Visual Imagination Fall 2013Instructors: Sandy Hancock & Olivia Hancock

Assignment # 8

TEXTURE

In this a two (2) part assignment. The goal of this assignment is, both, to employ texture as a communicative device and as a trigger for evoking imagery.

Blind people read by Brail, which is script that can be read through the sensation of touch. In this assignment you will write a short story that can be supported through the sense of touch. You will not be writing in Brail, but rather along with your story you will create a texture plate that will serve as tactile reinforcement for the imagery in your story. If you are to help them imagine your trip you will need to guide their fingers over a series of textures, which will provide them with a tactile sense of the trip The texture plate is to be made on the 3” x 24” long, piece of cardboard.

Develop a short narrative to be read or told to a blind person. The narrative should be a short adventure, or a series of continuous experiences, through which you will guide them. Construct the narrative in a way so that the listener (the blind person) can “visualize” the events you are about to guide them through. There should be 10 notable events that occur in your story that can be supported by some tactile sensation.

Adhere the 10 different textures in a logical sequence on the texture strip. Make sure they stick well and do not fall off in transport and storage. On the back of the cardboard strip write your name in all caps, using a fine line Sharpie. You may want to do this first…only a suggestion. Do not use dangerous materials such as blades, broken glass or anything that will cause cuts, pricks, burns etc. Do not use illegal substances, anything that can stain clothing, or be, in any way foul, offensive or unhygienic. Be creative. Go where you’ve never been before. Make things up.

Therefore: the two parts of the assignment are:1. The development of a short story. (No longer than a single spaced, typed

page.) Make sure your name is on the paper.2. A texture plate to support the short story. (Plate surface provided.)

The homework will be presented in class, by you reading the story, while guiding a, blindfolded, classmates hand over the texture plate.

EXAMPLE OF A STORY:

Knowing that the elevators had been out of commission for the last two days, I decided to take the stairs, near the side entrance of the building, up to my dorm room. It was 11:00 pm, on a Tuesday, and I was totally wiped, after a long day at school and three and a half hours of play rehearsal. I slid my ID card * in the reader* at the side door, held on to the door handle,* and as I attempted to pull the door toward me, I felt a sudden swing in my direction and …blam.* After a moment, I shook my head to get some clarity, and while rubbing my forehead, I felt a sizeable bump.* “You OK man?” I heard a voice. Turning my head toward the voice, to my astonishment; there were two six-foot fish,* standing on their tails looking at me. “You OK?” One of them repeated. “Yeah… yeah, I’m OK… just a little dazed.” I said. “You sure? “ said the other. “I think so,” I said, somewhat skeptically. “Must be some party?” “Take care now.” one of them said. “Yeah, sorry bout that dude.” said the other. “That’s cool.” I said, as I proceeded inside the metal door. Once inside, I gazed forward, toward what I expected to be a staircase. Instead, in front of me, I saw a cascading waterfall,* with concentric rings* drifting toward me. Looking down I found myself standing knee deep in a pool of clear, blue water.* To the left of me, within a huge Marguerita glass,* a bullfrog,* wearing nothing but a straw island hat,* floated,* freely, on an inflatable rubber raft.* Vaguely resembling my roommate, the insipid frog waved at me, while casually sipping on the Marguarita, through a long, thin straw,* undoubtedly plucked from his hat. I dazedly waved back, still stunned by the sight, when I suddenly recoiled. Feeling a slithery, slimy* sensation at the back of my neck, creeping down toward my chest, I froze, and then, …nothing. After a moment I felt as though my body was being gradually drawn backward.* I turned around, only to realize that I was slowly moving toward, and about to be swallowed by, the long spongy tentacles* of car wash machine. There was nowhere to go. No escape. The frenzied strips of soapy cloth* were about to engulf me, while from each side, huge spinning bristle brushes* were about to strip the scales* from my body. Now, I was up to my gills* in trouble. My only recourse was to swim upstream…up…up the waterfall I struggled. But, the relentless, conveyor* pulled in the other direction ever faster and faster until …I felt a sudden slap* on my face. As I opened my eyes, I heard a familiar voice.“You sure you’re ok man?” I thought you croaked.

Note: despite references to other body parts, the strip textures are to be felt by the hand only.

To be presented on the same day as your final project.