COM 2105
Visual Communication
Orientation to the Course
Staff and contact number
Dr. Katrien
Jacobs
Tel 2788 8873
Teaching format:
Two hours
lecture and one hour tutorial each week (3 hours per week)
Coursebook
There is no set
coursebook. A list of powerpoint lectures, tutorial instructions and readings will be provided by the course
coordinator and will be posted on the Blackboard course site. You are expected to read the readings before
each class and will be tested on them in a reading quiz. Do not print out all the lectures in the
beginning of the semester as I will make final changes to each lecture.
Course
Aims
In this course
we will focus on two aspects of visual communication. First of all, during lectures students will be
introduced to basic concepts of visual
culture analysis. Students will learn basic approaches to analyze various
forms of representation; including paintings, advertisements, illustrations,
digital art, photography, films, television, documentaries, and web sites. Students will also be introduced to
a number of critical approaches to visual culture, including formal aesthetic
analysis and readings of ideologies and values in images.
Secondly,
during lab periods students will apply their knowledge of visual culture
analysis to engage in visual
communication. They
will practice communication skills through
creative media making. Students will learn specific media forms such as
1. digital photography and digital imaging in
Photoshop
2. catalogue/artbook
3. short edited video about a topic of your
choice.
Assessment:
Coursework
consists of three major assignments
Class
Presence and Participation, Oral Communication, Reading Quiz 30%
Lectures: Students are required to be quiet yet
answer selective questions posed by the teacher. The teaching style is an
interactive approach where students are alert and participation in dialogues. Since
there is no final exam for this course, class attendance and participation in
these lectures is mandatory. There will
also be one or several reading quizzes to test students on their knowledge of
the texts.
Tutorial labs: The tutorial labs are conducted like
seminars and creative workshops. Every student will be expected to participate
in discussions and carry out exercises. No
exceptions allowed. Tutorial lab
attendance is absolutely mandatory.
Creative
Project I: Digital Photography 30%
This is a creative exercise where two students work in
pairs to write a short fantasy story using text and digital photographs. Each
pair will write a 500-word concept on the theme of identity transformation and create
include 3 digital photographs. Students print out the photographs on A4 format.
They will also write a 200-word essay about the motivations behind their
choice. The project will be carried out
in a number of mandatory in-class exercises, including Photoshop training. Students will be graded on the quality of the
concept and the quality of photograph. The best projects will be shown to the
entire class in week 12.
Creative concepts should take into account the following
criteria:
-
Even though you
will enter a world of fantasy, please do not write a concept that would only be
appreciated by children. Your concepts
of identity transformation have to be suitable for adults as well.
-
Your concept
should make refernce to an interesting cultural
setting or milieu e.g. a neigborhood of
-
The best concepts
are those that making a relevant statement about yourself within your background culture. Ask yourself:
why are you deciding to transform into a certain type of person? What does your concept have to do with your
cultural upbringing or the social and political climate of
Creative
Project II: Visual Ethnography 40%
Students produce a catalogue/art zine and short video
clip about a youth fashion or (sub) culture in
Students use lab sessions to brainstorm, collaborate and
to produce a number of significant audio-visual documents. They select the best
documents and present them in class by means of
a visually-oriented
powerpoint presentation
a small catalogue/art
zines with at least 6 high-quality photographs
a 5 minute video posted on youtube.com
Possible cultures or subcultures: ethnic groups in HK, Chinese art forms, contemporary
art collectives, body cults, underground music trends, alternative life-styles,
web communities, game players, cosplayers, body piercers, doll players, Lolitas.
|
1 |
LECTURE 2-3 sept Topic: Introduction: What is Visual Communication? Example: Introducing YouTube
Ethnography Project http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYcS_VpoWJk&feature=related |
TUTORIAL No tutorials |
|
2 |
9-10 sept Topic: Visual Communication and The Network Body Screening: Ghost in the shell |
Introduction to lab environment Two exercises a) story
metamorphosis b) example of
sensual immediacy |
|
3 |
16-17 sept Topic: Digital Photography and metamorphosis Screening: Screening
documentary “Rize” |
Creative Project: Storyboarding first assignment.
Finalize story and think of suitable photographs |
|
4 |
23-24 sept Topic: Photography and Aesthetics |
Creative Project I: Photoshop |
|
5 |
No Lecture on Oct 1 National Day |
Creative Project II : Photoshop Exercise |
|
6 |
8 oct Andrew Guthrie
guest lecture on artist books |
Creative
project due: two stories, four photographs for each group (2 students) Critiquing
artist books |
|
7 |
14-15 oct Reading week No Lecture, No Tutorials |
|
|
8 |
21-22oct |
|
|
9 |
Oct 28-29 Guest lecture,
Video shooting styles |
Project II: Video Shooting |
|
10 |
Nov 4-5 Topic: Visual Ethnography (1)
Interacting with People and Cultures Screening: The Fast
Runner, Gummo http://astro.temple.edu/~ruby/ruby/cultanthro.html |
Project II. Storyboard for magazine and Video |
|
11 |
Nov 11-12 Topic: Visual
Ethnography(2) Editing Styles Screening: Grizzly Man |
Video Editing Workshop |
|
12 |
Nov 18-19 Visual Ethnography (3) Video Sharing |
Video Editing Workshop |
|
13 |
No Class |
|
|
14 |
Dec 4 FINAL CLASS:
PROJECTS DUE WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION Project Presentations |
|