We watched one episode of John Cleese’s video, “The Human Face.”

In the second half of the class the assignment was to make two expressive, well composed photomontages of a face.

Meeting in teams, we selected one object, from the list of three created last week. This object will be described in a podcast which emulates the “A History of the World in 100 Objects” podcasts. The script will be written as a team collaboration.

24 Objects that Define Our World: Complete script before November 5th class.

Main assignment this week is to write the script for a three to four minute podcast (500-650 words). This script will be about ONE OBJECT of the three chosen this week.

The scripts should be developed on the new page which I’ve added to your team Wikispaces site, “Three Objects: podcast script” page.

Also, here is this weeks VoiceThread link.

And please finish reading, “Air Guitar,” and responding to the questions on the last page.

We began by watching two short films about Christo, the famous maker of gigantic site specific art projects. First was a profile from “60 Minutes,” second was a film about the building of an early, large scale piece titled, “Valley Curtain.” Click here to watch the “Valley Curtain” video. And here is a video on, “The Gates” project.

We met in teams, and discussed the Museum of Jurassic Technology visit. We basically restated our responses to last week’s VoiceThread.

Also in teams, we began an assignment which is a spin-off from the BBC podcasts, “A History of Our Own World in 3 Objects.” First step was to quickly brainstorm a list of 30 possible objects that could epitomize our own moment in history. Afterwards, we began to edit this list down to the three most intriguing ideas. These objects, should be highly specific, and topical. They don’t need to necessarily be things we would actually be able to possess. By next Thursday, each team is to finalize what these objects are, by filling in the worksheet, called “3 Objects: Step 1” a page which has been added to the wikispaces sites created for the “Light+Space” project. (Image is of: Steampunk’s “Lightbulb Terrarium.”

Also for next week:

1. Begin reading “Air Guitar” handout, 3 art essays by Dave Hickey.
2. We need some old magazines to cut up for a photomontage project in next week’s class. If you have any magazines to contribute, please bring them on the 29th.

Excellent responses to the night project! We had everything from shoe box dioramas to sophisticated short films, and ‘audience’ participation pieces. Here are photos of some of the projects.

We also watched a film about surrealist / dadaist artist, Man Ray, titled “Man Ray: Prophet of the Avant-Garde.”

No class meeting on October 15th. It’s Autumn Day.

For our next meeting on October 22nd the assignment are:

1. Visit the Museum of Jurassic Technology in downtown Culver City. (Only open on Thursday – Sunday afternoons. Check hours / location at web site.)
2. Listen to two or more podcasts from “A History of the World in 100 Objects.” Excellent quality produced by the BBC, and written / read by the director of the British Museum. (You can stream from the web site, or get the free podcasts in iTunes and download to iPhone / iPod.)
3. Finally, there is a VoiceThread which I’d like you to complete before the October 22nd class. (I may not have this completed until tomorrow, October 12th.) There will be some questions about the Jurassic, and the objects in “History of the World.”

NIGHT PROJECT BRAINSTORMING:

NIGHT PROJECT BRAINSTORMING:
Describe what you did, where you went, in a few sentences.
Next, begin to think of ways you might convey this experience to a small group.Think of four ways to express this experience: one obvious easy but ineffectiveplaying to your strengths 4) far outside the usual things you do ( a formula for disaster?).
Write these down in your sketchbook. You can really do anything, as long as you complete it in a week.If you use images, they should be of a scale that will be visible to a dozen classmates. Make sure the technology is workable.“Experience of the Night” Meet in teams:(1) Each person should take two minutes and attempt to vividly describe what the experience was, along with details of what it felt like.(2) After each team member has shared their experience, start to brainstorm presentation ideas that might work for any of the experiences.  Some examples>>>• Comemerative Quilt• Night Effects Helmut• Modified binoculars or glasses• A collage• A garment for night viewing
(3) Next, each team member should come up with an idea that is specifically appropriate to each of the other team members experience individual experience. One way to do this is to simple give each other prospective titles for a piece; for example “Tar Paper Hood with Star Patterns”.
(4) Finally, try to build  upon these ideas, take some to an extreme. Considering far-fetched alternatives often leads to solutions that are both  interesting and practical. Don’t let fear of failure get in your way. A creative solution is all about not getting distracted by the possibility of making mistakes.

for Next Meeting on October 8th, 2010…

No VoiceThread this week. Put all your energy into the presentation of the “Experience of the Night.”

