Newsletter, Session: Winter II
Institution: Art Institute Pittsburgh
Department: Digital and Graphic Design
Division: Online
Contents
Noteworthy
Ellyn Norris
As mentioned above, has been selected as the 2008 Dean Collins Photoshop World Educational Scholarship recipient. She will be flown to Orlando, FL for Photoshop World from April 2-4. As the Dean Collins scholarship recipient, flight and hotel costs will be covered, plus complimentary admission to the three-day conference. She also gets an NAPP membership (or renewal) for one year.
Ellyn will be presented with a Dean Collins plaque during the opening ceremony in front of thousands of attendees, from Scott Kelby.
Maria Creyts - 2 Exhibitions
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Thornhill Gallery presents
"mariaurora": paintings, prints, & projects by Maria Creyts, February 29 - March 30
Artist's Talk: Saturday March 29, 10:30am.
For more information: (816) 501-2443 or Thornhillgallery@avila.edu.
Gallery hours are noon-3pm Tuesday-Friday and by appointment.
The Thornhill Gallery is located in Whitfield Centre on the campus of Avila University.
Thornhill Gallery
Avila University
11901 Wornall Road
Kansas City, Missouri 64145
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card image: "Color Buckle," silkscreen print project, 22" x 18"
AND
H & R Block Artspace: 2008 Kansas City Flatfile
February 23 - April 5
For more information: 816 561-5563; http://www.kcai.edu/artspace
H & R Block Artspace
at the Kansas City Art Institute
16 East 43rd Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64111
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"Lace Drawing," digital inkjet print, 18" x 22"
Faculty profiles
Ed Buscemi
I’ve got an MFA from RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) in studio art with a focus in non-toxic printmaking and painting. My Bachelor’s degree is from the State University of New York at Brockport where I studied drawing and intaglio printmaking. At the beginning of 2007 I began teaching online courses for the Art Institute of Pittsburg was hired as a full time faculty member in November of that same year.
I love teaching and wish I could have started doing it years ago. I find teaching online to be particularly interesting and welcome the opportunity to work in an environment where there is a new level of challenge. A side of me is fascinated with technology and I welcome the opportunity to continue to grow in this area. I am eagerly exploring how I can equip myself to make my classrooms as interesting and stimulating as possible from an educational standpoint and also create as much human connection as possible.
My personal background includes being married for 36 years to best wife that any guy could have. We have four beautiful grown daughters and 4 absolutely wonderful grandchildren, ages, nine, six, four and 4 month. My children all enjoy the arts and express that interest in different ways, including one that has been teaching high school and middle school art for about nine years.
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I grew up in the country and have always loved camping and hiking. I especially enjoy many of the trails in the Adirondacks and areas around the “finger lakes” region of New York State. One of my ambitions is to eventually get some rural land and build some kind of artsy house and push the limits of what the zoning laws might allow.
My professional experience includes over twenty years in the graphic design and marketing fields, which means I done all kinds of things from designing newspaper ads to working on high-end advertising campaigns. I had a Macintosh plus put in front of me back in mid 1986 and haven’t stopped enjoying using computers since then. Because of rapid technology growth I’ve really seen the graphic design industry change substantially since the 1980s. I feel that a designer today has to know a whole lot more than in the old days. On the other hand we’re able to do a lot more, which is pretty exciting.
I am probably really a fine artist at hear. Whenever I can carve out a few hours and go at it. Presently, I mostly creating quirky narrative works that are commentaries on the crazy world we live in. Sometimes they’re cynical, sometimes they’re funny, and maybe sometimes they don’t make much sense; anyway, this is the art I make. My intent is to get people to ask questions and to challenge the tendency within each of us to go along with the flow. I guess I feel that there is just there is just too much at stake to do otherwise.
I also enjoy playing improvised and experimental music. Below is a link with some sound samples from a short-lived group that a few of us formed during the first part of 2006. The drummer, a talented young designer, moved to New York City about six months ago so we haven’t played together in a while. I have also been known to play alto saxophone with a local community band.
Here are a couple of links; my apologies to the musically conservative among you.
http://www.morechi.com/inventia/
I have also performed with Diana Behlke an experimental “industrial” ensemble.
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Rules For The Day, 2004, digital print.
Sentinal, 2002, intaglio print. 8-1/2” x 11”
ERRATA
We forgot to publish a photograph of Joe in the last newsletter where he was showcased - here you go!
Joe Podlesnik
TIPS
Mac users: Your local Apple Store has a Genius Bar where you can gain free advice about your computer; this is great for laptops since you can bring your computer into the store. Make your appointment online and show up a few minutes early. Find an Apple Store near you: http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/
A student with a computer problem went and rented time on a Kinko's machine to stay on schedule w/ her assignments; since then, I have suggested this as a possibility for other students in the same kind of jam.) Call ahead to be your local store has a
design computer available.
; ^ )
Maria Creyts
AND
Are you seeing students struggling w/ new PCs and Vista?? W/ Windows XP, the last service pack was finally enabling Windows to work really well w/ design software. There are documented “bugs” with the new Vista system in the way it works w/ CS3...
