Non-Linear Narrative
RTF 331Q, Unique 07145
RTF 393Q, Unique 07575
Mondays and Wednesdays, 1pm-4pm
CMB Studio 4B and other locations (TBA)
Spring, 2005
Instructor: Dr. Samantha Krukowski
samantha@rasa.net
Office hours: Mondays 4-6pm
UA9 2.112K, 471-4222
TA: Tray Duncan
tduncan@mail.utexas.edu
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Non-Linear Narrative is a studio about experimental writing techniques and production
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Things to buy (or get)
Glue (RC 56 or Neutral Ph Adhesive)
Xacto knife and blades, self-healing cutting mat
Scissors
Packet of origami paper
1 large pad newsprint paper
Lots of paper, in multiple varieties (NO colored construction paper, please)
Pencils and pens, multiple varieties, thicknesses and hardnesses
Paints, inks, other media of interest to you (this is your chance to experiment!)
Paint brushes
Pencil sharpener
Tuff stuff eraser (or another good brand)
String, fishing line, thread, needles (if you want to sew)
A recording device
If you can, an external Firewire HD, otherwise, archival media as needed (CD-R, DVD-R, mini-DV, etc.)
Materials will vary for each project. Costs are a function of time and materials. The cost of materials can be altered somewhat by decisions you make (i.e.: resource pooling, bulk ordering, alternative methods). Be ready to spend what is required to effectively execute your work and to coordinate your efforts to lower prices.
Places to buy such stuff: The University Co-op, Asel Art, Miller Blueprint, Jerry’s Artarama, Hobby Lobby. There are many online resources, and better art supply stores in Houston than in Austin.
Equipment on reserve
The list of equipment reserved for this class in Equipment Checkout (2nd floor, CMB) is available to you online here:
equipment list
Studio 4B
Schedule and proctor skills sheet online here:
4B
Things to know
Of primary importance should be your engagement with your work, your investment in the labor of making it, your dedication to the evolution of your own sensibility, your concern for craft, and your perseverance in completing individual projects while allowing each one to serve as a ground for the next.
You should be self-motivated to succeed in this course. Work is cumulative. If you are not used to setting your own goals and keeping a fast pace you may have trouble participating and producing work. We are here to help you as you develop ideas, interests and questions. Be prepared to work hard, collaborate with others, stretch your boundaries, share what you learn. Students with no prior background in analog or digital arts are discouraged from taking the course, though there are always exceptions.
Questions you have and develop may be resolved by practice or by other types of inquiry--theoretical, philosophical, scientific, poetic, etc. There should be times during the semester that you get stuck. You should develop the tools to unstick yourself. If you don’t know what to make, go look at what other people have made. If you don’t know what to say, go read something or watch something or listen to someone interesting. If you are still stuck, in all probability you are not making enough stuff to get yourself moving toward a question you can answer through practice or thought. A motto for the course: Make, make, make. If you show up for help, you will be asked what you are making and for evidence of your efforts and research in the direction of your inquiries.
Your technical ability will increase in proportion to your effort. Be resourceful. There are many, many online tutorials and resources for various programs. Lab facilities are limited which necessitates cooperative scheduling. You may need to use resources in several locations, and finding the right equipment at the right time will probably require initiative on your part.
Other details
The course has a listserv: nlnarrative05@lists.cc.utexas.edu. Your e-mail address will be added to the listserv after the first week of class. Use this listserv to communicate with us, your fellow students, ask technical questions, contribute ideas, share resources. In addition, you are encouraged to join the Converge listserv, a listserv populated by many of my ex-students and others who are involved with work of the kind you will be doing in this class; it is an additional resource for you during and after this course.
Things you should already have with you: some foundation in the arts, a basic understanding of digital imaging, sound and video, familiarity with website design and production. Remember, the prerequisite for this class is RTF 319 or its demonstrated equivalent.
