SAMPLE SYLLABUS
ART 3704 CHAR MOD w Z brush: MONSTERS AND MINIMALISM
FALL 2019
The theme of the course this year is: Of Monsters and Minimalism: Exploring contemporary role of the monster in non-place.
We will be taking the subject of the monster, and its place in media twisting it into several creative projects this semester.
We will also be regarding minimalism as a conceptual feature for employing monsters in digital places.
Many works in pop culture, minimalism, and conceptual art center around interrogating the nature of reality, experience, presence, absence, thingness, materiality, and existence itself. We will use this as a backdrop as we will also examine historical monsters, speculate on future monsters, conceive of, create and construct, for non space or virtual environments.
Concepts include the void, sensorial deprivation, immersive environments, character creation and development, and self-guided practice.
Down to business:
Office hours
You can find me in 350 Henderson.
My office hours this year, (and every year) are all over the place,
so its always best to make an appointment.
If you prefer the drop-in method:
Tuesdays from 8am-12 and 1-4:30 pm are probably the best day and time to reach me at my desk.
I'm trying to be in the studio more this semester, so I'll be working remotely form there on Thursdays and Fridays unless I'm called in.
Contacting me:
duffles@vt.edu
Graduate Study in Undergraduate Courses
Structurally, the graduate component of this class follows the undergraduate component, but with greater flexibility and fewer milestones. If you need the structure of the undergraduate class you are welcome to participate, but with an eye towards something your own larger research questions, which may have nothing to do with either monsters, minimalism, or z brush.
Expectations for Grad Students:
As experienced and more mature learners, you have the privilege of not being required to attend this class everyday. You have research to do, and you should be doing it. Your time may not be best served to come to every class.
The theme of the undergraduate class is "monsters and minimalism": Exploring contemporary role of the monster in non-place. We will look at historical monsters, speculate on the future of the grotesque, look at horror and also consider minimalism as a way to consider contexts for digitally rendered characters.
Graduate Deliverables.
A research Proposal.
1 major project, with milestones established early in the semester with faculty.
Midterm check in on those In progress.
Mandatory research presentation: website, video, animation... etc.
Undergraduate Deliverables.
3 minor projects:
3 major projects with proposals
1 multimedia research presentation in the class.
Skill build and studio time in between.
Studio focus arrangement: There are many strategies for success in this course.
Who am I to you? I'm your ally and guide facilitating a journey until the end of the semester.
On the surface, this is a 3D modeling course, but that can, and should be taken in a wide range of ways.
It can be about spending 16 weeks making one character do every possible kind of move possible for multiple environments, it can be about sheer experimentation and research into the nature of what a character is, or character design can be about creating objects for the body for creative role play. The design of your outcomes is up to you. The extent to which you need to know Z brush, or Maya, Unity, or any of these tools is up to your projects needs. Class meetings are to take full advantage of the time in the lab as an active studio, I'm going to keep lecture to a minimum and rely on discussion and collaboration in the classroom. Expect lots of canvas.
When it comes to software, we are all learners, and remember, this is about your development. Students can drive to one major work by the end of the semester that incorporates all of the realms of research, skill building, sharing, analysis, critique, reflection, and application gleaned from study in this course across the 6 assignments: 3 major. 3 minor, which can be treated as milestones, or individual pieces.
That is to say, you can treat this class like one major research project, but you will still need to draft proposals and I will be checking your progress every step of the way. I see part of my role as helping you dial in a plan and holding you accountable.
Some examples of approaches:
The Very Specific Approach
Let's say, for example, your interest is in character rigging.
I am happy for you. That is a beast of a task and has very interesting potentials.
Aside from learning Z, you are going to learn to rig in Maya.
I am going to hold you to that. We will need to set milestones and have achieved them.
You will research the process from start to finish, and then write a plan and you will start pending my approval.
You will have a presentation of your research during the semester.
General Approach.
Lets say you want to take a generalist approach:
Maybe exploration and foundational knowledge is your only goal. Credible. Admirable.
