Outline
This course uses the very practical aspects of art-making and the experience of community engagement. These objectives will teach students a creative process and its application in the community. Students will witness the motivating social power of art, through specific documents that will engage students in a critical appreciation of printmaking as a mode of creative research for both aesthetic and political ends. Using this knowledge, students will go on to critique the work that their peers make. Students in this course will be expected to have an interest in art and equality, politics, justice, the environment or any issue derived from the social field. It is very important for the success of students taking this course because they will be paired with a St. Mary’s College service organization (via CILSA). Therefore, students without any interest in issues derived from the social field will find it difficult to connect with their ‘host’ organization and create an effective print edition (an ‘edition’ is a set of identical prints).
Format
Screen-printing includes several complexities, and therefore, students will be given direct instruction in the rudiments of the process. Initially, students will make prints of their own, in order to understand the flexibility and limits of the processes they learn. While developing printing skills, students will be meeting (online) with and learning about the service organization they are paired with. Along with this practical work, students will be given regular introductions to the uses artists have made of both printing and text in order to create an opinionated stance upon a topic or issue – this will help them create prints that are much more substantial than they may otherwise be. Students will be expected to read and do research related to the historical reference material and will provide evidence of such in Moodle forum discussions.
Working in ANY print studio demands a good level of organization and CLEANLINESS, as I WILL EXPLAIN TO students. AS PRINTING CAN BE A TIME-INTENSIVE PRACTICE, students will need to plan their time effectively IN ORDER TO HAVE PRINTS MADE AND DRY BEFORE CLASSES. Each session will begin with a presentation & discussion of prints and printing methods aimed at helping students solve current problems and sophisticate their work. Each session ends with a brief critique of students’ work. All students will use a sketchbook to log their interests, draw, make field notes (described above), and further develop their ideas. The sketchbook is required and students will be graded upon their use of these sketchbooks. I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THE SKETCHBOOK, AND HOW WE ADPAT IT TO LINE USAGE ON THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS.