DigitalCraftMinor2017
Minor 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!
Minor 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.
Project Schedule
| Date | Location | Content | Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 21 September | Interaction Station 10:30 - 12:30 | Launch Project 3: Mind (of) the Machine |
|
| 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 |
|
| 25-29 September | Self Study | Study of [... ] Assignment |
|
| Tuesday 26 September | Interaction Station 13:30 - 17:00 | Practice with Tim (Minor Only) |
|
| 02-05 October | Self Study (3rd year only) | Mind (of) the Machine Booklet |
|
| 05 October | Interaction Station 13:00 - 16:00 | Project 3: Mind (of) the Machine Presentations |
Workshop/Assignments
Reconstructed Memories Workshop
- 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.
