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ARTX330 Alternative Photographic
Processes—Syllabus Spring Quarter 2018, Kalamazoo
College Richard Koenig, Professor Meeting
Time: Tuesday & Thursday 12:30 to 3:30 PM Meeting
Place: Rooms 122 and 103 of the Light Fine Arts Building Class
Homepage: http://people.kzoo.edu/~rkoenig/educator/photo/ph_dig.html Office
Hours: Tuesday 3:30 to 5:00 PM and Wednesday 1:30 to 3:00 PM (or by
appointment) Office
Location: Light Fine Arts Building Room 203, Phone: 337.7003 Cell
Phone (emergency only, please): 269.270.8110 Classroom
Phone: 337.7399 E-Mail:
rkoenig@kzoo.edu Course
Description and Goals The
objective of this advanced (and specialized) studio art course is to provide
the student working knowledge of, and experience with alternative photographic
printing processes. Courses such as this have variously been called
ÒhistoricalÓ or Ònon-silverÓ processes—but I feel ÒalternativeÓ is the
correct one. While the choice of equipment and Òprinting-outÓ processes are
admittedly obsolete, much can be learned from the procedures and processes with
which we will be engaged (akin to how the processes of printmaking can help a
painter). The
course will be centered on the production of photographs via certain 19th
century processes—which will include cyanotype, van dyke brown, and
platinum/palladium. While participants will be introduced to the idiosyncratic
view camera at the beginning of this quarter, we will primarily produce our
negatives digitally using contemporary cameras and ink-jet printer. As
with any studio course, we will discuss and analyze our work in critiques. This
discussion will be centered on technical, formal, and conceptual characteristics—but
we will be particularly interested in how these alternative, hand-crafted,
forms sync up with the content and concept of the work produced. We
will look at a bit of photographic history (through readings and discussion) to
see how these processes moved the development of photography forward
originally—but also to study the recurring impulse to return to
historical, or non-commercial materials, several times in the last fifty years
or so. Through
this study, as well as the production of a small body of work, each student
should finish this course with a deeper understanding of photographic practices
in general, and alternative processes in particular. Evaluation Merely
completing the requirements for an assignment will not necessarily ensure a good
evaluation. I look at technical, formal, and conceptual aspects of your work
(mentioned above) but also the level of exploration and risk taking. Below is a
breakdown of how your final grade will be determinedÉ 10% Assignment
One—Primitive and View Camera Work 10% Assignment
Two—Cyanotype 15% Assignment
Three—Van Dyke Brown 10% First
Half Participation 05% First
Half Journal (technical notes) 15% Assignment
Four—Platinum/Palladium 20% Open
Project 10% Second
Half Participation 05% Second
Half Journal (technical notes and structured reflection or artist statement) In-Class Participation This is very different than attendance—it is in addition to
it, if you like. Good participation means one actively and candidly contributes
to the conversation during critiques, while also being supportive of your
peers. It means one arrives to the classroom on time, is prepared, and shows by
means of facial expression and body language that one is following what is
going on. It means, quite simply, that one contributes to a positive class
atmosphere. Along those lines, one important note about critiques: we criticize
the work, not the person making the work. Please turn off phones,
do not email, Facebook, text, or twitter during structured class time. Attendance Attendance is mandatory—it is crucial that you miss as few
of the meetings as possible as the instruction builds upon itself. After two
unexcused absences your grade can be lowered at my discretion. One must have
documentation to obtain an excused absence. If you do miss a class, get notes
from another student.
Disability Any
student with a disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance in
this course should make an appointment to speak with me. Text/Readings/Notebook There
is no required textbook for this class—I will provide handouts when
needed. You will be required to keep a journal as we go—be sure to record
detailed notes for each print you produce in this course. This will be a
repository for technical notes and a structured reflection. Please record your Òtalking pointsÓ from any and all of our
readings, as well as ideas for your assignments, etc. I will take a look at
this journal around midterm and at the end of the course. Lab Fee and
Costs You
will be charged $50 for a lab fee in this class. This will go toward paying for
a portion of the chemicals and other materials we will be using this term. Lecture and Lab Time Our
usual meeting place will be Fine Arts 103 where we will spend most of our
time—letÕs plan to begin each day in that room. This room will be used
for the bulk of our work—mixing chemicals, hand-coating paper, and
processing. We will also critique our work in this room. We will also spend
some time in FA122 (the FABLAB), for our production of digital negatives and
for any PowerPoint Presentations that may occur. Assignments—in
General One
assignment will require the use of a primitive camera (pinhole) as well as the
view camera. Three of your assignments will require that you produce digital
negatives and then make a small number of hand-coated prints for our
critique—using a particular process. Lastly you will be asked to produce
a project tailored to your interests (ÒopenÓ). Assignments—In
Particular Assignment
One—Primitive Photography (pinhole) and View Camera Work We will begin our work by spending just a bit of time
on primitive image capture—produce one small work with a pinhole camera,
and one small work using our 4Ó x 5Ó view camera (positive & negative for
each). For this assignment we will use pre-exposed paper negatives. Assignment
Two—Cyanotype After an introduction to the production of digital
negative using the ink-jet printer, you will produce four small prints, using
the cyanotype process. Assignment
Three—Van Dyke Brown Produce four small prints, using the Van Dyke process. Assignment
Four—Platinum/Palladium Produce four small prints, using this luxurious, and
our final, historical process. Open Project One
concern I have had with this course is that we might get lost in the historical
aspect of the processes we are covering. This final project is a chance to make
sure that we make contemporary work through
these processes. Also,
a large part of the course up to now will have been focused on simply getting a
variety of processes down—this project will allow you to work with your
favorite process in any way you see fit. This could mean mixing more than one
process together, for instance. It could also mean that your idea is more
concerned with imagery rather than the processes themselves. [Combining the
two—image and process—is really what you want to try to do.] In
any case, IÕd like you to end this course with a meaningful and cohesive final
project. Equipment For
practical reasons, it would be good if some type of digital camera is available
for each student in this course. The college may be able to provide this, as
well as the use of one view camera and two nice wooden pinhole cameras. Tripods
can be checked-out from curricular support in the library.
Supplies (Available in the
Bookstore) For
this course, particularly during the first half, say, I will be providing most
of the materials to you. Later in the term, you will have to purchase Pictorico
Ultra Premium Overhead Projector Transparency Film, some nice paper, as well as
(perhaps) some heavy metals (platinum/palladium). This will depend upon what process
you become enamored with, how large you want to work, etc. FABLAB—Saving Your Work The
iMac computers in the FABLAB will save your work on that particular computer,
or you can use the ÒMÓ drive for a few things. Beyond that, you might open a
free account with Drop Box or Google Drive. At the end of the term remember to
take all of your files off of the computer (one way or another) as these files
will be permanently removed. Please do not eat or drink in the FABLAB. |
