one more: manuel de landa at my school in saas-fee, switzerland

yeh, seems heady—and it is in a way— but his lecture is brilliant (& you get an idea of the bender I lived yodelling my mind in the alps) at your will, maybe when you have more time
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mXzc1V2nTKk

the first part has an annoying noise (when wolfgang speaks) but it fades when manuel begins

Random Inspiration & question: need your feedback

Some stuff I was looking at lately & samples of Fassbinder's "Lola" (for photo gels' use). This one is not that great of a screenshot but you can google it or even better rent it.
Also, did you get the images david shot? if so, are you happy with them? I can have my friend come by class on tuesday and shoot (with us, not at the studio) but I need your feedback on that, if its necessary or not. Let me know.

and here are some interesting links, browse at your will:
slavoj zizek on love (he happens to be in buenos aires on this one, he's from slovenia)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TJPhA9TGRls

slavoj on toilets & semiotics
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AwTJXHNP0bg
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For the dance fans (me included, big time)
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yvtvG3ZL5C4

Pina Bausch: The Rite of Spring (Stravinsky)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=waL0m4h3yx8

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
john cage about silence (makes you flutter)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHnL7aS64Y

c.

Next week: IMPORTANT

here's what's due next week, final review & content specs.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
invite content:

- exhibition name
- exhibition logo
- exhibition dates (exhibitions usually last about 3 months)
- opening reception time & date: Tuesday Dec 4th, 3008 / 7pm-10pm (for example)
- location / place: exhibition address
- kindly rsvp at 310.000.000 (whatever number)
- usually has a little description of what the exhibition is about, one paragraph.
- sponsors? (can be set in type: for instance "Bla" is made possible in part through a grant form the James Irvine Foundation" etc / or include logos...although this sometimes looks crappy)

poster content:
same as above except without the opening night reception info & rsvp

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

web / indexhibit:
you need to set up a website for your project. I suggest you use indexhibit, it is very easy to use, maintain & upload:
http://www.indexhibit.org/
and you'll walk away from class with a portfolio piece ready to go, that's the plan.

Nancy is taking the role of figuring out what is needed to set the web up, so Nancy, let's plan on a lil demo next week so we're all good to go on that (I will also contribute) You can also check for yourselves in the link above, and "participants" gives you a sense of what is possible.
We can also use this blog as discussion forum during the week.
To set up mine I used my domain name, an ftp program (cyberduck), a "code" system (simultron) and a webhost (dreamhost)
http://www.dreamhost.com/

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
catalogue:

I want you to test printing & binding for next week. So bring in your books bound & trimmed to scale, printed & bound in the actual method and stock (paper) you will be using for the final. The point of this is to avert any problems that might occur, see how the ink falls on the paper etc.

supplies:
Visit Hiromi's in Sta Monica (Bergamot station), you can get all your supplies there (or check the sheet charles gave you) Figure out how you want to split materials (you can get a 1lt. bottle of glue & then split it, you can find small containers for the glue in beauty supply stores or blick)
http://www.hiromipaper.com/

at hiromi's: also check out papers & fabrics, they have really beautiful stuff.
threads: i believe they have them at hiromi's, otherwise you can check Joanna's fabrics or Michaels' (never mind the kitch factor there)

paper: go to kellypaper, you can get sample sheets, test them out & buy a ream if you like it (can split this too to cut costs)
blick also has some nice printable vellums if you're into that.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
process book:
bring all your printouts to class, we'll figure out a structure if you decide not to include this portion on the main catalog.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

photography:
David said he'd leave a master CD with yesterday's shots at Nik's office. maybe drop by, bring a CD and burn a copy, or your laptop or ipod or whatever works best for you. I'd be preferable if you arrange to go together or have someone distribute the CD contents, just so there's not all of you going into nik's office?

Also, in this regard, I'd like to get your feedback on the images. If you are not happy with them we can organize a re-shoot—or shoot it yourselves. If we do a re-shot, I'd do it next week, in class, with my friend Ji who is a pro, she's confimred that with me today, that way we can have a bit more control & I can give you my two cents. Let me know, I will base this on your comments, as this is aimed at helping you.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
environmental graphics:

haven't seen much of this figured out, so use the images to comp stuff out. I want to see this executed for final comments.
should include:
- logo
- intro text, (what the exhibit is about, can be the same text as in the invite, which in turn will translate to the web & catalog)
- object labels (these are pretty easy, usually around 4x 2.5, include pice name, artist name, dimensions, year created) Clearly, these won't show in the space due to scale, but I'd like to see them.
- any overarching message: i.e. big type treatment in the space, quotes etc.


