DIGA: Digital Arts
This course provides the technical and aesthetic foundation to master concepts of effective digital design, layout, and image manipulation while learning Adobe Photoshop, an industry standard digital art software. Students will develop a working knowledge of how two-dimensional bit-map images are acquired, created and manipulated; expand visual communications skills; cultivate an individual artistic style; and gain basic understandings of the creative and technical processes inherent in digital art and design. Students will also participate in digital design projects, individual and group critique, discussion of topics relevant to digital art and design, portfolio development and evaluation, and creative research. Requirements: Hardware: PC or Mac. Software: Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. Since this course requires students to use computer and software intensively, they should have strong interests in using the computer as a design tool and have intermediate computer skills. This course was previously ART-222454 Digital Art and Design: Introductory.
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
Students in this course will learn about the creative and technical processes required for digital video production and postproduction. Students will learn the aesthetics of editing including the choice of images and designing their time and sequence. They will also learn how to use industry software (such as Adobe Premiere Pro) for nonlinear video editing.
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Digital Arts (DIGA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.
This is a beginner’s course in digital presentation. As such, we will explore the different aspects of self-presentation in public and online formats and learn techniques to make the process more manageable and effective. . Students will investigate the inner workings of online presentations and discourse, including the basic elements of a presentation, ways to write and evaluate work, the impact and responsibilities of public/private speaking, understanding an audience’s needs, and developing ways to increase comfort while presenting in a variety of formats,and to refine physical skills in body language and voice production. This course was previously CUL-222614 .
Attributes: Liberal
This is a study for students who are interested in writing for the new media form of the weblog.
This introductory study is designed for students who want to learn how to use a digital camera to capture, edit, and manipulate photographic images. This study is intended for the student who has working knowledge of the basics of either the Windows or Mac operating system, as well as having a basic knowledge of traditional photography (or equivalent experience). This plan will be implemented by reviewing principles of composition; discussing and practicing various styles of photography; learning to use appropriate digital photographic editing software, and, finally, how to prepare the final images for various means of display, from hard copy printing to digital display.
Attributes: Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Digital Arts (DIGA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.
This course is designed for students who wish to advance their skills in digital photography. In order to gain a better understanding of the art of picture taking, students will learn aesthetic principles for taking better pictures in various genres of photography. Students should have a solid foundation in the technical skills necessary for operating a camera so they can build advanced level technical skills in this course. Prior to taking this course, students should have successful completion of a related introductory study or relevant experience.
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
In this advanced level digital presentation study, students will review and incorporate increasingly sophisticated techniques of self-presentation in public, online, and hybrid formats in addition to composing and critiquing their original work. Students will analyze their own and others digital presentations, looking for the elements of effective presentations, the impact and responsibilities of public/private speaking, understanding different audiences' needs, and the evolving etiquette(s) of delivering presentations in a variety of formats.
Attributes: Liberal
How do digital media artists and designers produce effective web sites to communicate and share their art and design projects? This course will prepare students to apply advanced theories and techniques to the design of visually engaging and accessible web content for the digital media arts. Students will learn to plan and produce dynamic web sites to create an interactive and responsive user experience. They will learn how to write for the web while integrating such dynamic elements as digital images, graphic design, animation, digital video, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality, and 3D tools. As part of the planning process, students will learn to articulate a vision, set goals, prepare a timeline, create a visual wireframe and storyboard, identify web design tools, and write a detailed proposal. They will incorporate web usability, responsive web design, user-centered design, and web accessibility requirements and standards to develop meaningful, reliable, accessible, and artistic web content. Students will apply advanced techniques using both coding and web design programs. They will produce several individual web design projects, a collaborative web site, and culminating digital portfolio. Prerequisites: Successful completion of an introductory web design course or relevant advanced level experience.
In the twenty-first century it is not only important to create and maintain an online presence whether for work or other professional/personal pursuits, it is also crucial that one's online materials are impressive and impeccable: well-written and arresting, both visually and in terms of information presentation. Blogging and digital presentation incorporates the varied fields of copy writing, journalism, marketing, advertising, public relations, internet technologies, visual information, graphic design and visual arts, among others.
Attributes: Liberal
In this course, students learn advanced digital art and design using the Adobe Creative Suite applications such as Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver, Fireworks & Bridge. Students develop expertise in working with bitmap and vector images. Through creative exercises, projects, individual and group critiques, portfolio development and evaluation, research, and written assignments, students develop effective visual communication skills, strengthen individual artistic style, and demonstrate a sophisticated, professional understanding of technical and creative processes inherent in digital art. This course is for advanced-level students with previous knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and the prior skills needed to learn advanced digital art techniques. OS Platform: PC or Mac, Required software: Adobe Creative Suite. Students should have completed an introductory level digital art course and introductory level knowledge of Adobe Photoshop. This course was previously ART-224444 Digital Art and Design: Advanced.
