About Learning @ Site 3
An important part of Site 3′s vision is to share our skills and knowledge with the community. To that end we’re planning on having a diverse selection of courses and workshops open to the public, aimed at a wide variety of age groups. Many of our members are professionals in their respective fields, and so we’ll be able to offer everything from introductory courses for complete novices all the way up to master classes for more experienced students.
Schedules and formal registration will be announced as they become available. In the meantime, some topics we’re planning on covering soon include:
- Beginner soldering
- Introductory electronics and programming with Arduino
- Networking with Arduino
- Working with EL wire
- Circuit board design
- Introductory welding/metal shop
- Laser-cutter basics
- Wearable electronics
- Geotagging photographs
- Oil-based printmaking
- Stained-glass workshop
- Mold-making
- Making music with Game Boy: intro to chiptunes
And that’s just our initial list! See below for the currently scheduled classes.
If you’re interested in hearing more about courses as information becomes available, sign up for our announcement e-mail list or subscribe to our RSS feed. If you’d like more information, or to “pre-register” for a specific course, please email me directly at jonathan (at-sign) site3.ca.
Wednesday 8th of February - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Interested in learning to build electronic circuits, but don't know where to start? This is the course for you! In this introductory-level course you'll learn how to read a schematic and how to use it to build a working prototype. During the course you'll build the Atari Punk Console, a circuit that produces sounds reminiscent of retro video games. We'll also discuss some basic theory of how the circuit works, and we'll do some basic "circuit bending" by tinkering with the design and see how our changes affect the circuit's behaviour.
... register and learn more
Thursday 23rd of February - 7:00pm to 10:00pm
This is a three-hour long beginner course to get started with Arduino or the Wiring environment.
Students will learn how to program using the software environment, and go through a set of examples and demonstrations. A $10 parts kit is included in the cost of the class.
Requirements
... register and learn more
Saturday 25th of February - 10:00am to 4:00pm
Site 3 Fire Arts team presents: HOWTO Flame Effects, hands-on.
Over the course of the weekend, we will teach you basic propane handling, safety, and science. We will also teach you how to safely assemble your plumbing and test it for leaks, before letting 'er rip.
Saturday schedule:
Propane safety and handling
Effect design
Igniter systems
Fuel supply systems
Afternoon effect build
Build test
Sunday schedule:
Control and interaction systems
You will not get to keep an effect head of your own, but you will receive a Site 3 Fire Arts USB key with all useful course information in HTML/browsable - and thus machine-searchable! - format. It will print out if you're into that kind of thing.
... register and learn more
Saturday 10th of March - 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Sabrina Scott returns with her extremely popular series on bookbinding!
These three classes will cover everything from Accordion Fold books to start right up to hardback case-binding, which is what you get when you think of a hardback book. Beginners are welcome, as are accompanied minors. Sabrina is an accomplished teacher who is not only chill, but great at getting the information out to anyone taking her workshops. We're thrilled to have her back.
As usual, materials for the class will be supplied.
The classes are $40 each, or all three for $110. Register early so we know how much material to supply.
... register and learn more
Wednesday 14th of March - 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Single-Lens Reflex Cameras are the Beast From The East when it comes to getting the photographs you want, every single time. OKCupid says using a good camera for those bathroom shots will get you better dates, your mom says nice shots of your cousin's wedding will get you limitless cred, and you KNOW you want to snag a perfect frame of the full blue moon.
All three of those are radically different applications of the camera technology, though! An SLR, unlike a point-and-shoot, can rock all three.
This is the class to find out how to use your camera to do just that.
Bring: Your camera, a lens, memory card (empty), battery (full)
... register and learn more
