2 Point

In this increasingly online world, the internet has proven to be a powerful tool that can connect us with one another, host meaningful experiences, and provoke critical thinking. In this class, students will have an opportunity to learn about breaking out of the 2D web page and the fundamentals of working with 3D on the web. This course hopes to introduce new avenues for creative expression and experimentation via the web and promote learning practical web development skills through experiential learning. Students will use Three.js to create dynamic and immersive web-based experiences that push the boundaries of what is possible online. Creative Computing or equivalent familiarity with programming is a plus, but not required for this course.

“Portraiture stands apart from other genres of art as it marks the intersection between portrait, biography, and history. They are more than artworks; when people look at portraits, they think they are encountering that person,” says Alison Smith, chief curator at the National Portrait Gallery in London. For thousands of years, artists have used cutting-edge tools and resources to create portraiture, giving viewers a glimpse into the subject’s life. A successful portrait embraces technology to bring the viewer closer to the subject but is not overshadowed by it.

In this course, we will delve into portraiture through the lens of various volumetric capture systems, including Depth Kit, Evercoast, Polycam, and Gaussian splatting. Through hands-on assignments, students will learn the entire pipeline of volumetric capture, from configuring the systems to capturing our subjects and final output. Simultaneously, we will focus on fundamental aspects of portraiture, such as lighting, storytelling, production techniques, and historical foundations. The course will explain the techniques and considerations involved in creating volumetric portraits. Students will gain proficiency in the systems to produce high-quality volumetric portraits that can be integrated into different mediums, including game engines, augmented reality (AR), or traditional 2D outputs.

Communications Lab: Hypercinema or equivalent experience in time-based media and game engine fundamentals is required.

The eTextiles and Physical Computing course will focus on the practical application of electronics in textiles. Students will learn by doing, spending their time building circuits, soldering, programming, learning various textile construction techniques, and integrating sensors and controls into fabrics. The course aims to teach how both physical computing and textile technical skills to create interactive textile projects.

Prerequisite: Creative Computing (IMNY-UT 101)

A survey and hands-on workshop on AI augmentation of creative communication.

We will get hands-on with AI tools for photography, design, art, writing, UX, illustration, and video.
We will produce, critique, and exhibit creative work that tests the creative capabilities of these new AI tools.

Questions we will consider:
How does AI influence the creative process?
How does this new human/machine collaboration challenge my role as a creator?
Who is creating these new tools and how do they work?
What is the longer-term impact of AI technologies on the creative professions?
Our goals are to understand AI technology, use it to produce creative work, and use what we learn to influence the larger conversation about creativity and AI.

Will AI diminish or enhance human creativity? It’s up to us.

Ubiquitous, inexpensive, and often overlooked, cardboard can serve a wide variety of purposes. This two-credit studio class will familiarize students with this sustainable material while exploring its unique virtues and challenges. We will utilize techniques borrowed from disciplines such as sewing, woodworking, sculpture, packaging, origami, and papercraft. Projects will range from temporary, three-dimensional prototypes to sturdy, scalable finished products.

This course will explore current and historical misinformation, disinformation and propaganda campaigns in the global media landscape through the lens of visual information design. Students will identify misleading and malignant visual content in online and broadcast media and analyze it using a design framework grounded in information design principles, visual storytelling concepts, user research practices and journalistic ethics. Working in groups, students will apply the same design framework to create a media literacy campaign addressing a specific misinformation, disinformation or propaganda trend.

Time to get your hands dirty. Prototypes need to be created, motors have to be mounted, enclosures must be built. Understanding how things are fabricated makes you a better maker.

But hardware is hard. You can’t simply copy and paste an object or working device (not yet anyway), fabrication skills and techniques need to be developed and practiced in order to create quality work. You learn to make by doing.

In this class you will become familiar and comfortable with all the ITP/IMA shop has to offer. We will cover everything from basic hand tools to the beginnings of digital fabrication. You will learn to use the right tool for the job.

There will be weekly assignments created to develop your fabrication techniques. There will be in class lectures, demos, and building assignments. Emphasis will be put on good design practices, material choice, and craftsmanship.

For individuals with disabilities, custom adaptations can be critical for a myriad of activities, including work, play, daily living, and actively participating with family and community. Recent advancements in affordable DIY technologies have created opportunities for individuals and communities to build, modify, and adapt countless everyday items. This course examines accessibility and barriers to inclusion, the field of custom adaptations, and the open source and maker communities working together to deliver affordable solutions. Students will develop weekly prototypes as well as a final project.