The Jeff Baij Experience

Posted 15 May 2012 — by katikat
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Engaging Students with UMW Blogs

There is a tradition every semester that I insist my students look at the work of Jeff Baij and respond to it on their university blogs.  I came across Baij’s work in the exhibition catalog for Younger Than Jesus, an exhibition of young new media artists at the New Museum.  Every year, the students think it’s awful and can’t understand why I would have them look at this guy’s work.  Every year, they exclaim to me, “that’s not art, how can THAT be art?”

Every year, Baij responds somehow (the best was the video).  And every year, the students are a) tickled that he saw their posts, b) mortified that he saw their posts, c) excited that he responded, or d) sort of apathetic (eh, sorry).

But every year, after they s*** all over his work on their blogs (see some of the more unreserved lashings from previous years on his –> bio <– page), we have one of the best conversations of the semester.  It’s a conversation about… art NOW.  It’s a conversation about how the Internet has changed the world.  It’s a conversation about the pulse.  About the banter.  About the back and forth indirect communication that can happen over the Internet.  It’s about surplus.  And making art every day.

LET’S BLOW SOME MORE MINDS.

A chronology of banter:

Jeff Baij I
Jeff Baij II
Jeff Baij III
Jeff Baij IV

Jeff Baij V
Jeff Baij VI

Baij has since recently been mentioned in ArtForum and has agreed to come visit us for a collaborative on campus extravaganza…. check back for details.

After this interaction, I immediately noticed the possibilities for indirect communication.  Other artists who have responded, directly and indirectly include Roger Sayre and Jordan Tate.

Shadow Walk

Posted 18 Apr 2012 — by katikat
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Final Project

Posted 17 Apr 2012 — by katikat
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Find inspiration in another of your classes!

DO NOT turn in the same project in two classes.

Spend 16 hours and document your progress each hour.

DUE: May 3, noon

Thinking About Time

Posted 05 Apr 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

 

So the next assignment’s about time… using the rudimentary time-based medium of the animated .gif.  Keep it between 2 and about 20 frames.

But how do you make a piece about time??  Here are some thoughts on how to get started…

  • Think about the rhythm of your average day
  • Spend an hour sitting outside watching people.  Are they scurrying?  Are they strolling?  Is there a burst of activity at certain times?
  • What about your favorite TV show?  Are you watching it on TV with commercials?  Are you watching it online?  What’s the timing and or pacing of the show?
  • How does your fish experience time?
  • “Einstein’s Dreams”.  Read it.

Think about it.  Make some notes.  Then translate into a visual form.  Doesn’t have to be literal.  Doesn’t have to be figurative.  Go wild!

 

Shadow Walk

Posted 04 Apr 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

UMW DigiArts class presents the first UMW Shadow Walk on campus. There will be a projection in the tunnel of the library, and we’ll be recording the shadows of every person that walks by. We invite YOU to come be a part of this awesome installation!! Stop by on your way to studying :P [Feel free to bring a friend and dance, skip, or cartwheel, etc. by us!]

This is a project inspired by artists Jenny Holzer and Roger Sayre. Look them up!

Uh-Oh!

Posted 15 Mar 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

Digi students:

I’ve had an emergency and won’t be there today.  But that doesn’t mean YOU can’t be productive.  :) Please do the following during class today:

1. Go, as a group, to the Senior Exhibition.  Discuss.

2. Ask at least 3 people in the class to check out your photo narrative.  Ask them what changes you could make to the photographs to make them simply amazing.  Shoot for the stars.  Make these series so good you would be shocked if they didn’t get into a juried exhibition.  Don’t know what a juried exhibition is?  Claire, Joann, and Jessica will explain.  Use the weekend to make recommended improvements.  Repost for Tuesday.  Leave your first version on your blog.

3. Prepare for our next artist.  I sent an email to Joann with specific instructions.  Joann, check your email and share.

 

Photographic Narrative

Posted 01 Mar 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

A photograph is worth 1000 words, right?  Can you tell the same story in a variety of ways?  Your challenge is to tell the SAME story in three sets:

  • A set of 7 photographs
  • A set of 5 photographs
  • A single photograph

**** all photographs must be original.

Think about clearly illustrate a beginning, a middle, and an end, especially in the sets of multiple photographs.  Resize your files to something to 72 ppi and post to your blog before class starts on Thursday, March 15th.

 


Duane Michals, Chance Meeting

Movie Poster

Posted 27 Feb 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

1. Make up a movie.

2. Design a poster for that movie.  Design needs to be 12 x 18″.

3. Print it.

***no appropriated imagery allowed***

Scanograms!

Posted 09 Feb 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

You can use the scanner as a camera!!!  Crazy?  Maybe…  Please don’t put anything on the scanner that may harm it (scratchy things, wet things, sharp things, charcoal, sticky things, etc, etc.).

Follow the steps below:

1.    Scan at least 5 things.  To save time, and if they fit, you may want to put more than one object on the scanner at a time.
2.    Using any of your selection options (marquee tools, lasso tools or quickmask mode), select your objects.
3.    Copy and paste your selected items into a new 8 x 10” canvas, 300ppi with a white background.
4.    Arrange your objects into a composition on a new canvas, 12 x 18″, 300ppi.
***don’t forget about the Principle of Design: think about line, shape, variety, repetition, color, texture, form, etc.!

The nitty gritty end results:

ONE file that is 8 x 10″, 300ppi with 5 objects pasted into it.

ONE file that is 12 x 18″, 300ppi and is carefully composed.

FAQ

You may scan more than 5 items.

You do not have to use all 5 in your final, carefully composed image.

You may alter the original objects in the composition- use the transform controls, adjustment layers, etc.!

You are not required to print this, but you may if you’d like.

Examples

Stuff pasted onto a white canvas (technical, boring, but valuable):

An Example of a Representational Composition:

An Example of a Nonrepresentational Composition:

How-to Poster

Posted 31 Jan 2012 — by katikat
Category Uncategorized

Your goal: deliver information in a visually coherent and stimulating manner.

The specs:

  • 5-10 steps instructing us how to do something in Photoshop.
  • Make it an 8 x 10″ file, 300ppi.
  • Due Thursday, Feb 2, onscreen (we will print them IN CLASS together)