Visual Narratives

Catalog description

Filmmaking, photography, and the basics of visual imagery are explored through a hands-on studio art experience, which provides an overview of the development of visual storytelling throughout history. From the first creation of early hand drawn cave paintings to modern film production, all the essential elements of visual representation, visual imagery, visual grammar, and visual narrative are explored. Lectures introduce and explain a variety of methods used to capture a visual image and how imagery, both with and without words, is used to convey meaning. In class painting, etching, drawing, film, and photo assignments are given for students to create their own visual imagery, using these several different artistic formats. Technical training on cameras and editing software accompanies these practical assignments. Students also complete photo and short film projects throughout the course, as they explore the essential nature of visual storytelling, pre-visualization, and practical production. The course examines how the basic tools of traditional narrative storytelling are also used in purely visual storytelling - to create a secondary world and to maintain a suspension of disbelief in order to inform, entertain, and affect the audience. In spring 2021, cellphones and gimbals will be employed for film and photo work and additional asynchronous DSLR photo and video camera training will be provided over the course of the semester. Hands-on studio work will be accomplished in-person, in-class, following social distancing protocols - and any needs for remote work should be arranged for in advance so that remote based art supplies can be provided as necessary.