13/1

Selfie

I have met each of my three learning objectives to a certain extent this semester.  In general and from the beginning of this semester, I wanted to immerse myself in new media and different technologies.  I wanted to experiment with the most common difficulties to each material and learn how to bring different media into the classroom. 

In regards to my first learning objective, I now feel confident enough to use each of the different technologies introduced throughout this course.  I have already used a handful of these technologies outside of class.  I edited a short movie with footage taken from the first Trump protests in iMovie.  I used a scanner to reproduce an old photograph for my digital photography course.  I now work in photoshop and plan to used it independently as an artist.  These are only a few of the examples of different media I have worked with outside of class.  I plan to continue working with these media.

In regards to my second learning objective, I learned about different media through my peers.  I learned about a variety of materials from my partners for various assignments.  Each student provided an alternative perspective to the material and his/ her experience with a given medium.  I learned about movie making from Wei, circuitry from Sophia Di Vitto, laser cutting procedures from Zhenzhen and Dahye, and many other students.    

In regards to my third learning objective, I practiced combining multiple technologies throughout this semester.  Throughout the semester, I combined multiple media together to make many new projects.  I would like to continue this practice. 

All of my learning objectives pertain to the art making aspect of the technologies introduced in class.  I intend to continue with a number of different media as discussed above.  

As an art teacher, I would like to integrate and bring each of these media into the classroom.  Each medium poses a set of different challenges and differs in accessibility.  Students challenged by programming may or may not react well to programs such as scratch or other programming tools.  The cost and affordability of each of these technologies plays a significant role in the classroom as well.  I would love to bring each of these materials into the classroom even though I am still shaky on a couple of them.

13/3

My project touches on circuitry, found materials, and nature.  I wanted to create a scene on a two-dimensional surface and thus found an old Dell computer available to take away on Columbia’s campus.  I took only the monitor since it reminded me of a canvas inside a frame. 

Without really working from my sketch and working spontaneously, I taped down conducive tape and LED lights to the screen.  The conductive tape plays a bigger role in this piece than the LEDs since it outlines the tops of a mountain range.  While I use four extra strips of conductive tape to perform no electrical function, these pieces of tape create the illusion of a continuous mountain range.

I use red, black, yellow, and a number of other colored pieces of thread to represent a natural fire.  Small pieces of conductive tape keep the thread in place since I intend on hanging this piece like a traditional painting or work of art.    

12/1

Documentation of our basic circuit project
Partner, Sophia Di Vitto

12/2

3 connections between "making" and an art-classroom

1. Papert and Solomon introduce the basic ways in which one can direct a robot called Turtle.  These commands can help children develop their own logical thinking.  Turtle follows simple commands made through a computer.  Turtle language might help a child develop his or her computer fluency and mathematics skills.  Students can make and program the Turtle. 

2. Papert and Solomon identify a music box as another potential “device” relevant to a child’s interests.  Students could work on this project in music class and/ or a maker classroom.  Teachers must clearly explain all parts of a music box project since key terms and musical measurements might not make sense to students less engaged in music than others.    

3. Dieter and Lovink recognize the importance of people continuously making things of the future.  Children should learn to make as artists and feel invested in their designs.  In an art-classroom, the teacher should incorporate up-to-date materials and encourage students to “build new things” and “improve the world” (p.1).  Students must be given the tools to participate in the creation of new ideas. 

11/2

I will use circuits to illuminate multiple natural landscapes glued together with cardboard and other found materials.  The landscape will include 2D imagery and a 3D architectural element.  It will rest it on top of multiple pieces of cardboard.  I do not know yet what landscapes I will include.

11/1

This project began with a short youtube tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwkIOSUNpVM) on making a sword in tinkercad.  I followed a number of the steps involved in the process and learned how to create this object using a variety of different tools.

Once I printed the sword I spent some time removing the support since I did not want to break the thin blade.  I carefully pulled the support off without damaging the blade.  The bottom side of the blade was not as smooth as I thought it would be.  As I brushed my finger over the bottom side I punctured my thumb and drew a little blood.  If I teach this in a classroom, I will mention the danger of exposed plastic parts to students.

 

10/2

I gave comments to Wei, Sophia, Nebular, Nicholas, Trisha, Katherine, Regina, and Seung. 

I really enjoyed looking through and reading about everyone's projects and ideas from class.  Everyone seemingly experimented with each media.  There are so many other projects that I really like and they inspire me to go back to projects that I would like to do more with. (Sorry for not including all of my comments here - I cannot figure out how to find all of the comments I left). 

10/1

Please refer to Shenzhen's post - 10/2 Laser Cutter Experiment - for more information on our process and final product

10/1

Final Project on

Circuitry and fabtronics
Nature
Found material

9/2

Scratch experience

I found scratch somewhat challenging to work with.  I did not enjoy the process since I have very little patience while learning a new language or process that depends so heavily on structure. Similar to Adobe Photoshop’s combination of layering and precise formation of imagery, scratch requires you to work according to its rules. 

