Technics (TECH)
This studio course, offered jointly by the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Art and Design, explores the relationships between visual and literary forms through the arts of the book. Students are exposed to historical precedents for collaborations between artists and writers of various cultures. Taught jointly by faculty from visual and literary disciplines, students will produce their own books and shorter forms with both visual and literary elements.
Through observation and knowledge of the muscular-skeletal system and its functional kinetics, students are encouraged to express the human form in graphic language. The structural study of the human form enables a comprehensive and informative visual experience that subdues copying dependency and develops the selective force of expressive drawing. (Graduate level)
In this course, an advanced exploration of human anatomy will occur based on the experience gained in (TECH-501) Drawing Anatomy I. There will be an expectation of increased mastery and additional projects. Through observation and knowledge of the muscular-skeletal system and its functional kinetics, students are encouraged to express the human form in graphic language. The structural study of the human form enables a comprehensive and informative visual experience that subdues copying dependency and develops the selective force of expressive drawing.
Kinetic sculpture is art in any media that depends on motion * for its effect. This course presents the cross section of art, technology and science as it pertains to movement. Weekly lectures and demonstrations will introduce a series of motion principles involving; natural forces, wind, water, gravity, electricity of direct interaction with the viewer. Through assignments students will explore various principles of motion and research artists who implore these principles to achieve their formal and / or conceptual ends. Students will ultimately develop a final three-dimensional project based on one or a combination of these principles.
Painting Processes offers a deep exploration of the technical and practical aspects of painting materials. Methods of instruction will include lectures, demonstrations, student research, and class discussions. Most importantly, students will engage in 'hands on\" interactions with the materials.
The Potter's Wheel is an essential tool used in ceramics for thousands of years. Yet, work made on the Wheel today still feels fresh and contemporary. This course will teach you technical fundamentals needed to create work on the Potter's Wheel.
This course explores ceramic processes through the development of form: coil, slab, pinch and wheel; and surface: slips, stains underglaze and glaze. Students will explore basic skill building in clay and develop their conceptual thinking in the medium through content driven class assignments and critiques.
This class introduces students to the fabrication of ceramic multiples through moldmaking and casting with liquid clay(slip). Students will learn how to translate ideas and concepts, functional or sculptural, into clay while learning fundamental moldmaking skills and processes. Finishing will include glazing and firing. Projects are focused on skillbuilding, but also delve into concerns of objectmaking and strength of concept.
Our experience with ceramics is paradoxically ancient and modern. Because clay has the remarkable ability to assume almost any form, it continues to elude and amaze us. This course will teach students advanced techniques needed to continue to master an investigation into ceramics.
Students will investigate the origins of clay and glaze and their chemical formulas, behaviors, and kiln transformations.
This course covers the fundamentals of paper structure and movements as a 3-D and 4-D way to illustrate images or ideas. Pop-ups, or movables as they are historically called, have remained popular since the 18th century, because the viewer is required to be an active participant in the process. Because the artwork develops as the viewer opens the card or book in which the construction has been placed, the viewer feels that he/she takes part in the creation of art.
This course introduces students to an array of woodworking and related fabrication techniques and processes. The use of hand, power and machine tools is taught through lectures, demonstrations and hands-on experience. Topics include basic woodworking techniques, safety procedures, wood identification, joinery, construction methods, shaping, turning, and finishing. Assigned and independent projects allow exploration while applying specific processes and techniques. Whether functional or sculptural, the goal of this course is to give students the knowledge to conceive and realize ideas in wood.
This course is designed to further expand and advance skills acquired in Woodworking 1. Additional techniques such as lamination bending, dovetail joinery, and mortise & tennon joinery will be taught, and proper usage of more advanced equipment and machinery will be covered. Students will focus on the research, design, planning, and execution of personal projects.
Slip Casting I is an introduction to slip casting ceramics. Slip casting is a method of producing multiple objects in ceramics. Students will learn how to translate their ideas, functional or sculptural, and concepts into clay, while learning fundamental mold making skills and processes. Throughout the semester, students will learn how to produce plaster molds, cast their objects in liquid slip, finish, and fire their work. Projects are focused on skillbuiding, but also delve into concerns of objectmaking and strength of concept.
This course is a continuation of Slip Casting I and Prototypes. In Advanced Slip Casting, students will develop their concepts into a polished body of work or line of production pieces in ceramic. Slip Casting is a skill integral for students that have a serious interest in ceramics. Through practice, students will learn how to design complex molds, explore advanced processes for production casting, and 3-D Modeling techniques for moldmaking. Students will look at ways in which molds have been used historically and their role in the contemporary art world. This course is relevant to students interested in starting their own business, cottage industry, or in using the multiple object as a cornerstone of their sculptural practice.
