Life @ Otis : Faculty Life : Faculty Development

Christian Mounger


2008-09 Faculty Development Grant

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One of the most effective templates relates Integrated Learning, student generated written concepts, and elements of design. I asked students to distill their notes from field trips and guest lectures into succinct statements that clearly articulated their individual concerns. Students translated their statements into basic design concepts, and explored a range of choices involving meaning construction.

To further refine their concepts, I asked students to locate found, abstract imagery that visually characterized their ideas. Students searched image banks on the Internet, as well as printed matter. Their compilation and discussion of images became the foundation for more finished projects.

In another class, students used photographic documentation of Integrated Learning field trips to learn basic color theory.  They photographed Monochromatic, Analogous, and Complementary color harmonies observed in the Ballona Wetlands and at the Aquarium of the Pacific; see template below.

My own work is grounded in the history of photography; however, for several years, digital imaging has become my primary medium, especially Adobe Illustrator. Part of my studio practice involves investigating the decorative and political implications of historic objects mostly associated with museum collections; after documentation, I draw a silhouette.

In May, I created over 180 drawings using Illustrator (see selection below), many of which I intend to use in finished projects. Additionally, I inserted several of these images in my fall 2009 course reader, part of a discussion about art history and style.

My interest in research and collecting began many years ago when I worked as a curator and exhibition designer. In the late 1970’s I was gallery director at Vanderbilt University, and later at Claremont Graduate University, where I maintained a very disparate collection of artifacts. Currently, as a free-lance graphic designer, I occasionally work at The Huntington Art Gallery, San Marino, where I design didactic image and text panels using Photoshop, In-Design, and Illustrator. In this capacity, I enjoy an on-going dialogue with the curatorial staff, and have limited access to The Huntington’s extensive collections.  These experiences in the museum world and in the studio directly enhance my teaching and the classroom environment.

This Faculty Development Grant provides an on-going opportunity for me to become more familiar with current design software, thereby benefiting my teaching and my ability to be up to date with digital practice in the studio. Up-to-date knowledge of these fundamental applications is essential to my ability to teach and to work in the studio. Furthermore, as a resource for digital imaging in the Foundation Department, this software makes it easier for me to mentor other design faculty as they implement digital imaging in their courses. One task I have this summer is to up-date the digital color-mixing templates used by all the Connections through Color and Design faculty, and make these files accessible on the O-Space; this grant makes it easier for me to complete this task.

Thank you again for your support.

Complete PDF version of report with images.