Art 230 | Syllabus

Course Definitions

Course Outcomes

In this course, you will be introduced to the art and craft of using typography as a medium of communication.

You will learn and experience

• letter anatomy, font style and how letters and fonts function as an elements in a design by creating an interesting composition with only type.
• combining several different letters into a unique symbol for communication.
• how adjustments and letter placement can add impact and power to communication
• creating a hierarchal system of typography that assists a reader in the communication process.
• how grid structure aids in the structure of communication over a multiple page document.

These experiences will build your ability to recognize and design typography for impact and audience specific communication.

You will be able explain the basic history of typography, recognize 40+ fonts, and hone your abilities using narrative and storytelling to be the readers’ advocate. A key point of many of the activities will focus on recognizing your audience and thinking about their needs.

A critical skill we will be developing a design process that you can reproduce for sucessfull design from sketch to completion for print and screen.

A team of individuals worked to create this course. We hope you enjoy it.

Pre-requisites

This course picks up right where Art 130 | Introduction to Graphic Design ends. It is expected that each student has a good grasp of the objectives of Art 130. Art 130 must be completed prior to beginning Art 230 and cannot be taken simultaneously.

Projects

Our class will focus on five major projects this semester. Each project will include a series of handouts, exercises and templates that apply to each of the projects. At the end of each project, a PDF document showing the complete design process will be turned in. Workbook pages will be provided as InDesign documents on I-Learn.

Project 01 | Glyph Composition uses glyphs, or individual letters to create an interesting composition. These glyphs will act as shapes and will be used in the same way you used circles and squares in Art 130. The project steps include: thumbnails, digital sketches, creating variation and refinement of the sketches, and creating a presentation with process documentation. More detailed project descriptions are available on the individual projects page.

Project 02 | Monogram & Stationery creates a personal monogram using one of our course typefaces. This project will introduce you to important skills of typeface selection and the skill of correct and sensitive manipulation of type using Adobe Illustrator. The project steps include: thumbnails, computer sketches, creating variation and refinement of the sketches, creating a first draft of the stationery, refining the draft, and then creating a presentation with process documentation. More detailed project descriptions are available on the individual projects page.

Project 03 | Typogram explores the visual meaning of type beyond the meaning of the glyphs. The project steps include: developing conceptual sketches, creating computer sketches, creating a final typogram, and then creating a presentation with process documentation. More detailed project descriptions are available on the individual projects page.

Project 04 | Web Page Design involves creating a header, navigation, hierarchal content, and a footer. The first priority is making the type appealing and approachable for a reader. It must capture a casual reader browsing for content through typography that intrigues, invites, and is easy to read. The second priority is beautiful and appropriate header, navigation, and footer design. The project steps include: locating a tag article, developing typographic hierarchy, designing for headings and navigation, and creating the final, and then creating a presentation with process documentation. More detailed project descriptions are available on the individual projects page.

Project 05 | Grid Book designs a type specimen book that highlights and demonstrates a font in a variety of applications. The project steps include: choosing a font, creating content for a first draft, creating a second draft, creating the final, and then creating a presentation with process documentation. More detailed project descriptions are available on the individual projects page.

Project Steps and the Process Blogs

Each project step will culminate in a Process Blog Post. These posts are your chances to apply the learning model principles of preparing and teaching one another as you work together with your team to refine your work and share the ideas you learn from the course. These posts serve the purposes of documenting your process, pondering your learning experience, and learning how to write and design a blog post. Your posts will be graded pass/fail. You can access the class blog by navigating to the Course Folder in I-Learn, selecting the Resources folder and clicking on Course Resources and selecting the link for the class blog.

These posts serve the purposes of documenting your process, pondering your learning experience and learning how to write and design a blog post.

Registering for the Process Blog

Video Transcript

Creating a basic blog post for the class process blog

Video Transcript

Using HTML and Category Tags on the Process Blog

Part of being a good designer is being able to use your blog post to engage the reader (your class peers and others). You will want to use several HTML tags as you create your blog post. These tags are outlined in the video below.

