Course Number: ARTD 466
Course Name: Intermedia Art
Professor: Mr. Bart Woodstrup

Assignment: Data Visualization
Due March 22nd

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. - Einstein

It has been claimed that we are living in the Information Age. This is defined as “a period beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century when information became easily accessible through publications and through the manipulation of information by computers and computer networks.” "Information Age." WordNet Search. 2011. Princeton University. January 2010. http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=information+age

However, this definition is an oversimplification of what it means to live in the Information Age. Our social, economic, and cultural systems are being (have been) reshaped by the vast amounts of data increasingly present in our daily lives. The text you are reading right now is an assemblage of thousands of binary digits (digital data) that are a bio-mimicry of our molecular world. In this assignment you are being asked to make a visual representation of data that is significant in your life, your interests, and/or your artistic pursuits. You will explore ways to effectively communicate this information (data) through digital imagery.

Objective:

The goal of this assignment is to learn how to accurately and artistically represent a dataset with digital imagery. You will explore ways that the images can reveal truths and fictions about data. You will also consider ways in which your data can be revealed through visual narratives, algorithmic patterns, and metaphor.

Requirements:

1) Choose a topic and do research. (Initial dataset due Feb.15)

Consider: web searches, questionnaires, experiments, observations, etc.
Your initial dataset should consist of 50-100 entries.

2) Plot your data. (due in-class Feb. 22)

Try different ways of plotting your data. What is revealed? What visual representations best represent your findings? Consider: scale, linearity, proximity (space), grouping, parallelism, metaphor, time, change, repetition, color, line (weight, angle, slope/curve), and 3 or 4 dimensions.

3) Create a visual representation of your data.

Your visual representation should accurately or artistically communicate the significance of your data.

4) Presentation. (due March 22)

Be creative, the more thoughtful your presentation the better chance to receive a higher grade.

Documentation:

Document your process and intention for your work. If you collaborate with someone on this project clearly list what their contributions were.