Bulletin Board

Meet Julius. Not exactly mine but close enough. He’s a character - kooky, mush ball, and a bum. He is completely adored and totally spoiled. I describe him as a basketball with ears.  I even have a song for him. It is called – Nobody Better Than You. If you need a caption – I usually use the one from the animation Madagascar, “I am the King, and everybody loves me.” Oh - and his full name is Orange Julius – named after a soda pop somewhere from your side of the island.

Marie Patierno

For those of you who appreciate academia and research in education – take a look at the panels being offered at Confluence 2009 that are for Foundations teaching.
http://76.162.42.140/conferences2.html
Something for everyone. If you live on the west coast and want to attend or have a paper to present (deadline june 9th) this could be “fun”, or maybe a better term, rewarding. (:

Also - recently on Charlie Rose the Design Exhibition at MOMA, Design and the Elastic Mind http://www.moma.org/exhibitions

Jeff Prentice

A great exhibit on color at MOMA (NY) COLOR CHART http://www.moma.org
Color theory or other instructors may want to use this.

Maryanne Buschini

Here is a link to a monthly e-newsletter I get. The link is http://www.myfonts.com/newsletters It's called "Creative Characters, The faces behind the fonts" and it spotlights a font designer. I've shared it with my Contemporary Typography students in the past, but have started sharing it with all my design classes.

Deb DiNicola

Cool link - Sorry - I forgot who sent this in ): JP

http://www.sagmeister.com/index.html

I am teaching Painting - G130 both sessions this Spring. Here are a few abstract images that I have created.

See attachments (Click for larger images)

Mark Wyatt

the angel

pareidolia #1

the slide

Lauren Zito

BIO:
Lauren Zito graduated from the University of Southern Maine in 1992 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and a Bachelors of Arts in Art History, then in 1994 graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Masters of Fine Arts, with a primary focus on sculpture. After spending a few years in sunny California, she moved to the town of Pittsburgh. Upon touching down in the steel city, she immediately went to work at the Carnegie Museum of Art, where she worked at the administrative level for approximately 3 years -- planning, coordinating and assisting the curators with the development of nationally recognized exhibitions, art installations and art handling. Ms. Zito slowly phased out the art handling career to fill her time exclusively with teaching, her true passion. She currently a Faculty member at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University.

She stumbled (literally) upon filmmaking about a year ago when she started to play around making short films, monologues and what the YouTube community affectionately calls: "Vlogs". Being not much of a 'vlogger' her passion fell mostly into story-telling, acting and editing. After some encouragement from friends, she embarked on a very long term project that has taken over her life. It's called "The Weakness". In a nutshell: It's a Gender-bending, film-noir style web serial, a coming-of-age story... only with vampires. She plays the 3 primary roles -- a 400+ year old vampire with a Billy Idol complex, an even older vampire with a desperate and panicked taste for young blood and a young woman who is sweet, loony, yet always inappropriately dressed in prom-wear who knows a lot more than she is letting on.

This is a far reaching story that looks like it is going to monopolize her life for some time to come. What fun!     
Website:  http://theweakness.net
iTunes: keyword:  The Weakness (under podcasts)

Thanks – there are more images and things to be had on the website!

Lauren Zito

Noteworthy

Jeff Davis is the new Interim Foundations Program Director! See his welcome video below


gallery.mac.com

Contact Jeff at:

Jeff Davis
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division
Interim Program Director - Foundations

1400 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4332

Office: 480.306.5236
Mobile: 602.284.1847
Fax: 412.992.9729
jedavis@aii.edu

Ingrid Capozzoli Flinn
painting the female form

McWillie Chambers
painting the male form

April 11 - June 1, 2008
Reception, April 11, 2008, 6-9PM
(left) Chambers,Collins12, 2007, oil on canvas, 24" x 24"
(right) Capozzoli Flinn, Nude with Double V, 2005, oil on canvas, 12" x 12"

