This is a technical overview of multimedia computing. It builds self-reliance in operating and maintaining the most common tools used by digital artists. Lectures and demonstrations show how to install and troubleshoot a number of computer graphics programs, and how to integrate them into a comprehensive toolkit. In the course of the semester, the students build a personal web page enriched with such audiovisual elements as animation, sound, video, 3-D, and different types of still images. Students evaluate the different applications of computer graphics in the visual arts, and are empowered to make an informed choice among the advanced classes.
Two hours lecture and three hours lab per week.
- Computer technology for artists.
- Computer basics and lab operation.
- Visual computing inputs and outputs.
- Open-source and commercial software tools for the visual arts.
- Computer-based visual arts.
- History of multimedia computing.
- Impact of digital techniques on art production and distribution.
- Combining multiple media: World-Wide Web (WWW) publishing principles.
- Text.
- Text entry and editing.
- Structuring and formatting text for the WWW.
- Raster Images.
- Picture acquisition: scanning, importing, procedural generation.
- Correcting, improving and embellishing acquired pictures.
- Raster image file formats for the WWW.
- Animation.
- Painting animation pictures.
- Creating the illusion of motion.
- Assembling a soundtrack for the animation.
- Animation file formats for the WWW.
- Vector Images.
- Organizing structured, scalable, reusable graphics.
- Correcting, improving and embellishing vector images.
- Vector image file formats for the WWW.
- 3D Simulation.
- Creating the blueprint of 3D objects: geometric attributes.
- Displaying 3D: rendering attributes.
- 3D file formats for the WWW.
- Digital Video.
- Recording digital motion pictures.
- Correcting, improving and embellishing video recordings.
- Digital video file formats for the WWW.
Students successful in this class will:
- Write and organize structured text for their web pages.
- Analyze the text for completeness and clarity of meaning.
- Determine the best way to reinforce/complement their writings with multimedia enhancements.
- Compare computer workflows with traditional visual arts practices, and determine the suitability of each to the student’s individual artistic aspirations.
- Analyze artistic and technical challenges, devising combinations of software programs that effectively further their design ideas.
- Assess computer multimedia history, and demonstrate their understanding of its practical implications, by deciding on an optimum balance between compatibility and innovation.
