Here is the syllabus for ADPR 3520 GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION. I will announce any changes to our schedule on this page.
Week 1: August 13
watch: What is Graphic Design by Sean Adams on Lynda.com
read: In the Bel-Jean packet for Thursday 8/15, What is Graphic Design? pgs. 1 & 2, Steal Like an Artist pgs.15–28.
create: Take notes on your reading
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Course introduction + index card + get to know your team + introduce Lynda.com
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: What is Graphic Design? + Design brief + Concept MAP + Chickenow project
Week 2: August 20
watch: Choosing and Combining Typefaces (total of 9 minutes; skip the video on Typekit) in the class, InDesign: Typography Part 1 by Nigel French on Lynda.com
read: In the Bel-Jean packet, read pgs. 35–55 then pgs. 60 & 61, excerpts from Thinking with Type and pg. 63, Typography Rules! and pgs. 29–33, new identity for New York City Ballet.
upload: Upload to an ELC dropbox some notes on your reading/videos by Thursday before class
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Type Classification + Downtown Signs + Discuss type homework
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Notes upload is due + Discussion of New York City Ballet identity + Type Crimes + Practice with InDesign and type + Begin InDesign tutorial using Garden & Gun
Week 3: August 27
watch: Go to Lynda.com and to the class InDesign Essential Training 2017 by David Blatner and watch the following: in chapter 4, watch “Threading text frames” and “Inserting special characters.” In chapter 6, watch “Stroking and filling frames & paths” and “Adjusting transparency, drop shadows, and effects.”
read: Read pgs. 75 & 76 on Helvetica; pgs.78–80, “Basic Design”; pgs. 86–93 “Using space” and “Grouping”; pgs. 113–115, “Horror Vacui” and “Proximity”
do: Finish type homework + take notes on your reading and upload by Thursday before class
study: Study for next week’s quiz
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Type Homework is due + Positive & Negative Space + symmetry & asymmetry + proximity
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Notes upload is due + Watch some of Helvetica + finish Garden & Gun
Week 4: Sept. 3
study: Study for quiz.
read: Read pgs. 94–99, “Attention” and “Structure & Alignment”, pgs. 111 & 112, “Consistency”; pgs. 56–59 (grids).
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Type QUIZ
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Discuss Hierarchy, Repetition, Contrast, Alignment & Grids + Business Card exercise
Week 5: Sept. 10
watch: Go to Lynda.com and the class Designing a Resume for Creatives by Ina Saltz and watch the first three videos in chapter three, Typography and Layout (18 minutes)
read: Read “Here’s What the Perfect Resume Looks Like” https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/anatomy-perfect-resume/
create Research résumé designs and prepare your résumé information.
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Professional documents & résumés + work on your résumé information and continue researching résumé designs.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Résumé workshop. We’ll do one together, then you’ll work on your own so bring your Word file with your résumé information
Week 6: Sept. 17
pro tip: You have a fair amount of reading and watching for next week, so maybe get a jump on that work by looking at the schedule for week 7.
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue work on your résumé
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Critiques of résumés so far. During this period, each design team will give feedback to its members. I will also give feedback.
Week 7: Sept. 24
watch: Go to Lynda.com and the class Digital Imaging for Business Professionals by Richard Harrington and watch the video “What is Creative Commons” in chapter 10: Intellectual Property Rights
read: Read pgs. 82–85 and pgs. 100–103, excerpts from “Graphic Design for Non-designers;” pgs. 107 & 108, “Bitmaps and Vectors”; read over pg. 105 for the big ideas. Also, Read this short piece on The New York Times blog, Lens (http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/obama-image-copyright-case-is-settled/)
upload: Upload to an ELC dropbox some notes on your reading by Thursday before class
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Turn in your résumé assignment by the end of lab. If you finish early, and if you feel comfortable doing so, place your redesigned résumé on the table so we can all look at them as we leave class.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Notes upload is due + Discussion of copyright & where to find images and artwork + understanding resolution and how to prepare images in Photoshop + Diversity and inclusion in audience representation + practice downloading & prepping images
Week 8: Oct. 1
watch: Go to Lynda.com and in the class Photoshop CC 2018 Essential Training: The Basics by Julieanne Kost watch in chapter 9 (Making Selections) Quick Select & Layer Mask Touchup; Selecting Soft Edge Objects . . .; Using Select and Mask to Refine a Hard Edge Object.
read: Read pgs. 131–133 (it’s about color) and pgs. 135–136, “Chromotophobia”
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Introduction to Photoshop
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: QUIZ over design principles & copyright + Color + more practice with Photoshop
Note: When I return assignments to you, find some time to make corrections and to re-package your files so you can take them with you when the class ends. Also, export a jpeg or png file so that you can upload these examples of your work to your online portfolio if you have one.
