Documentation

Required Reading

Documentation Tips

Why we’re doing this:

We will develop our professional skills by practicing digitally archiving our work. It is important to learn how to create effective high-quality photos/videos of your work because it will not only prepare us for the basic requirements of being an arts professional, it is also a skill that will help you in any field.

What’s required:

  1. We will do this once at near the middle of the term: Scan or photograph (I recommend scanning whenever possible – it’s easier) all of your sketchbook projects, and photograph your 15 strongest in-class drawings. The files must be 300dpi and at least 7 inches on its short edge (set your camera to the largest size possible and/or shoot in RAW). If you are scanning, make sure the color settings are set correctly for accuracy (do a test scan to see if it is working), or if you are photographing, make sure the lighting is even and/or that you are color-correcting in Photoshop. The images you submit must look like your original artworks. If your work is time-based, record it using video. If it is 3D, you can record it with both images and video.
  2. Be sure to crop the images to include only the artwork (no spiral bindings, or distracting things in the background).
  3. You will upload your files to an album with YOUR FULL NAME on our class Flickr account (click the link to access Flickr).
    Username: figuredrawing2018@yahoo.com
    Password: Spring2018
  4. All the files should be named as follows:
    LASTNAME_project-title.jpg
    Use these same file names as the captions for your images.
  5. All documentation must be uploaded no later than 1 hour before the start of class on the day it is due. Submit a link to your Flickr album on Canvas.

UPLOADING TO FLICKR:

  • Log in to Flickr using the login info here.
  • Navigate to the albums page:
    Albums
  • You’ll arrive at a page that looks like this:
    Albums page
  • Click the Upload button in the top right corner:
    Upload
  • Select your photos to add to Flickr.
  • Then, Click on
    Add to Albums
  • Then, Click on the “Create New Album Button”
    Create a new Album
  • Title your album:
    Album title
  • Click the “Create Album” button and then make sure your album has a green checkmark by it:
    green checkmark
  • Then click the Upload button:
    Upload photos
  • You will get a confirmation screen like this:
    Confirmation
    Click the Upload button.

GRADING

  • All the work is included in your Flickr Album & Correct file names/captions – 1pts
  • Photographed/scanned/recorded from a level angle? (no slanted edges because you are above/below the drawing as you shoot), Lighting is even, images are sharp – 3pts
  • Color is accurate in comparison to the original piece & Good contrast (not over-manipulated via filters/adjustment layers) – 2pt
  • Images are cleanly cropped, 300dpi & at least 7 inches on the short side – 4pts

Scanning:

Visit the VML, Star Store, or the library to use their scanners. Ask for help if you need it.

How to COMBINE multiple scans into a single image (if your sketchbook doesn’t fit nicely on the scanner):

  • Scan both halves of the drawing. Keep both files open.
  • Follow the directions in this video (it can take a little while to load): http://screencast.com/t/ccgj289X

EXAMPLES OF GOOD & BAD:

I scanned this sketchbook page (this would get an “A”):
This is what the student turned in (this gets an “F”):

This image is poorly lit, poorly cropped, crooked, it has a date/time stamp (NEVER turn on your date/time stamp when documenting artwork).  Additionally, the file was mis-labeled.