AHT 500History of Computer Graphics

This course provides an overview of the development of computer graphics both as a design tool and a medium for artistic expression. The field’s evolution is examined in depth, from the dawn of the computer age in the 1950s until the most recent advances of the early twenty- first century. Topics covered include the computer’s role within the traditional fine arts, the development of stylistic groups among computer artists, the relationship of advances in hardware and software to artistic expression, and the impact of computer graphics on the evolution of contemporary design. Recent examples of computer graphics are analyzed in the context of contemporary art styles and movements, multi-media, and design. Field trips to galleries and production houses complement the lecture classes.