I think that's it.
we'll review the project as a whole next week, see it all come together, so bring all materials.
any questions welcome

Thank you
c

week 12: photo shoot / review catalogue, poster, invite

Hi all,

Next week we will review the catalogue, poster & begin with the invite

for the shoot:
bring your models & artworks, complete.
have a good idea of how you want David help you create beautiful imagery for your book (lighting, angles, gels etc)
nb:if your artwork pieces are detachable (meaning not glued to the space) it could help in shooting them. If they are already glued we'll find a way around it.

for the catalogue:
I want to see a full dummy, folded & trimmed to scale, make sure you have your system & grid down. This entails the typographic language (with set hierarchies for heds. subheds, body copy, column width in relation to type size etc) & the sequential narrative (relationship of text to image & image sequence itself per chapter)
Remember, we are doing a book, not a magazine, so make sure you incorporate more text. think about when you read a book, it is not heavily designed, the text itself (language & typography, use of space in page) is what triggers the imagination...of course, accompanied by images, which should be specific to what you are designing towards: an exhibition catalog & its artworks.

poster:
I want to see 2 designs, two good ones, not roughs. Some of you have begun this and decided to make one poster for each artwork. I think that's a great idea.

invite: we will begin this for next week, bring some rough sketches, 2 minimum.

web:
we will begin this next week as well. The idea is that you walk away from class with a portfolio piece ready to go. I am a fan of simple, open-source sites and I'd like you to build your site using this program:

http://www.indexhibit.org/
it is very easy to use, easy to maintain and upload, look into it so get familiar with the way ot works. Once we get the final imagery next week it'd be simple for you to upload and translate your narrative online.

look at "participants" to see what people have done with the system/ format

question, let me know
bring working files to class, your laptop and printouts of all you have done so far,
This is a chance to get everything streamlined and review the process & design as whole, so the more you prepare the easier it will be on these last weeks.

thank you
c

Photo Shoot: Confirmed

hello hello

so I just received confirmation on our photo shoot for week 12,
We'll be shooting on stage 1, the photographer is David Smith and he specializes in architectural photography. So start thinking about how you want to art direct your shoot: what kind of light, angles & possibly gels you'd like to use. (A good reference for colour lighting are the Fassbinder movies, "Lola" I believe is a good one) We'll have 3 colour backdrops: white, gray & black, so think about that as well, which one works better for the type of image you want... you can also interchange them.

Enjoy!
c

Catalog: Bookbinding Tutorial

Hello,

So our bookbinding tutorial is confirmed for next week. We will have Charles Mohr in class doing a hands-on demo on different types of binding that apply to your projects. He will then provide you with a vendor's contact sheet so you can get the necessary materials (you can share these to cut costs) I have him scheduled from 4-7pm. This is a great chance for you to ask him questions, and it will be very helpful since you will have your book dummies done. He might use one for the demo and you will then be able to make & bind your own book.

This being the case, it means we have less time for crits, so I'll be thorough and precise, and I'll require focus on your side. If need be, I'm happy to stay after class to make sure all questions are answered.

This will be fun!
c

nb: please read the 2 posts below that outline the assignment deliverables & presentation technique in detail.

What's Next: one last thing

For next class I want you to put all your books on a table for presentation. We will have a comments / feedback sheet next to each project in which you will critique your peer's work.
We will spend about 30 min on this and then move to individual crits taking into account these comments.

Bring all your printouts. all the work you've done so far as we will use it to generate the process book structure and also pick up on stuff that is relevant and might need to be brought to light.

This includes shots of your artwork, which I forgot to mention, should be photographed individually as well. Think of each piece as an object you are documenting, like a portrait.

ALSO:
if you know a photo student that can collaborate with us please let me know, I do not have a photographer confirmed for w12 and we need that. I will post an ad tomorrow at the photo dept, but any recommendation from you would be great.


thxs
questions welcome
c

What's Next

hello all,

Lovely to spend time with you yesterday, glad you came out & we had a chance to share our stories. We'll do it again but let's see when

Back to work, here's me being perfectly honest:
The work presented yesterday was incomplete for most of you or not up to the standard I expect after 3 weeks of discussing the catalog. This is a very important piece and you need to show me you're on top of it. It is a great chance to make something relevant & beautiful, don't slack as it will come back to you. We have 3 more crits and need to cover a poster, an invitation card and a web component, so use your time wisely.

