Schedule

JAN 29: 01 - introduction

digital media - what is it?
computer basics - hardware, software, peripherals, i/o
mac operating system - how to find your way around [desktop, files, commands, tips]
how to find digital materials - google, MMC resources, library of congress, obiblio.org

FEB 05: 02 - photoshop is a hammer [ - digital imaging - ]

basic concepts - digital vs. analog, pixels, resolution
scanning demo
Photoshop basics: selection strategies - shape, edge, color, brightness, etc
image manipulation - curves, levels, brightness, contrast
tools - smudge, clone, etc

read:
- "Overture" from Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual Reality by Randall Packer & Ken Jordan
- "Chapter 1 & 4" from The Reconfigured Eye by William J. Mitchell

due:
- download 10-20 online (digital) images for self-portrait project
- collect 1 physical (analog) image of your favorite celebrity that is scratched/damaged [you can provide the scratches]

FEB 12: 03 - photoshop is also a kitchen [ - digital imaging - ]

layers, filters, adjustment layers
discuss strategies of collage and composition
in class exercise - play photoshop ping-pong

read:
- "Chapter 8: Computer Collage" from The Reconfigured Eye by William J. Mitchell

due:
"cosmetic surgery" : scan, repair and enhance a scratched/damaged image of a celebrity - be prepared to show all 3 stages

FEB 19: 04 - text as sound [ - typography - ]

basic concepts - types [serif, sans-serif, mono], screen issues
typographic design issues - flow, spacing, color, contrast, weight → readability
in class exercise - sound interpretations

read:
- "Chapter 9:" from The Reconfigured Eye by William J. Mitchell

due:
"self-portrait" : create a collaged representation of yourself using the images you collected in week 1 and/or scanned images/objects

FEB 26: 05 - web web web [ - HTML - ]

Hey, what is the World Wide Web and how does it actually work?
hand coding HTML - basic tags, basic text formatting
'view source' in class exercise - code sharing: Frankensite.

read:
- "The Cut-Up Method of Brion Gysin" from The New Media Reader by William S. Burroughs
- "The Future of the Novel" from Multimedia: From Wagner to VR by William S. Burroughs

due:
"Propaganda" : Manipulate an image to change its meaning. You should do this by incorporating text and/or adding/removing visual information. Your aim is to influence the opinions of people, rather than impartially providing information.

MAR 04: 06 - web web web web web web [ - HTML - ]

incorporating images and links [still hand coding]

read:
- "Chapter 10: Identity Crisis" from Life on the Screen by Sherry Turkle

due:
"cut-up" : Use what you know of HTML to format the text of a poem or song lyric into an interesting web page layout

MAR 25: 07 - image optimization and animation [ - digital imaging - ]

concepts - image types [JPG, GIF, PNG], transparency, browser safe, anti-aliasing
optimizing images for use on the web [ImageReady]
creating animated GIFs [ImageReady]

read:
- "Chapter 2: The Vocabulary of Comics" from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

due:
"false identity" : Develop a false or fictional identity for an online dating service. Your web page should use only "shared" images and incorporate links to external sites.

APR 01: 08 - web authoring [ - HTML - ]

basic tour of Dreamweaver
how to set up and organize a project
text formatting, images, links the Dreamweaver way
some basic approaches to layout - tables

due:
"exquisite corps" class project - create 3 animated GIFs: head, torso & legs

APR 08: 09 - web authoring part 2 [ - HTML - ]

layout continued
navigation, architecture, sitemaps
imagemaps

due:
"mini-portfolio" - create a simple webpage with links to the previous weeks assignments

APR 15: 10 - turn up the volume [ - SOUND - ]

basic concepts - sampling rate, frequency, file formats
how to capture/record/digitize/download audio & sounds [Audio Hijack Pro]
basic sound editing, loops, and FX [Garage Band]

due:
"Sitemap" - Develop a sitemap and 1 page written proposal for your final project

APR 22: 11 - lights, camera ... [ - VIDEO - ]

basic concepts - frame rate, aspect ratio, CODECs, file formats
how to capture/record/digitize/download video
basic editing, effects, transitions, audio [iMovie]

due:
- "Rant or Rave" - see 'Assignments' section of the syllabus [due in 2 weeks]