Three Dimensional Form

STA 114 : Sec. 8
T/Th 11:30-2:20
Kresge Art Center, RM 7
Spring 2010
Course Credits: 3

Instructor: Associate Professor Adam W. Brown
Office: 314 Kresge Art Center
Office hours: Wednesday 10 am - noon or by appointment
E-mail: brown293@msu.edu
URL: www.isisconceptuallaboratory.com
Cel Phone: 405-605-9079
Office Phone: 517-432-2465

Woodshop Technician: Walter (Walt) Peebles

Connect to course on Angel

Course Description:
This course is a progressive hands-on studio experience that will introduce students to practical, conceptual and theoretical foundations of three dimensional form. Students will explore how three-dimensional forms act as a vehicle for ideas and concepts, and will develop a critical vocabulary for discussing and critiquing their own creative projects. All of these explorations will be juxtaposed within a backdrop of contemporary art and other relevant research.

Students are expected to regularly consult the course website for project and homework due dates.

Course Objectives:
• Conceptual development
• An understanding of how to implement research into art practice
• Ability to clearly express ideas through an informed manipulation of space, form, and materials (Art is a communication tool)
• Development of critical analysis tools (both spoken and written)
• Knowledge of contemporary art and artists
• Increased sensitivity to craft
• Working knowledge of a diverse range of materials, tools, and processes
• Learn to use drawings in the visualization process

Course Requirements:
• Students must complete a series of experiments, one final project and actively participate in class critique.
• A typed artist statement must accompany each experiment completed during the semester.
• Laboratory Notebooks: You are required to keep a laboratory notebook for this class. You will be actively using your notebook for preliminary work for each assignment and to record your process. This includes sketches and drawings, concepts, plans and proposals, lists (materials, tools, and equipment needed to complete each project), notes, research, responses to visiting artists’ presentations, project ideas, responses to class discussions and critiques, work that has made an impression on you, etc. It is very important that you keep this log with you and that you bring it to class. I will be checking notebooks throughout the semester. To aid in this process I am including a link to "Maintaining a Laboratory Notebook." Use this reference as a guide to assist you with organization. While all items do not apply it is expected that you use this format to the bests of your abilities.
• Radical Walks: Throughout the semester we will be visiting different labs and research facilites to inform our creative process.

Reading Assignments:
Reading assignments will be comprised of articles, books and web pages. The assigned reading materials are designed to compliment the imaginative process and provide a context as well as inspiration for creative projects. Students are expected to have the readings completed with a one or two paragraph written response posted to the class website on the days indicated by the schedule.

Lectures & Writing Assignments:
Students are expected to attend a minimum of TWO lectures from visiting artists throughout the semester. Alternatively, students may attend museum exhibitions or other art-related events outside of the MSU visiting artist series, but must obtain permission from the professor in advance.  A minimum 500 word review of each lecture/exhibition must be posted to the class website no more than 10 days after the event. Late posts will not be accepted.

See MSU Guest Lecture Series.

Documentation and Portfolio:
Documentation is an important component of art making and as such it is treated as an essential part of the course work. All projects must be documented clearly. Documentation should not require your presence in order for a viewer to understand what is being seen. Students will turn in a digital portfolio documenting work completed during the semester. This will be in the form of a Power Point presentation that will be turned in as well as presented during the final critique.

Evaluation and Grades:
In order to receive a grade, students must turn work in by the due date outlined in the syllabus. Work that is not turned in on time will result in a reduced grade.
 
• Projects will be measured by a student's ability to effectively communicate an idea (concept) by using the visual language of form, material, and context
• Technical and conceptual quality
• Use of drawing as a visualization tool
• Clear organization of laboratory notebook
• A willingness to act on criticism
• Meeting deadlines/turning in work on time
• Coming to class prepared; productive use of in-class work time

Grades will be computed according to the following breakdown:

In-class participation: 10%
Final Project: 30%
Experiments: 30%
Reading Responses: 5%
Lectures and Writing Assignment: 10%
Documentation: 5%
Final Portfolio: 10%

Incompletes "I" are intended for the rare circumstance when a student who has been successful in a class has an unexpected event occur shortly before the end of the class. I will not consider giving a student a grade of "I" unless the following three conditions have been met.
       • It is within two weeks of the end of the semester.
       • The student has a grade of C or better in the class.
       • The reason that the student cannot complete the class is properly          documented and compelling.

Studio Guidelines:
Clean up. This lab is shared with other students and faculty members.

Communication:
Have your university supplied email account properly forwarded to the location where you read email.

Attendance:
Attendance is mandatory. Interaction and collaboration are an important aspect of the learning process and are critical for establishing trust among your peers. Please note that three unexcused absences will result in failure of Three Dimensional Form.

Being Late to class is very disruptive. Please make sure that you arrive to class on time. Attendance will be taken at 11:45. If you arrive after attendance has been taken you are considered to be late. Three late arrivals is equal to one absence.

Classroom Environment and Critiques:
It is very important that students come to class prepared and participate to their fullest level of ability. Group critique and discussion is an essential tool for developing  comprehensive artistic knowledge and vocabulary. Therefore, it is critical that students learn how to talk about their own art and the work of other artists. Students will practice different critique methods. Projects must be complete to be included in a critique.

Absence from a critique is equivalent to missing a test. If a student is absent from a critique, their own project will be downgraded one full letter grade. Attendance at the final critique is required to receive a passing grade for this course.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy:
Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Accommodations for persons with disabilities, with documentation from the MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (http://www.rcpd.msu.edu), may be requested by contacting me at the start of the term. Contact me as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your involvement in this class.

Supplies and Expenses:
For the most part, you are responsible for providing your own supplies for completing course problems. Most of the materials you will be purchasing are available in the Art Store located on the first floor of the Kresge Art Building. You will need the Basic Supply List immediately for class:

Basic Supply List
Closed-Toed Shoes
Laboratory Notebook: Size 8 x 10, graph paper, permanently bound
Pad of smooth surface paper (Bristol 11x14 or bigger)
roll of masking tape
T-Square
45, 45, 90 triangle
30, 60, 90 triangle
Mini Trigger Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Cork Back Ruler 24"
Pencils (3) - I like #2's
Protractor C-Thru
X-acto No.1 Knife with #11 Blades
Retractable Utility Knife and Blades (also available at hardware stores)
Deluxe Cutting Mat (optional)
Scissors 8”
Wood Glue 8 oz
Compass
Dust Mask (2)
Tape Measure (available at a hardware store)
Utility Apron (or wear old clothes)
2 Needle Nose Pliers
USB flash drive to store portfolio images
Tool/Art Box for Storing Tools & Supplies (optional)
Lock for Locker (optional)

**Students will be asked to purchase additional materials as needed throughout the semester.

Academic Integrity:
In accordance with MSU’s policies on “Protection of Scholarship and Grades” and “Integrity of Scholarship and Grades,” students in STA 114 are expected to honor principles of truth and honesty in their academic work. Academic honesty entails, among other things, that students will not plagiarize. This means (1) students will not submit someone else’s work as their own (e.g., they will not submit another student’s paper or project, etc., nor will they hand in a paper copied from the web or another published source). Academic honesty also means students (2) will not knowingly permit another student to copy and submit their work as that student’s own and (3) will not use unacknowledged quotations or paraphrases as part of their work. As provided by university policy, such academic dishonesty or plagiarism may be penalized by a failing grade on the assignment or for the course. Failure in a course as a result of academic dishonesty will also result in written notification to the student’s academic dean of the circumstances. Additional discussion of cheating or academic dishonesty is available on the Ombudsman’s web page.