Studio (390-0-22)

Topic

Obsessive Investigation

Instructors

Deborah Sokolow

Meeting Info

Kresge 1-345 Art Drawing Studi: Tues, Thurs 9:00AM - 11:50AM

Overview of class

This is a studio course which will approach drawing as a viable medium for the gonzo journalist or the amateur snoop. Students will engage in obsessive, idiosyncratic surveillance on a topic of their own choosing and generate speculative sketches, diagrams, other types of drawing and handwritten commentary. Potential topics for investigation could relate to the personal, popular culture, the everyday, politics, and/or the world but must be approached with a particular point-of-view, or several. To that end, students will experiment with narration and degrees of omniscience, objectivity and reliability. Readings and conversations on artists and writers who work with unreliable narration, diagramming, handwriting and the diaristic will also be a part of the course. There will be group discussions assessing smaller exercises and a group critique on one final, long-term project, an obsessive investigation. Art majors, art minors and non-art majors are welcome to enroll. While no prerequisite is required, students should enter into the course with a serious interest in sleuthing, drawing, writing, narration and a willingness to embellish the truth.

Class Materials (Required)

Expected cost $50.
Includes:
1) Any size notebook or sketchbook to use as an obsessive investigation journal, needs to be at least 50 pages.
2) A second sketchbook, 9"x12" or larger, to use for in-class drawing and writing exercises, with pages that can easily be ripped out for display.
3) Items for diagramming, such as a ruler, triangle, compass, and/or stencils to draw circles and other shapes.
4) A variety of drawing and writing utensils that you think would be appropriate to use in your investigation.
5) You might need these items if you are planning to incorporate collage into your investigation: glue stick (I prefer UHU brand, it's cheap and acid-free), artist tape (won't rip paper), scissors, double-sided acid-free tape.
6) Additional items to consider for your Wall of Research: larger paper, graph paper, colored paper, file folders, index cards, tracing paper, etc.

Class Attributes

Attendance at 1st class mandatory
Undergraduate Students Only

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-Registration is reserved for ATP majors, Art History Majors, and ATP Minors Only.