November 12, 2008

Magazines: Check 'Em Out

Magazines can once again be checked out from the library. Magazines can be checked out for 7 days (note: certain current issue display titles are for in library use only). The library subscribes to over 350 magazine titles. Below are just a few randomly chosen examples.





November 5, 2008

Vector Art


A few students have asked about resources for vector graphics, which are scalable images. This means that you can resize a vector image with no loss of quality, unlike other types of images, which get all distorted and weird if you make them too large.

I found quite a few sites that include both free and low-cost vector graphics. Here is just a sample of them, but you can always do an internet search using the key words free vector and see what you come up with...

iStockPhoto
You have to purchase credits that you use to download different sized images - the higher the resolution, the more credits, but credits are cheap, and just a few of them will get you a really nice image. The content on this site is user-generated, but I know from experience that they have really high standards and their artwork is excellent qualiity.

High-res photos are also available here, but, if you are an AiS student you already have accounts with Getty Images and Corbis through the school. So, before you buy photos from iStock, be sure to check out these two sites (drop me a line if you need login info for Getty and Corbis).

Vecteezy
Free, downloadable artwork that is updated daily. Go to the Gallery and use the Filter dropdowns on the right to find different types of files.

VectorVault
More free artwork, plus lots of information about illustration and links to other cool sites.

Bittbox
This a neat site that's managed by a web/graphic designer who is into free stuff. The link above goes straight to the Freebies archive, which is updated often.

Let me know if you find any other sites that you think I should add to the list!

October 29, 2008

New Digital-Tutors Discs In

We have thirty new Digital-Tutors titles! If you are an animator you should check these out - I have have seen some amazing work by beginner students who tell me that these tutorials are super helpful.

For a list of all the Digital-Tutors titles we have:
1. Go into our online catalog, Voyager
2. Highlight Ai Seattle in the Quick Limit fields
3. Type in "Digital-Tutors"
4. Click Search at the bottom of the page
5. Voila! You have a list of all 102 tutorials

Write down the call numbers of the titles you want and we'll get them for you. You may check out three at time, for three days. Don't forget your student ID - that's your library card. See ya!

October 16, 2008

Believe!


I love this book. It's about photography of the paranormal (spirits, ghosts, etc.) in the early age of photography (19th c) when the art of capturing 'reality' on film was a young, 'scientific', and relatively idealistic endeavor. As such, manipulation of said 'reality' through experimental techniques substantiated specious mysteries of the occult - and created believers! The images are amazing. It's also interesting to consider how image creators and media producers participate in a long tradition of deception - yesteryear and today. Check it out at BF 1381 .P47 2005

October 8, 2008

Upcoming RefWorks Tutorial for Argosy Students!

"This tutorial should be a requirement for every incoming student!"

"RefWorks will allow me to easily organize and search my references, as well as create an APA style bibliography..."

"Very knowledgeable instructor who gives clear and concise explanations about how to use this resource. Excellent session!"

Students and faculty have great things to say about the AU Seattle RefWorks Tutorial Sessions led by Subject Specialist Librarian, Melissa Dunn! Reserve a space today and learn how to use RefWorks, a web-based bibliographic management system available to all Argosy students!

--Organize and manage your references
--Easily insert citations into your paper
--Build a bibliography in a variety of formats, including APA 5th edition!
--Import references from many data sources
--Format references in a variety of bibliographic styles with the click of a button!

Thursday, October 23rd
1:30 - 3:00PM, Room A122


OR

Saturday, October 25th
1:30 - 3:00PM, Room A122



Send an e-mail to Melissa Dunn, Argosy Librarian at medunn@argosy.edu to reserve a space in either session!

October 7, 2008

Distracted by Blogs

Fall quarter is just getting underway and you're soon likely to find yourself swamped with classwork. While you've still got some free time left, you may want to take a few minutes to be distracted by these entertaining blogs.

Advanced Style describes itself as "proof from the wizened and silver-haired set that personal style advances with age." This blog is similar to the street fashion blogs Sara mentioned a little while ago, but with a focus on stylish older people in New York City.
http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/

Cake Wrecks offers hilarious and occasionally disturbing pictures of cake decoration gone horribly wrong.
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

Local blog Plush You is the official blog of the annual Plush You exhibition at Schmancy (which opens this Friday, October 10). The blog features amazing plush creations of crafters from all around the world.
http://plushyou.blogspot.com/

September 17, 2008

Outside In


I recently was in Chicago and visited a gallery called Intuit: The Center of Intuitive and Outsider Art. 'Outsider art' is typically work by artists that have not been formally trained and exist as 'outsiders' to the traditional gallery scene and/or art market. This particular show exhibited the work of Christopher Hipkiss, who has done some enormous, detailed, and wonderfully troubling work. There was also an installation replicating the room Chicago native Henry Darger lived in - but no way could it have been that orderly! Darger was a recluse savant artist who created the staggering 15,000+ page illustrated novel The Story of the Vivian Girls and has received significant posthumous (and controversial) fame since he died in the 70's, when his work was discovered. Seattle's free and excellent Frye Museum had a show of his work in 2006.

Outsider art encompasses a wide and varying circle of creativity ranging from folk art to so-called art brut to the art of the insane to work of the self-taught, and as a result, can be difficult to categorize or identify. Nevertheless, it has become very popular because of the unique, unfettered, and visionary perspectives that these artists can provide. Some other places to see outsider art: right here in Seattle is the Garde Rail Gallery, in Baltimore there is the American Visionary Museum , and in Europe the Prinzhorn Collection and the Adolf Wolffi Foundation, amongst many, many others nationally and internationally.

Tons of books on artists in this area are in the library - search for 'outsider art' - come by to check them out!