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/
So the students are trying to get it all together with a new computer for their studies, then they wind up having to de-install and re-install CS3 in the middle of class b/c Vista is not properly coordinating with CS3...
In my classes one student expressed dismay b/c there just aren’t PCs available w/o Vista now... I think another is giving up b/c she can’t get Vista to coordinate w/ Photoshop, and a third is in the process of trying to reinstall the design softare on her Vista OS machine and get work in before the week concludes. -Maria Creyts
NEA
What is the rest of the teaching world up to? Check out the NEA website/monthly magazine - JP
Starving Artist Cookbook
This is a new category in need of submissions of "recession recipes". If any of you have tried and true recipes that you can make with what is left of your paycheck after paying the rent, then send them in.
Spagetti a la Estudiante Bachelare
I made this as a grad student using marked-down cans of tomatos and spagetti sauce, and the cheapest meat I could find on sale. It would last me for several days/meals.
Ingredients:
One package spagetti
A fistful of ground meat or turkey burger
One onion and several cloves of garlic
Olive oil
One can whole tomatoes
One jar spagetti sauce
Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
To cook:
In a large frying pan cook the onion until soft, and then throw in the garlic and cook for a minute. Do not burn the garlic.
Crumble in the meat and brown. Salt and pepper to taste. Remember, if you can taste the salt, you have put in too much.
Pour in the can of tomatos, smashing them between your fingers to break them up.
Add the jar of sauce.
In a pot of salted boiling water place a handful of pasta (one per person) and stir until submerged. Stir every few minutes. Cook for 10 or 15 minutes until edible, either soft or al dente.
Drain, place in a large tupperware bowl, add some sauce so the pasta doesn't stick together.
You all know what to do next. Place some pasta on a plate, add as much sauce as you like, sprinkle liberally with Parmeson. Eat.
It's pretty cheap to make, lasts for a while in the fridge, you can eat it for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner, and it is fairly healthy as long as you don't eat huge portions, eat late, and have 40 minutes of cardio daily.
- Jeff Prentice
Humor
basicjokes.com
Impressions
A wealthy man commissioned Pablo Picasso to paint a portrait of his wife. Startled by the nonrepresentational image on the final canvas, the woman's husband complained, "It isn't how she really looks."
When asked by the painter how she really looked, the man produced a photograph from his wallet.
Returning the photography Pablo observed, "Small, isn't she?"
The Art Collector
A famous art collector is walking through the city when he notices a mangy cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store. He does a double take.
He knows that the saucer is extremely old and very valuable, so he walks casually into the store and offers to buy the cat for two dollars.
The storeowner replies, "I'm sorry, but the cat isn't for sale."
The collector says, "Please, I need a hungry cat around the house to catch mice. I'll pay you 20 dollars for that cat."
And the owner says "Sold," and hands over the cat.
The collector continues, "Hey, for the twenty bucks I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat's used to it and it'll save me from having to get a dish."
The owner says, "Sorry buddy, but that's my lucky saucer. So far this week I've sold sixty-eight cats."
Walpole used to paint here!
Walpole had lived in his loft for six months, and by now it was filled with the paintings he had created. He worked day and night, stopping only occasionally for something to eat. He thought little about food and less about sleep. But what he thought about least of all was his rent. As a result, his landlord now stood before him, demanding the three months' rent
Walpole owed on the loft.
“Give me a couple of weeks,” Walpole pleaded. “I know I'm on the verge of making some sales.”
“Absolutely not,” the landlord said. “You gave me that story last month. You won't get another day's credit from me.”
“Look,” Walpole said, “think of it as an investment. Someday this loft will be famous, and you'll be able to charge a fortune for it. In a few years, people will come into this disgusting loft and whisper, ‘Walpole used to paint here.’”
“Pay your rent now,” the landlord said, “or they'll be able to say it tomorrow morning.”
Marnie's Corner
GOOD practices – in the grade book
Do you place THOROUGH COMMENTS in the grade book?
Do you let students know how they can achieve more and how the work they turned in has or has not met the criteria for the assignment?
What are faculty supposed to comment on in the grade book?
SUGGESTIONS
STUDIO ASSIGNMENTS:
- discuss/explain any changes a student may have made since you last posted a response to them during the week. In other words, make final comments and suggestions
- Create any new tutorials based on new versions of their work and post them into the assignment thread AND lead them to this post in the grade book
- Make sure there are no unanswered questions!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Instructors need to read the students comments posed to both themselves and to the student’s peers.
- Make more connections with the student regarding a few of their comments to peers. Again, finalize the answer.
- Make sure there are no unanswered questions!
- Add your own further research, based on their comments. I.E. websites addresses.
Examples of poor comments in the grade book
"Good job on the assignment"
"Positive suggestions for your peer"
"Good use of the elements and principles of design"
The above comments need further back-up response for elaboration and final analysis of the students work.
Examples of helpful comments in the grade book
STUDIO ASSIGNMENT:
In the following comment I have further suggested composition ideas for this particular student to consider changing for the next version (which is in the week to follow) that the student will post.
