Syllabus Fundamentals of Art with Technology – Spring 08 ATS 2101 002, Tuesday’s 9am-4pm Instructors: Daniel Miller < dmille4@artic.edu > Alex Killough
Course Description
This introductory team-taught course is the prerequisite for most additional coursework in the art and technology department. Students are given a broad interdisciplinary grounding in the skills, concepts, and hands-on experiences they will need to engage the potentials of new technologies in art making. Every other week, a lecture and discussion group exposes students to concepts of electronic media, perception, intermedia composition, emerging venues, and other issues important to artists working with technologically based media. Students will attend a morning & afternoon section each day to gain hands-on experience with a variety of forms and techniques central to technologically-based art making.
Kinetics Section Description Mich. Bldg., Room: Basement - 007 Instructor: Daniel Miller
From the industrial revolution to the present digital revolution, the machine has been woven into the fabric of our landscape. Art movements of the 20th century have reacted to these changes in our landscape. Technology has effected the deepest reaches of our landscape and our minds. How then do we integrate the world of technology with the world of our art? The kinetics section of Fundamentals of Art with Technology looks at how the new digital landscape can be integrated into sculpture.
Kinetics will introduce the components and processes of creating electronic sculpture. Conventional building materials of sculpture will be integrated with electronic components, allowing students to activate their artwork in real time. We will discuss basic electricity and how it can be safely used in artwork. The projects will incorporate electronic materials such as motors, lights, microcontrollers, transistors and other electronic components along side conventional building materials. Students are expected to experiment and discover all the materials presented in class.
First Project: The Machine
Learning in the environment of the Kinetics/Electronics facility students will be introduced to the different functions and essentials of a fabrication shop. The first project will span the first half of the semester. After attending workshops on electronics and basic mechanical fabrication students will purchase a group of components on a field trip. Each student will develop a project that incorporates one or more of the basic design examples discussed in class. In this project student will work individually, learning the fundamental elements needed to incorporate motion and light into sculpture. Each student’s first project will be discussed in a critique at midterm.
Second Project: Integrating Systems
For the second half of the semester students will work in pairs to build a project that performs to the script of a program, integrating the components and techniques students developed earlier in the semester. This project will be developed in both the morning and afternoon section. Students will be able to experiment with programming as a means of sequencing and controlling their artwork. Programming of the artwork will be made possible through use of the Arduino board. We will critique this team project the final day of class.
For each project you will be asked to submit a written proposal and a simple sketch of your idea. All written assignments must emailed to my address above or handed to me on the date due. There are many technical issues that are covered in this course; students should bring a folder for handouts and a notebook for lecture notes. Students will also be given supplemental reading assignments including, recent work by artists in the field, electronic reference sources and lists of suppliers for future projects. Your first week of class readings will be handed out. However, for remaining semester readings will be available online. It is your job each week to read the material on online and bring it to the next class either as an electronic file on your laptop or as a printout.
Attendance & Participation: Students are expected arrive for class on time at 9:00am (morning) & 1:00pm (afternoon). In the Kinetics Section we will cover a lot of material and concepts and your presence and participation are required to receive a passing grade. Please make sure to sign the attendance sheet upon arrival to each class session. If a student has more than 3 absences the entire semester they will receive a failing grade for the semester; this means on the fourth absence the student will not be eligible to pass the course. You must pass both the morning and afternoon sections of this course to receive a passing grade.
Essentials you will have to Purchase $:
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you have a disability for which you seek an accommodation, please contact SAIC’s Disability and Learning Resource Center (DLRC), (formerly Services for Students with Disabilities). DLRC can be contacted by phone at 312.499.4278 or by emailing Sara Baum at sbaum@artic.edu. Staff at the Disability and Learning Resource Center will review your disability documentation and work with you to determine appropriate accommodations. DLRC will then provide you with a letter outlining approved accommodations. This letter must be presented to me before any accommodations will be implemented. You should contact DLRC as early in the semester as possible.
This course will be divided into 2 sections you will meet in each section for half the day.
Section A will meet with Alex Killough in the mornings and Daniel Miller each afternoon.
Section B will meet with Daniel Miller in the mornings and Alex Killough each afternoon.
Fundamentals Kinetics/Electronics Outline (Please note this outline may be revised as the semester progresses)
Day 1 Course introduction and Kinetics/Electronics Shop authorization. Jan. 29 Homework: review Syllabus, research: Info Arts site by S. Wilson.
Day 2 Begin discussion on electronics, note this is end of add/drop. Feb. 5 Homework: read Kac article, review Electricity handouts. ** Video & Discussion: Arthur Ganson
Day 3 Electronics lab: look at switches, load devices and soldering. Feb. 12 Homework: 1.review suppliers list and order 2 catalogues.
Day 4 **Field trip to American Science & Surplus. Feb. 19 Homework: 1. Write 1st project proposal. Give description and sketch for proposal. ** Morning Video Screening in the Sensorium (TBA)
Day 5 Project Proposal Due, discuss ideas. Feb. 26 Fabrication Techniques: tapping, drilling good measurement. Homework: review handouts on fabrication **Video & Discussion: Art 21 Season One: Tim Hawkinson.
Day 6 Studio: mounting motors & coupling to actuators. Mar. 4 Homework: continue to work projects.
Day 7 Studio: continue to work projects. Mar. 11 Homework: continue to work projects. ** Video & Discussion: Jean Tinguely
Day 8 Review & critique first project. Mar. 18 Homework: brainstorm ideas for next week.
Day 9 Introduction to Microcontrollers demo, The Arduino. Mar. 25 Studio: 1. Arduino Demo. & Assign 2nd Project 2. Construction Techniques 3. Bread Board & Backer Board 4. Output 5.Possible proposal ideas will be discussed. **Video & Discussion: ARS Electronica Homework: 1.Review Handout on Arduino. 2.Research: http://www.arduino.cc/ 3. Write final project proposal.
Day 10 Practice wiring up components to the Arduino Board and running April 1 Studio: 1. Input 2. Build Power transistor circuit 3.*Students will hand in Project Proposal **Video & Discussion: Ken Rinaldo. Homework: 1.Read article. 2.Gather all materials for projects.
Day 11 * New rotation schedule, look for notice. April 8 Discuss courses offered for Spring 2008. Studio: 1. Identify the needed components & programming for projects. 2. Begin wiring projects. 3.Continue to work on group projects. Homework: work on projects & locate all materials.
Day 12 Studio: complete wiring for projects & discuss armature needs Aprill 15 Homework: continue to work on projects **Video & Discussion: SRL
Day 13 Studio: Test & Debug projects April 22 Homework: Complete projects for next week reserve any media equipment need for next week.
April 29 CRITIQUE WEEK – NO CLASS
Day 14 Final Critique, all projects will be reviewed today. May 6 |