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Fashion Design I builds the skills and talents required to achieve creative fashion. This class teaches the design fundamentals of the integrated core fashion design curriculum. Students will engage multiple skills to create individual, visionary, unconventional garments, and later, collections. Through a series of projects, students explore form, silhouette, volume, and research in design to arrive at a personal point-of-view in fashion. This course will specifically ask students to work conceptually and to develop research methodologies in their design work. Based on this inquiry, students generate sketches and surface treatments to refine their unique silhouettes and material manipulations. No prerequisite.

Form and Meaning is a rigorous investigation of the art of moving image editing and provides a historical and theoretical understanding of both classical film editing and newer modes and models of editing and perception. The course provides a working foundation and framework.

A close reading of films will train the student in the core aesthetic decisions, structures, strategies and demands of editing cinematic works. In addition, we will look at examples and discuss how editing functions for the installation artist, and further, how the Internet, New Media, television and video art have made an impact on concepts surrounding editing. Weekly readings will expand on the work presented in class.

Students should expect to research and write both a midterm and final papers as well as a few short responses to works presented in class. Form and Meaning is a theory-based seminar and is not designed to offer critique for works in progress.

In this intensive winter seminar, students will dive into the art of puppetry and object-based storytelling, mastering hands-on skills in puppet creation, animation, and performance. This immersive experience offers a rare opportunity to collaborate with renowned national and international artists both on-campus and at some of Chicago¿s iconic art venues. Over three weeks, students will attend live performances, participate in skill-building workshops, and engage in community and academic discussions on the evolving field of international puppetry. With a rich itinerary that includes artist talks, seminars, and workshops in partnership with Chicago¿s International Puppetry Festival, students will gain a comprehensive perspective on the art form.

The course begins by exploring historical and contemporary object manipulation techniques in performance, where students will learn foundational exercises focused on bunraku, or group coordinated manipulation of an object and develop their own unique stories. Next, students will delve into toy theatre, creating miniature worlds and stories using small-scale objects. Finally, guided by visiting international artists, students will build large-scale spectacle puppets, culminating in a site-specific performance that showcases the transformational power of puppetry in storytelling.

Students are introduced to the fundamental principles and practices of woodworking through lectures, demonstrations, and projects.

Various investigations are conducted regarding traditional and alternative shoe design and assembly. Assigned readings and discussions focus on history, materials, the designers, lifestyle, terminology and processes, and the involvement of feet and shoes in art. Emphasis is placed on interpreting the foot and shoe for visual presentations and experimenting with components for artistic and practical expression. Final critiques include presentations of one of half pairs of shoes and sandals, illustrations, weekly clipping files and a thematic selection of thematic original ideas. Group critiques are scheduled several times during the semester. Weekly slide lectures, field trips, guest lectures or demonstration enable students to develop their ideas in the studio with a focus on fit and originality.

Artists¿ Books is a beginning/intermediate level course that focuses on the fundamental techniques of bookbinding so as to be able to design and produce one or an edition of artists¿ books and boxes. The class begins by learning a range of traditional binding techniques, discussing material choices, and learning about the history of artists¿ books. Later on breaking out of the box to take risks, explore concepts and unconventional materials will be strongly encouraged for individual projects. In addition, the intention of this class is to meld your own studio work and personal expression with the form of artists¿ books.

Through this course, students will learn techniques traditionally used in working with fur to reimagine materials from faux fur and upcycled materials, to felt, leather, suede and woven fabrics. Focused in the introduction and use of specialized industrial sewing machines specifically designed to stitch fur like materials, students will learn designing, pattern cutting, and construction for garments and accessories, and will explore the history and future of fur and fur like fabrics both as a material and an embellishment. Students will design and create one full garment.

This drawing studio serves as a broad introduction to historical and contemporary drawing practices. This course presents drawing as an organizer of thought, experience, and image.

Students will investigate a full range of drawing materials and supports. Lectures and exercises introduce various concepts of drawing, possibly including illusionistic form and space, gesture and expressive mark-making, or collage and found imagery, depending on the instructor?s emphasis.

Designed to accommodate many skill levels, students can explore various creative strategies through technical drawing exercises, material explorations, and individual projects. Structured classroom critiques will bring drawing concepts into personal student work.

This course examines neon techniques used in both traditional and current sign making and their application in creating artworks. Contemporary technical developments are explored.