Week 9: Oct. 8
watch: We’ll watch this on Tuesday, but if you want to preview it, this video is on YouTube; it’s by Marty Geller and called How to Transform Photos into Gorgeous Pencil Drawings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K43-_zhQZiM
read: Read over the project specs for the book cover and begin to think about your book cover
bring: Bring a digital headshot of yourself to class on Tuesday. Email it to yourself or put it on a flashdrive or store it in the cloud, but we’ll need it on your computer.
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Small Photoshop project
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Look at some of the projects + go over book cover project specs and set up book cover + Peter Mendelsund + begin to develop concepts and sketches for your book cover and begin working
Week 10: Oct. 15
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue work on book cover
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Continue work on book cover. Get feedback from your design team.
Week 11: Oct. 22
watch: Go to Lynda.com and to the class “Illustrator CC Essential Training 2015” by Justin Seeley and watch the following: in chapter 1, “What is Adobe Illustrator”; in chapter 5, Understanding Vector Paths; in chapter 11, Pen Tool Basics, Drawing Curves with the Pen Tool, Avoiding the whips with the pen tool.
read: Read specs for the social media graphic/animated gif. Think about the assignment and come to class on Thursday with direction. (There are two short videos to watch listed in the project specs. You can do those in class on Thursday, if you like.)
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue working on book cover.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Book cover is due at end of class. Go over animated gif assignment + Go over response paper + Illustrator (we will cover the pen tool, live trace, expanding). Set up the social media/gif together and begin work on your design.
Week 12: Oct. 29
study: QUIZ next week on color & resolution
create: Work on your response paper
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue working on social media/gif
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Continue working on social media/gif
Week 13: Nov. 5
study: QUIZ this week
create: Work on your response paper
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Social media/gif is due at end of class.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: QUIZ on color & resolution + look at some of the gifs. Work on your response paper and submit via ELC dropbox by end of class.
Week 14: Nov. 12
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Go over project specs for poster + begin working
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Continue work on poster.
Week 15: Nov. 19
Thanksgiving Holidays this week.
Week 16: Nov. 26
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue work on poster
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Poster is due + Make any corrections to projects and take your packaged files (including a jpeg or png for the web) with you so that you have access to them in the future.
No final exam. Enjoy the holidays.
Week 1: August 13
watch: What is Graphic Design by Sean Adams on Lynda.com
read: In the Bel-Jean packet for Thursday 8/15, What is Graphic Design? pgs. 1 & 2, Steal Like an Artist pgs.15–28.
create: Take notes on your reading
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Course introduction + index card + get to know your team + introduce Lynda.com
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: What is Graphic Design? + Design brief + Concept MAP + Chickenow project
Week 2: August 20
watch: Choosing and Combining Typefaces (total of 9 minutes; skip the video on Typekit) in the class, InDesign: Typography Part 1 by Nigel French on Lynda.com
read: In the Bel-Jean packet, read pgs. 35–55 then pgs. 60 & 61, excerpts from Thinking with Type and pg. 63, Typography Rules! and pgs. 29–33, new identity for New York City Ballet.
upload: Upload to an ELC dropbox some notes on your reading/videos by Thursday before class
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Type Classification + Downtown Signs + Discuss type homework
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Notes upload is due + Discussion of New York City Ballet identity + Type Crimes + Practice with InDesign and type + Begin InDesign tutorial using Garden & Gun
Week 3: August 27
watch: Go to Lynda.com and to the class InDesign Essential Training 2017 by David Blatner and watch the following: in chapter 4, watch “Threading text frames” and “Inserting special characters.” In chapter 6, watch “Stroking and filling frames & paths” and “Adjusting transparency, drop shadows, and effects.”
read: Read pgs. 75 & 76 on Helvetica; pgs.78–80, “Basic Design”; pgs. 86–93 “Using space” and “Grouping”; pgs. 113–115, “Horror Vacui” and “Proximity”
do: Finish type homework + take notes on your reading and upload by Thursday before class
study: Study for next week’s quiz
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Type Homework is due + Positive & Negative Space + symmetry & asymmetry + proximity
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Notes upload is due + Watch some of Helvetica + finish Garden & Gun
Week 4: Sept. 3
study: Study for quiz.
read: Read pgs. 94–99, “Attention” and “Structure & Alignment”, pgs. 111 & 112, “Consistency”; pgs. 56–59 (grids).