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
What are the ethical considerations of digital art and design? For centuries, artists have contributed innovative perspectives about how to see and understand the world through creative expression. Contemporary artists and designers make bold artistic statements of their own with digital media and virtual technologies. In a digital world, however, it is easy to manipulate representations of reality and publish information that has been altered by technology. The availability of digital tools has provided everyone with the creative potential to produce and share their own digital information but how do we verify the trustworthiness of this content? By analyzing the relationship between artistic theory and practice, we will discuss how artists and designers investigate human experience in digital environments. This exploration of ideas involves the study of ethics related to social, cultural, political, and technological issues. As part of this inquiry, we will examine your individual and social responsibilities when producing and sharing digital media.
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
Digital Storytelling combines the artistic theory of storytelling with digital media technologies. Students integrate digital storytelling concepts with artistic practice to write, plan, produce, publish, and present digital narratives. They develop individual stories and a collaborative project based on the research of a social issue or cause. This process includes generating story ideas, developing narrative structures, conducting peer reviews and planning effectively with well-written scripts and visual storyboards. Students analyze ethical issues such as intellectual property, information bias, privacy protection, and the rights of storytelling subjects. They identify effective digital tools for combining images, audio, text, and video into cohesive digital stories. Students demonstrate their knowledge about the aesthetics of digital storytelling and communicate their ideas through writing, digital media production and oral presentations. Continuous learning occurs throughout the course with readings, discussions, writing, scaffolded assignments, peer reviews, and collaborative participation in the final research project.
Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, Arts Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
This course covers the history, theory and practice of game design and development using an online workshop approach. Students will apply principles and practices of designing and developing tabletop, board and video games to the game design project of their choice. Game structure, formal and dramatic elements and system dynamics will be examined. Students will work on individual and group projects to explore best practices in design conceptualization, prototyping methods and play testing, culminating in a functional game design prototype. Though experience with advanced digital programs is not required, students will experiment with various free digital game design applications. Prerequisites: Advanced Level Standing. Students taking the course must have access to digital devices (such as a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone, headset or USB microphone) allowing them to take photographs, record audio and video, edit digital assets within the applications of their choice, and upload these for game design projects and critiques. They will be expected to research and select digital applications, create accounts to access free or low cost tools, and use tutorials and other digital resources to learn them. Some game applications may require downloading. This course was previously ART-223334 Game Design and Development.
Attributes: Liberal
How do we understand the design of information through diverse media formats and in our everyday life? By exploring this topic, you will learn how to effectively analyze, interpret, and describe the information around you. This course involves the study of artistic theory in relation to such concepts as usability, sense-making, wayfinding, data visualization, user-experience (UX) design, accessibility, and human computer interaction (HCI). We will apply critical thinking to analyze the fundamentals of information design in different media formats such as text, diagrams, charts, signs, museum displays, infographics, and evolving digital media. We will research the integration of digital information that is visual, verbal, and textual in relation to metaphoric, aesthetic, and narrative elements. This course welcomes students from multiple disciplines and from a wide range of fields including business, communication, marketing, science, math, statistics, visual art, digital art, computer science and technical writing. This course was previously ART-224104 Information Design.
Attributes: Liberal
What are the theoretical foundations of digital media arts? This course will examine artistic theory related to the aesthetic, social, and ethical considerations of this emerging field. Students will analyze digital media artworks and participate in discussions with peers about interdisciplinary perspectives and wide-ranging artistic genres. They will investigate the intersection of theory and practice by planning and producing multimodal projects such as digital stories, short films, animation, virtual worlds, installations, and/or multimedia artworks. Advanced level digital media arts require effective collaboration among artists from different genres. This course will include a significant collaborative project as well as opportunities to focus on individual artistic growth. All projects will be tailored to fit the expertise and interests of each student cohort. Students taking the course must have advanced knowledge and experience with one or more of the following areas: digital art and design, computer arts, video, electronic music, digital storytelling, filmmaking, game design, animation, visual effects, motion graphics, animation art and design, digital photography, 3D virtual worlds, digital performance, and audio production.
Attributes: Liberal
New Media Advocacy is a hands-on production course in which students will learn how to create and utilize new media (audio, video, social media platforms) for social justice movements and advocacy efforts. Over the course of the semester we will investigate the power of storytelling and how new media can assist in community driven campaigns to connect and involve the public in movements for change. How can visual arts be creatively used to share resources, disseminate information, and encourage public engagement?
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
This course will introduce students to the Unity Game engine platform and the Unity Multiplayer environment to create a real-time networked game world that can be used for play, learning and communication. Students will playtest these worlds with classmates and critically evaluate the worlds using criteria from supporting readings and videos from the field of game design and game culture.
