ART327 ALTERNATIVE ANIMATION STRATEGIES
WEEKLY SCHEDULE - SPRING 2026
MONDAY/WEDNESDAY 2:00 - 4:50
LABS: W221, W125A & W153B
Sleeper's Zoom Room
SCREENING SERIES I: ALTERNATIVE ANIMATION - A BROAD OVERVIEW
WK01: JAN 12-16
MONDAY: CLASS OVERVIEW / AN INTRODUCTION TO ALT STRAT ANIMATION
Films: An Introduction to Alt Strat Animation / Artist Profiles - Tilby, Forbes & Ushev
Reading 1: Experimental Frame of Mind - Intro/History pp.1-8, 12-17 - PDF of first reading
WEDNESDAY: EXPERIMANTAL ANMATION IN POP CULTURE
Films: Popular Culture I - Commercial Spots / Popular Culture II - Music Videos
Reading 2: Notable Pioneers - Sand & Pinscreen Animation p.76-81 - PDF of second reading
Additional Reading: Understanding Pinscreen Animation
WK02: JAN 19-23
MONDAY: NO CLASS MLK
WEDNESDAY: PINSCREEN ANIMATION
Films: Pinscreen - Allexieff, Parker, Drouin, etc.
Reading 3: Sand Animation: Exploring Technique, The Sandy Studio & Planning a Longer Project p.81-93. - Reading Link: PDF of third reading
ANIMATION WORKSHOP I: SAND
WK03: JAN 26-30
MONDAY: SAND ANIMATION - INTRO TO SAND
Films: Artist Profiles - Corrie Francis Parks & Caroline Leaf
Reading 4: Foundation for Excellence I: Basic Principles; Fluid Frame Aesthetics p.47-62.
Student Work: Sand Morph
Demo: Sand Animation Downshooter Demo
WEDNESDAY: SAND MORPH ASSIGNMENT - POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE
Lab: Sand Animation I. Exposure Strip / Sand Animation II. Playing in Pairs
Assignment: Sand Animation II. Morph - Positive to Negative
WK04: FEB 02-06
MONDAY: SAND ALPHABET - RESEARCH, IMAGES, FONTS & TOOLS
Films: Sand Animation Cont. - Susana's Load of Crap, etc.
Reading 5: Artist Profiles I - Appendix B p.215-228.
Screen: Sand Morphs Assignments
Student Work: Sand Alphabet
Lab/Assignment: Sand Alphabet I. Research - Images, Fonts & Tools
WEDNESDAY: SAND ALPHABET - LASER CUT STENCILS / IMAGE & TEST ANIMATION
Lab/Assignment: II. Build Laser Cut Stencil Files / III. Image Exploration, Exposure Strip & Test Animation
WK05: FEB 09-13
MONDAY: SAND ALPHABET - DRAGONFRAME SET-UP / STENCIL TESTS
Reading 6: Compositing 101 - Adding Color: Combining Sand with Other Technique.93-118.
Assignment: IV. Five Panel Pitch
WEDNESDAY: SAND ALPHABET - FINAL ANIMATION
Lab: V. DragonFrame Set-up & Stencil Test
Assignment: Sand Alphabet VI. Final Sand Animation
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT I: UNDER THE CAMERA TECHNIQUE - 10 SECONDS FOR PEACE INTRO
Go here for Research Assignment Guidelines
WK06: FEB 16-20
MONDAY: INTRO TO RESEARCH #1
Films: Fluid Frames - Charcoal, Clay, Wax & Paint
Reading 7: Finding Your Voice: Starting the Journey; Image Stuck in Your Mind; Telling a Story p.17-28.
Screen: Sand Alphabets Assignments
WEDNESDAY: RESEARCH FILMS I
Films: 10 Seconds for Peace / Anijams
WK07: FEB 23-27
MONDAY: RESEARCH FILMS II
Films: Watercolor, Ink & Rotoscope - Michele Cournoyer Chris Hinton, & Anne Beal, etc.
Student Work: Student Research Examples - Charcoal, Clay Lip sync, etc
Assignment: Complete Research Proposal (Due WEDNESDAY)
WEDNESDAY: SUBMIT PROPOSALS/SET-UP WORKSPACE/GATHER MATERIALS
Due: Research #1 Proposals
Lab/Assignment: Step #1: Set-up Workspace/Gather Materials/Exploration of Process & Materials
WK08: MAR 02-06
MONDAY/WEDNESDAY: RESEARCH PREPRODUCTION/ANIMATION EXPLORATION
Lab/Assignment: Pre-production/Animation Exploration
MAR 09 - 13 SPRING BREAK
WK09: MAR 16-20
MONDAY: WRAP UP RESEARCH
Lab/Assignment: Final Animation/Prep for Research #1 Presentation See instruction here.
WEDNESDAY: PRESENT RESEARCH #1
Presentation: Research #1 Presentation
THURS/FRIDAY: GENTLE BREAK
RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT #2: PERSONAL CHOICE
Go here for Research Assignment Guidelines
WK10: MAR 23-27
MONDAY: FILM EXPLORATION I
Films: Artist Profile - Tiny Inventions / Artist Profile - Norman McLaren & Evelynn Lambert / Visual Music - Oskar Fischinger, etc.
Reading 8: Artist Profiles II - Appendix B p.215-228.
WEDNESDAY: FILM EXPLORATION II
Films: 2D/3D Pixilation / Object Animation - PES, etc. / Laser Cutters, Clay Strata & Zoetropes
Assignment: Research #2 Proposal Due Monday
WK11: MAR 30-APR 01 GENTLE BREAK
MONDAY: SUBMIT PROPOSALS
Films: Artist Profile - Yuri Norstien / Artist Profile - Lotti Reiniger
Lab/Assignment: Set-up Workspace/Gather Materials/Exploration of Process & Materials
WEDNESDAY: ANIMATION EXPLORATION
Lab/Assignment: Animation Exploration
THURS/FRIDAY: GENTLE BREAK
WK12: APR 06-10
MONDAY / WEDNESDAY: ANIMATION EXPLORATION CONTINUES
Lab: Animation Exploration Continued
Assignment: 10 Seconds for Peace - 6 Panel Pitch
FINAL PROJECT: TEN SECONDS FOR PEACE
WK13: APR 13-17
MONDAY: 10 SECONDS FOR PEACE - 6 PANEL PITCH
Pitch: 10 Seconds for Peace
WEDNESDAY: PRE-PRODUCTION / ANIMATION TESTS
Lab/Assignment: Preproduction / Animation Tests
WK14: APR 20-24
MONDAY / WEDNESDAY: PRE-PRODUCTION / ANIMATION TESTS
Lab/Assignment: Preproduction / Animation Tests
WK15: APR 27-MAY 01
MONDAY / WEDNESDAY: FINAL ANIMATION / POST-PRODUCTION
Lab/Assignment: Final Animation / Post-Production /
Research #2 Presentations
EXAM: MAY 04 MONDAY - 2:00 pm
FINAL EXAM: FINAL PRESENTATION / "10 SECONDS FOR PEACE"
Presentations:Research #2 PresentationsScreen: "10 Seconds for Peace"