This furniture studio will critically engage the chair as an archetype. Chairs have long been a fascination of designers as they require a developed understanding of structure, material, and form. Importantly, chairs represent the cultural mores of the time in which they are produced and are inextricably linked to larger systems of power, technology, and economy. This course will explore the chair as a fluid, dynamic furniture category that is in a reciprocal relationship with culture, technology, and politics and will emphasize a hands-on approach to design and production.

This furniture studio will critically engage the chair as an archetype. Chairs have long been a fascination of designers as they require a developed understanding of structure, material, and form. Importantly, chairs represent the cultural mores of the time in which they are produced and are inextricably linked to larger systems of power, technology, and economy. This course will explore the chair as a fluid, dynamic furniture category that is in a reciprocal relationship with culture, technology, and politics and will emphasize a hands-on approach to design and production.

Join our trip to Peru to discover a unique experience while gaining insight into South America's large tradition of textile crafts as well as other artistic practices. In addition to our in-depth study of textiles, we will also concentrate on art as a catalyst for intercultural exchange, focusing on the rich vibrant indigenous Quechuan communities of the Peruvian Highlands. During the course students will have a series of practicums focusing on backstrap weaving, service projects, ritualistic ceremonies, and interactions with local indigenous communities, as we will embrace cultural tourism as a means of inter-cultural exchange through our social interactions. Another focus is the pre-Hispanic archaeological sites located in the Sacred Valley, with a visit to Machu Picchu as a highlight.

Join our trip to Peru to discover a unique experience while gaining insight into South America's large tradition of textile crafts as well as other artistic practices. In addition to our in-depth study of textiles, we will also concentrate on art as a catalyst for intercultural exchange, focusing on the rich vibrant indigenous Quechuan communities of the Peruvian Highlands. During the course students will have a series of practicums focusing on backstrap weaving, service projects, ritualistic ceremonies, and interactions with local indigenous communities, as we will embrace cultural tourism as a means of inter-cultural exchange through our social interactions. Another focus is the pre-Hispanic archaeological sites located in the Sacred Valley, with a visit to Machu Picchu as a highlight.

Contemporary Art in India has evolved rapidly over the past 30 years but artists have never lost sight of the nation¿s complex and layered regional history. While the urban centers of Delhi and Mumbai house international galleries, museums and art fairs, there are local communities that have created alternative hubs for art making. This class will explore the contemporary art worlds of India, starting in Mumbai, the site of India¿s first modernist movement, the Bombay Progressives, and visit world class galleries and museums in the former colonial district of Colaba. We will then tour the 8th-12th century cave temples of Elephanta, and even older caves of Ellora and Ajanta, which inspired post-independence artists to look back at their local sculptural traditions. We will then visit the former Portuguese colony of Goa where the critically acclaimed performance artist Nikhil Chopra (b. 1974) runs an art space, residency and performance collective, HH Arts Foundation. The trip will culminate in Varanasi, the spiritual heart of India, where students will be given the opportunity to occupy a studio space at the Kriti art residency and spend several days making art with local materials. At each site, students will participate in hands-on workshops, walking tours, studio visits, scholarly lectures and meet people engaged in making contemporary art outside of white cube spaces. Special emphasis will be given on artists who work on issues of individual and collective identities, and work on art and ecology, sustainability, and historically marginalized voices and narratives. The idea of a portable studio will be the way that each participant engages the trip on a daily basis in journaling, documentation, research, drawing, or collage. Mapping the experience of our travel and articulating a point of view through personal recording in a chosen medium will come together in a gallery exhibition/presentation in Varanasi where students will be artist-in-residence in an internationally known residency and art center.

Contemporary Art in India has evolved rapidly over the past 30 years but artists have never lost sight of the nation¿s complex and layered regional history. While the urban centers of Delhi and Mumbai house international galleries, museums and art fairs, there are local communities that have created alternative hubs for art making. This class will explore the contemporary art worlds of India, starting in Mumbai, the site of India¿s first modernist movement, the Bombay Progressives, and visit world class galleries and museums in the former colonial district of Colaba. We will then tour the 8th-12th century cave temples of Elephanta, and even older caves of Ellora and Ajanta, which inspired post-independence artists to look back at their local sculptural traditions. We will then visit the former Portuguese colony of Goa where the critically acclaimed performance artist Nikhil Chopra (b. 1974) runs an art space, residency and performance collective, HH Arts Foundation. The trip will culminate in Varanasi, the spiritual heart of India, where students will be given the opportunity to occupy a studio space at the Kriti art residency and spend several days making art with local materials. At each site, students will participate in hands-on workshops, walking tours, studio visits, scholarly lectures and meet people engaged in making contemporary art outside of white cube spaces. Special emphasis will be given on artists who work on issues of individual and collective identities, and work on art and ecology, sustainability, and historically marginalized voices and narratives. The idea of a portable studio will be the way that each participant engages the trip on a daily basis in journaling, documentation, research, drawing, or collage. Mapping the experience of our travel and articulating a point of view through personal recording in a chosen medium will come together in a gallery exhibition/presentation in Varanasi where students will be artist-in-residence in an internationally known residency and art center.