Attributes: Liberal
The purpose of Digital Painting is to provide a creative environment that combines digital painting, montage, and digital imaging to create a body of final artwork for portfolio presentation. We will discuss the crossover possibilities of photography and collage. Through the use of digital painting, scanned images and original or appropriated photographs, students will produce work that expands the perspective of how photography can be combined with painting to create collage works. Students will also learn about the historical and contemporary practice of collage through examples of selected artists working in and with the digital genre.
Attributes: Arts Gen Ed, *The Arts Gen Ed, Liberal
The content of this course will vary by term and section. Students may repeat this course for credit as long as the topic differs. Please refer to the Term Guide for course topic offerings.
Attributes: Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Digital Arts (DIGA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.
The purpose of this study is for the student to merge their interests in traditional art forms such as drawing and painting with state-of-the art digital technology such as Photoshop and/or other platforms for creating digital art. They will also study artists whose work has made strides in this area, including but not limited to Amy Sillman, David Hockney, Alex Rockman, and others to be researched by the student. The goal is to learn technology that will enhance the production of unique art works, by refining knowledge both aesthetically and technically. The study will culminate in the creation of a digital portfolio of work with accompanying written description and references. Prior to taking this course, student should have strong drawing and/or painting ability, proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, at least two previous studio art courses on the advanced level and familiarity with contemporary art and artists. Note: Adobe Photoshop is required.
Attributes: Liberal
The purpose of this study is for advanced students of collage to investigate, create, experiment and continue to hone their skills and craft in the medium. This study is also meant to be very process oriented so students build a progressive body of work and create a final digital portfolio to showcase their art.
Attributes: Liberal
In this course, students will learn about media-based organizing, a collaborative process that uses media, art, or technology to address the roots of problems and advance holistic solutions towards a more just and creative world. Concepts and theories of “intersectionality” which recognize the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender will be explored as students learn how intersectionality relates to current activism and coalition building initiatives. As part of this course, students are required to participate in the annual Allied Media Conference in Detroit, Michigan. Held every other summer, the conference brings together a vibrant and diverse community of people using media to incite change: filmmakers, radio producers, technologists, youth organizers, writers, entrepreneurs, musicians, dancers, and artists.
Attributes: Liberal
What does history teach us about new media? How does artistic theory expand our thinking about the evolution of digital technologies and related virtual environments? Exploring new media through the lens of both history and theory creates a deeper understanding of our connected world. Students will investigate the development of digital media during key moments in history. Emphasis is given to theories that involve the social, cultural, and aesthetic dimensions of new media. We will discuss readings by established and emerging scholars and conduct academic research to further illuminate course topics. Learning activities include collaborative discussions, writings, case studies, and a final research project about new media. Prior to taking this course, students should take an advanced level course in digital arts, digital media, media studies, or the equivalent. This course was previously CUL-223544 History and Theory of New Media.
Attributes: Liberal
The purpose of this study is for advanced level digital arts students to independently explore a larger project in their chosen art form(s) as well as engage with related artistic questions/concerns generated by their earlier experiences, interdisciplinary leanings and current obsessions. Interdisciplinarity and/or uses of multiple perspectives or media will be particularly encouraged by the mentor where applicable.
Attributes: Liberal
How do you effectively present your original academic, artistic, and professional work for external audiences? How do you curate and assess these materials in a culminating digital portfolio? The design of a unifying portfolio prepares students to craft and hone their work into a sophisticated online presentation. The contents of your digital project may include a combination of visual, audio, written, design, and mixed-media content, as well as interactive games, digital stories, digital media, virtual worlds, maker—objects, photography, and artworks. Your fully-developed portfolio will serve as a distinguished culmination of your work for graduate schools, art galleries, networking opportunities, employment applications, professional promotions, and/or in support of a business, entrepreneurship, or non-profit entity. Prior to taking this course, students should have taken an advanced level course in digital arts, digital media, media studies, or the equivalent.
Attributes: Liberal
Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Digital Arts (DIGA). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.
This capstone course applies artistic theory in digital media arts to the development of a substantial culminating project. Students plan and produce an original project that builds upon their overall work in the Digital Media Arts Program. Students will apply artistic theory to emerging and experimental digital technologies that are integrated with such artistic practices as poetry, performance, narration, screenwriting, choreography, acting, dance, photography, painting, illustration, drawing, and/or music. The capstone project may include such multimodal formats as digital storytelling, digital painting, digital film, digital photography, animation, installation, immersive virtual worlds, gaming, augmented reality, or virtual reality. Students taking this course should have advanced-level standing.
Attributes: Liberal