My project changed a lot since it began. While looking at other projects online, I found one called “Music Inventor” by powerpoint56 in which one plays a variety of different instruments simply by moving his/ her clicker over depicted strings. This inspired me to incorporate sound into my project. 

While I still do not understand powerpoint56’s code, I spoke to a friend about making three shapes play three different sounds when the clicker passes over them (one shape plays one sound).  This did not work out so I ended up having a triangle dance around as one plays the three sounds I recorded. 

Connections to the art classroom

1.  I think students with great patience and interest in learning how to code would love scratch.  It enables students to compose a range of simple and complex moving projects.  I would like to go over the basics of scratch with students before assigning scratch homework or sending them off to complete their own in class project.  Students may find it frustrating to make a composition without the understanding of different tools to navigate around the program. 

2.  Scratch combines a number of different tools to make a project.  Teachers can assign a variety of assignments to challenge students’ creative approach to creating a new stage, costume, sound, script etc. Each of these different tools can be composed in a variety of ways. Teachers can assign numerous tasks challenging students’ aptitude with different tools. 

9/1

Scratch project 1: Dancing triangle

8/4

2 takeaways

1. I find Thomas and Brown’s (2011) idea about the culture of learning relevant to my recent experiences with new and imaginative technologies.  Three weeks ago, my two eight-year-old cousins introduced me to Minecraft, a video game where one makes a world out of blocks.  Minecraft remains an easily accessible application and engages people of all ages in creating an imaginative world. 

2.   Educause (2013) recognizes the significance of independent work completed in makerspaces.  These spaces inhibit creative and independent thinking, which in turn develops one’s capabilities of being an artist.  Artists must practice working independently and experiment with new media in multifaceted spaces.

8/3

Lesson plan idea for a stop-motion animation class with eight graders in a charter school. 

In groups of three, students create a short (6-9 second) stop-motion animation composed of 60-90 photos.  Each group should capture a sense of conflict through different subject matter.  For example, developments in one’s facial expressions from happy to sad or vise versa.  Groups should experiment with abstract subject matter.  Discussion about emotional changes each stop-motion at the end of class.

8/2

Documentation of my stop-motion animation

1. Supported Canon EOS rebel 5 on top of my travel mug in library classroom 

2. Took three sets of photos (the first two series taken too fast so deleted) - prompt: argue

3. Third set involved continuous shots and a slow pace 

4. Exported photos into stop-motion in lab 

5. Edited stop-motion animation 

6. Uploaded .mov file to YouTube 

7. Added video to blogger! 

Excluded photos 

8/1

A short stop-motion animation

7/2

In general, I unconsciously and consciously turn on or off my attention to different sounds - probably like most people.  I listen to cars coming from different directions as I cross a street, and pick up other peoples’ conversations out at dinner.  I sometimes like to zone out of all of these sounds and focus on one sound or just silence.  I cannot – or prefer not to – listen to music or other sounds while writing, reading, studying, etc. 

I prefer listening to music while drawing, painting, or working with different media.  Music, primarily EDM or movie soundtracks, helps me zone out and focus on my art.  I am interested in Kandinsky’s connection between the creative process of visual arts and music.

In the curriculum, one can use audio for different media including video – besides making an audio piece for the sake of itself.  Audio corresponds to and can be just as important as visual imagery in a video.  Audio remains very easy to edit and does not take up as much space as video. 

7/1

Proximity

My piece involves audio and a black background.  Each sound comes from a different movement created in the TC library.  One of the recordings depicts water coming out of the water bubbler.  I have edited each “instrument” in Audacity.

I used iMovie to combine my audio with a black background.  The combination of imagery and sound leaves the viewer confused.  The video remains linked to YouTube. 

6/1

Based on the first clip in my video - from the show, The Office - I asked a friend to "help me with a video" and possibly "be the main character and I'd just need you [him] to come up with a 1 minute story of a perfect crime thats funny".  I would like to continue this project and work with more people on telling funny hypothetical crime stories.  I would like this project to include people I cannot video in person as well.  Anyone with a computer or smartphone could video him or herself.

6/2

Creative potential of video in the classroom  

1. Use with eighth grade students in a Title 1 school.  First lesson with the class.

Introduce the lesson by showing students a short documentary about video production and ask students to interpret what goes into making a movie.  Show students the basics of editing in iMovie – I should demonstrate editing my own video.  Have students talk about the pre-production and post-production process in groups.  Have each group edit and make a short two to three minute video involving clips from each group member.  Students practice editing in iMovie and each group should present a video at the end of class.  Students should discuss challenges to making a video with new footage.  Due next class, students should take a few short videos that will be edited in class. 

2. Use with high school students at a private school.

Have students make a video about teaching someone new to video production the process of making a video.  Students must demonstrate teaching video production.  Students should assist their own participants in making a video and document the process.  This gives students the opportunity to become a video steward and possibly learn from a teacher’s point of view about this medium.   Students without much video experience may find this project especially challenging since they will have to learn more about video production before and while teaching someone new to video about video. 

