Workshops

Participation points for this class are earned primarily through workshops that require class attendance and hands-on performance or independent research. These workshops are designed to enhance the slide lectures and discussion and to demonstrate important principles; missing classes, therefore, severely limits your ability to get the most out of the course. In addition, bonus material on exams will be drawn in part from these workshops.

There are five workshops available. Each is worth up to 10 points, and only the first (Photography Before Color) is required. Pay careful attention to guidelines and requirements in order to maximize your point total. Students who do not score perfectly on any of them will need to complete the fifth workshop beyond the basic four. Because these are participation grades, you must attend the related class meeting in order to be eligible to earn the workshop points! 40 accumulated points will be applied toward your final grade.

All workshops require a cover sheet that includes your name and section, a title for your work (not just "Photography before Color" or "Collage." You're the artist; name your work), and a concept statement at least one paragraph long. Most will also require some measure of research (not in an encyclopedia, but you may use your textbook), which should be documented in MLA style. Bibliographic notations may be included on the cover sheet.

Week 3: Photography Before Color

We're so used to color photography these days that black and white images seem to be an acquired taste. But several early photographic techniques offer interesting perspectives on the development of photography as an art form.

In class I will construct a still life inspired by an existing work, or an arrangement typical of those created by early photographers. Students will then take a color photograph of the grouping and, using whatever photo-manipulation software you have available, create an image of the still life that resembles as closely as possible one of the photographic methods we discuss in class (Daguerreotype, Cyanotype, Albumen print, etc.). It helps to study a particular photographer and to emulate his or her style.

Print out your photo altered photo and your original (in color) on a single 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (each should be at least 3.5 x 5 inches). Describe what you were trying to do in the form of a paragraph-long concept statement, printed out on a separate sheet, and containing your name and your class section. Staple this in front of your image and submit it no later than week 5.

Students who lack image manipulation skills may team up with a more experienced member; teammates will earn the same number of points. No fancy photographic equipment is necessary; a camera phone will work just fine for this assignment. Several apps for smart phones (such as Old Photo Pro) make this a relatively easy assignment, but feel free to exploit your image manipulation skills to the hilt.

Summary of steps:

1. Using any digital camera, photograph the arrangement built in class, which has been selected for compositional interest (line, color, form, texture, scale, light, shadow, etc.).

2. Use a cell phone application or an image manipulation program to transform the color image into one that resembles a daguerreotype, cyanotype, or other early photographic technique. More points will be earned for actual manipulation of the image, but composition and your explanation for what you tried to do count more than technique.

3. Print both images on a single letter-sized sheet of paper, and include a separate sheet with your name, the technique you used, and a short concept statement or description of what you tried to do. Include bibliographic citations to indicate appropriate research into a particular photographer's work and/or a specific technique.

Basic points (5) will be earned for completing the assignment according to instructions. Additional points will be determined by the clarity of your concept and your ability to apply what we have discussed in class and from additional readings. This assignment is due when you submit your midterm exam. Remember that this is not an optional assignment; it will contribute to your midterm grade.

Week 4: Fusion (cancelled)

What I am calling a Fusion (invented and named by a former student) involves creating an image using the subject matter of one artist and executing it in the style of another.

I will provide materials for a still life (or a choice of subjects) based on the work of a post-Impressionist painter for students to photograph in class. Then, either using an image-manipulation software or hand skills, students will proceed create a version based on the work of an artist with a distinctively different style and whom we have studied during the first four weeks of class. We will not have covered post-Impressionist art before this workshop, but the artist upon whose work the fusion is based will already be well known to most students.

A brief concept statement, and bibliographic citations indicating appropriate research on your chosen artist must be included with your image.

Your Fusion is due week 6.

Week 6: Matisse and gouaches découpés

Henri Matisse, like Braque, maintained a long artistic conversation with Picasso and his contemporaries. After he fell ill, Matisse developed the technique that became known as gouaches découpés in order to be able to create images when he did not have the stamina to stand and paint. For this workshop, students will collect a piece of manila card stock before leaving class, and (at home) use either pre-colored paper or (better yet) paint their own paper to use as Matisse did in his compositions.

After reading the resource article linked above, and viewing the YouTube video exhibiting many of Matisses cut-paper creations, choose a piece of music and a general theme (music, dance, poetry) and express the relationship between visual and performing arts by producing a gouache découpé of your own. On the back of your completed image Include your name and a brief hand-written note about the activity or object(s) represented.

At this point in his career, Matisse had already worked within several movements, and can perhaps best be thought of as an expressionist. Your image, therefore, should focus on expressing feeling for color, sound, and/or movement, rather than objectively portraying an object. This is not a kindergarten exercise. It will test what you understand about Matisse's work and his contributions to modernism.

In order to earn the maximum points (for creativity), create your own colored paper using paints or opaque markers. Colored printing paper or construction paper will also work, but in order to "become" Matisse for this workshop, try to get as close to his technique as possible. If you have nothing suitable at home, see me during office hours for appropriate supplies.

Submit your workshop with a cover sheet that includes a concept statement and appropriate bibliographic citations to indicate research into Matisse's technique.

Your gouache découpé is due week 7.

Week 7: Synthetic Cubism: Collage and Papier Collé

This is a take-home workshop; some materials will be provided. After viewing the film about Picasso and Braque, and discussing the differences between analytical and synthetic Cubism, we will experiment with the practice of synthetic Cubism as described in the video. Use the photo you took for the Photography Before Color workshop as the model for a Cubist still-life collage, using appropriate materials.

Before completing the assignment, and preferably before coming to class week 8, read Clement Greenberg's essay, Collage. Another helpful article called Synthetic Cubism: History, Characteristics of Cubist Painting, Collage, Papier Colles. The Kelley Library also has books on the subject; don't forget to check there if you need help.

Please note that the term collage does not refer (in the sense we're using in class) to the rather precious multi-media pieces produced in popular craft magazines, nor does a collage consist of bits of crap randomly strewn about a page. A collage is also not simply a cut-up image re-configured on the page. The purpose of this exercise is to help you learn to distinguish between analytical and synthetic Cubism--concepts my students are finding it increasingly difficult to understand.

Once again, a successful product will exhibit evidence of careful thinking and reading and your ability to interpret information presented in the lecture and the video. Include a cover sheet with a concept statement and bibliographic citations to document appropriate research as noted above. This workshop is due week 9.

Week 9: Surrealist Techniques

This workshop is fairly simple if you understand one or more of the techniques used by Max Ernst or Wolfgang Paalen to create images. Choose one of these (frottage, grattage, or fumage) and complete a small scale work (8.5 x 11 inches) using the chosen technique as a starting point. With your finished image, include separate sheet on which you include your name, describe your process, and give the work a title (appropriate to a Surrealist work). A cautionary note: if you use fumage, be careful. I don't want anyone burning down an apartment in order to earn ten points!

The results of this workshop are due when you turn in your final exam, week 11. Include a cover sheet with your name, a concept statement, and bibliographic citations to document appropriate research.

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05.09.12