00  Spring break (no class)

Day 10 / March 28

• 9:00 - 12:00 Film recorder demo, other types of printing, service bureau visit
• 1:00 - 4:00  Working online - quick web pages and animated gifs, lab

Day 11 / April 4

• 9:00 - 12:00  Critique Week (no class)
• 1:00 - 4:00  Critique Week (no class)

Day 12 / April 11

• 9:00 - 12:00 Critique assignment 3
• 1:00 - 4:00  Critique assignment 3 continued, final project

Day 13 / April 18

• 9:00 - 12:00 Final project work in progress review, excursion
• 1:00 - 4:00  Excursion continued

Day 14 / April 25

• 9:00 - 12:00 Lab
• 1:00 - 4:00  Lab

Day 15 / May 2

• 9:00 - 12:00 Lab
• 1:00 - 4:00  Lab

Day 16 / May 9

• 9:00 - 12:00 Final critique
• 1:00 - 4:00  Final critique

Digital Supply sources (courtesy of Sabrina Raaf)

Helix 310 S. Racine (for slide duping, processing, and digital prints), 312.421.6000
Calumet 520 W. Erie (for photographic supplies, equipment), 312.440.4920
Central Camera 230 S. Wabash (for used equipment, photo supplies – has student discount) 312.427.5580
Film Division 676 N. LaSalle (for slide developing, duping, and inkjet prints – ask about student discount) 312.642.3362
Photobition 314 W. Superior (color and digital prints) 312.337.0020
Lab One 1001 W. Adams 312.243.9899
Image Studio Ltd. 223 W. Erie St, Suite 6NE (outputting large scale B&W film negatives from digital files, drum scanning, and color printing) 312.944.2600
Best Buy 1000 W. North Ave (zip disks, VHS tapes, etc) 312.988.4067
Elek-tek 175 W. Jackson Blvd (software and resources) 312.541.9000
Micro Center 2645 Elston Ave (computer supplies – zip disks, recordable CD's, etc) 773.292.1700
MacMall 1.800.222.6227
Mac Warehouse 1.800.255.6227
Paper Source 232 W. Chicago Ave (alternative papers for inkjet printing) 312.337.0798
New York Central Art Supply largest stock of fine art papers, 1.800.950.6111
Pearl 225 W. Chicago (paper and general art supplies) 312.915.020
Utrecht Second floor, Champlain Bldg. (zip disks, watercolor paper, etc.) 312.629.6506
Pricewatch: www.pricewatch.com – to find the best prices on computer supplies