The Imaging Center

The Imaging Center supports the study and production of the visual arts at Smith. We work with faculty and students to make art, to study art and to document art. We teach workshops and provide individual support to help students realize ambitious projects.

We offer image collections, software training, 2D and 3D printing and scanning, virtual and augmented reality development, equipment checkout, studio and exhibition support, and specialized technical support in our computer labs. We work with faculty to use technology creatively in the classroom.

Imaging Center Projects

A student in Professor Yanlong Guo’s course introducing her virtual gallery

Virtual Exhibition Presentation. A student in Professor Yanlong Guo’s course Playing with Ink and Brush—Painting and Calligraphy in East Asia introduces her virtual gallery.

A Cuneiform tablet from the Mortimer Rare Book Room

Cuneiform Tablet, c. 1711–1683 BCE. Madison Vincent ’19 worked with the Imaging Center to 3D scan several cuneiform tablets from the Mortimer Rare Book Collection.

Andrew Maurer photographing a fossilized shrimp burrow

Capturing a Shrimp Burrow. Andrew Maurer photographs a fossilized shrimp burrow in order to create a 3D reconstruction for Professor Allen Curran of the geosciences department.

3D Laser Scanning. Sophisticated scanning tools and 3D printers allow us to make reproductions of fine art that can be handled by students.

Student-produced poster for Professor Lindsey Clark-Ryan’s Woodcut Printmaking course with Imaging Center assistance

Producing Art Remotely. During the pandemic, students in Professor Lindsey Clark-Ryan’s Woodcut Printmaking course worked with Imaging Center staff to produce prints and posters collaboratively.

Museum Connections. Students in Professor Joseph McVeigh’s German Studies class worked with the Imaging Center and the Smith College Museum of art to build both a virtual exhibition and a corresponding exhibit of original works on paper.

Unique Collections. The Imaging Center works with departments across campus, including Theater, Asian studies, German studies, Geosciences and more, to digitize and disseminate their collections. See some of Smith’s local collections in Artstor (login required).

Imaging Center Services & Resources

Image Collections

All of our digital image collections are available through ARTstor, a scholarly database of over a million images of art objects, historical material, archeological artifacts and photojournalism archives. The Smith Digital Collections include over 200,000 images from faculty requests, the Smith College Museum of Art, the Mortimer Rare Book Room, the Smith College Archives, and Five College collaborative collections. Contact Jon Cartledge to create your own Smith-connected account for access from off-campus.

3D Media Training

The Imaging Center provides faculty consultation and training for all aspects of 3D scanning, modeling and printing. Support is tailored to the specific needs of your project or class. Uses for the technology may include:

Research projects
Creating interactive digital models for curricular use
Architectural visualization and prototyping
Data visualization
Virtual environments and virtual reality

For inquiries about 3D projects, please contact Andrew Maurer at ajmaurer@smith.edu.

Available Equipment

The Imaging Center Equipment Loan service is for Smith College Art Department faculty and students enrolled in Art Department courses. Equipment available for loan includes:

iPad with Structure Sensor 3D scanner
Mac and PC laptops
Multimedia projectors and monitors
Digital media players and DVD players
Speakers and headphones
Digital and analog cameras, lenses, tripods, lights and accessories

Guides

Copyright

Forms

Digital Image Requests Patron Registration Exhibition Equipment Reservations Gallery Labels

Imaging Center Staff

Dan Bridgman

Visual Communication Specialist

Hillyer 327 |413-585-3398

Dan is an educational technologist who supports the visual arts at Smith. He oversees database and fine art print services as well as computer lab configurations and maintenance. He can assist when lab print quotas or network services behave in unexpected ways.

Email Dan

Jonathan Cartledge

Director

Hillyer 317 |413-585-4568

Jon is responsible for the administration of the Imaging Center. He works with art department faculty to address the technological needs for the art curriculum and serves as liaison to other academic departments and programs.

Email Jon

Betsy Coulter

Imaging Services Coordinator

Hillyer 323 | 413-585-3104

Betsy manages the public services operation in the Imaging Center, including equipment loans and student employment. She supports digital image acquisitions and licensing for the campus-wide digital library at Smith.

Email Betsy

Andrew Maurer

Interactive Media Coordinator

Hillyer 316 | 413-585-3116

Andrew advises faculty and students on Imaging Center resources and curricular and research projects combining art and technology. Contact him about media creation, editing and 3D design software, 2D and 3D printing and scanning, and web projects.

Email Andrew

Kevin Pomerleau

Visual Arts Technical Specialist

Hillyer L08E | 413-585-3997

Kevin is the printmaking and photo technician for the art department. He can provide assistance with plate preparation, press operation, and photography and darkroom assistance. Any questions about safety and hazardous materials in art making should be directed to him.

Email Kevin

Luke Blevins

Visual Arts Digital Specialist

Hillyer 316 | 413-585-3228

Luke supports the digital media courses and needs in the department, assisting with digital design software, large format printing, scanning, camera and lighting operation, darkroom practices, and media installation. Contact Luke for individual training or classroom workshops.