You are looking straight down the pipe at 6 distinct deliverables and a presentation.
You will make a series of studies that best exemplify every phase of the process.
Let's work together to talk about what those are.
You make a character sketch in response to your research.
Experimental Researcher Approach
You have 6 chances to do your craziest work. You are a dreamer, you don't think like everyone else. It cannot be helped.
The goal here is not to become a master of a tool, but produce authentic work. In fact, structure may not be your ally.
These works intend to expand beyond the digital frame.
You will write your own creative prompts, based on your research, study, write. Reflect.
Respond to this work 6 times with 6 variations.
Do not endeavor something typical.
Your plan of study may include writing.
MultiModal/Team Approach
Lets say you want to create virtual environment that requires a rigged animation.
Lets say that you need to work on a team in order to make this happen.
You can do this. You can do this for the entire semester, but you have to decide right away, and you cannot back out.
This largely depends on the proposal, the roles you hope to play, and the kinds of projects you are capable of.
You will need to present me with a portfolio of works showing me that you are capable of performing on a team.
Whatever road we decide is best for you to travel in your studio, you cannot do nothing.
You will be working, probably very hard at times, on very challenging things.
In-class Participation
We must do our best to create a learning environment in DAAS that fosters communication and sharing. People are going to be at many phases in their development. Some are starting out with Z, others are more seasoned. If you are one of the lucky ones who have had time and experience, you will likely be called upon to demonstrate your knowledge.
I do not recommend doing tutorials while in class, unless you are working on your own project and need to look quickly. Your time is better spent working on your major projects and getting feedback.I will handle some technical questions for the first half of the semester, I will advise on concept development, proposals and helping you ensure delivery of your research.
Tools:
Z brush: There is no way around it, Pixologic Z brush is an expensive, quirky, and extremely powerful tool. That is why we have licenses in our lab.
You can purchase an educational license of the softwareLinks to an external site. for $495.00 if you intend to continue down this road for your research, but only if you really want to.
Digital Drawing Tablets:
If you do not have one, you may want to purchase a digital drawing tablet of some kind.
It is not a hard and fast requirement, however. You can use a mouse, and some people prefer it.
But if you were looking for an excuse to pick up a piece of hardware to aid in your research, now is your chance.
Grads:
If you are just taking this course out of sheer curiosity, and are not interested in developing further and do not think a Wacom or similar tablet would be useful, you can check them out from the library, but there are no guarantees that one will be available as the semester progresses.
You are expected, however, to share your creative background and potential research trajectories with the students after mid-term. (you'll need time to develop, and if this is your first semester as graduate students, then I anticipate research trajectories to change).
That being said, come to class! We love you!
Learning
Progress before perfection.
Effort in = Progress gained.
You steer your ship.
I am just going to put this out there: I am not a technical coach, I am an academic arts researcher with an expansive studio practice that spans many tools far beyond just digital art that include many different strategies, processes, and philosophical approaches to performance and exhibition. You may not value those things, but those are the things I am invested in. That is okay. This isn't about me. This is about you and your worldview and how you use these tools and ideas to project that worldview.
Tutorials
When it comes to developing new skills, or sanding down the rough edges of old habits, the learning curve does not discriminate. It does not care whether you are 15 or 55. If you do not know how to do something, you still have to seek out knowledge. Z brush is a puzzle.
Luckily, Pixologic has made some great tutorials for folks at all stages of the game.
I will be working between Lynda.com and the Pixologic site for the basis of my technical instruction.
The hierarchy of asking: "How do I?"
1. Google, forums, tutorials.
2. Your classmates.
3. Your professor.
Why is Les in the number 3 position?
Because I'm not always going to be there to tell you how to do things.
Because you might be faster than I am at some things.
Because I don't know everything. The pipeline is huge.
Because I have 22 students to look after in this class.
CANVAS and The DAAS.
This class is going to be a lot of working in lab on projects because of the prohibitive cost of Z brush.