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Type QUIZ
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Discuss Hierarchy, Repetition, Contrast, Alignment & Grids + Business Card exercise
Week 5: Sept. 10
watch: Go to Lynda.com and the class Designing a Resume for Creatives by Ina Saltz and watch the first three videos in chapter three, Typography and Layout (18 minutes)
read: Read “Here’s What the Perfect Resume Looks Like” https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/anatomy-perfect-resume/
create Research résumé designs and prepare your résumé information.
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Professional documents & résumés + work on your résumé information and continue researching résumé designs.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Résumé workshop. We’ll do one together, then you’ll work on your own so bring your Word file with your résumé information
Week 6: Sept. 17
pro tip: You have a fair amount of reading and watching for next week, so maybe get a jump on that work by looking at the schedule for week 7.
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue work on your résumé
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Critiques of résumés so far. During this period, each design team will give feedback to its members. I will also give feedback.
Week 7: Sept. 24
watch: Go to Lynda.com and the class Digital Imaging for Business Professionals by Richard Harrington and watch the video “What is Creative Commons” in chapter 10: Intellectual Property Rights
read: Read pgs. 82–85 and pgs. 100–103, excerpts from “Graphic Design for Non-designers;” pgs. 107 & 108, “Bitmaps and Vectors”; read over pg. 105 for the big ideas. Also, Read this short piece on The New York Times blog, Lens (http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/obama-image-copyright-case-is-settled/)
upload: Upload to an ELC dropbox some notes on your reading by Thursday before class
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Turn in your résumé assignment by the end of lab. If you finish early, and if you feel comfortable doing so, place your redesigned résumé on the table so we can all look at them as we leave class.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Notes upload is due + Discussion of copyright & where to find images and artwork + understanding resolution and how to prepare images in Photoshop + Diversity and inclusion in audience representation + practice downloading & prepping images
Week 8: Oct. 1
watch: Go to Lynda.com and in the class Photoshop CC 2018 Essential Training: The Basics by Julieanne Kost watch in chapter 9 (Making Selections) Quick Select & Layer Mask Touchup; Selecting Soft Edge Objects . . .; Using Select and Mask to Refine a Hard Edge Object.
read: Read pgs. 131–133 (it’s about color) and pgs. 135–136, “Chromotophobia”
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Introduction to Photoshop
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: QUIZ over design principles & copyright + Color + more practice with Photoshop
Note: When I return assignments to you, find some time to make corrections and to re-package your files so you can take them with you when the class ends. Also, export a jpeg or png file so that you can upload these examples of your work to your online portfolio if you have one.
Week 9: Oct. 8
watch: We’ll watch this on Tuesday, but if you want to preview it, this video is on YouTube; it’s by Marty Geller and called How to Transform Photos into Gorgeous Pencil Drawings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K43-_zhQZiM
read: Read over the project specs for the book cover and begin to think about your book cover
bring: Bring a digital headshot of yourself to class on Tuesday. Email it to yourself or put it on a flashdrive or store it in the cloud, but we’ll need it on your computer.
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Small Photoshop project
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Look at some of the projects + go over book cover project specs and set up book cover + Peter Mendelsund + begin to develop concepts and sketches for your book cover and begin working
Week 10: Oct. 15
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue work on book cover
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Continue work on book cover. Get feedback from your design team.
Week 11: Oct. 22
watch: Go to Lynda.com and to the class “Illustrator CC Essential Training 2015” by Justin Seeley and watch the following: in chapter 1, “What is Adobe Illustrator”; in chapter 5, Understanding Vector Paths; in chapter 11, Pen Tool Basics, Drawing Curves with the Pen Tool, Avoiding the whips with the pen tool.
read: Read specs for the social media graphic/animated gif. Think about the assignment and come to class on Thursday with direction. (There are two short videos to watch listed in the project specs. You can do those in class on Thursday, if you like.)
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue working on book cover.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Book cover is due at end of class. Go over animated gif assignment + Go over response paper + Illustrator (we will cover the pen tool, live trace, expanding). Set up the social media/gif together and begin work on your design.
Week 12: Oct. 29
study: QUIZ next week on color & resolution
create: Work on your response paper
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue working on social media/gif
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Continue working on social media/gif
Week 13: Nov. 5
study: QUIZ this week
create: Work on your response paper
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Social media/gif is due at end of class.
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: QUIZ on color & resolution + look at some of the gifs. Work on your response paper and submit via ELC dropbox by end of class.
Week 14: Nov. 12
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Go over project specs for poster + begin working
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Continue work on poster.
Week 15: Nov. 19
Thanksgiving Holidays this week.
Week 16: Nov. 26
Tuesday, 9:30–10:45: Continue work on poster
Thursday, 9:30–12:15: Poster is due + Make any corrections to projects and take your packaged files (including a jpeg or png for the web) with you so that you have access to them in the future.
No final exam. Enjoy the holidays.