Video Transcript

In addition to HTML tags, you will want to add category tags to the post (or select them in the Categories box if already created by your instructor) about the project number, step number, and team your post belongs to.

Exporting JPEG using inDesign

Video Transcript

Peer Feedback

After you submit the final post for each project, you will be allowed to provide feedback to a member of class in WordPress. You will complete only one peer review per project in WordPress. For each of your assigned classmates’ final posts, you need to provide feedback using the following rubric:

• Idea: Rate the uniqueness of the overall idea. Is it ordinary and expected or original and unexpected?
  • 1–3 pts: unimaginative – confusing
  • 4–6 pts: ok – great
  • 7–10 pts: great – amazing
• Formal design choices: Rate how well the design principles are used.
  • 1–3 pts: unimaginative – confusing
  • 4–6 pts: ok – great
  • 7–10 pts: great – amazing
• Typography: Rate font choice, size, kerning and spacing, add to the communication of the concept.
  • 1–3 pts: not at all
  • 4–6 pts: doesn’t help or hurt
  • 7–10 pts: significantly adds to the overall communication
• Portfolio: Would you put this in your portfolio? Base this on the quality of the work, not whether it would be appropriate for your personal portfolio.
  • 1–3 pts: no
  • 4–6 pts: maybe with changes
  • 7–10 pts: yes with no changes – absolutely
• Blog Post: Rate the quality of blog post.
  • 1–3 pts: messy, unclear, major errors
  • 4–6 pts: understandable, organized, rambling, spelling or grammar errors
  • 7–10 pts: clear, thoughtful, engaging, free from errors

Think of these peer reviews as opportunities to teach one another by offering suggestions to improve your and others’ work. You should only do peer review once you have submitted your link for the final post of each project. After you have reviewed the assignments, your instructor will also review the work and add comments. Both the instructor and peer comments and ratings will be available for you to see. You can then address this feedback in the next submission.

Submission for Final Grade

Each project will have a final critique. Following the critique, you will have 24 hours to respond to suggestions and complete the project documentation pages.

Grade Scale

• Process Blog Posts: 0% (all posts are required to pass the course)
• Exercise Blog Posts: 10%
• Quizzes and Tests: 10%
• Grades for major projects: 80%

Final Post in Behance

Behance is a professional network for visual artists. Sign up for a free account at the beginning of the semester.

At the end of each project, while you are creating the documentation and the audiovisual presentation, you should post your final files to the Behance website. Link to these files and your AV presentation in I-Learn for grading. Behance is a beginning step for an online portfolio. These assignments will use the following rubric for grading:

• Craftsmanship
  • 1–3 pts: unimaginative – confusing
  • 4–6 pts: ok – great
  • 7–10 pts: great – amazing
• Breadth and depth of exploration
  • 1–3 pts: unimaginative – confusing
  • 4–6 pts: ok – great
  • 7–10 pts: great – amazing
• Quality of typography and content
  • 1–3 pts: unimaginative – confusing
  • 4–6 pts: ok – great
  • 7–10 pts: great – amazing
• Appropriateness of color and design choices
  • 1–3 pts: unimaginative – confusing
  • 4–6 pts: ok – great
  • 7–10 pts: great – amazing
• Verbal presentation of your work
  • 1–3 pts: messy, unclear, major errors
  • 4–6 pts: understandable, organized, rambling, spelling or grammar errors
  • 7–10 pts: clear, thoughtful, engaging, free from errors

Color Printing

Printing out your assignments is not required for this course. You will not be submitting any color prints as part of your work. However, printing final versions of your assignments does show you how an assignment looks better than viewing it on a computer screen. Additionally, printing your work will help to build your physical portfolio.

