Course Schedule

The schedule is subject to change. Homework assignments are packaged with the syllabus, but are also

subject to change. Syllabus and Homework Assignments will be available on Blackboard or via your lab

instructors’ course site. All homework is due before your lab section meets unless instructed

otherwise.

Week 1: Introduction

Lecture: Wednesday, August 30 - Course Overview: Visual Studies in Digital Media

Labs: Friday 8/25; Tuesday, 8/29; Thursday, 8/31

Students are introduced to web development basics and complete their creative statement

exercise.

Homework 1: Getting Started with Web Development due 9/8 for Friday Labs, 9/12 for Tuesday

Labs, 9/14 for Thursday Labs

Week 2: Photography

Lecture: Wednesday, September 6 - Photography

Labs: Friday 9/1; Tuesday, 9/5; Thursday, 9/7

Students learn how to shoot with the DSLR camera and import their footage via Adobe Bridge to

Adobe Photoshop.

Homework 2: Cropping and Resizing Images & Tonal Range - 9/8 for Friday Labs, due 9/12 for

Tuesday labs & 9/14 for Thursday Labs

Reading: ch.1 In Plato's Cave from On Photography by Susan Sontag, reflections - due 9/12 for

Tuesday labs & 9/14 for Thursday Labs, and 9/15 for Friday Labs.

Week 3: Collage, Photomontage and Compositing

Lecture: Wednesday, September 13 - Collage, Photomontage and Compositing

Labs: Friday 9/8; Tuesday, 9/12; Thursday, 9/14

Students use the DSLR cameras on campus to make images for Homework 3 Depth of Field:

in-camera and digital assignment. Students upload the images to their computers via Adobe

Bridge.

Homework 3: Depth of Field - due 9/22 for Friday Labs; 9/26 for Tuesday labs; 9/28 for

Thursday Labs

Week 4: Design Basics

Lecture: Wednesday, September 20 - Design Basics

Labs: Friday, 9/15; Tuesday, 9/19; Thursday, 9/21

Photograph or select images for montage assignment and begin editing. Introduction to Masks

and Blend Modes.

Homework 4: Social Campaign: this is a two-part design assignment – the first part is to create a

photomontage and the second part (homework 5) is to add text and vector elements as design

components to create a socially engaged advertisement –

part 1 due by end of lab Friday, 10/6; Tuesday, 10/10; Thursday, 10/12

Week 5: Type, Layouts and Grids

Lecture: Wednesday, September 27 - Type, Layouts and Grids

Labs: Friday, 9/22; Tuesday, 9/26; Thursday, 9/28

Introduction to Illustrator: Layers, Shapes, Transforming Objects, Pen Tool. Wacom tablets are

available for use throughout the semester.

Homework 5: Copy, paste, resize and place Illustrator shapes onto socially engaged

photomontage. Continue working on the Social Campaign by adding vector elements (text,

shape, pattern, illustration…) to the photocollage - due 10/13 for Friday Labs; 10/17 for Tuesday

labs; 10/19 for Thursday Labs

Week 6: Color, Pattern, and Illustration

Lecture: Wednesday, October 4 – Color, Pattern & Illustration

Labs: Friday, 9/29; Tuesday, 10/2; Thursday, 10/12

Illustrator: Fills & Strokes, Color, Complex Shapes

Homework 6: In lab exercise (may flow over to the next lab): Using 2 shapes, 2 complimentary

colors create an eye that expresses an emotion such as fear or surprise or sadness or anger.

Reading assignment: Graphic Novel: Motherhood in crisis https://bit.ly/3sIwxgR , reflections due

Friday, 10/13.

Week 7: Exam 1

Lecture: Wednesday, October 11 - Exam 1

Labs: Friday, 10/6; Tuesday, 10/10; Thursday, 10/5

(Tuesday, October 10: *Classes Follow a Monday Schedule)

Review for exam & Illustrator: Using Raster Graphics, Pen Tool, Type.

Homework 7: Illustrated Environment -

Due: 10/20 for Friday Labs, 10/24 for Tuesday Labs, 10/26 for Thursday Labs

Week 8: Animation

Lecture: Wednesday, October 18 – A History of Animation

Labs: Friday, 10/13; Tuesday, 10/17; Thursday, 10/19

Continue working on Illustrated Environment, due next week.

Homework 7: Continue Illustrated Environment -

Due: 10/27 for Friday Labs; 10/31 for Tuesday Labs; 11/1 for Thursday Labs

Week 9: Games

Lecture: Wednesday, October 25 - A History of Games

Labs: Friday, 10/20; Tuesday, 10/24; Thursday, 10/26

Review Illustrated Environment. Creating animated gifs using Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop.

Homework 8: Animated GIFs - due 11/7 for Tuesday labs, 11/9 for Thursday Labs, and 11/10 for

Friday Labs

Week 10: Internet

Lecture: Wednesday, November 1 - The Internet: History, Aesthetics & Current Issues

Labs: Friday, 10/28; Tuesday, 10/31; Thursday, 11/2

Continue working on animated gifs using Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop.

Homework 9: Data Visualization - 11/18 for Friday Labs, 11/21 for Tuesday Labs, 11/30 for

Thursday Labs

Week 11: Information Graphics and Data Visualization

Lecture: Wednesday, November 8 – Information Graphics and Data Visualization

Labs: Friday, 11/3; Tuesday, 11/7; Thursday, 11/9

Information Graphics & Data Visualization: Gathering Data, due next week.

Introduction to CSS, re-tool your class site - CSS resource:

https://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp ; CSS examples: http://www.csszengarden.com/ ;

CSS Intro Course CH1: https://bit.ly/2Mxt0Ab

Homework 10: Interactive Story due by 6pm Friday 12/15 FOR ALL LABS

Week 12: Digital Affordances

Lecture: Wednesday, November 14 – Digital Affordances

Labs: Friday, 11/10; Tuesday, 11/13; Thursday, 11/15 Continue working on Information Graphics & Data Visualization project.

Reading assignment: Workers in the Global South are making a living playing the blockchain

game Axie Infinity https://bit.ly/3D9fl9l, - due 12/1.

FALL BREAK 11/22 - 11/26

Week 13: Critical Media Making & Semester in Review

Lecture: Wednesday, November 29 – Emerging Media Research

Labs: Friday, 11/16; Tuesday, 11/28; Thursday, 11/30

Review Information Graphics & Data Visualization project; review for second exam; refine your

class web site and begin the Interactive Story.

Reading assignment: How ‘Trustless’ Is Bitcoin, Really? https://nyti.ms/3Qpt8yw Due 12/15

Homework 10: Interactive Story due by 6pm Friday 12/15 FOR ALL LABS

Week 14: Exam 2

Lecture: Wednesday, December 6 - Exam 2

Labs: Friday, 12/1; Tuesday, 11/28; Thursday, 12/7

Refine your class website and continue working on your Interactive Story

Week 15: Final Week

NO LECTURE (12/13)

Labs: Friday, 12/8; Tuesday, 12/12 (reading day), Thursday, 12/14

FRIDAY AND THURSDAY: Refine your class website and continue working on your Interactive Story

Homework 10: Interactive Story due by 6pm Friday 12/15 FOR ALL LABS