School of Art

The Ceramics Lab

The Ceramics Lab is an outside, courtyard area studio that is Institute-wide facility open to students, faculty and staff.  Kiln firings, glazes and equipment are accessible only after attending the Lab Orientation. The Ceramics Lab is home to two electric kilns, a handful of throwing wheels, and a dry chemical library. Our Oval Kiln fires up to Cone 05 and is used for bisque firing only. Our round kiln fires to Cone 6, and is used for glaze firings.  Hand tools are available for use within the Lab, and students who gain access are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment and for the thoughtful use of tools and equipment. 

MacLab

The MacLab facilitates the creation of digital and print-based work, motion graphics and web design. The lab extends studio space and supports student use and the curriculum with a variety of software enabling editorial design, drawing, painting, photo manipulation, page layout, type design, UI/UX, 3-D rendering, motion graphics and web design.

The lab features Mac computers on custom designed tables, fabricated using a VOC free surface composed of post-consumer recycled paper and non-petroleum resin. The teaching station is equipped to display large video and sound projection for classes and visiting guests. Additionally, the lab offers a small meeting space, iPad bar, TVs for displaying work, wireless internet connections, laser printing, and scanning. The MacLab includes a secure glass enclosure with LED lighting to display posters from the graphic design archive and individual poster shows.

Student lab techs are accessible for confirming art school access, refreshing lab supplies, troubleshooting and answering questions about the hardware and software. Users are responsible for their own document storage and backup. Priority is given to the curriculum and labs are intended for the production and printing of original work, created for class and individual projects.

Two adjunct labs support the MacLab and curriculum, managed and operated by student techs in training. For hours of operation, see posted schedules at each facility.

• A107-c Wide Format
  Offers fee-based, large format color inkjet output on assorted media, and Riso printing
• A107-f ColorLab
  Supports fee-based color laser printing

Photo Lab

The Photo Lab provides equipment and facilities for both traditional and digital processes and is designed to serve the curriculum of the Photography and Media Program.

The analogue printing facilities include two analogue film processing rooms, two large Black and White analogue printing Bays, nine analogue Color printing checkout rooms, a 52" color (type ra-4) print processor, and the Mural Room which houses an 8" x 10" horizontal closed loop color enlarger. The Photo Cage additionally manages a classroom, lighting studio, and copy room.

The digital imaging instructional and production areas of the Photo Lab are specifically designed as visually neutral environments with specialized lighting to provide for optimum viewing and evaluating of color. There are ten student production workstations, which provide scanning, post-process editing and output capabilities. The digital production areas are available during the academic year upon completion of mandatory orientations and any applicable technical tutorials.

The Photo Cage provides equipment for daily checkout for all imaging processes. The Cage houses analogue cameras (35mm, 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7,6x9,6x12,4x5, 8x10 and 11x14) and Canon DSLRs. The Cage also provides darkroom equipment, lighting equipment, camera accessories, and additional imaging equipment.

Print and Media Lab

The Print Lab & Media Lab has various production methods available including: Screen printing (including  T-Shirt presses), intaglio, lithography, letterpress and bookbinding. The darkroom area has multiple exposure systems for producing plates and screens. Students who have attended a primary orientation (in Fall semester) and have paid a security deposit may check materials out though an equipment checkout system - this includes squeegees, scoopcoaters, brayers, rollers and other items. Checked-out equipment is lent on a 24 hour maximum basis.

The Lab also includes a Digital Lab consisting of 7 workstations, 2 scanners and basic small scale output for producing film for exposure as well as pre-production support for media projects. 

The Cage supplies paper, inks, plates and screen emulsion. Transaction and recharge protocols are identical to Output Services (see below).

Output Services and the Cage are fee based, student run areas - open limited hours that change each semester (see posted schedule or consult artserve.calarts.edu). All sales and services are prepaid at the Cashiers Window in accounting (no cash, check or credit - no running balances in the Lab) and recharge projects must include downloaded editable PDF forms (i.e. digitally completed) as well as departmental authorization support documents (including signature and budget), and signature of Lab Director. Downloaded forms and basic information is available at artserve.calarts.edu - see Lab Hours and Account info on upper right of screen. Incomplete or improperly completed forms will not be accepted.

Output Services provides 44" inkjet printing on Lab supplied (i.e. no outside materials) photo media and clear film, laser cutting (maximum size 16' x 12", see operators for material restrictions) 3-D printing and vinyl cutting. Proper file set up is absolutely necessary and requirements for files, as well as pricing may be reviewed at artserve.calarts.edu. Additionally, a consultation with Output Services operators is highly recommended.

Super Shop

The Super Shop is an Institute-wide resource that provides facilities and technical instruction for making three dimensional artwork. It is a sculpture driven workspace with full woodworking, metal fabrication, sewing, as well as sand-blasting and spraying options. The Tool Cage offers a lending library of basic hand tools and power tools that are available for check out.

The Super Shop is also home to a Laguna Swift CNC, which appointments with the operators can be easily scheduled for file vetting and output services.