DigitalCraftMinor2017

Minor/3rd Year Theme: How to Be Human

The theme of Digital Craft 2017 is “How to be Human”. Over the next 16 weeks, you will explore how human, inhumane, candid, or uncanny your digital/electronic media can be. The first 8 weeks are dedicated to bi-weekly thematic projects. The last 8 weeks consist of an independent research on a medium of your choice.

Minor Daily Planning

MONDAY

• WORK!

TUESDAY

• WORK!

WEDNESDAY

• WORK!

THURSDAY

• WORK!

FRIDAY

• WORK!

Practice Daily Planning

MONDAY

• MAJOR

TUESDAY

• MAJOR

WEDNESDAY

• START THINKING ABOUT DIGITAL CRAFT

THURSDAY

• DEEP IN DIGITAL CRAFT

FRIDAY

• ALL DAY EXPERIMENTAL DIGITAL CRAFTING

Minor 3rd Year Overview

Study Week	Project	Content
1 & 2	Project 1: On The Body	Exploring bespoke technologies as remediation, adaptions or extensions of the human body.
3 & 4	Project 2: Inhuman Factors / Sensitivity Training	DIY Sensor Exploration / Finetuning Sensitivity / Exploring Reactive Materials
5 & 6	Project 3: Mind (of) the Machine	Machine Learning Workshop
Week 7	Prepare Produce & Polish	Quarter Presentation Prep/ MICA Workshop Prep
Week 8	Fall Vacation / DDW MICA Meet Up	Informal drinks with MICA Student
Week 9	Quater Exhibition 1-3 + Project 4:International WDKA/MICA Workshop	Quarter Evaluation / Sensitivity Training part II / Public Installation
Week 10 - 15	Final Project: The [medium] is Present	How does a material/tool become alive, become animated, become mindful or act human? Produce a work that shows the “presence” of your medium in a clear and determined way.
Week 16	Digital Craft Exhibition	Final Minor Evaluation / Party

Projects

On The Body

Week 1

Each minor is asked to draw a body part. In the intro week assignment that are required to make an artefact that reflects, remediates, adapt or extends the function of their choices part of the body. In a addition to the ‘artefact’, a large scale refined drawing of their human body part and campaign poster for the minor will be displayed in a mini exhibition.

Each third year student becomes a body double for the last two days of the Minor project week to help with the work and exhibition (Thursday & Friday).

Week 2 - 

Each minor student will deepen/push their project and put extra attention on refinement and craftsmanship

Each third year will produce a new work inspired by one of the minor projects, but in an explicitly different medium or approach.

Project Schedule

Date	Location	Content	Assignment
Monday 28 August	Interaction Station 11:00-16:00	Intro & Launch Project 1: On The Body	Sketch Proposals / Concept Braintorm
Tuesday 29 August	Interaction Station	On The Body Feedback	Final Sketch / Positioning
Wednesday 30 August	Independant Study / Stations	Prototyping	Sketch Prototype / Presentation plan
Thursday 31 August	Interaction Station 10:30 - 12:00 Interaction Station 13:00 - 16:00 De Willem 17:00 - 21:00	Digital Craft Launch w/ 3rd years: How to Be Human Exhibition Planning & Production Autonomous Practice Borrel	Production of artefacts and posters for On the Body Presentation
Friday 1 September	Location TBD - 13:00 - 16:00	On The Body - Digital Craft Project Presentation	first project presentation and introduce Digital Craft Practice/Minor exhibition “How to Be Human”
Thursday 7 September	Interaction Station 11:00 - 17:00	Launch Project 2: Sensitivity Training	Sensor Lottery Assignment & Hertzian Tales Reading

Sensitivity Training

Project Schedule

Date	Location	Content	Assignment
Thursday 7 September	Interaction Station 11:00 - 17:00	Launch Project 2: Sensitivity Training	Sensor Assignment & Hertzian Tales Reading
Tuesday 12 September
Thursday 14 September
Thursday 21 September	Interaction Station 10:30 - 12:30 Interaction Station 13:30 - 16:00

Mind (of) the Machine

Mind (of) the Machine: exploring the consequences machine learning on the human mind.

