Morphing the Mirror: Exploring Queer Portraiture and Layered Storytelling - Spring 2025

This course explores queering methodologies to craft imaginative portraiture through processes of physical collage and digital compositing in Adobe Photoshop. At the beginning of the term, students will explore how layering objects, iconography, text, portraiture, and environments can build a rich visual context for storytelling. They will apply these insights by physically layering through collage to construct their own visual narratives. Building on this foundation, students will transition to digital compositing, starting with Photoshop basics and advancing to layering through digital manipulation techniques. In combination with these formal techniques, students will develop conceptual strategies that investigate, challenge, and subvert normativity. Weekly lectures will draw inspiration from historical and contemporary queer artists using storytelling as a tool to confront and celebrate identity. In addition to weekly lectures, students will have in class hands-on exercises, assignments, and critiques. Over the term of this course, students will gain skills through engaging critically, forming language around their practice and perspective, developing technical skills and conceptual frameworks to produce work that resonates with personal and collective explorations of identity.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Develop proficiency in processes for transforming portraits by experimenting with physical and digital layering
• Build familiarity with Adobe Photoshop tools and navigation
• Research and analyze works of queer thinkers and artists, identifying strategies used to story tell, challenge norms and amplify diverse identities
• Investigate personal identities through self-reflection and creative processes, connecting to social, economic, political, and cultural contexts
• Foster an empathetic awareness of the self and share an interconnectedness with others through the creation and critique of art
• Use portraiture as a medium to question and reimagine societal norms, producing work that challenges reductive representations
• Clearly articulate the conceptual intentions and cultural significance behind their artistic choices
• Form and present a body of work as part of the final project

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR STUDENTS

• Weekly attendance is vital to student success in PCNW courses. We require that students attend the first meeting in order to retain their spot in the class. A waiver may be granted if permission is given by, and subsequent arrangements made with, both the PCNW Registrar and Faculty. Please see our Education Policies for details about attendance policies and academic expectations.
• Intermediate and advanced courses have prerequisites which students must satisfy prior to enrollment. Prerequisites may be waived based on experience or prior courses taken through other institutions. To verify that you meet the prerequisite(s) for a course, contact Jennifer Brendicke, Registrar at jbrendicke@pcnw.org.
• Students are required to provide their own camera, unless otherwise noted in the course description. If you have questions about camera equipment or resources, contact us at pcnw@pcnw.org.
• PCNW adheres to a strict payment, cancellation and refund policy. Please review our Payment & Refund Policies prior to registration.
• Additional materials and supplies, not covered by a materials fee for a course, are the responsibility of the student. Detailed information about course expectations, required texts and materials will be provided at the start of the quarter.
• Students should prepare to spend several hours per week completing assignments outside of class, which may require use of the PCNW facilities; view our Rental Rates for details about additional fees. Rental fees for use of PCNW Facilities are a separate cost from tuition.

Images © Tom Manzanarez