5/1

Scanography series 2

5/1

Scanography series 1

Impact 25

5/3

3 take-aways from readings

1. Digital image editing most readily reminds me of a painting by James Rosenquist titled, F-111, 1964-65.  In this painting, Rosenquist combines and layers an assortment of imagery on 23 canvases covering 10 x 86’.  A U.S. Air force F-111 plane extends from one side to the other amidst cropped images such as a tire, light bulbs, spaghetti, etc.  Today, artists and virtually anyone can combine imagery with Adobe Photoshop on a computer.  Lankshear and Knobel recognize Photoshop as an efficient way to remix images by layering and editing (102).

2. I would like to hear more from Peppler about the changes in “aesthetics and genres of photography today” (34).  With the advancement of smart phones, virtually anyone can take a photograph effortlessly on Auto Focus.  While many skilled photographers use Manual Focus and make their photograph by adjusting various settings, anyone can use an iPhone to take a sharp photograph.  Digital cameras allow people to do more with their photographs, but smart phones remain easily accessible and receive ample attention.

3. Frazel introduces Audacity, a sound editing software, as one of her many tools to create a digital story (84).  While I am fairly unfamiliar with this type of software, I would like to learn more about integrating audio remixing into the classroom.  While I would not want to take time away from teaching another medium such as painting, I could ask students to remix music at home using Audacity to make playlists for class.

                                                             F-111,1964-65

5/3

3 take-aways from readings

1. Digital image editing most readily reminds me of a painting by James Rosenquist titled, F-111, 1964-65.  In this painting, Rosenquist combines and layers an assortment of imagery on 23 canvases covering 10 x 86’.  A U.S. Air force F-111 plane extends from one side to the other amidst cropped images such as a tire, light bulbs, spaghetti, etc.  Today, artists and virtually anyone can combine imagery with Adobe Photoshop on a computer.  Lankshear and Knobel recognize Photoshop as an efficient way to remix images by layering and editing (102).

2. I would like to hear more from Peppler about the changes in “aesthetics and genres of photography today” (34).  With the advancement of smart phones, virtually anyone can take a photograph effortlessly on Auto Focus.  While many skilled photographers use Manual Focus and make their photograph by adjusting various settings, anyone can use an iPhone to take a sharp photograph.  Digital cameras allow people to do more with their photographs, but smart phones remain easily accessible and receive ample attention.

3. Frazel introduces Audacity, a sound editing software, as one of her many tools to create a digital story (84).  While I am fairly unfamiliar with this type of software, I would like to learn more about integrating audio remixing into the classroom.  While I would not want to take time away from teaching another medium such as painting, I could ask students to remix music at home using Audacity to make playlists for class.

                                                             F-111,1964-65

5/2

Potential of scanography for art making

Scanography remains a great way to make a portrait despite not being able to safely open one’s eyes.  One can position his or her head just above the scanner to produce a self-portrait.  The pitch-black background contrasts with one’s dimly lit face.  The sharpness in the picture makes this type of portraiture personal and distant at the same time. 

Scanography’s portrait manipulating qualities relate to painting as well.  One can distort his or her portrait by movement.  Francis Bacon, a British painter recognized for his ominous portraiture, distorts his face in his triptych titled, Three Studies for a Self-Portrait, 1979-80. Bacon’s triptych includes three self-portraits of each region of his face (left, center, and right) in front of a black background.  Bacon’s scumbly brushstrokes and skilled textures relate to the high definition and grainy textures seen in a scanograph. (Bacon’s triptych remains on display at the Met.) 

Three Studies for a Self-Portrait, 1979-80

My eBook

4/2

Impact 25

Group project involving: Wei, Nicholas, Ned

Title: Lies

Concept: Play a recording of our group members reading 25 lies by 25 different people through a created confessional box.

4/1

Idea 1: Create a narrative where other figurines have surrounded her. Find pictures of toy soldiers and arrange them around her.  Each toy soldier should be different. 

Idea 2:  Compose a series of strong female figures.  Find pictures of everyday and recognizable women in a leadership role.

4/3

Connections Between Digital Photography and children

1. Children tend to find many types of electronic screens exciting.  The bright screen attracts one’s gaze and can resemble a new idea.  Digital cameras may interest and catch a child’s attention due to their view screen.  While the picture depicted in the view screen may or may not interest a child based on subject matter, it can capture a child’s gaze and could spark an interest in the child to learn more about the camera.  The camera’s view screen has the potential to initiate inquisitive thinking in a child.   

2. While digital cameras can be complicated, a child can almost instantaneously become an “artist” with a digital camera.  Set on Autofocus and made as easy to use as possible, the digital camera allows anyone to be a photographer.  This new identity might interest a child and give him or her the confidence to continue with art and /or photography. 

3.  Digital photography incorporates and relates to a number of other useful topics children should learn about.  Digital photography involves many other types of technology such as the computer, printer, USB drive, etc. It also plays a role in culture and photojournalism. Children can learn about all of these topics by identifying them with the camera.