Despite rumors to the contrary, New York City remains the center of the contemporary art world, the place where a staggering quantity of art is produced, exhibited, purchased, interpreted, and evaluated. One way to make sense of the city¿s complexity and energy is to trace the dynamic pathways through which art travels: the connections between artists, dealers, institutions, and critical voices. During two intensely busy weeks in January, this study trip will investigate the full range of contemporary art production in the city, visiting artists' studios, non-profit spaces and publications, residencies, commercial galleries, and major museums. Team-taught by artist / theorist Aliza Shvarts and critic / art historian Daniel Quiles, both of whom have lived and worked in New York, the class will benefit from numerous ¿behind-the-scenes¿ opportunities with artists, critics, curators, and dealers.

Despite rumors to the contrary, New York City remains the center of the contemporary art world, the place where a staggering quantity of art is produced, exhibited, purchased, interpreted, and evaluated. One way to make sense of the city¿s complexity and energy is to trace the dynamic pathways through which art travels: the connections between artists, dealers, institutions, and critical voices. During two intensely busy weeks in January, this study trip will investigate the full range of contemporary art production in the city, visiting artists' studios, non-profit spaces and publications, residencies, commercial galleries, and major museums. Team-taught by artist / theorist Aliza Shvarts and critic / art historian Daniel Quiles, both of whom have lived and worked in New York, the class will benefit from numerous ¿behind-the-scenes¿ opportunities with artists, critics, curators, and dealers.

This course investigates strategies to develop and maintain a painting practice within the context of a home or off-campus studio. Painting materials, application, color, form, and contemporary and traditional methodologies will all be examined. Focus will be given to the development of safe home studio practices. Designed to accommodate many skill levels, students will explore various creative strategies through a skill-based curriculum as well as individual projects

Lectures and assignments will focus on developing a home studio practice, as well as contemporary painting in general. Students will review a wide variety of current and past painters, with emphasis placed on diversity and recontextualization of the traditional canon. PTDW/StudioLab-developed content for a safe home studio practice, including readings and video tutorials, will be shared and explored. Other critical readings may be assigned at the discretion of the faculty. The course leaves room for differing approaches by section and faculty, much like a Multi-level Painting course, but with an added focus on home studio practice.

Course work will vary by section, but will typically include a mixture of short, focused studio assignments, in combination with longer, individually driven projects. Critiques and one-on-one discussion will occur throughout the semester, culminating in a final critique, based on work created throughout the semester, or on a culminating independent project. Readings and tutorials on home studio practice will be assigned throughout the semester as needed.

This course is an introduction to the User Interface (UI) / User Experience (UX) principles, issues, and methods of user-centered responsive web design (mobile, tablet, and laptop).
Students design a website of their choice, in two ways. The first way is making the website with Figma (2 weeks), and the second way translates the Figma website into a simplified HTML/ CSS website made with Dreamweaver (1 week).
Principles, issues and methods explored include: problem-solving processes, content organization / wireframes, navigation strategies, usability principles, interface look and feel, interface design elements, user requirements /specifications, audience analysis, and professional best practices.
This course is for students from all departments who may have no previous web design experience, as well as those with some experience who want to explore web design in new ways. There are no prerequisites for this course, and all necessary software skills will be taught in class.

HTML defines the structure of a web page, while CSS lends style by controlling the presentation of elements. This online course caters to students with little or no prior coding experience. Through hands-on coding modules, students will use a text editing program to acquire proficiency in standards-compliant HTML and CSS. A strong emphasis on redundancy will ensure that coding concepts are fully understood and best practices reinforced. Students will undertake research, design, and coding tasks to create a fully functional, responsive website. With a solid understanding of HTML and CSS, students will explore opportunities to develop dynamic web pages that adapt seamlessly to different devices and screen sizes. Additionally, students will investigate interface possibilities, evaluate site navigation opportunities, and analyze the effectiveness of various page structures in communicating information effectively and efficiently. There are no prerequisites for this course.

