Units

---

Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

NB: Information in this Unit Outline is subject to change prior to commencement of semester

Many aspects of art and design practices involve computers and, as a result, artists and designers have taken advantage of the medium and now employ computer programming and computational processes within their practices. As such, it is important for you to develop core skills in computer programming, as well as knowledge of the history, uses and processes associated with the use of computational processes in art and design.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with an introduction to the principles of computer programming and computational processes in the context of art and design. The unit also aims to provide you with an introduction to the range of practices and practitioners who employ, or are informed by, computational processes and techniques.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:
1. understand the foundations of computer programming;
2. be fluent in the specific language covered in the unit;
3. apply computational processes and techniques;
4. apply programming principles and computational techniques within your design or artistic practice;
5. contextualise your practice within the field; and
6. understand the ways in which programming and computational processes are employed within art and design.

Content

This unit will provide an introduction to computer programming for art and design, and will explore the processes and techniques of computer programming in that context.

The unit addresses content such as basic programming principles using the Processing environment and associated methods and techniques. The unit will focus on the ways digital media forms can be manipulated via computer programming in the context of art and design; the aesthetics of computation; generative techniques employed in art and design; examples and case studies of practitioners who employ programming and computational techniques in their work; and the history of computational practices in art and design.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This class is delivered in a studio context, where you will spend three hours in a workshop each week.

The approach to teaching computer programs has been developed to specifically support artists and designers, and other non-programmers. This approach involves the use of a simplified programming environment that can be used in a rapid incremental manner, which is more akin to sketching than software engineering.

The focus of this approach is to explore the ways in which programming can be used as a creative tool, and expressive medium. Each week you will produce numerous sketches (ie. small programs), which will focus on different programming principles in combination with how these principles can be applied to the creation of images and other media forms.

Assessment

LATE ASSESSMENT ITEMS
An assessment item submitted after the due date without an approved extension will not be marked. If you are unable to complete your assignment on time and you do not have an approved extension, you should submit on time whatever work you have done.

Faculty Assessment Information
To access complete Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information please refer to the Blackboard site for this unit.FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Description: You will engage in critique sessions where you, your colleagues, and academic staff will discuss issues arising in the development and resolution of your work.
Weight 0%

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
You will be awarded a final grade on a 1 to 7 scale.

Assessment name: Sketch book
Description: This assignment requires you to hand in the 'sketches' produced over the first half of the semester, accompanied by a written statement detailing how these sketches are related to your creative/design practice.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid Semester

Assessment name: Major works
Description: For this assignment you will be required to hand in two works created using the techniques and processes covered in the unit. This should be accompanied by a written document, which describes the works, situates them within the field, and provides a personal reflection and critique of them.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Required Text

Reas, C. and B. Fry (2007) Processing : a programming handbook for visual designers and artists. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Recommended References

Fry, B. (2008) Visualizing data. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly Media, Inc

Gelernter, D. H. (1998) The aesthetics of computing. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Maeda, J. (1999) Design by numbers. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

Maeda, J. and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory (2004) Creative code. London: Thames & Hudson

Maeda, J. (2006) The laws of simplicity. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

Reas, C. and B. Fry (2007) Processing: a programming handbook for visual designers and artists. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

Web references:

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks for this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 30-May-2012