Figureworks is located at 168 N. 6th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211, one block from the Bedford Avenue "L" train. The gallery is open to the public Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 1-6PM and is dedicated to exhibiting contemporary and 20th century fine art of the human form. For more information please call 718-486-7021 or visit us online at www.figureworks.com http://www.figureworks.com

My short film which was shown at Slamdance two years ago is finally up on MySpace.
http://vids.myspace.com/

Description: Robert Todd and I spent two days withvideo and film equipment in the shop of Konrad Brzezinski, a MasterWatchmaker, during which time we made these portraits of Konrad and hiswife Ursula. The film version is 6 minutes long: its charge is to givea sense of the power of the world of the store and their love of it.The video is 12 and a half minutes long and emphasizes their relationto their customers, their history and eachother.

We have since shot more of Rye's local shopkeeps and have made 2 longer pieces which incorporate the Watch Film:

Michael Dwyer

Hi everyone,
If you are in the neighborhood of San Marcos, Texas please check out the art exhibit named “Water, a common experience” at Texas State University, Mitte Honors Hall – I have paintings and photographs in this show.

Texas State University March 2nd – August 8th

Thanks :)
Geerte


Geerte Frenken (Hunter) MFA
ghunter@aii.edu

Humor

by David Lyons

Teaching

Color and Design final project support images

One issue in both courses is the way we jump from exercises all session to a full blown idea driven portfolio piece for week 6...it can be a little confusing. I try to clarify for them – my clarification not included here (however available to those interested)

But for examples of the sequence of assignments from 5 to 6 here are two big ol jpgs, two student works that go from proposal, b and w thumbs, color thumbs with wheels, and final with statement...
They are on my website as well if you want to share - http://jeffprentice.net/teachf/onlinedesign.htm under week 5

If you have ‘resize large images to fit’ checked in your browser then make sure you click on the image to see it 600 pix wide!

http://jeffprentice.net/teachf/onlinedesign/jruvo_proposaltofinal.jpg
http://jeffprentice.net/teachf/onlinedesign/mariamitchell.jpg

Jeff Prentice

The Learning Centers are looking for student art for their galleries

The following learning centers: Illustrator,Photoshop,and InDesign are looking for student's work to put in their student art galleries. Students must fill out a permission slip(permission slip-pdf files are posted in the gallery) in order to enter work. We are excepting work currently.
Thanks,

Kelly Hess

XHTML and CSS web portfolios needed!

Attn adjuncts - Do you have an online portfolio that uses XHTML and CSS to showcase your work? A new interactive portfolio class is being developed. We need screen shots and code of effectively designed portfolio sites to illustrate the lectures. Release forms for use of the images are required, so it should be your personal site or one by someone who will be willing to sign a release form.

Please contact Nancy Wood, nwood@aii.edu

Thanks!

Nancy Wood | The Art Institute of Pittsburgh -Online Division
Full Time Faculty | Graphic Design

Teaching blogs

I teach full time at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven CT and have
developed a series of courses off the college's course delivery platform
to take advantage of where the web is at these days... the home base for
my classes is Google's Blogger... There students post examples of their
work that week and interact with other classmates... links to the
syllabus and their online portfolios are located on the blog.

I feel that the blog is a natural teaching aid, and could change
everything – once people get the idea. This approach is all about
transparency and accountability. In terms of AIO, the blog approach would greatly facilitate online discussions as visual work is nicely integrated with written discussion and comments. This semester, I started using a blog as part of my face to face teaching in digital photography I. Students post their latest work with commentary. I find it is a way to draw out the quiet ones as well as it allows me to learn more about their motivations in creating a specific solution to the week's problem.

The f2f blog is here:
http://spring08digitalphoto.blogspot.com/

I just launched a new class, Two Dimensional Design using Photoshop or Gimp...This is for evening division continuing education students who are all working adults and who have no experience using photoshop. Here is a link to the current class: http://twodimensionaldesign.blogspot.com/

Since Spring semester 2007, I have created and used 9 blogs for my classes... all have been a big help!