Email Luke

Imaging Center Facilities

The Imaging Center provides a creative and collaborative space for study, innovation and the production of art on the third floor of Hillyer Hall. Whether you need the latest in image processing and 3D printing, or just a quiet place to study, we have facilities to meet your needs.

Image of the Digital Media classroom in Hillyer Hall

H320 Digital Media Classroom. A flexible teaching space.

Image of the Visual Communication Resource Center in Hillyer Hall

H218 Visual Communication Resource Center. A state-of-the-art multimedia lab.

H319 Art History Lounge. A perfect space for study or small-group work.

Image of the drop-in lab in Hillyer Hall

H325 Drop-In Lab. Easy access to large printers, scanners and 3D printing.

H326 Gaming Lab. A place to explore and critique video games and VR environments.

Image of an art gallery from the Imaging Center

3D Scanning & Printing. All you need for 3D scanning, modeling and printing.

Image of the Printing Room in Hillyer Hall

H322 Printing Room. Large-format fine art printing for digital media.

Imaging Center Critique Room in Hillyer Hall

H321 Crit Room. Students can mount their artwork for critiques or small-scale exhibitions.

Student Employment

Group of students working at computer

The Imaging Center provides professional training that lets students translate their interests in art, art history, digital media and information science into practical skills that will serve them in whichever professional path they choose. Student assistants work on a range of projects, including media production, image scanning and editing, cataloging, 3D printing, virtual environment creation and assisting other students.

Student Positions

The course technology assistant provides close support for studio art classes. The assistants are required to attend specific media-based classes and assist the students and faculty as needed. They will also schedule help hours each week to provide ongoing support outside of class time.

Help students with a wide array of image and video needs
Develop expertise with image and video editing tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Premiere to support the needs of student projects
Support faculty by providing additional assistance as needed
Create instructional material and attend class demos and workshops as needed
Support the Imaging Center on special projects as needed

The digital communications assistant assists with creating and managing content for the Imaging Center website and blog. Duties may extend to include other public relations initiatives. The assistant will work creatively towards increasing the Imaging Center’s public profile and social media presence. They will reach out to and engage with students and faculty of the art department, and the broader Smith community.

Assist in the creation of online content
Upkeep of website and blog, uploading content, removing outdated material
Liaise with other departments for outreach opportunities
Find new ways to promote the Imaging Center’s range of services and areas of expertise
Connect with students to determine new directions for reaching a wider audience

The gallery assistant provides support for exhibitions of student artwork, and for visiting artists. The exhibitions that formerly took place in our two gallery spaces, Jannotta Gallery and Oresman Gallery, will be entirely online. The Gallery Assistant will work closely with Imaging Center staff to create and manage virtual exhibitions throughout the semester.

Assist students and faculty with documenting artwork, formatting files, and best image practices
Ensure that high quality images of artwork are obtained in advance of deadlines
Develop expertise with image and video editing tools such as Adobe Photoshop
Manage image files and change out exhibition content in a timely manner
Work with staff to maintain virtual exhibition spaces in Wordpress
Create instructional and promotional materials
Support the Imaging Center on special projects as needed

The 3D and VR specialist will participate in workflows supporting the creation of 3D media for curricular use. Projects will involve 3D modeling, 3D scanning, 3D printing, and other related activities in Imaging Center labs. The student will help to create a library of 3D assets to be used in curricular virtual environment projects, and will provide 3D scanning and printing assistance for faculty and student projects. The student will create instructional materials and assist as needed in classes using 3D digital media.

Use 3D modeling software to create 3D models of gallery spaces and objects, to be incorporated in current and future virtual environment projects
Develop expertise with 3D modeling software, and adhere to provided best practices regarding geometry, file naming, organization, etc.
Assist the Interactive Media Coordinator in digitizing physical 3D objects from Smith collections
Assist students and faculty members as needed with the operation of Imaging Center 3D scanners and printers
Create instructional material for Imaging Center 3D scanners and printers
Occasionally assist with digital media class demonstrations

For current student workers: Access the start of shift report form and the end of shift report form.

Featured Image Credits

Yanlong Guo presenting the final presentations for ARH 280, Art Historical Studies: Playing with Ink and Brush in the Smith College Museum of Art teaching gallery. Photo credit: Andrew Maurer

Barbara Kellum working with students in the Imaging Center Digital Media Lab. Photo credit: Andrew Maurer

Raven Gomez ’18 using VR in the Gaming Lab. The Gaming Lab is a collaboration between the Department of Art and Film & Media Studies. Photo credit: Sam Masinter

Contact The Imaging Center

Brown Fine Arts Center
Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063

Online Hours
Monday thru Friday
8:30 to 4:30 p.m. EST

Email: ic-u@smith.edu

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Drop-in Hours
To be determined. For assistance, please contact ic-u@smith.edu for an appointment.