First, read the First Things First manifesto
Then, this accompanying article
And last, some of the responses to it
Come prepared to weigh in on how much influence you think a designer can, should, or does have in influencing political change. Where do you personally stand?
For Project 1 you are required to print one of your 4×6 images at 4 different places. Use this post to share information about local print shops. Include address, what kind of file you brought them, what kind of disks they take, cost, and any other info that you think would be helpful to the class.
This reading was written by painter Ben Shahn in 1957, during the height of the modern painting movement of the Abstract Expressionists. Much of what he is writing about addresses one of the main goals of these painters, who wanted to make art that “wasn’t about anything” except that they were paint on canvas.
His discussion of the relationship between form and content is pertinent to our class. What does he mean by “form”? What about “content”? Make sure you are clear on these distinctions.
Also, look at what he says about abstraction on page 74. Think about how abstract images can communicate information.
Finally, pay close attention to the way he closes up the chapter with a discussion of the relationship of form and content from page 81 on. How does form enhance or complete content?
We are going to make some great work together this quarter, but first we have to get to know each other. You will have to register with WordPress to be able to post a comment (which means you will create your own blog, but you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to). To register, click on the wordpress.com link on the bottom right of this page, and then click on “Get a WordPress Blog Now”.
After registering, leave a comment on this post explaining the most interesting thing you’ve seen or heard in the last week.
NOTE: If you haven’t been able to log on because you never got an email from WordPress with your password, you can use this login – user: digitalimaging password: art271
