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note: all assignments + due dates subject to change
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ADD 281 • FALL 2008 | AD DESIGN MATERIALS AND PROCESSESDESCRIPTIONThis course introduces design principles and production techniques, emphasizing the visual, manual, and intellectual skills for communicating ideas and their translation into printed materials. As you begin to develop strong strategies and concepts, your knowledge of, and skill with, several computer programs will be critical to creating successful, convincing comprehensive layouts. In this class, we will look at the elements of design, including type, image and layout, and concentrate on developing the skills required to create portfolio quality presentations of your work. The first part of the semester will center around learning the basic skills required to master Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Adobe InDesign. The principle focus of our work this semester will be typography. There is no required text for this course, however, I highly recommend The Non-Designer's Design and Type Books (Deluxe Edition) by Robin Williams and published by Peachpit Pres. Another excellent resource is Graphic Design Solutions by Robin Landa, published by ThomsonDelmar Learning. While not mandatory, I highly recommend subscribing to Before & After Magazine, available either online or in print: http://www.bamagazine.com/Subscribe.asp It's never too soon to start your design library! CLASS FORMAT & ATTENDANCEDepending on the nature of our work, we will either meet and work the studio space, or in the cluster on the third floor of the Warehouse. It is critical that you attend every class. Missing 3 or more classes will earn an “F” for the semester. Classes will begin with a lecture or presentation each week, followed by hands-on, one-on-one activities, from exercises to working on finished comps. It is, therefore, important to be on time to each class so you won’t miss any content. We will also spend time in crit sessions, depending on the particular assignment. Since the cluster is a Mac facility, it is best if you do your work on a Mac. If you have a laptop, feel free to use it in class and bring it every week. You will need the Adobe Creative Suite software (InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop at the very least). GENERAL RULESLabel all projects and disks with your name ( i.e. “tatoland,” or “toniT”) and store disks in a protective case: no name = F for the project. When handing in a layout project digitally, be sure to include all images and fonts. All bitmapped images used in documents are to be 150 ppi unless otherwise specified. No cell phones or headphones are to be used during class time - not even during “work time.” No internet use for instant messaging or email is allowed during class time, ever. If you have an IM icon flashing on your monitor, you will be asked to leave and considered absent for that day. No gif or jpg files are allowed; if you use a digital camera, change your image format to PSD immediately. All Illustrator files are to be saved in EPS format (not AI, and NOT PDF!). Being more than 15 minutes late equals a missed class. You may not redo any late projects for a better grade. My office hours are Tuesday afternoons from 1:30-? Sign up ahead of time or I may not stick around. I am frequently online to touch base with students. My screen name is tonitoland. Please IM me if you are having problems! Just let me know who you are since most screen names are always unique and often obscure. I will never IM you first, as I respect your privacy, unless it’s urgent. If you need to email me for any reason (and please, contact me this way ANYTIME!) make sure the subject of your email is "ADD 281" so it doesn't get tossed into my junk folder for some reason. Address all email to toni@tatoland.com. GENERAL ASSIGNMENT INFOAll assignments are due as digital files, submitted to the appropriate folder on the VisComLab server. These folders will be deleted after the due date. No prints are due unless specified. All digital files must include your name as part of the file name: no name = no grade MAKE A BACKUP OF EVERY ASSIGNMENT AND KEEP IT IN A SAFE PLACE! There are no excuses for lost work; do not save your work to the server except in dire circumstances. Purchase a USB flash drive, or an iPod/Nano/Shuffle on which to save your work. And don’t loose it! Assignments turned in late for any reason will loose 10% per day. No exceptions. You have the opportunity to revise any project that was turned in on time for your final portfolio. You must include the original, along with the revised version, both digitally, and in print. ASSIGNMENTS + DUE DATES (subject to change)NOTE: all finished assignments are to be within an 8.5" X 11" page size unless otherwise noted. 1. RECOGNIZING CLASSIC TYPEFACES :: HOMEWORK :: 9/8OBJECTIVE: To sensitize the eye towards recognizing unique aspects of letterforms, recognize the differences between fonts, and understand the importance of readability and legibility. ASSIGNMENT: Using the typeface examples provided, find and collect at least one printed piece that uses one of those fonts; find five different examples. (i.e. something that’s been set using Garamond, another piece that uses Helvetica and so on). Magazine ads, newspaper ads, yellow pages ads, brochures and junk mail. and packaging are all good places to look for examples.
