WEEK 2

Assessment sheets were filled out and used to make formal project proposals. The proposals were turned in this week, after which we took a field trip to Squidfire to talk with entrepreneurs Kevin Sherry and Jean-Baptiste Regnard, co-owners of the firm. After an informal interview and demo, each student was allowed to pull a one color screen onto an article of clothing they brought, learning how much labor goes into making fine handscreened shirts. Thanks Kevin and Jean for hosting us in their Union Street facility!

Lunch break at Dizzy Izzy's was loads of fun as we filled the entire 2nd floor.

On returning to MICA, we watched Mark Murphy's dvd Scribble:08, a set of interviews with California illustrators who are breaking ground in new lines of expression and new places they see their work appearing. It features Joe Sorren, Martha Rich, Jeff Soto, Camille Rose Gracia, The Broken Wrist Project, Tim Biskup and the Clayton Brothers. 

HOMEWORK: Bring in an image related to your project [B&W, 4x5 max]. It can be a preliminary image of something pretty well worked out. Keep working on your project. And research on of the following entrepreneurs/collectives, then write a 2 page analysis concerning one of more of them. You can cover one or use several to make a comparison paper. Please use the following links as a starting point for your research:

Mitch Nash  Jessie Hartland  Mike Mills

Little Paper Planes  Berkley Illustration  1973

Paul Budnitz / KidRobot  INK Illustration  Tara McPherson

SPECIAL NOTE: Check out the BRANDS chapter on pg 50 in Lupton's Design It Yourself for tips on how to be thinking about your project identity. 

WHAT WILL YOU MAKE? Take a look at some of the past projects done for The Lab! More will be posted in days to come, but for now, enjoy these three books:

ELIZABETH GRAEBER'S "Second Monday at Noon" Recipe Book:

SIMONE THORNTON'S Sketchbook Anthology with screenprinted stickers:

HALI MALTSBERGER "Sleep" Book with accompanying CD:

 

During the semester we will visit small creative businesses including SQUIDFIRE, ATOMIC POP and DOUBLE DUTCH. They will give you insights into their beginnings and backstories. They'll also give you valuable advice about your project.

This is from our visit to Squidfire one year:

And our Letterpress demo with Kyle Van Horn:

And we'll have class visits including a workshop on branding with MIKE WEIKERT. Let's get started!

WEEK 1 : 
Informal presentation session; Evaluation and group discussion of your semester ideas. 

HOMEWORK : Formalize proposal; Create your Working Journal; Research Squidfire; Bring in garment to be screened; Complete your Technical Skills survey