DESN-350

Topic: Foundry + Metal Cast 
This studio course provides a broad introduction to a range of methods and processes that are employed in the production of contemporary sculpture using traditional and contemporary transformative processes involving casting and mold-making techniques (which may include the use of 3D printing) for casting materials such as bronze and aluminum through the use of our new state-of-the art foundry. Students will acquire practical and critical knowledge to consider cast-metal sculpture and its content and context within contemporary art and design practices. Assigned projects are structured around concepts and techniques relevant to contemporary sculpture practices. The course will include technical demonstrations, research, discussions, and critiques. 

Topic: Sonic Interactions 
Learn to combine analog and digital approaches by hacking existing musical instruments to create new sonic interactions and experiences. For centuries we have carefully handcrafted interactions of musical instruments, optimizing them for intuitive learning, playability and comfort yet many of the newest tools of musical expression are cold and intangible-using technologies in ways that ignore hundreds of years of accumulated knowledge. The goal of this workshop is to integrate old and new crafting methods by hybridizing an instrument that you bring with a small embedded electronic toolkit consisting of a RaspberryPi, a Sense Hat and an open-source software stack (included in the workshop price). Participants of the workshop will be encouraged to maximize musical expressivity, interactivity and experimentation. By using accessible prototyping tools we're able to experiment and create new interactions rapidly which will conclude with a musical performance. Bring your ukulele, hand-drum, toy piano or xylophone and we'll hack it into a new digital sound instrument. 

Topic: The Stationery Project Creative Lab   
This course focuses on practice related to The Stationery Project, a campus initiative launched in 2017 concerned with reclaiming and reusing discarded paper and other waste materials. Tools, techniques, and technologies present in the COMD lab and other areas will be employed to explore creative stationery and bookbinding. Students will gain valuable experience in printing and making books, journals, and much more. The course will include group outreach events and public workshops. 

Topic: Motion Graphics 
This studio course introduces students to motion graphics concepts and visual effects techniques in the context of digital animation production. Creative projects in the course will incorporate complex layering, transparency and mattes, motion and timing, and the animation of text and visual effects. Through a series of presentations, tutorials, related assignments and projects, individual and group critiques, students will learn basic production techniques and develop an understanding of the process of creating motion graphics for video and animation.