Comments on: Art textbook with no art: school trying to fix it http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 26 May 2013 02:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: invictus http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1539288 invictus Sun, 23 Sep 2012 21:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1539288 Given that Mr. Holmen's location is listed as Dallas, TX, I feel my interpretation was more reasonable than the rather uncommon synonym for "government" you propose. Given that Mr. Holmen’s location is listed as Dallas, TX, I feel my interpretation was more reasonable than the rather uncommon synonym for “government” you propose.

]]> By: Analog Kid http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1539130 Analog Kid Sun, 23 Sep 2012 10:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1539130 copyright clearances?? Last time I checked, anything over 100 years old has no copyright issues. copyright clearances??
Last time I checked, anything over 100 years old has no copyright issues.

]]> By: C W http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538933 C W Sat, 22 Sep 2012 22:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538933 I know someone that did some work for a local Scientology office (freelancers need money too) and they gave the person a book on L Ron Hubbard's dictions on art. Naturally, it was hundreds of pages of psychotic drek with zero images. It ended up in the garbage before the person made it around the block, which is a shame, because that stuff makes GREAT coffee table books. I know someone that did some work for a local Scientology office (freelancers need money too) and they gave the person a book on L Ron Hubbard’s dictions on art. Naturally, it was hundreds of pages of psychotic drek with zero images. It ended up in the garbage before the person made it around the block, which is a shame, because that stuff makes GREAT coffee table books.

]]> By: AirPillo http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538909 AirPillo Sat, 22 Sep 2012 20:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538909 Pearson has an army of sales reps who meet with institutions and hard-sell these custom editions. It makes them a fortune because it grants the campus bookstore a monopoly and they can charge more money for the custom (often printed to subpar standards) than the original it's based upon.  The books had already been printed for them, so the university likely had the choice of going ahead with it and maintaining their extortionate monopolism, or turning it down and having to actually use a textbook the students can buy at fair market value elsewhere. Being familiar with Pearson I guarantee you that not only were these books not illustrated at all, but they were also probably badly bound paperbacks with pages printed on thin, translucent paper the fragile likes of which you've probably never seen before. Most of them were probably also at least cosmetically damaged while being bound, and were sold anyway. Pearson has an army of sales reps who meet with institutions and hard-sell these custom editions. It makes them a fortune because it grants the campus bookstore a monopoly and they can charge more money for the custom (often printed to subpar standards) than the original it’s based upon. 
The books had already been printed for them, so the university likely had the choice of going ahead with it and maintaining their extortionate monopolism, or turning it down and having to actually use a textbook the students can buy at fair market value elsewhere.

Being familiar with Pearson I guarantee you that not only were these books not illustrated at all, but they were also probably badly bound paperbacks with pages printed on thin, translucent paper the fragile likes of which you’ve probably never seen before. Most of them were probably also at least cosmetically damaged while being bound, and were sold anyway.

]]> By: Daemonworks http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538684 Daemonworks Sat, 22 Sep 2012 09:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538684 Unless they're using "state" as a synonym for government, in which case it's being used correctly regardless of where the events are happening. Unless they’re using “state” as a synonym for government, in which case it’s being used correctly regardless of where the events are happening.

]]> By: noah django http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538673 noah django Sat, 22 Sep 2012 08:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538673 tl;dr version: "backpedal, backpedal, backpedal.  placating angry students.  placating angry internet.  absolutely no admission that we were involved in a blatantly insane rip-off." tl;dr version:
“backpedal, backpedal, backpedal.  placating angry students.  placating angry internet.  absolutely no admission that we were involved in a blatantly insane rip-off.”

]]> By: invictus http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538628 invictus Sat, 22 Sep 2012 05:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538628 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Canada#Private_Universities http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Canada#Private_Universities

]]> By: invictus http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538627 invictus Sat, 22 Sep 2012 05:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538627 One of the worst examples of text design I've ever seen was in my "Rhetoric of Print Design" textbook. And I don't mean mistakes; I mean page-long solid blocks of small-print text for tens of pages. Whitespace? Who could afford all that white ink?! I think the 500-page book had maybe two illustrations. One of the worst examples of text design I’ve ever seen was in my “Rhetoric of Print Design” textbook. And I don’t mean mistakes; I mean page-long solid blocks of small-print text for tens of pages. Whitespace? Who could afford all that white ink?!
I think the 500-page book had maybe two illustrations.

]]> By: invictus http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538624 invictus Sat, 22 Sep 2012 05:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538624 Where by "state" you mean "province," since this is Canada. It's a combination of federal and provincial funding and yes, OCAD is a public institution. (Some day I'll bring myself to say "OCAD University." That day is not today.) Where by “state” you mean “province,” since this is Canada. It’s a combination of federal and provincial funding and yes, OCAD is a public institution.
(Some day I’ll bring myself to say “OCAD University.” That day is not today.)