Two weeks from today, October 15 is a holiday. Autumn Day. No on campus meeting.

I’ll be turning in midterm grades on October 14th. Your grade will be based on: Attendance + Completion of all VoiceThread + Team wiki project + Frottage Project + Ink Lamp Project

(very important) having completed your Night presentation on October 8th.

If possible attend the Art Opening at Ben Maltz Gallery at Otis College (just a few blocks from LMU). Tomorrow, October 9th, from 2 – 4 PM. This show is called “Make:Craft,” and a two of our projects later in the semester will relate to the subject matter.

Thanks, MK

PS– If you have any problems in creating you “Night” presentation, please contact me.

Today we did our first paintings in ink wash. These were just experiments. Next we will do more of this type of paining in class. Demo video.

We watched an intro to furniture designers / multi-media creators Charles & Ray Eames. We saw their ten minute film “Washing a Blacktop”. In this clip, the original piano score played by Glen Gould has been replaced by and amateur cover of an Elliott Smith song.

We formed research teams. The first project is to create a synthesis of the individual team members ideas about Light + Space Art. I showed a slideshow of various things, like films, and architecture, that can have elements in common with Light + Space.

This team project is due by midnight, on Thursday, September 24th.

I showed a couple videos, the first explaining “Wiki in Plain English” , and what it is used for, and the second a demo of logging on, and editing a wiki.

Be sure to bring the final, perfected series of rubbings next week. We will be framing them in class.

And (of course) there is a VoiceThread for this week, though I may not have it completed until Sunday morning.

for next week’s meeting on September 17th…

1. Complete a series of five or six, fine quality rubbings (dark tone, even, not smeared, no margins) in and around your home.

A series might be:

Floor surfaces

Textures containing circles

Things that are warm to the touch

Surfaces encountered in walking from the outside to your bedroom

Anything you think is a series

Bring these to class. We will talk about ways to perfect these, and on September 24th, we will mount these five drawings in a frame.

Demo Video of Frottage Drawing Process

1. The Concepts + Origins of Light + Space Art

Do some research about this art form, the only one that was created in Southern California. Focus on one artist, anyone in this movement, and select one of their installations for study.

Define.

Origins? Philosophical roots. Why do you think this movement started when it did (early 70’s). Just an accident? Maybe the moment was right because…

Bring this preliminary research, and an image of the artwork you focused on to class.

BE PREPARED as we will meet in teams to share this information. The teams will then collaborate on the creation of a document which synthesizes the information of each team member.

3) Visit www.voicethread.com

There is a new thread for this week’s meeting which contains:

• a review of the possible origins of Robert Irwin’s move from painting into a new form of art-making.
• a question related to the experience of making the texture drawings (frottage process).
• a place to leave a brief description of the Light & Space artist you chose to focus on.

Complete the Vthread comments by midnight, Wednesday, September 15th.

http://voicethread.com/share/1306290/

Tips for using VoiceThread:

1. Typical comment 30-45 seconds long.
2. Be spontaneous, but don’t ramble on.
3. Usually it’s best to limit the comment to one concept. You can always add a second comment, if you have another point.
4. Listen, and react to what others have already said in the thread.
5. Feel free to be very opinionated, and specific about your interpretation of an image.

About the image in this post: Gerhard Richter, Watercolor, 1988.

This is a new web site for the Visual Thinking courses I’ve taught at Loyola Marymount University for the past eleven years. The next classes begin on September 3, 2010. I will be updating this site weekly with images of student work, and links to media presented in the class.