The Grad Lab offers workshops on a variety of subjects. The Workshops listed here are open to all MICA graduate students. All graduate students are encouraged to attend as it never hurts to learn something new and some checkout equipment is restricted to those students who have attended a workshop on it's proper operation and handling. These Workshops are meant to serve as both an introduction to various topics as well as a survey of the tools, equipment and workflow the Lab has in place. Workshops are held in the Grad Lab unless otherwise noted.
Suggestions
If there is a subject you or your program might be interested in, please send us an email through our Contact page. You can also view past Grad Lab workshops here to help give you an idea of some of the topics that have been covered in the past.
Fall 2026 Grad Lab Workshop Schedule
| Date | Time | Topic | Description | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Sept. 4th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm |
Riso Printing |
Risographic printing has become one of the most exciting developments in independent printing and publishing because of its cost-effectiveness for large print runs and the unique "Riso" look. This workshop will serve as an introduction to the Grad Lab's Riso equipment and workflows and give a general overview of the Riso printing process and how it differs from other printing technology. |
Julia Roble |
| Friday Sept. 11th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Inkjet Printing | There is more to digital printing than just hitting Apple-P. This workshop will start with the basics of preparing images for printing on the Lab's large format printers. We will cover important details surrounding file preparations, the basics of color management and most importantly how to get the most out of your experience using the Print Lab. | Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Sept. 18th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Lighting | This workshop will serve as an introduction to lighting concepts and practices, from basic lighting schemes to more scientific ideas like color temperature and the use of gels. We will also discuss how lighting affects every aspect of your shot, from depth of field to shutter speed, and how tools like light meters aren't as outdated as you might think. If you have shot grainy, flat-looking images in the past and are looking to avoid that in the future, this will help. | Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Sept. 25th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Video Capture | Come take a look at the different cameras available for checkout and learn how they differ from one another. This workshop will cover the basics of video cameras and introduce students to the different formats and cameras available for use through the Grad Lab. | Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Oct. 2nd 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Sound Capture | When working with sound half the battle is starting with a good recording. This workshop will introduce students to the wide variety of microphones, accessories and recording devices available for field recording through the Grad Lab Checkout. Additionally, this workshop will cover some basic recording techniques, concepts and benchmarks. | Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Oct. 9th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Shoot your work | So you make good work but every time you try to document it the resulting image does not do your piece justice. Well, this workshop will cover the basic concepts and techniques needed to make professional photographs of your 2D and 3D artwork. This workshop will focus on developing an approach to documenting work that can be applied with DSLRs and film cameras alike. | Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Oct. 16th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Steadicam |
When removed from a tripod, a camera traditionally has to be wheeled about on a dolly because a hand-held camera gives a shaky 'wedding photography' look that is unlike how we perceive the world. The idea behind Steadicam is to produce smoother shots by decoupling the camera from the operator’s body. This workshop will introduce you to the Steadicam Zephyr by demonstrating the correct usage and balancing of the Vest, Arm and Sled. **If you would like to checkout the Grad Lab's Steadicam Kit you must attend this workshop |
Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Oct. 23rd 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Video Editing | So you shot some video but now you need to make it into a cohesive project? The Video editing workshop will introduce students to the concepts, terms, and workflow associated with using non-linear video editing software to create a finished video project. | Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Oct. 30th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Processing |
Ever been interested in learning an object oriented programming language? Created for artists, Processing a is great introduction to computer programming. Whether you are creating highly intricate computer illustration or making interactive sound and video works, Processing provides a way to dip into any of these possibilities while learning a simple but expandable programming language, and it's free! No experience necessary. *** It is highly recommended that you attend both the processing and electronics workshops before attending the Physical Interface Workshop |
Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Nov. 6th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Electronics |
This workshop will provide a short introduction to basic electrical components and how they can be assembled to create complex circuits. This is a great workshop for anyone interested in adding sensors, lights, or sound to their artwork. It is also an important preamble to our Physical Interface workshop. Whether you're just curious or really ready to get started this is a great intro to electronics basics. *** It is highly recommended that you attend both the processing and electronics workshops before attending the Physical Interface Workshop |
Patrick Hunt |
| Friday Nov. 13th 2026 | 3:30pm - 6:30pm | Physical Interface |
Who says your artwork has to sit still and be unresponsive to viewers? This workshop will introduce students to microcontrollers, a small computer you can use to detect motion, heat, light touch and many other things. These devices can also allow you to control movement and talk to more traditional computers to control video, sound or whatever else you would like. In particular we will look at the Arduino microcontroller. *** It is highly recommended that you attend both the processing and electronics workshops before attending the this one |
Patrick Hunt |