COURSES
DIGITAL MEDIA: STILL IMAGE [ART275]
DIGITAL MEDIA: NET ART [ART397wd]
PAINTING 1 [ART220]
FOUNDATION DRAWING [ART110]
FOUNDATION DRAWING [ART104]
FOUNDATION DESIGN [ART105]

DIGITAL MEDIA: STILL IMAGE ART275

Instructor: Joshua Field
Class Meeting Times: Tues/Thurs 1 PM - 3:45 PM SAB 16


This course serves as an introductory hands-on investigation into the increasingly pervasive use of digital technology in the creation and manipulation of still imagery by artists. Students will learn to approach the art making process conceptually within the framework of a digital toolset in order to create a body of work that is defined by a unique personal vision. Class time will be used for workshops, lectures, discussions, and critiques.
We will explore three tracks throughout the semester:
  • Aesthetic and conceptual approaches to planning and creating work within a digital framework
  • Hands-on technical investigation into the digital toolset including capture, manipulation, and output
  • Critical study of the artistic, cultural, and political implications of digital imaging in the context of the artistic practice

course objectives:
  • Students will create a unique, museum-quality body of work
  • Students will develop and demonstrate technical and conceptual proficiency in digital art making
  • Students will gain a critical understanding of current and historical contexts for digital artwork

GHOST IN THE MACHINE [Week 1-4]
Investigation into the ephemeral nature of digital media and the problem of perceived factuality of photography.
  • Assignment: Ghost in the Machine [PDF]
  • Lecture: Ghost in the Machine: Photomontage [PDF]
  • Lecture: The Presentation Framework [PDF]
  • Reading: Peter Plagens -Is Photography Dead? [PDF]
  • Inspiration:
    American Museum of Photography - Victorian Spirit Photographs
    Sherlock Holmes and the curious case of the garden fairies
    Artist - Tina Winkhaus
    Artist - Mat Collishaw
    Artist - Chris Anthony
    Artist - David Noonan
  • NARRATIVE SEQUENCE [Week 5-7]
    Exploring the visual and conceptual relationships between web-based components using HTML anchors and Frames.
  • Assignment: Narrative Sequence [PDF]
  • Lecture: Narrative Sequence [PDF]
  • Reading: Walter Benjamin - Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction [PDF]
  • Tutorials: CS5 Visual Quick Start, Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 13
  • MAPPING THE INVISIBLE [Week 8-10]
    A study of real world chronological experience and translation into two-dimensional images.
  • Assignment: Mapping the Invisible [PDF]
  • Lecture: Mapping the Invisible [PDF]
  • Reading: Rosalind Krauss - Corpus Delicti [PDF]
  • Tutorials: CS5 Visual Quick Start, Chapters 14, 15, 20
  • ANOTHER SELF [Week 10-13]
    Portrait as an alternative self, in the broadest sense of portraiture.
  • Assignment: Another Self [PDF]
  • Lecture: Another Self [PDF]
  • Reading: Jean Baudrillard -Simulacra and Simulation [PDF]
  • Tutorials: CS5 Visual Quick Start, Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19
  • FINAL PORTFOLIO
    Present the semester's body of work in the form of a website.
  • Assignment: Final Portfolio [PDF]


  • Required Text
    Photoshop CS6: Visual QuickStart Guide

    By Elaine Weinmann, Peter Lourekas
    Published Jun 8, 2012 by Peachpit Press.
    Edition: 1st
    ISBN-10: 0-321-82218-8
    ISBN-13: 978-0-321-82218-5


    Learning Resources for Art Courses Taught by Joshua Field - All materials Copyright © Joshua Field |Contact Information