Minor

Sanne, Jeanine
Jeroen, Alex
Kenah, Tharim, Susanne
Timo, Jochem, Vera
Philip, Tim

3rd year

Dieke, Koen
Stephanie, Sjoerd
Tutu, Thijs
Marielle, Tom, Chiara
Emiel, Noemi

Project Schedule

Date	Location	Content	Assignment
Thursday 21 September	Interaction Station 10:30 - 12:30	Launch Project 3: Mind (of) the Machine	Reading: https://epochai.github.io/#1 Autobiographical image ‘being human’
Thursday 21 September	Interaction Station 13:30 - 16:00	Project 2: Sensitivity Training / [In]Human Factors Presentation
Friday 22 September	Interaction Station 13:00 - 14:00	Artist Talk: An intro to Deep Learning with Arthur Boer and Boris Smeenk
Friday 22 September	Interaction Station 14:00 - 17:00	Reconstructed Memories Workshop	Run the pixel enhancer algorithm to ‘reconstruct the image’ Write a 500+ word reflection on the consequences of the ‘reconstructed’ image and the technology behind it.
25-29 September	Self Study	Study of [... ] Assignment	gather a set of at least 100+ images Write a 250+ reflection on the chosen category and the method of collecting images/data set make a selection into a visual essay (add a caption to each image). Run the data set through the image generator algorithm and produce a few machine generated images to your visual essay.
Tuesday 26 September	Interaction Station 13:30 - 17:00	Practice with Tim (Minor Only)	Explore the concepts, opportunities, and issues surrounding artificial intelligence and produce/generate a new artistic work
02-05 October	Self Study (3rd year only)	Mind (of) the Machine Booklet	Produce per group a profesionaly crafted small booklet including the Reconstructed Memories and Study of [... ] assignments.
05 October	Interaction Station 13:00 - 16:00	Project 3: Mind (of) the Machine Presentations

Workshop/Assignments

Reconstructed Memories Workshop

Groups of 2-3

• Bring in a poignant but pixilated (Lo-fi/censored/blurred/disguised) image that relates personally to the concept of ‘being human’ (per student)
• Run the pixel enhancer algorithm to ‘reconstruct the image’
• Write a 500+ word reflection on the consequences of the ‘reconstructed’ image and the technology behind it. (per group)

Study of [... ] Assignement

Groups of 2-3

• Gather (find/collect/curate/generate) a set of at least 100+ images that fit within a chosen classification/category, which in someway can be considered quintessentially human.
• Write a 250+ reflection on the chosen category and the method of collecting images/data set
• Study the images, order, and make a selection into a visual essay (add a caption to each image.
• Run the data set through the image generator algorithm and produce a few machine generated images to your essay.

Project Deliverables

Minor

A project (object/artwork/installation.....) that explores issues surrounding artificial intelligence

3rd year

A professionally crafted small booklet on the Reconstructed Memories and Study of [... ] assignments

Unravel the Code International Workshop

Please see the full programme / project page here.

Schedule

Awkward FaceTime

5/10 - 11/10	Bits of Rotterdam - bits of Baltimore - through the magic of the internet
time and date student arranged	MICA and WDKA Digital Craft students try to sustain a 5 min awkward conversation, knowing that it will make the week much smoother knowing at least one partner student on a face to face basis. There is a strict format for this talk, which can be found below.

FaceTime Format

To identify your FaceTime partner, please sign up for one of the four projects (as participant 1-6) and contact the corresponding student (i.e if your #1 in Its Complicated on the MICA list, find out who is #1 on the Its Complicated WDKA list…..its a bit complicated, i know).

Please prepare the following to discuss:

1. share a love/hate about your current program (of course no bad talking about UTC ;)
2. share a memorable photograph where the look on your face fits under the title  “ the moment I knew what I wanted to do”.
3. show via the webcam a distinguishing facial featured
4. take a screenshot of each others faces and upload it to project participant lists on the wiki

The purpose of this pre-meeting is to have the first exchange to be on a peer to peer basis and break the ice before the marathon begins.  

Monday 23 October - Meet, Greet, Eat, Show, Tell

Time / Place	Activity
~17:00 (exact TBC) / Blaak Station / Markthall Entrance	Show your face WdKA Students meet MICA
17:00 – 17:30 / de Appie	BYOB WdKA students have brought the food. MICA brings the drinks? For those of you who want check if non-imported Heineken still tastes horrible, its advised to conceal your bottles “American Style” upon entry to the school (ask WdKA students for advice).
17:30 – 18:00 / 3e Inberieding	Word of Welcome / A Few Works Jeroen (our super chatty / semi-professinal tap dancing / Digital Craft student) says a few words of welcome, talks briefly about the the Digital Crafters have been doing and show a few mini-projects from this semester.
18:00 – 19:00 / 4e Inberieding (or in case of a warm sunny miracle — the roof top terrace)	Zes uur! Etenstijd! Vera’s in the kitchen and better not be late
19:00 – 19:30	WdKA tour within your workshop groups, explore the school's stations
after hours	Bitterball’n? Tap-dancing Jeroen also happens to be registered party planner (many talents). He’d be happy to suggest any nighttime activities whatever your scene may be.