This course introduces students to the medium of thermoplastics where they will learn the materials and techniques of plastics fabrication including cutting and joining, vacuum forming, drape and blow injection, foams, thermosetting plastics and casting.
This course will give students the knowledge and the tools to be able to replicate an object in one material in a different material such as plaster, plastic, cement, clay and other non-metallic materials. Students will be assigned exercises on basic mold-making principles, beginning with piece mold construction, continuing to applications and uses of various flexible molding techniques and ending with the waste mold technique.
This course will give students the opportunity to expand on the knowledge and the fabrication processes introduced in TECH 527. Students will be assigned mold projects exploring more advanced mold-making and casting techniques.
This course is an intensive, hands-on, exploration of the lost wax foundry process and related technologies. Students are guided through the sequential stages of this foundry process, from concept realization, to the preparation of a casting master, to refectory mold, to metal pour, to finished casting. Participants will follow traditional and contemporary procedures form using hand, electric and pneumatic tools. Participants will actively engaged in this masterful process to produce one finished cast bronze metal sculpture of 3D form.
In Foundry II students will call on the technical abilities and processes learned in Foundry I. The class presents the unique opportunity for participants to engage in the metal casting process on an advanced level. Foundry ii focuses solely on the professional mastery of the sequential technical/production steps in a time frame that mimics a professional foundry. In a 15-week time frame students will produce two fully realized bronze castings.
This hands-on course introduces the fundamentals of direct metal fabrication. Instruction and demonstrations are offered in basic processes such as welding, brazing, cutting, and shaping using the oxy-acetylene torch, shielded electric arc (MIG, TIG, Stick), plasma, various machine tools, and the forge.
This course continues exploration of welding, cutting, brazing, machine fastening of metal and advanced forge techniques.
This course will teach students how to make three-dimensional forms from sheet metal. Students will be able to produce a variety of volumetric forms for various purposes, from the simple to the complex, from abstract sculptural forms to functional applications.
This course offers students the opportunity to improve their skills in metal fabricating techniques through lecture, demonstrations and hands-on experience with the metal-turning lathe. Topics covered include basic operation and safety, face plate turning, taper turning, boring, drilling. Assigned projects will be evaluated on the basis of procedures achieved in meeting existing industry standards. This course is recommended for sculpture and industrial design majors.
This course offers students the opportunity to improve their skills in metal fabricating techniques through lecture, demonstrations and hands-on experience using the vertical milling machine. Topics covered include basic operation and safety, flying cutting, power-fed boring, drilling and tapping on the mill. Assigned projects will be evaluated on the basis of precision achieved in meeting existing industry standards. This course is recommended for sculpture and industrial design majors.
This hands-on intensive class explores an array of traditional & experimental book structures essential to the production of conventional editions as well as complex, unique sculptural books. Students will create their own books based on the study of historic book structures and hands-on examination of numerous contemporary artist books. Central to this studio class is an emphasis on both technique and innovation so that students may explore the conceptual and material basis of the artist book.
This hands-on intensive class builds on the knowledge and skills that students have acquired from taking one of the introductory-level book classes at Pratt. Central to this studio class is an emphasis on both technique and innovation so that students may explore the conceptual and material basic of the 'artist book'. Students will produce a complex unique artist book and a small artist book edition.
In this course Students learn how to develop forms in whiteware clay to create an individualized canvas for painting. The course covers application of color and /or photographic images to clay, silk screening on clay, and the use of ceramic stains, engobes, china paints, overglaze, airbrushing, acrylics and enamel paints. The focus is on developing individual projects.
Through a series of hands-on exercises and projects, students will learn fundamental digital tools suitable for the design, modeling, rendering and production of objects. Students will primarily utilize Rhino in the design process, to generate technical drawings, create templates and produce files suitable for various CAM operations.
This fundamental course is an introduction to basic direct metal fabrication techniques used to create small scale, wearable objects using non-ferrous metals. Design development is addressed as an extension of studio work with special attention paid to issues relating to scale and the body.
This course instructs students in machine sewing and needle arts. The course will introduce fundamental sewing techniques needed to execute textile based fine arts, soft sculpture and soft industrial design projects. Students who complete the course will be certified to use basic sewing machinery in designated Fashion Design studios.
Students familiarize themselves with the use of all drawing materials, papers, paints, collage materials, assemblages, plastic, carving and casting and their applications to specific clinical settings. Students also study the dimensions of form, shape, color and texture of various materials that stimulate, structure and organize artistic expression.