Jerry Nevins
G133 Digital Image Manipulation

Learning Center

I would like to add all the wonderful services we are offering in the centers right now. Here is the latest. In all three of the GD Learning Centers (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) we are offering the following services and goodies!

New - One-On-One Tutoring: We now offer one-on-one tutoring in each center in ClassLive Pro by Lindsey Avery. All you have to do is sign up for one of the days and times available and you will receive confirmation within 24 hour. Just click on the Tutoring Services link in each center.

ClassLive Pro Live Workshops: All Live Workshops and Demos are recorded and can be access at any time for you to review at your leisure. A tutorial on how to access the archived Live Workshops and Demos can be found under the ClassLive Pro Information link in each center.

To see a complete list of all the Live Workshops held in each center throughout the session, all you need to do is click on the Live Workshops link in each center to access the schedule.

New Student Gallery: We are now excepting submissions for the new LC Student Art Gallery! Make sure to go to the Art Gallery link under the Hot Topics area to learn more about possibly getting your work exhibited.

Tutor Office Hours in ClassLive Pro: In addition to the schedule one-on-one tutoring times you can also choose to attend one of the other tutor’s scheduled office hours. Each LC Tutor schedules an office hour each week in ClassLive Pro. Tutor office hours are posted in the Announcement area of each learning center.

Video Tutorials: Make sure to check out the numerous video tutorials on how to use a variety of tools, palettes and menus in the Video Demos area.

Hot Topics: Make sure to check out the Hot Topics area in both the Beginning and Int/Advanced areas of the each learning center. We will be conducting demos on these Hot Topics in ClassLive Pro as well.

Nan Pendarvis Full-Time Faculty, Foundations Learning Centers Coordinator
npendarvis@aii.edu

Here is a simple tip:
I try to respond to every student as often as possible during the discussions. I will write the first persons name in front of my response. That way I can visually check to see if I have already responded to a specific person, when I browse the discussion the next time I come back. This helps me track my responses and ensures that everyone that has posted gets valuable feedback.

Christine Milot

Just wanted to pass this on:

I have been compiling this list of a few resources for my drawing students in FND110:
For Further Study in Figure Drawing: Books, Tutorials, and Examples
http://www.josephsheppard.com/ Realist Figure Drawing
http://www.amazon.com/Constructive-Anatomy-Dover-Books-Instruction/dp/0486211045 George Bridgeman
Cyclopeia Anatomicae: A bit pricey, but. besides showing the facial features, musculature and skeleton of humans, it also includes a section showing anatomical information on horses, dogs, cats, and various other animals.
http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Figure-Drawing-Techniques-Painting/dp/0891345515

Or: get ahold of this Library book: Loomis: Figure Drawing For All It's Worth
Examples: http://www.artchive.com/artchive/P/pearlstein.html#images
http://drawsketch.about.com

Ruth Canaway

For efficiency’s sake:  BATCH PROCESSING in Adobe Photoshop CS3 and why you’d want to use it!

Start with…Window>Actions

From the flyout menu (access in top right of pane), choose New Action.  Give the action a name, then click Record.

With an actual file, go through the motions (the actions) for what you want to do in future with a batch of files (you will need to assemble that batch into one folder before Automating later).  Start with File>Open.  End with File>Close.  At the end of your action, click the square at bottom left of the pane to quit recording (the tool tip calls this “stop playing/recording”).

Next, File>Automate>Batch.  Select the action you wish to use (here, the one you made and named); settings I generally use are shown in a screenshot provided.

[When recording the action, I find it’s helpful to use File>Save As… save:  as a copy.  In the Batch window, I will specify a Destination folder within the folder with the original files where the resulting copies will be placed.  This helps with organization and your originals are retained, too.]