I asked the student what ink color since this was not included in his first post and was part of the initial written portion of the assignment.From G131 Typography course
Student,
I'm basing these comments on the last post of thumbnails (named: wk2a3.jpg) in doc sharing........
- very intriguing how the paragraph runs into the R in thumbnail 10. This adds to the confusion you want to create with figure ground letter and copy.
- #3 is an interesting composition with the large band on the bottom of the design with the lowercase r.Perhaps you could combine these 2 compositions?
It is a little unclear exactly how large the paragraph of text is with each thumbnail. Consider drawing straight lines and have them end in a rag right/justify left configuration to help remedy this. Also, what ink color?
DISCUSSION QUESTION ASSIGNMENT:
Below is a student who did not post any responses to her peers in the early part of the course:
Digital Image Manipulation course
Student,
Yikes! Please respond to your peers and myself in these dqs! ........otherwise you may misout on important information/suggestions/tools in Photoshop to utilize in your designs (including the course composite design)
Below I asked for further detailed answers and stated that I had hoped for a response from a peer regarding a question asked to this peer regarding Photoshop techniques.
Student,
Be sure to explain your answers with more detail as your peers may not understand what you are talking about and didn't pay attention to the readings. (regarding ICC profiles in dq2)Was hoping to see a response from Ashley for your question regarding changing warm and cool tones with the brightness/contrast option (in dq3)...... :(
I don't see how this could be done, so curious what Ashley would have said?
FINAL COMMENT
The grade book comments section is a way to provide closure for final versions of designs, drawings, exercises etc.
It is also an area to continue suggestions for “course composite” assignments. It is crucial for the instructor to keep communication open and to further the students success in their fundamentals and design work.
Top 10 tips for completing your PPARs
- Watch your email inbox: Be sure to pay attention to any eHalogen notices or a message from the full-time faculty member reviewing your PPAR.
- NOTE the due date that your PPAR needs to be completed by next to your name on the eHalogen software screen at the top.
- Consider typing all in MS WORD first to avoid losing info. Spell check! SAVE a lot.
- Complete each section with detailed descriptions/answers.
- Be honest. An overall evaluation score of 3 is right where you want to be for a “good performance” evaluation of yourself. Anything above that means that you went way above and beyond the call of duty, so to speak.
- For part-time faculty, submitting a teaching portfolio is optional. An electronic portfolio on CD (example: .pdf) must be submitted by mail to the Faculty Service Coordinator well before your deadline (your teaching portfolio will be duplicated and sent on to your evaluator). Do let your evaluator know if you choose to send a portfolio. Send teaching portfolios to --
Elizabeth Eckman, Faculty Service Coordinator
EDMC Online Higher Education
1400 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4332 - When you have completed your self-evaluation click on the COMPLETE button on the top of the eHalogen form
- When you receive another email from eHalogen stating that the full-time faculty evaluator has completed his/her evaluation of your work, you may log in and enter your REVIEWEE comments.
- Finally, sign off using an ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE with your eHalogen password.
- Those who ignore PPAR tasks or neglect to attend to them in a timely manner are at risk of having their employment status changed to “inactive.” In case of questions consult the eHalogen “End User Tutorial”; contact your evaluator if necessary. Endeavor to work ahead of schedule.
Watch for news of an upcoming Part-time Faculty PPAR Workshop... (date and time to be announced via email) !
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FotoBlog
Jeffrey Junior climbed up this slide by himself, and went down on his own, fearless at 2 years old. The photo was taken the first week of March in the desert campground of Caliente Hot Springs 100 miles east of San Diego, where we had gone to look for wildflowers and soak in the hotsprings. I like the scale of the slide compared to the tiny human at the top - it is a big one for someone that size, but he charged up and slid down without hesitating, totally in the moment.
It reminds me of comparable experiences in life, when I took some sort of risk, looking down from a dangerously high point, took a deep breath, and then let go to pursue a job or relationship or other goal. Sometimes it worked out, and at other times it didn't. But there was, and is, always that moment of decision before committing to action, that included fear and excitement.
This image reminds me as well of my students who face challenges every day. I have one this session whose husband was in a major car accident - She missed class but somehow managed to pull it together through the traumatic experience and do the make up work while he was recuperating. Another isn't doing so well, dealing with a spouse's death before the course started, trying to pick up the pieces and focus on the assignments. I have a few only 19 years old with no experience, sometimes living on their own, working, raising kids, drawing portraits and still iife late at night when there are a few moments of downtime. Some are having the time of their lives learning and developing new skills. But they all have made the decision to commit resources and time, to take a risk, pursue a dream.
Five days a week I wait for them (metaphorically speaking) at the bottom of the slide, unlike this scene where I just stand by irresponsibly documenting the event as my mother reminds me each time she sees it. In both cases I keep my fingers crossed. - Jeff Prentice
Please send YOUR favorite photos alomg with any captions to jprentice@aii.edu
Submissions
If you have reviews, links, information or other content you'd like to share in an upcoming newsletter, if you have found a particular tutorial helpful, want to have us list an exhibition you are in, post department-related information, comment on a group resource or have questions or comments regarding this newsletter
contact:
Jeff Prentice jprentice@aii.edu
Marnie Michels mmichels@aii.edu