2. FONT FAMILIES :: IN CLASS :: 9/8OBJECTIVE: To introduce the variety type styles within a type family, and show how they affect the appearance, readability, and the overall look of a layout. ASSIGNMENT: Using the copy provided (on the server), set it using Garamond 11/15 by 13 picas, with the following typestyles: roman, italic, bold, all caps, and caps with small caps. Also set the roman typeface with both normal and tight wordspacing and letterspacing.. Use InDesign, and make sure your page margins are set to 1" all the way around. 3. PARAGRAPH INDICATIONS :: HOMEWORK :: 9/22OBJECTIVE: To play with the variety of ways to indicate paragraphs and how those treatments affect the look and readability of a layout. ASSIGNMENT: Using the copy provided (same as above), create five (5) variations that treat the delineation between paragraphs differently. Experiment with alternate ways of indicating new paragraphs, ranging from conservative, to outrageous; in the last case readability is not a criterion. You may use any of the fonts listed for the first project (above). Pay attention to column widths as they relate to point size. This is a black and white assignment. Use InDesign, and make sure your page margins are set to 1" all the way around. Each variation must be on its own page. 4. EXPRESSIVE WORDS :: HOMEWORK :: 10/6OBJECTIVE: To typographically enhance the meaning of a word. ASSIGNMENT: Select five words and illustrate their meaning by manipulating the letter forms. Avoid simply repeating the words or creating an illustration from the letter forms. The best solutions will enhance the word’s meaning and will be clever and aesthetically pleasing. Unexpected effects might occur when the typographic solution contradicts the meaning of the word, setting "big" with small type, for example. You may use color for this assignment. Use Illustrator, 8.5 X 11 format held horizontally (therefore, technically, 11" X 8.5"). 5. NEW LETTERFORM :: HOMEWORK :: 10/20OBJECTIVE: To develop a new symbol/alphabetic character that represents a formal abbreviation (i.e. LOL or ASAP, and so on.) ASSIGNMENT: Select a common abbreviation and using the fundamental characteristics of a letterform (stroke, serif, counter, baseline, etc.) design a letter that represents that emotion or expression. Use one of the fonts from the first project as a guide to style; make your new character “fit” within the font. You may choose to do a capital version, or a lower case version; you don’t have to do both. Again, this is a black and white project, created in Illustrator. 6. VISUALLY ENHANCED QUOTE :: HOMEWORK :: 11/3OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate how a simple sentence can communicate more effectively using creative typography. ASSIGNMENT: Select your favorite quotation from the list provided (on the server) and find a way to express the sentiment typographically. You may use color for this assignment, and limited graphic marks (no illustration or photos). Use black and white, in InDesign. 8. TYPOGRAPHIC EMPHASIS :: HOMEWORK :: 11/10OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive overview of the design process, from copywriting to producing quality comps. You will also challenge your problem solving skills by creating more than one layout solution to this problem. ASSIGNMENT: Select a letter from the Phoenician or Cyrillic alphabet, research the letter, and write approximately 100 words about it. One of your classmates will proofread your essay and use proofreaders’ marks to indicate errors. After correcting any mistakes, create three layouts;
All design elements should be two-dimensional. You may use two spot colors (black counts as a color, the white of the paper does not). The final layout must be created as 3 separate pages in InDesign. The finished size is 11" X 17". 9. LETTERFORM CONSTRUCTION :: 11/17OBJECTIVE: To analyze a particular font and reconstruct it by creating and reusing common elements between letters. ASSIGNMENT: Using the fonts provided, select three and, using Illustrator, re-create each letter in uppercase and lowercase. Refer to the handout provided (on the server) for which letters must be created and font choice options. Each finished font is to be a separate black and white document created in Illustrator. 10. EIGHT-PAGE BROCHURE FOR THE SYRACUSE ZOO :: HOMEWORK :: 12/8OBJECTIVE: Develop a consistent design theme that includes display type, subheads, text, and captions, images, and a grid across multiple [ages ASSIGNMENT: Take a trip to the Zoo (with luck, we’ll have already done that as a class trip. If unlucky, go on your own, or use the images I provide). For bodycopy, you may either write your own or use dummy type. However, you must write real headlines, subheads, and captions. One of the classic typefaces from the first assignment is recommended for the text and captions; select display type that is appropriate to the topic and overall design. Next, compile images and required text; sources can include magazines, books, flyers, the web, original photos, etc. The better your source materials are, the easier it will be to design your project. If you are scanning images that have already been printed, pay attention to moiré issues and if you are using images from the web, pay attention to the resolution; all images must be 150ppi at the minimum, and not pixelated or distorted in any way. Develop a grid and create your layout in InDesign. Use Photoshop and/or Illustrator as necessary for photographs and graphics. Use full color. The finished size can be either 4.25" wide by 11" high, or 5.5" wide by 8" high after folding (so the page size 8.5" X 11"). 11: RANDOM QUIZZES throughout the semester.END OF SEMESTER REVIEWAll work is due printed on 8.5" X 11" paper and presented in a presentation book (see example in class) AND burned to a CD (all files, including all images used in every project, and all fonts) at 5pm, Tuesday, December 9. Make sure your CD is labeled with your name and protected with a plastic jewel case. ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIESStudents who are in need of disability-related academic accommodations must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Room 309, 315-443-4498. Students with authorized disability-related accommodations should provide a current Accommodation Authorization Letter from ODS to me and review those accommodations with me no later than September 15th. Accommodations, such deadline extensions, or extra time for quizzes, are not provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accommodations as early as possible is necessary. |
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