• VICO 2400  Class number 7376-100 3:05-4:25-12 MW Seigfred 303
• VICO 2400  Class number 7377-101 1:30-2:50 TTh Seigfred 303
  

Instructor Bill Schneider, office 301G Seigfred Hall

Class Description: This class will use the computer to create and manipulate images. Through digital photography or the use of high-quality film, flatbed scanners, or your own digital pictures, students will create further work in Adobe's Photoshop and other related programs. Vector illustrations may be imported from programs like Freehand, Illustrator, or CorelDraw to be further modified or combined with photographs. Topics to be covered range from simple tone corrections of scanned photographs through creating advanced composite images.

Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend each lecture and lateness is considered an absence. Leaving class early is also considered an absence unless the instructor is notified of the reason in advance. In most cases, you are permitted 2 absences to accommodate sickness or family emergency before deductions are taken from your final grade. There may be exemptions to the above policy, but exemptions need to be addressed beforehand.
 

Grading: A grade will be given for each assignment based on how well the submitted work met the goals of the assignment. In addition to a final examination (and for graduate student sections, a research project), three types of  assignments are given in this class — Creative Assignments, Technical Exercises, and Class Prep Assignments.

Creative Assignments: Letter grades will be given for each creative assignment undertaken. Grades will be assigned based upon the instructors opinion of suitability, concept, originality and technical execution of the work. The creative assignments count for 90% (80% for graduate students) of the final score. Portfolio quality pictures are expected for all creative assignments. Please follow the model usage guidelines (separate handout) when photographing another student in a private setting - and always if nudity is involved.
NOTE: Assignments completed from clipart or copyright-free artwork will be assigned MUCH lower grades than assignments using your own original content, especially if it is a large portion of the work. Cartoon drawings, unless of exceptionally high caliber, will be also assigned lower grades.
All content (scans, photos, etc.) that comprise your creative assignments must be submitted in an "assets" folder with your name on it when the creative assignments are due.

Technical Exercises: Some assignments will be technical exercises only, and the score given will be a "CR" (credit) for satisfactory completion of the task. IMPORTANT NOTE: Each component of the technical exercises is a required assignment. Failure to satisfactorily complete them lowers your overall final grade by 1/3 letter for each one.

Class Prep Assignments: Occasionally there will be some assignments that count for Class Prep. It may include work like gathering an image for lab work in an upcoming class meeting, library exercises, etc. Like technical exercises, you will be given a "CR" (credit) for satisfactory completion of this task. Also like technical exercises, each missing participation exercise will reduce your final score by 1/3 letter for each one.

Remakes: All creative and technical assignments may be remade within 3 weeks to improve your score. You may remake as many times as you wish within the 3 week window. However if assignment work was not submitted by its original deadline, no remakes will be accepted and the assignment score remains zero.

Tests: Tests and quizzes comprise 10% of the final score.

Research project (for graduate students only): A small research project about some aspect of digital imaging counts for 10% of the final score. See my web site (https://www.afterness.com) or ask for more details.

Your final grade reflects a weighted average of the creative assignment and test scores less any deductions for unsatisfactory technical assignments, class prep assignments, excessive absence, or lack of participation. All assignments should be turned in on time to be counted toward your grade.

Plagiarism: Scanning, downloading, or unauthorized use of copyrighted work (which includes copyrighted pictures, of course) for creative assignments will be considered plagiarism and you will receive a failing grade for the entire class. In addition, any suspected plagiarism will be referred to the office of judiciaries for further action. Create your own content!

Pictures from Other Classes: While you may draw upon your own "file photographs" and illustrations that you have made for other classes, please don't submit nearly the same artwork to satisfy both classes. What is permitted is to use the photo or illustration as a point of departure for digital illustrations that incorporate them. If a picture is not much altered from work submitted in a concurrent or past class, you will be not be given credit for it.

Participation: In addition to the specific Class Prep Exercises given in class, you should also participate in the group critiques of assignment work for your own benefit as well as for the benefit of others in the class. Your ideas are welcome, and active learning enriches your own understanding of this medium. Not participating in the discussions, working on assignments during lectures and critiques, reading email, texting, or surfing the internet during class time is considered lack of participation. Cell phone usage is prohibited in class. Lack of general participation may lower your final grade up to 2/3 letter grade at the instructor's discretion.

Book (Optional): My web site may serve as a text for the class. It is found at:
https://www.afterness.com. There are many texts concerning Photoshop beside my web site, so if you need, select one. For retouching, Ctein, and Katrin Eismann & Wayne Palmer are authors with good books. For photographers, Martin Evening is a reputable author. For retouching video in Photoshop, Gary David Bouton's book is a good choice.

Office Hours: For meetings with me, please schedule an appointment. My office hours will be  TTh 10-11:15, but please schedule first. If there are no scheduled appointments, I may elect to do research instead. Please limit appointment requests made via email to regular business hours. Make sure that you check your university email account for class announcements. Email forwarded to another account is not always reliable (might be considered as "spam", etc.)

On Meeting 6