Discovering Media Assignment

Due: Please see your course calendar for the exact due date and time. You will turn in your paper by uploading it onto eCampus by the due date and time. I will only accept electronic copies of this assignment on eCampus. If you miss the deadline of the dropbox, I will not accept your assignment through email.

Assignment Format: 

– 3 – 4 pages (3 full pages minimum) – I will take off for anything less than the minimum

required

– Typed, double-spaced, 12-point font using Calibri or Times New Roman, MLA formatting

– Include a single-spaced header in the top left corner on the first page only

– Include a title and page numbers

– Do NOT include a cover page for this assignment as your single-spaced header will have that

information already included

– A Works Cited formatted in MLA citation style must be included as the last page of your paper.

You must include at least four sources for your works cited. If you are not familiar with MLA

formatting, please reference https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/ and

select the correct source you are using: books, periodicals, electronic resources, etc. from the

list on the left-hand side of the site. Or, make an appointment with the Writing Center as soon

as possible so they can assist you in this process. Please note: Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable

academic, scholarly source. You may not use it as one of your sources.

– If you need/want to include any photos to explain your chosen medium or process, include

that on a separate page as the very last page of your submission. The photos do not work

towards your page count.

Assignment Instructions:

We started off the Media and Process unit by asking the following questions: Why do artists choose the media they do to work with? What are the specific materials required? How do artists turn raw materials into finished works of art? Does the choice of medium add any other meaning or interpretation that the viewer can extract? This is your opportunity to answer those questions firsthand while learning about a new medium or process.

For this assignment, you will write a 3 – 4 page paper (3 full pages minimum) on a chosen artistic technique, medium, and/or process from the list provided. In this research paper, you will explain your chosen medium and the process of how artists work with that medium with a step-by-step description and/or instruction of how the process is completed. In addition, you will also be itemizing all of the materials and tools required for working with this medium.

After providing this initial basic information, you will provide a general historical background of the medium, how it has evolved over time, and any positives (benefits) or negatives (challenges) of working with your chosen media.

(continued)

Furthermore, make reference to a famous work of art, artist, or art movement or time period that exemplifies your chosen method, media, or process. When discussing the work of art, please explain how this piece embodies or exemplifies your chosen medium, in other words what makes in stand out from other works done in this medium, etc. When discussing an artist that is notable for working with your chosen medium, discuss what sets this artist apart from other artists, and how they have manipulated this particular medium. When discussing a particular art movement, time period, or culture known for exemplifying your chosen medium, explain how the artists of this time manipulated and fully exploited the medium. For example, when discussing glass blowing, you might want to bring up the contemporary artist Dale Chihuly or the Murano glassmakers in Venice, Italy. Or, you might discuss how artists from the Medieval period were known for working with stained glass for the windows of Gothic cathedrals across Europe.

Finally, consider how and why artists use your chosen medium to express an idea. Said in other way, why does an artist choose this particular medium to work with to convey their visual communication(s), and what are they saying with/through this medium?

Write your paper in third person voice, meaning do not use the pronouns I, you, our, we, etc. If you find that you are unable to state a sentence without using these pronouns, please visit with me so I can demonstrate how to do this.

If you have any further questions about what type of paper I am looking for, please see the student example(s) posted online with the instructions. Any example I would post would be an example of a student’s paper who did exceptionally well on this assignment. The student example will also give you an idea how to structure the body paragraphs of your paper.

Questions for you to consider for your research paper: 

What is your chosen medium?

What is the process of working with this medium from start to finish?

What tools, equipment, and items are needed to produce a finished work in this medium?

Are there any benefits to working with this media? Any challenges or drawbacks?

What is the history of your chosen media? Was it popular during any particular era?

Is there a particular work of art that stands out in the history of art that was made in your

chosen medium?

Is there an artist who has worked primarily with your chosen media and is known for his/her

work in it?

Is there a particular time period that the artists were known for fully exploiting your chosen

media and are known in the history of art for their knowledge of working with this medium?

Why do artists choose this particular medium to work with to convey their visual

communication, and what are they saying with/through their work?

* Please note that this will require you to do some research. Be sure to provide citations (at least four are required) on a Works Cited at the end of your paper for any sources you use. *

How to submit:

You will submit your paper and MLA Works Cited as one Word document as an attachment (with only .doc or.docx extensions – eCampus will not accept anything else) to the dropbox no later than the due date and time. I recommend uploading your paper in a timely fashion in advance of the deadline. You will not be able to submit anything to me after the deadline as the dropbox will no longer be available. Furthermore, I will not accept hard copies of this assignment, nor will I accept a paper through email. All submissions MUST be electronically submitted through eCampus.

How you will be graded:

Grammar and Formatting: 10 points possible

– Followed instructions for page length (3 full pages minimum) and formatting – single-spaced header, typed and in correct font size, double-spacing only including in between paragraphs, provided page numbers and a title, used third person voice only

– Capitalization, spelling, punctuation, grammar, writing mechanics, etc.

– Used correct MLA formatting

 

Information within the paper: Paragraphs: 80 points possible 

– Provided a brief introduction to chosen media

– Each body paragraph began with a topic sentence

– Each paragraph was well-developed

– Documented necessary media (physical material and tools)

– Documented the process (steps)

– Stated benefits of working with chosen media

– Stated problems of working with chosen media

– Provided a brief history of chosen medium

– Identified and discussed a particular work of art/artist/time period/art movement that

exemplifies the chosen medium

– Evidence of thorough examination of chosen media and process

– Demonstrated critical thinking and thoughtful consideration in the execution of assignment

Works Cited: 10 points possible

– Included at least four scholarly sources for the history of media or process

– Properly cited sources using MLA citation format

– Wikipedia was not one of the sources used