AV Presentation

Learning to present and sell your design work is a skill that is developed by making presentations. At the end of each of the projects, students will be expected to make an audiovisual presentation to explain their work. The presentations should show the steps taken to get to the final piece, be voice narrated, and may not exceed two (2) minutes in duration. Students are free to use any means to create the presentation, but we have included below, instructions for the most common way to put the presentations together. The presentation should show the work in its best light. In order to focus on the work and not the production value of the presentation, here are some guidelines to follow when making the AV presentation.

Learning to present and sell your design work is a skill that is developed by making presentations.

Specifications

• Length: 1–2 minutes. The presentation should be short and to the point.
• After the presentation is created, upload it to a video streaming service. Then embed the link into a blog post on the class blog.
• Show the work.
• Use quality images.
• Show details when appropriate.
• Speak clearly.

Structure the Presentation

• Briefly introduce yourself and give the title of the project.
• Beginning: An opening statement that defines the problem being solved and includes three adjectives.
• Middle: Go through the adjectives one at a time describing how you solved the design problem.
• End: Re-state the design problem and conclude with a definitive statement that includes the three adjectives.

Downloading Jing

Students can download two pieces of software for this course. Both are available for free, and students will not need the professional versions for this course. The first, Jing, is an interactive video studio which allows students to create movies from their screen and record audio. The free software (not the professional version) is available at the following site: http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html. To download the software, click the link, then select the operating system you use (Mac or Windows). After that, select the Save File option from the download menu, and continue with the installation. If you need further help, you can find Jing tutorial videos online.

Using Screencast

Screencast.com allows students to upload their videos online and to send the link of their videos and projects to the teacher and the rest of the class. The free account for this service (once again, not the professional) is available at the following site: http://www.screencast.com/

Once you arrive at this site, enter the necessary information (email, a password for the site, a name to display to viewers, and your country). You will then be sent to your email to verify the address given. If you need help, view this explanation on how to upload Jing videos onto Screencast.com (you will also find a list of further tutorials at this page).

Exercise

The exercises will be constructed around a specific concept we are trying to master at that point. These activities are meant to be quick and should not take you more than an hour. We will introduce each one in the first class day, and they will be due at the next class day (they will be graded with your sketches in each workbook). Design is about being able to deliver a project on time and in a well-crafted manner.

Supply List

• Microphone (Logitech Labtec Desktop Microphone 600) $10.00
• Adobe CS4 or higher (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) (Purchased for Art 130. Reused from previous courses.)
• Fine-point black pen (like Pilot V5 or V7) $1.89
• Black Prismacolor Premiere Double Ended Art Marker $3.99
• Any pencil $.19
• 8.5 x 11 ream of standard printer paper $4.49
• Ruler (18 or 24 inch metal cork back) $4.49
• X-acto knife $2.59 with additional X-acto blades $2.09
• Access to 11 x 17 color printing (Printing costs for 24 11 x 17 color prints ~ 1.25 x 10 projects = $12.50)
• Access to a scanner
• Access to a digital camera

Quizzes

Reading quizzes will be posted in our class I-Learn site. These will be available between specific lessons to ensure that you are prepared to participate in group discussions. The quizzes are not difficult and are written on the premise that you have taken the time to read and understand the material.

Textbook

The textbook for the course is Thinking with Type (2nd edition) by Ellen Lupton. The book is reasonably priced ($24.95) and is available in the University Bookstore as well as online bookstores. It is a great text for anyone interested in the art of typography and many students choose to keep it for their personal library. The text is required and you will need it by the second week of class. It will be used over the course of the semester.

Type Specimen Booklet

In addition to the textbook mentioned above, you should also download (and print, if necessary) the Type Specimen Booklet. This booklet contains several example typefaces, which you will need to recognize and understand by the end of the course. You will take a practice exam in Week 01, in which you will identify these typefaces. In Week 08, you will take a Final Type ID Exam. The Type Specimen Booklet will help you prepare for these exams. You will also choose one of these fonts as the basis for your monogram and stationery set in Project 02.

Other Information

As the semester progresses, we reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus to better fit the needs of the class.

Schedule

Introduction Week

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

Week Ten

Week Eleven

Week Twelve

Course Conclusion