]]> By: greebo http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538575 greebo Sat, 22 Sep 2012 02:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538575 OCAD is a public university (there are no private universities in Canada). Next door, at the University of Toronto, we had a memo from the dean this week reminding us that it is against university policy to make the purchase of any materials (books, clickers, whatever) mandatory for students - i.e. we should not be using mandatory purchases as a backdoor way of adding to tuition fees. Presumably the memo was a reaction to the flack OCADU is getting over this. OCAD is a public university (there are no private universities in Canada).
Next door, at the University of Toronto, we had a memo from the dean this week reminding us that it is against university policy to make the purchase of any materials (books, clickers, whatever) mandatory for students – i.e. we should not be using mandatory purchases as a backdoor way of adding to tuition fees. Presumably the memo was a reaction to the flack OCADU is getting over this.

]]> By: SoItBegins http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538508 SoItBegins Sat, 22 Sep 2012 00:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538508  You mean, 'an enraged audience'?  You mean, ‘an enraged audience’?

]]> By: rrh http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538374 rrh Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538374 That would be a fun exercise. Fill them all in based on the descriptions, see how close you got it. That would be a fun exercise. Fill them all in based on the descriptions, see how close you got it.

]]> By: rrh http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538373 rrh Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538373  "What's for lunch?"  ”What’s for lunch?”

]]> By: John Irvine http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538364 John Irvine Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538364 I'm betting these will be high-dollar collectors items fairly soon. I’m betting these will be high-dollar collectors items fairly soon.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538352 EH Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538352 Haw haw, I hadn't known that they actually included space for the art that wasn't included! "Insert your own Reubens here." Also: LOL @ pdf letter. Haw haw, I hadn’t known that they actually included space for the art that wasn’t included! “Insert your own Reubens here.”

Also: LOL @ pdf letter.

]]> By: thecleaninglady http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538340 thecleaninglady Fri, 21 Sep 2012 21:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538340 Maybe the school publishing such a book is performance art. Clearly, the parents make an engaged audience. Maybe the school publishing such a book is performance art. Clearly, the parents make an engaged audience.

]]> By: SoItBegins http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538312 SoItBegins Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538312 Maybe the book with no art is in itself art. It's a postmodernist statement. Maybe the book with no art is in itself art. It’s a postmodernist statement.

]]> By: mtdna http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538300 mtdna Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538300 Art books don't necessarily need much art in them. One of the most highly regarded books on photography, On Photography, by Susan Sontag, had no photos in it at all. Of course, it's only $4.68 on Amazon, but still... Art books don’t necessarily need much art in them. One of the most highly regarded books on photography, On Photography, by Susan Sontag, had no photos in it at all. Of course, it’s only $4.68 on Amazon, but still…

]]> By: Aram Jahn http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538291 Aram Jahn Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538291 I read Cory's article on this from earlier this week, and thought maybe it was some "meta" way for professors to address the state of the commodified Art-welt NOW - you'll have to do some digging online to see that stuff, sorry about the $180, but wait till we discuss Warhol, 20th century art forgeries, the 1980s and the rise of the $40 million dollar paintings by Masters, bought by bankers and kept in vaults as investments, Jeff Koons, etc, etc...then I realized this weed was REALLY good. I read Cory’s article on this from earlier this week, and thought maybe it was some “meta” way for professors to address the state of the commodified Art-welt NOW – you’ll have to do some digging online to see that stuff, sorry about the $180, but wait till we discuss Warhol, 20th century art forgeries, the 1980s and the rise of the $40 million dollar paintings by Masters, bought by bankers and kept in vaults as investments, Jeff Koons, etc, etc…then I realized this weed was REALLY good.

]]> By: kP http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538280 kP Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538280 It's like the Braille edition of Playboy.  You have to use your imagination! It’s like the Braille edition of Playboy.  You have to use your imagination!

]]> By: Robert Holmén http://boingboing.net/2012/09/21/art-textbook-with-no-art-scho.html#comment-1538273 Robert Holmén Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=182542#comment-1538273 Is OCAD a state institution or a private, for-profit art school? I would love for a journalist to seriously examine the thought process of the decision-makers involved who initially thought that was a feasible notion.  The people who saw all the realities beforehand and decided, "yeah, that will work." Basically, "What. Were. They. Thinking?" Is OCAD a state institution or a private, for-profit art school?

I would love for a journalist to seriously examine the thought process of the decision-makers involved who initially thought that was a feasible notion.  The people who saw all the realities beforehand and decided, “yeah, that will work.”

Basically, “What. Were. They. Thinking?”

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