Overall you are behind on this process, so for next class I want to see a full mockup of your book; in actual scale, with all content in place (text and images). We're not experimenting anymore, now it's time to get it done.

ASSIGNMENT: Full Catalog comp trimmed to actual scale
this is what this entails:

- A book dummy or mockup is a comp of the entire object, trimmed to scale in the way it will actually be produced. this is how I want you to present next time: no flat printouts, but rather the whole book with all pages / narrative in sequence. So if you're doing french fold for instance: bring all your pages folded as they will appear, this means adjusting your pagination in indesign so that when you print & fold the spreads match. (Same analogy for other binding processes)

- structure:
this is the most important aspect of the book, it is the spinal chord to call it something, and it is your grid in relationship to your storyline. Remember, the grid is not a restraining setup, it is actually mapping in space. Another easy analogy: think of building a house, you plan it first, then you build it and then you put in the furniture. Or a film, divided into acts that correlate to tell a story, editing being akin to section dividers, chapters etc.

- language:
All of your language needs to be in place. We have been working on this for about 4 weeks so I expect it to be close to done by now. This means: you need to define the narrative sequence, your chapters, how they follow each other, how they tell a story in sequence. Each chapter needs to have its appropriate text in place (if you are still writing some of it, then estimate a word count for each chapter, incoporate or make space in your layout by using dummy text which you will then replace with the final. Don't let the text stop you, plan ahead)

- typography:
this is the voice / voices that tell your story. The organism of language, how it behaves, its rhythms, its relationship to space (page) it's weight, scale etc. You have been getting feedback on this, move forward with the insights we've shared and nail this down. Doing the full scale comp will bring to light what is working and what is not, both in structure & sequence.

- imagery / photography art direction:
I want you to document your model in these ways:

a) TOP VIEW: do a schematic of your space, a diagram (line drawing) a floor plan (this is not shot, cleary) but it should include descriptions of its main components: entry, artwork placement, artwork name (if relevant) etc. AND shoot a top view image of your space.
(note: for the diagram you can do this in sketup also)

b) FRONT VIEW: shoot your model in front view mode. The aim here is to see the model as objectively as possible, as an object. Your image should have space around it, this is not a close up.

c) SIDE VIEWS: Do a 360 sequence around your object where you shoot it in all possible angles. Again not a close up but a look into it from all sides.

d) MEDIUM SHOTS: here's where you get closer to your object to reveal its intricacies. Focus on revealing its main components, angles, zoom in on artworks but keep reference of their placement in space etc. You can play more here but I want full coverage and it needs to feel like we are moving into / through the space. Shoot straight on, then tilt your camera up (as in a slight bird's eye view, and tilt the camera low as if you were seeing it form the POV of the audience—cover all pov's)

e) CLOSE UPS: Here's where you focus on details: artworks & exhibition grahics and you open up the space photographically. The aim here is to take the viewer into the space, as if we were walking through it, inhabiting it. (you can achieve some of this in the medium shots but this is a closer look)

f) EXTREME CLOSE UP: the nitty gritty, use a macro lens to highlight specifics. A macro will make your space look huge, so use it to your advantage.

I want at least 20 images MINIMUM per setup. The point of this is to document your spatial narrative photographically, arrange it sequentially in your book (in relationship to text & language content, these would be your placeholder images) and also to determine how you will art direct the photoshoot on week 12. The more you prepare the better off you'll be, the better images you'll get.

Note: In the images above I want to see your environmental graphics, these should include:
- your logo as it would appear in the exhibit (keep in mind scale in relationship to audience)
- an intro text to the exhibition (artist statement, what the exhibition explores, is about)
- object labels that give artist name, name of piece, date created and possibly a small description)
- typographic statements: here's where you place your language / narrative in space. It can be bolder in scale, be allegorical in tone etc but it needs to be directly related to the language & sequence you are using in your catalog. So the walls here are your pages. I need to be able to look at these and follow a storyline.

You will present the environmental graphics in your catalog and in the model. So for the catalog pics you can do this in two ways:
1) shoot the relevant wall where the text will be and comp up the type in photoshop (don't do type in psd, import it from ai)
2) do the type in sketchup and bring screenshots.
Important thing to consider here: the style of your imagery. We want it to be cohesive, so if you do sketchup pics make sure they work with the photographic pics.