Tuesday 24 October - Strictly Business

Time / Place	Activity
9:30 – 9:45 / De Willem	COFFEEEEEEEEE
10:00 – 10:30 / Interaction Station	The Briefing Jon what we are doing and why he’s so happy about it.
10:30 – 11:15 / Interaction Station	Brainstorm Round 1
11:15 – 12:00 / Interaction Station	Brainstorm Round 2
12:00 – 14:00 / ????	Mini-Excursion WDKA & MICA students break into groups, lunch somewhere in Rotterdam, and visit a ‘selfie’ worth place. #facesofrotterdam
14:00 – 14:30 Interaction Station	20 min foreshadowing w/ Javi - explaining the ins and outs of what comes next
14:30 – 15:30 / Interaction Station	20min Foreplay - round-robin practical/unpractical instruction Sensitivity Training w/Mike or Ryan Face-Inter-Facing w/Javi Micro-controling w/Ryan or Yoana Photo-Boothing w/Tim
15:30 – 18:00 / Interaction Station	Confidence Building - production of a pre-marathon proof of concpet
18:00 – 19:00 - De Willem / School Cantine	Lekker Borrelen

Wednesday 25 October - The Face of Things Marathon

Time / Place	Activity
9:30 – 10:30 / De Willem	Upping the Anti students evaluate their concept prototype sketch out a plan of action
10:00 – 11:00 / Interaction Station	Face your Mentor Students discussing concept, feasibly, required tech/materials with workshop mentors.
11:00 – 12:00 / Interaction Station	Facing the Facts Is the idea ideal? Are all parts of your plan ready for production? 1 hour or fact checking, script writing, or resource finding before lunch.
11:00 – 12:00 / Interaction Station	About Face? A working lunch dedicated to the second thoughts and the doubting thomases.
13:00 – 16:30 / Interaction Station	FACE OFF MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE
16:30 – 17:30 / Blaak Foyer	Drawn out Critique draw out your process, critique your current outcomes, plan for the last push
17:30 – 20:30 / Interactionstation	Laatste Loodjes
20:30 – 20:45 / Blaak Foyer & Basement Exhibition Space	Project Delivery bring your project to the exhibition space

Thursday 26 October - Document

Thursday 26/10	Blaak Foyer & Basement Exhibition Space
9:00 – 11:00	Photo/video documentation of results
11:00 – 12:00	Walk through of results to WDKA managers/coodinators

Quarter Evaluation

The Quarter Evaluation will take place in the week after the fall vacation. Schedule coming soon.

Minor Q13 Deliverables

Individual & Group Practice-Based

1. An artistic project relating technology and the body
2. An artistic work relating to sensors and senses
3. An artistic work relating to machines and the mind

Individual Research

1. A fully propagated wiki page showing all your findings and contextualising your production
2. +/- 1000 words answering: What is your craft? (define your discipline, method or approach); What is the position of your practice in relation to newer technologies?; and what theme you will explore for your Q14 project
3. A well-presented sketch illustrating the direction you wish to explore based on one of the three previous projects, within the context of "How To Be Human" (a visual forshadowing of your Q10 proposal)

3rd Year Q9 Deliverables

Individual & Group Practice-Based

1. An artefact for/on/or about the body
2. A short film showing in the context of (in)human factors
3. A small "booklet" exploring the Mind [of] the Machine

Individual Research

1. A fully propagated wiki page showing all your findings and contextualising your production
2. +/- 1000 words answering: What is your craft? (define your discipline, method or approach); What is the position of your practice in relation to newer technologies?; and what theme you will explore for your Q10 project
3. A well-presented sketch illustrating the direction you wish to explore based on one of the three previous projects, within the context of "How To Be Human" (a visual forshadowing of your Q10 proposal)

People

Minor

• ℐⱻℝℴ℮ȵ
• Sanne Schilder
• Philip
• Ilkay
• Jerry Estié
• Naomi
• Vera
• Jeanine
• Jochem
• tim reuser
• Suzanne Guitjens
• Tharim Cornelisse
• Timoteo Carbone
• AlexLaman2
• Kenah

3rd Year

• Bart
  
• Marielle
  
• Tom
  
• stephanie
  
• Sjoerd
  
• Emiel
• Tutu
  
• Koen Dekker
  
• Dieke Berkhuizen
• Noemi