I find this to be very helpful in prepping student images for group reviews of drafts.  It can also be used for prepping images for Powerpoint slideshows or a critique review in CLP…

For the Color Theory group review of drafts pictured here, all the downloaded student files were first converted to RGB color mode (in case any works were posted as .gifs), then they were re-sized to 72 ppi and 250 pixels high.  After batch processing, processed images are dragged into a new .psd 600 pixels high by 800 pixels wide.  When my comments are added, I save for web and post in class. 

Thoughts: 

Typing or talking (as in a voice recording) alone is harder for students to follow… I want to direct them by SHOWING written text and images presented as an ensemble.

This takes a bit of work, yet in my view placing emplasis on learning in the drafts phase, BEFORE grading, is a motivator.  In my classes, the drafts phase is our virtual studio, where students can look around & see what’s on eachothers’ “desks” while work is in progress.  I also ask for participation in art assignments during the drafts phase, prior to the deadline – so classmates can put eachothers’ feedback to use in their final versions in time for the deadline. (Posting a draft is not required, though most students take advantage of this opportunity for teacher and peer reviews of their works; I review drafts that are posted by the night before the deadline.)

I hope Batch Processing may be of help to your teaching, too !
-- Maria Creyts

Starving Artist

Still looking for the cheapest meals/healthy recipes in a world where $7 per gallon gas is predicted within the year. You can get apples pretty cheap if you shop around.

Adapted from a traditional Polish recipe. 2-3 tbsp. light brown sugar 1 c. ginger ale Raisins

Remove the stem and core from the apple. Place the apple in a coffee cup or in a small dish with sides or a small bowl.

Combine light brown sugar with raisins. Fill the hole in the apple with this mixture. Sprinkle some outside the core also. Pour ginger ale over the mixture and over the entire apple. Bake in microwave oven (600 watt oven requires 4 minutes if at high each apple is baked separately).

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,149164-226200,00.html
-------------------------------
MICROWAVE BAKED APPLE

1 med. baking apple
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. butter
Cinnamon

Wash and core apple. Pare a thin section of skin from top of apple. Fill center of apple with brown sugar and top with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook uncovered in microwave 2 to 2 1/2 minutes at high or until almost tender. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cook 2 apples 3 to 3 1/2 minutes at high. Cook 3 apples 4 to 4 1/2 minutes at high. Cook 4 apples 5 to 5 1/2 minutes at high.

Whodunnit?

Send your answers to:

Joseph Podlesnik | The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division
Faculty | Foundations

jpodlesnik@aii.edu

Faculty Profiles

Marnie Michels | FT Faculty | Graphic Design Department
My favorite things to do are spend time with my toddler, husband and 2 Siberian Huskies. Even if I were filthy rich I would want to do the same.....wellllllllll maybe travel Europe or spend time with them on a beach.

But back to reality. (smirk)

I also paint with fabric and thread. I don't quilt with patterns, but instead create drawings and use fabric and thread to build them. I also like to build websites for clients, when I get clients and when I have time which are few and far between.

SOMETHING FUN TO KNOW:

I am an identical twin and have fooled both my husband and my twin sisters husband AND my mom a couple times. lol.

Academically and professionally ~

For about 15 years I worked in design firms, corporations and freelanced both through agencies and on my own. My favorite program has to be Photoshop, so far. I have yet to learn new software that has just come out.

I have taught design courses online and in person for about 4 years now and like both equally. I am also teaching college art courses onground as well, which is very fun and challenging.

Marnie
mmichels@aii.edu

Photoblog

Malaysia - I was on my way to an all day cave and river tour when I snapped this shot. See the rope on the handlebars? He ties it to the monkey and sends it up a tree to get coconuts which are thrown down, sold at a market.

Jeff Prentice

About

This newsletter is produced by Jeff Prentice and Marnie Michels for faculty in the department of GD and foundations, part of AIPO. It is not an official EDMC document or publication - it is for general communication between faculty. Any questions on content, or interest in submissions contact jprentice@aii.edu or mmichels@aii.edu

No part of this webpage may be reproduced or copied without permission © 2008 all rights reserved. Prentice