Front, spine & back cover:
- I want to see two versions of these, to scale, trimmed. Again, this could lead to your poster so be smart when you create these. Include your logo.

- stock:
do your dummy using the actual sheets you will print the final catalog in. This will help you determine if the sheets are too heavy, too light, how they fold, if the ink chips when you fold, if the ink bleeds or smears etc. If you are combining the catalog with the process book bring appropriate stock for each. You can go to kelly paper to see samples.

- inks:
you will do a 4/4 book (meaning full colour on both sides of the sheet) 4/4 accommodates for your exhibition pictures, which are full colour. You can, for instance, decide that some of your pages will be 1 colour or 2, this will differentiate content structurally, so make sure your choice is appropriate (this would work, for instance, if you combine the catalog & process book in one)


Any questions let me know,
I look forward to seeing your work. No exceptions.
thank u
c

for sole

Schedule, Ideas & Celebration

I think its time to celebrate this country re-inventing itself! so I propose a glass of wine or beer or water or whatever your prefer after class next week, but it would be nice to go out together and just celebrate the fact that we are sharing this point in time; any suggestions welcome, (I prefer dive bars) let me know if you're in.

and on another note, here's what i am projecting for our class:
- I want to bring in a bookbinder for a tutorial, likely nov 18th (week 11), I am making arrangements with steve & nik to pursue this.
- I'd like all of you to have excellent imagery for your catalog, so I am speaking with a photographer to see if she can shoot your models professionally nov 25 (week 12). Will let you know if I can book her and book a space at the photo studio. You guys interested in this?
(clearly this means having you space complete by that time: artworks & graphics)

cheers
c

GO OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & assignments for next week

i know i probably shouldn't show political inclination, but what the hell, i will.

so moving on to our next class, this is what you need to bring (btw, I am very excited about what all of you are doing, i think all of you will end up with some beautiful, strong work)

catalog:
- mapping content: this is the thumbnail page / sequential layout we spoke about yesterday. think of it as doing storyboards for a movie, where you arrange and organize content per section (chapters). This is the blueprint that determines the flow of the book (sequential narrative), the thickness of the book, which in turn relates directly with how you will bind it and construct it as an object, a sculptural-cinematic piece.
So for instance, chapter 1 has 20 pages, 1200 words and 10 images. chapter 2 has 30 pages, 3000 words, 20 images etc....map it all
the most important thing is to create a foundation, a framework that will house your content, this is what this "mapping" is all about (similar to building a house, or a space where characters and stories travel through)

-table of contents: very important also, ties in directly with mapping above. Define your chapters and what content corresponds to each (text & image)

-content: the content of the book is all the work you have developed so far, and the purpose of the catalog is to promote & document your exhibition and its artwork. When generating text you can use your research (everything we've done so far comes together in this piece)

-format: we will do two books for this class, one is the catalog, the other is a process book. These can be combined into one book or be produced separately, I leave that up to you. If combined they need to be differentiated, so for instance you can say: the catalog is full colour on matte paper, the process part is on lighter weight sheets with one ink only and lives in the second half of the book etc... you decide. When figuring this out think of the implications this carries. A polished catalog in itself is more "official" the process book is more experiential, intimate in how it involves the reader into your thinking process. These are not mutually exclusive forms of perception, and you can "combine" the two books in format even if they are separate entities (for example, by giving them the same size or translated aesthetic, easy example: order and chaos within the same identity)

assignment:
A) I want to see 5 spreads per section (chapter). print these out in their actual format (size). Your grid needs to be in place as well as your typographic language, imagery & hierarchy. Here is where we see the book taking form as a narrative through space (in the movement of each page)
B) The covers are usually the last thing you design in a book but playing around doesn't hurt. So bring 3 ideas for front / back / spine. Your grid and assignment A will inform this.
C) Bring 2 rough sketches for posters, can be BW. I want to see what you're thinking as far as imagery & typography. Again, this ties in with your book covers.

if you have any questions let me know
and don't forget the environmental graphics! these will also be informed by the assignments above and will become easier to articulate. Some of you have great ideas for these.

have a great one!
c

and read "the invention of morel" it's a mind bender (author: Adolfo Bioy Casares)

Our presentation, guys!!!!

sorry, I could only up load half of the photos for now. There is more coming...