Readings
I ask that you purchase the following (sources up to you):
Folding Architecture: Spatial, Structural and Organizational Diagrams (Sophia Vyzoviti)
A Humument (Tom Phillips, *being reprinted but try to find it; on reserve)
Johanna Drucker, The Century of Artists' Books
In addition:
There is a reserve list for this course at the Fine Arts Library. I have compiled an additional list of books for you that extend the field for our discussions and production. Take advantage of this catered-to-you mini library. Note there are many artists’ books in the Humanities Research Center (HRC) collections and these are available to you when you visit the HRC.
To see the reserve list for this course online, go to: http://reserves.lib.utexas.edu/courseindex.asp or to my website http://www.aces.utexas.edu/sam/professorial/currentcourses.html (click on “reserve list” for the course).
Grading
Projects 1-4 including online documentation 80%
Participation and Presentation 20%
A high grade will be assigned to those students who work hard, participate extensively and continuously, demonstrate a clear understanding of the readings and course concepts, and produce work that shows evolution in terms of sensibility, process, craft, scope and final composition | work. The standard grade rules apply: A=excellent, B=good, C=average, D=below average, F=failing. Remember that C is an average grade and only students who reach beyond this level will earn a higher grade.
A failing grade will be assigned to any student who does not complete all of the projects, misses more than three class sessions, and / or who misses any part of any review.
Documentation and presentation are both large parts of your participation in the course—invest in them.
As in any creative class, grading criteria are necessarily subjective. You may not agree with our personal evaluation, but decisions are final and no post-grading negotiation will be permitted. I discourage incompletes.
Projects
#1A Folding Architecture | Pop-Up Book | Bookbinding Presentation
#1B Architecture Book
Make a book that treats each page as an architectural (three dimensional) space. Produce the book and hand-bind it. Your book should be exquisitely crafted and should be something you would find on a shelf in a bookstore; something you would want to buy. Hint: Make a lot of models and sketches.
#2 Re-Text
Find a book that fascinates you, with or without images, paperback or hardback, old or new. Rewrite it, using our discussion of Tom Phillips and Roland Barthes to guide you. Challenge the verb “to write” considerably—your interventions should take multiple forms. The quality of your craft and the nature and structure of your interventions are very important.
#3 Tape Experiment
Using any kind of recording device, capture aspects of the aural environment that interest you. Combine and recombine until you are satisfied. Output in two parts: transcribed to text, mp3.
#4 Artist Book
Make a book that investigates the page, the word, the image, and relationships between them. Our discussions about artist books, collage and cut-ups should inform your work. Play with issues of transparency, opacity, repetition, continuity, temporality, hiding, disclosure, discovery. Attend closely to the overall design, composition, color palette and typography of your book. The craft of your book should be impeccable. Hint: (again) Make a lot of models and sketches.
Documentation and Presentation
• Website and CD-ROM
Throughout the semester you are required develop a website that documents and extends your work in the course. This site should be designed in such a way that it evokes the character of the work you pursue and complete. In a sense it is your semester-long and ultimate narrative project. Use your site as much to document your work as to order it, extend it, and discover things about it.
You will be given a personal directory on the Convergent Media server where you can store your files. Post-dates for online project representation are the same as project due dates. At the end of the semester this website and its dependent files should be duplicated on a CD-ROM for archival purposes and turned in.
• Mini-DV tapes
Any video project must be duplicated on mini-DV tape and handed in at the end of the semester for archival purposes.
• Semester presentations
In addition to your required presentation, you will be asked often to discuss readings, ideas and the progress of your work with the class and /or visitors. Be prepared for these discussions, and participate in them fully.
Faculty Information
To find out more about Samantha Krukowski see: http://www.rasa.net
University Speak
Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. Scholastic dishonest damages both the student's learning experience and readiness for the future demands of a work-career. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student Judicial services Web site at http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/.
About services for students with disabilities: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.
About the Undergraduate Writing Center: The Undergraduate Writing Center, located in the FAC 211, phone 471-6222, offers individualized assistance to students who want to improve their writing skills. There is no charge, and students may come in on a drop-in or appointment basis.