What does it mean to think well? In this course we will explore classical logic from a modern formal point of view as a prerequisite for investigating this question. Topics covered will include propositional logic, truth tables, validity and soundness of arguments, inductive vs. deductive logical systems. There will be significant emphasis on natural deduction as a type of game that features its own particular set of permissible moves?much like chess or checkers. This is not a course focused on rhetoric or debate, but rather on the experimental creative process of constructing logically sound arguments and the way in which abstract information can be organized visually. In our exploration of these subjects, collaborative learning techniques will be utilized extensively. This will include in-class group work, regular homework assignments, a two-stage collaborative midterm. The final will be a self-directed project. A familiarity with any kind of mathematics, such as a high-school-level understanding of algebra, would be helpful, but it is not required.

This course examines the unique role that music has played in the cultural development of the United States, taking a critical look at the historical and geographical context for the development of American musical styles, including the role of slavery. We will critically engage the role that 19th Century blackface and minstrelsy played in providing the framework for both the foundations of the popular culture industry, and the conditions that resulted in the construction of cultural 'blackness.' We will examine the various regional styles of music that have developed in the United States, including the blues, ragtime, spirituals, country, jazz, bluegrass, and folk music, noting the manner in which style and gesture is traded back and forth. We will identify the musical characteristics of the primary styles of early American music, what distinguishes each, and trace their evolution to the music we listen to today. By spotting the way a note is bent or how the backbeat is played, we will map the route from the churches of the early frontier to the songs of Kendrick Lamar. Assignments may include weekly readings, approximately 3 short papers, one term paper, a final exam, and an in-class presentation, presented either alone or in a small group.

This class provides a basic introduction to the conceptual and quantitative framework necessary to understand the physics of the dynamical world around us. Some questions we address are: What do we need to know to describe motion? How do we model the movement of objects (kinematics)? What makes an object move (interactions, dynamics)? What different ways do we have to think about motion (forces, energy)?

Reviewing skills in algebra as we go, we cover Newton's laws of motion and the analysis of physical systems in terms of forces and energy. We study the motion of objects on surfaces and those moving through the air. We take an introductory look at the forces of gravity and surface forces like friction and the so-called normal force. Some time will be spent studying the lack of motion, or static equilibrium. Laboratory and problem solving explorations help us develop important physical concepts and scientific reasoning skills. Applications are drawn from everyday phenomena as well as topics in architecture and design.

Assignments include weekly homework, in-class problem solving and lab activities, two to three exams, and a short final project on a topic of the student's choosing.

A film is a composition of moving images and (usually) sounds that constructs a world, a world typically pervaded by some sort of tension or problem. A film can be said to imagine this tense or problematic world, to think through it, and to offer it to us, its spectators, to imagine and to think through as well. Often, the worlds and problems imagined in cinema are philosophically rich: they present metaphysical paradoxes, ethical dilemmas, existential conundrums, socio-political impasses, and aesthetic provocations. In such cases, to imagine and think through a cinematic world entails a kind of cross-pollination of philosophy and film, in which we approach film philosophically and philosophy cinematically. In this course we pursue this bi-directional approach to cinema and philosophy, exploring the ways in which philosophical concepts and arguments clarify and deepen our understanding of films and the ways in which films think through and give a kind of sensuous flesh to philosophical problems. We will read excerpts from several philosophical texts covering topics in film aesthetics, metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy, including Susanne Langer¿s ¿A Note on the Film,¿ Bertrand Russell¿s The Problems of Philosophy, Friedrich Nietzsche¿s ¿On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense,¿ Robert Nozick¿s Philosophical Explanations, Simone Weil¿s ¿The Iliad, or the Poem of Force,¿ and Erich Fromm¿s On Disobedience. We will watch ten films drawn from across film history and around the world, including Agnès Varda¿s Cléo from 5 to 7, Duncan Jones¿s Moon, Akira Kurosawa¿s Rashomon, Steve McQueen¿s Lovers Rock, Lucrecia Martel¿s Zama, Mathieu Kassovitz¿s Hate, Abbas Kiarostami¿s Where Is the Friend¿s House?, the Coen brothers¿ No Country for Old Men, Spike Lee¿s Do the Right Thing, and Michel Gondry¿s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. You will be required to watch most of these movies outside of class, but in two or three instances we will have in-class screenings. Coursework will include short Canvas Discussion Board posts, one in-class presentation, and a final paper.

