The Lab Philosophy

Artists are emerging as authors and entrepreneurs in a variety of new markets and media. Methods such as print-on-demand book, the wave of self-publication, prototyping, high-end output devices and laser-cutters intersect with new creative directions. Bodyware imagery, instructional and socially inspired projects, web-based critique, archives, games, animation, and literary works are a few of the directions being taken to create content and express ideas.

OUR MOTTO

CONCEIVE ARTICULATE CREATE FABRICATE DISSEMINATE

Thursday, October 22

BE AN EARLY BIRD : BRANDING WORKSHOP


Our Tuesday Branding Workshop in The Lab with Mike Weikert will begin at 9am sharp. Please arrive 10 min early to set up your work and be ready to start at 9am. Remember to bring all work to date, your handouts and questions AND you draft of the branding assessment.

See you Tuesday!

Tuesday, October 13

WEEK 7 & 8


Week 7 : Mid-term individual crits were done in class. Any materials that needed reworking were collected [revamped proposals or Letterpress demo work]. The class looks like it is on-track generally for completing their projects. Some students may need to put the pedal down to get it all done. We discussed individual strategies for getting it all done, adapting directions, etc.

HOMEWORK : Read the branding handouts given out at the end of class. Some material is from Mike Weikert who will visit the class in Week 9, some is from Alina Wheeler, the Philadelphia branding expert. If you are really interested in branding, I'd suggest her book! Read this material throughly, reread it. Using this information, create a draft of your Brand Assessment. Pls have this typed to hand in. In Week 9, Mike Weikert will do a Branding Workshop and look at your project with an eye toward how well you thinking on your brand represents your project. Mike has worked as a brand focused designer for many years and is the Director of the MICA Center for Design Practice. Pls bring your work in to-date. This presentation and review will take a majority of the class time. Links to Branding information will be posted before the end of this week. Pls check it again for add'l info on branding.

Week 8 : Fall Break

HOMEWORK : Continue working on your project.

Sunday, October 11

Art Market : Important dates



Here are the Art Market date you need to know about:

Oct 14 : Informational Meeting 2:30 in B110
This is a good meeting to attend if you have general questions about how Art market works. You can also ask me in class.

Nov 11 : Required Mtg 2:30 in M110
This meeting will cover tags and other pertinent information. You must attend.

Dec 2 : Required Mtg 2:30 in Falvey Hall
This meeting covers all the last minute details and info about how the Market will run including packing up each night, recording sales and wrapping merchandise, etc. You must attend.

Dec 9-12 : The Art Market in Leidy Atrium
We will develop a schedule of work shifts for manning tables. Pls be aware we will need 4-6 people at all times.

WEEK 6

This week we had a great Letterpress demo by Kyle Van Horn. Check out his site's TEACHING page for great letterpress resources. For this demo, students were asked to take the project imagery generated for the Gocco demo farther, make it more sophisticated, developed toward their brand identity. Students were also asked to bring a variety of materials to print on testing out their ideas and use of materials.

In the afternoon, we did one-on-one midterm assessments. If you were told something was missing, pls complete it or if you wish to improve your grade, you may rewrite your entrepreneur assessment, improve your identity ideas, etc.


This is Kyle!


Students mixed ink.


The rollers are inked.


The polymer plate is set on the press bed.


And the proofs are checked.

HOMEWORK : Develop promotional/branding ideas from the Letterpress demo. What did this exercise inform in your identity. Keep working on your project.

Friday, October 2

Art Market : Register Now

The Art Market registration form is currently live. Please register today to insure your spot at the Illustration table. http://www.mica.edu/artmarket

ALSO: Please turn in your negatives to the IL Office, if you haven't done so already. Many of you had not and we need them to burn the plates ahead of time. It takes 2 1/2 hrs to burn them...we can't do it on Tues morning, so if your neg is not in by this weekend [place it in my mailbox], you won't be able to print on Tuesday!