Course Components

These components contribute to your final grade as follows:

Participation

Participation is important: you're expected to attend all classes and contribute to class discussions. As a rule of thumb, try to contribute to discussion at least 1 or 2 times each seminar, workshop, or critique class: ask a question, comment on a topic, clarify a point, etc. In studio classes, you should be ready to demo your in-progress assignment and have questions ready for discussion.

Workshop Coding Exercises

You'll experiment and extend the code and techniques from coding workshops to create an artwork-like coding exercise. The goal is to demonstrate some innovation and competent execution of both an artistic aspect (the "concept") and in how the code was implemented (the "technical"). At the start of the following class, you'll demo the result of your exercise for the class and say some words about your concept and technical approach.

Pecha Kucha Presentation

You'll select an artist from a provided list (or get instructor permission to present on a different artist), then present an overview of the artist’s work in a Pecha Kucha style: we use 15 slides shown for exactly 20 seconds each, creating a fun and concise 5 minute presentation.

🔥 More information, especially requirements to use Google Slides, a specific template, and configuring the URL.

Artworks

There are three major assignments to create original computational digital artworks using code: A1, A2, and A3. Each artwork will build on concepts from seminars and workshops covered in the course. Assignments include some constraints and recommended technical approaches to reduce complexity and make it easier for the instructor and TA to help with troubleshooting.

Each project is assessed through several components: a proposal, an in-class critique, an artist’s statement, a demonstration video, and code. Grades reflect a range of criteria, including originality, conceptual rigor, technical execution, presentation, and documentation (statement, video, code).

Each artwork has three deadlines: an initial proposal, an in-class critique, and final documentation.

🔥 More information about artwork assignments, including preparing for the critique and documentation format.

A1 Artwork

Create an algorithmic or generative artwork. Your work can be one or more final images, recorded videos, or recorded audio files generated by your program, or a live, continuous animation or sound composition generated in real time by your algorithm.

• You may focus on visuals, sound, or a combination of both.
• If you create static images, recorded video, or audio, part of your work should be the algorithm or tool you developed to produce the final composition. Demonstrating this algorithm or tool is part of the final critique and documentation.
• If non-audio input is required, only a standard mouse and keyboard may be used.

A2 Artwork

Create an artwork that uses a novel form of input to generate, augment, or manipulate a visualization, or to create an interactive and embodied experience. You may focus on the body as input, data as input, or a combination. The work should integrate some notion of space and/or time, meaning it changes based on new user input or new data.

• For user input, use computer vision techniques from the workshop and only a single webcam. Other options include sound (using workshop analysis methods), keyboard, or mouse.
• Do not use physical computing methods (e.g., Arduino sensors) or networked remote input (e.g., data from a smartphone). These can be explored in A3.
• For data input, the data source should provide data, not compute a result based on data you send. For example, do not use a remote API like the “Microsoft Cognitive Emotion API” to process images or data. Querying a datasource to select data is fine.

A3 Artwork

Work individually or in a team of two to create a self-directed project that draws on your experience and knowledge from the course. The project should be designed for exhibition in a gallery-like setting—conceptually rigorous, aesthetically resolved, and technically robust, with a carefully designed progression of stages or interactions that can run continuously for several hours and engage viewers without formal instructions.

• The project may include a performance aspect, but should also function autonomously without your direct participation.
• You are encouraged to use techniques from the third section of the course, but you may also develop ideas and techniques from the first two sections.
• For pair projects, work should be divided evenly. The instructor reserves the right to adjust grades for unequal contributions.

Rubric for all Artwork Assignments

See also the expanded rubric matrix.