Grant recipient: Tara Cooper, Department of Fine Arts
Project team:
Tara Cooper and Rachel Brown**, Department of Fine Arts; Laura Arendoque**, Arts and Business Co-op
**Undergraduate Student team members
(Project Timeline: September 2013 - June 2015)
Tara Cooper Rachel Brown Laura Arendoque
Project Description
Since 2011, UW’s printmaking facilities and curriculum has developed a suite of methodologies that promote greener, safer, more economical, studio habits—practices that not only embody good stewardship, but also allow students to easily transfer skills post University (i.e. within home studios, outreach initiatives, local community centres or as art teachers).
This project compliments these initiatives from an instructional perspective. Its primary objective was to create an electronic handbook called The Printmaker’s Compendium. This online multi-media learning tool merged technical instructions, resources and archives with platforms that promote student exchange. See: http://printmaking.uwaterloo.ca/
Questions Investigated
- Provide online tutorials – how to instructions that include video, sound and text. This resource embraces a wide-range of learners and is intended to help students during unsupervised open studio times. It is also a resource for alumni and printmakers outside uWaterloo.
- Promote good stewardship and health and safety.
- Provide a resource/archive that celebrates print-based media.
Findings and Insights
Students filled out a questionnaire at the end of term in relation to the compendium. One student noted that she did not use the site; everyone else used it 3-15 times. Students noted that the videos were clear and they liked how things were broken up into steps. The overall design, look and feel of the site was successful. The students tasked with the job of making it were able to put their own aesthetic mark on it. The outcome is friendly, accessible and humorous. All three assistants gained a great deal of experience related to printmaking, audio, video, photography and web design. Through Vimeo (the video hosting site), overall use was tracked. One of the surprises is how much the videos are being accessed. It impacted students enrolled in the 2nd year print classes, 3rd and 4th year students working independently, as well as printmakers from across North America and beyond. To date, the compendium includes more than 50 video tutorials and further updates are planned. The compendium reinforces health and safety issues. In-class demos and quizzes are still needed to ensure the key issues are understood.
Dissemination and Impact
The resource is available online with open access. Through Vimeo I tracked the site’s use, since it went live in September 2014 (see below). I also held a launch in the print studio at uWaterloo on Saturday September 27th from 12-5. The event included demos, an artist talk, a competition in lithography, a print-based exhibition by one of our grad students and refreshments. I extended invitations throughout the Waterloo community, to all of the local high school teachers and surrounding post-secondary institutions that offer print-based media within their Fine Arts programs. Over 100 people came to the event, including current students, alumni and people from the community. It was busy throughout the 5 hours and felt like a real celebration.
VIMEO STATS:
Grand Total: 1988 plays (566 through printmaking.uwaterloo.ca and 1422 through general searches such as Google)
Top 10 Countries: Canada 1,014; U.S. 561; UK 80; Germany 36; Turkey 52; Spain 21; France 17; Denmark 15; Australia 12; Mexico 13