Since the early twentieth century, radio technology has shaped innovations in communication, news, and entertainment. This powerful medium has driven political influences, established cultural trends, generated communal listenership, and diminished spatial boundaries for the dissemination of information. Radio served as a precursor for later forms of mass media such as television, the Internet, and podcasts. This course will address the history, theory, and aesthetics of radio transmission in Europe and North America. Through lectures, discussion, listening, reading, and writing, students will explore radio?s influence on social habits, political dynamics, and artistic expression.

This course is an introduction to the principles of ecology, emphasizing detailed field investigations of natural communities. Natural History studies allow for many aspects of knowledge to be applied to the understanding of a Biological concept. Among the topics explored are the dynamics of lake ecosystems, forest succession, trophic structure in streams, dune ecology, and territorial behavior in breeding birds and mammals. Lecture/Discussions examine major themes in modern ecology, including energy flow, nutrient cycling, and species diversity. Selections from nineteenth- and twentieth-century American naturalists (Thoreau, Muir, Burroughs, and Leopold) provide perspective on the relationship of humanity to nature. Global warming and pollution dynamics are explored. Lab activities at the Field Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Shedd Aquarium strengthen the understanding of these concepts.

This course will incorporate field observations in the natural environment surrounding Saugatuck, Michigan into the study of animal behavior. Students will formulate and test hypotheses through the acquisition of data in the field. Topics covered include classical learning and instinct, reproductive behaviors, and interactions between and within species. Note: SCIENCE 3521 Animal Behavior is a separate course and may be taken for credit in addition to this one.

An exploration of historical and contemporary psychological approaches to understanding art, artists, and the art world.

Freud's psychotherapeutic practice and analytic theory of the complex nature of the human psyche, for instance his 'discovery' of unconscious mental processes, were profoundly influential for a variety of thinkers and practitioners, including Frantz Fanon, and critical theorists of the Frankfurt School such as Theodor W. Adorno. In this course, we read widely from Freud's writings and those he influenced, including the above authors, with attention to the societal implications of Freud's approach to subjectivity.

In this course, students will explore and create their own definitions of success, starting with their preconceived notions of what it means to be a successful artist. We will break down outdated expectations and myths and will rebuild unique, personal, and fulfilling plans for a creative life. Through writing, mentoring, and research students will explore career paths and what it means to live the flexible and nuanced life of an artist.

We will investigate a number of topics and tools that support a career in the arts, including: mind-mapping, goal-setting, creating professional materials (CV, statement, bio), applying to professional opportunities such as grants and residencies, studio visits, and working with galleries. Course material will include artists¿ personal accounts of leading a creative life and tools they use to make projects more rich.

This course involves numerous written assignments; students must be prepared to write and edit their work. Students will choose from a vast menu of short projects in order to tailor their experience in the class to their career goals. Final assignments will include 1) a clear personal vision of success; 2) steps for achieving short and long-term goals, and 3) refined professional materials suitable for application.

This course is designed to provide students an opportunity to gain experience as interns in professional arts and design environments and prepare for professional life after SAIC. During the semester, faculty provide in-depth mentorship and act as liaison with the internship site supporting students meet their learning goals as outlined for the semester. Through group meetings and online discussions, students engage with a peer cohort of students participating in a variety of internships. Students work on-site at internships for a total of 140 hours (approx 14 hours per week) for the term. In addition to successfully completing the internship, students will conduct an informational interview with their employer, attend 4 class meetings and an onsite meeting with the faculty and supervisor, complete an internship supervisor evaluation, revise their resume, and update their online portfolio, website, or professional profile.

Students are required to secure an internship prior to the start of the semester. Internships must be approved by the Career and Professional Experience (CAPX) office. Students are encouraged to meet with a CAPX advisor for assistance with researching and applying for internships. In order to begin the internship approval process students should go to https://bit.ly/35vmTTM. Upon approval, course registration is managed by CAPX.

Note that international students must receive CPT authorization prior to participating in an off-campus internship.

Internships may be in-person, hybrid, or virtual; however all four class meetings are virtual. Class meeting day and time are determined by the faculty.