What you will notice about this schedule is that the class sessions are less planned out as we reach the end of the semester. Time is very important in this course, as you will soon discover. As such, I have designed the syllabus to accommodate as much studio time during class sessions as is possible.
Skills: the first 5 weeks of this course will be spent learning the skills and processes of printing. You will be assigned exercises to help you develop. While learning printing skills, you will start thinking about and planning the prints you will make. You will quickly gain a clear understanding of your potential as a printer, and this in turn will increase the ambition you have for your prints
‘Project Work’ in the schedule below refers to the semester-long project that you will develop through this course. You are responsible to choose the topic/issue and decide how you will make art that refers to/reacts to/connects with it. I will address this thoroughly and hold conferences with each student to ensure that the design and expectations of the course are clearly understood.
Student mini-presentations happen twice in the semester and are valuable opportunities for all students to become more confident talking about their artwork, and gain valuable feedback from peers.
Student project content discussions will be organized around the main themes in students’ chosen projects. Normally, student projects, while different in detail, are able to be grouped (for example, ‘the environment’ can mean the eradication of specific species of animals, or it could mean water pollution). Readings will be distributed and unpacked in the following sessions.
| FEBRUARY | ||
| WEEK/DATE | DESCRIPTION | SUBJECT |
| WEEKS 1-5: Project One: Learning and Making | ||
| 1 // Feb 7 | Read & discuss the syllabus and process of the course. DRAWING SKILLS: How to draw for block printing. | What is PRINTING? What is PROTEST? |
| 2 // Feb 14 | Carving blocks – technique, tools, and manual dexterity; PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Resistance or Advocacy? |
| 3 // Feb 21 | Printing lino blocks – preparation, ink, pressure; PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Historical uses of printing for protest |
| 4 // Feb 28 | Printing rubber blocks – appreciating materiality, preparation, ink; PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Contemporary uses of printing for protest 1 |
| MARCH | ||
| WEEK/DATE | DESCRIPTION | SUBJECT |
| 5 // March 7 | Printing 2 colors+ – registration, multiple blocks, project management. PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Society & Control I |
| WEEKS 6-10: Project Two: Applying skills to ideas | ||
| 6 // March 15 | PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review Alternate mono-type processes | Soft Deadline: Critique 1/3; Manifestations of control (via documentary assigned) |
| 7 // March 21 | Printing lino blocks; PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Contemporary uses of printing for protest II |
| 8 // March 28 | Printing rubber blocks; PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Society & Control II |
| APRIL | ||
| WEEK/DATE | DESCRIPTION | SUBJECT |
| 9 // April 4 | PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. April 3 – 10 EASTER BREAK | Resistance or Advocacy? |
| 10 //April 11 | PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Soft Deadline: Critique 2/3 |
| WEEKS 11-15: Project Three: Developing sophistication | ||
| 11 // April 18 | PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | Contemporary uses of printing for protest 1 |
| 12 // April 25 | PROJECT WORK – class time this week is devoted to the production of your final prints. | no reading, the focus is on practice |
| MAY | ||
| WEEK/DATE | DESCRIPTION | SUBJECT |
| 13 // May 2 | PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | no reading, the focus is on practice |
| 14 // May 9 | PROJECT WORK – see description above; sketchbook review. | no reading, the focus is on practice |
| 14 // May 16 | FINAL CRITIQUE! | |
*Some items on this schedule may change. All changes are at the discretion of your professor. Every effort will be made to announce and explain any changes decided upon.