Graphic Design: Digital Layout
Art 51.4
Spring Semester 2003
Location: Barnett Hall Room 1261
Instructor: John Sappington - 707.874.9786Class Schedule: Tues. 1 - 4pm -Thurs. 1 - 4pm
The instructor will be available to assist students in Barnett Hall Room 1261, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm on class days. For additional assistance or consultation please arrange to meet with the instructor during office hours. Appointments are preferred though not required.DESCRIPTION:
Basic understanding of computer operation is necessary. Extensive use of the computer as a design tool to develop creative page layouts for print and screen. Several popular Mac-based software programs are explored to design with text and display type in a variety of formats. Projects include the layout and design of ads, newsletters, and booklets. Topics include: the art of typography, design and composition, aesthetics, and an overview of past and present design styles.
Outcomes and Objectives:
1. Create original layout designs in a digital format.
2. Explore various design concepts and design principles for page layout.
3. Become familiar with page layout software, and other graphics programs, specifically
intended for designers.
4. Gain an understanding and appreciation of good design through practice.
5. Understand effective use of white space as a design element.
6. Become familiar with a wide variety of type fonts and their use for effective
communication.
7. Refine design thinking skills (analytical and intuitive) and the ability
to use one's creative imagination.
8. Learn to use the digital scanner, laser printer, photocopier and other design
tools.
9. Become familiar with visual resources: books, magazines, and other publications
for the graphic design field.
10. Learn about the World Wide Web/Internet as a graphics and information resource.
11. Gain an historical perspective of the important events, individuals and
art/design movements relative to typographic design.
12. Exercise the ability to make critical aesthetic judgements through participation
in class critiques.
13. Become familiar with the vocabulary and terms used by designers.
14. Define health and safety issues that could arise from the use of artist's
tools and materials.
15. Develop projects to build a design portfolio.
Topics and Scope:
The primary intent of Art 51.4 is to develop the foundation for students wishing
to pursue the study of graphic design while continuing to refine visual literacy
and performance using digital tools and media.
This includes:
1. The ability to integrate new technology into the design process (computers,
scanner, laser printer, photocopies, etc.)
2. Develop an understanding of visual communication concepts and problem solving
for graphic design.
3. The ability to develop design work progressively from rough ideas to more
resolved comprehensives.
4. The practice of design principles and visual elements central to art and
graphic design.
5. The ability to make aesthetic decisions and judgements about design in the
development of visual compoisitions.
6. The ability to perform specific techniques using the computer to demonstrate
these elements (produce thumbnails and finished comprehensives using the computer,
scanner, and laser printer; precisely assemble presentations using cutting tools,
mat board and mounting adhesives; scale artwork and produce multi-color prints
using the photocopies).
7. The ability to intelligently use and care for the tools and materials of
Art 51.4 (disks, computers, scanners, laser printer, color printer, color ink
cartridges, and papers).
The scope and sequence of the course will be presented as follows:
1. Through lectures concerning the concepts, elements and historical precedents
of art and design.
2. Through lecture/demonstrations of the proper use of equipment, software and
techniques.
3. Through student practice and demonstration of compositional, expressive and
technical concepts.
4. Through evaluative one-on-one discussions with individual students.
5. Through group critique discussions and presentations of in-class and homework
visual compositions.
Specific areas of student within Art 51.4 include:
1. An overview of the computer and page layout programs.
2. Demonstrate several ways graphics software can be used to create original
graphic designs.
3. Demonstrate basic design principles for the layout and design of the printed
page.
4. Demonstrate and use the digital scanner to capture images.
5. Explore the design process from preliminary studies (thumbnails) to more
finished designs.
6. Review the aesthetic concerns of typographic design.
7. Study the grid concept as a layout structure.
8. Demonstrate designs which successfully integrate text with graphic elements.
9. Create designs in a variety of formats: ads, newsletters, booklets, Web pages,
etc.
10. Experiement with type as an expessive design element.
11. Study a variety of typeface designs and their unique aesthetic qualities.
12. Review digital type designs from the large (Adobe) and small (Emigre) type
distributors.
13. Examine typographic and layout designs from varous historical periods.
Assignments:
May include the following:
1. Create a simple lettermark design (monogram).
2. Explore several typographic designs for a business card.
3. Create a set of three ads (such as a dance center) using type only.
4. Create a series of three different ad layouts combining text and image image.
5. Create page layouts which express four important historic styles: Classical,
Industrial Revolution, Modernism and Post-Modern.
6. Develop a set of "type pictures" for a class booklet.
7. Develop a set of thumbnails which explore the grid structure.
8. Design a newsletter using the grid concept.
9. Design a half-sheet order form.
10. Design a home page for the World Wide Web.
11. Design an exhbition schedule for the campus Art Gallery.
12. Experiment with type for a broadside layout (tabloid format).
13. Create a small personal book/Web Site combining text and images.
EVALUATION:
This is a degree-applicable course, but substantial writing assignments are
not appropriate because the course primarily: Involves skill demonstrations
or problem solving
The problem-solving assignments required:
Homework problems
The types of skill demonstrations required:
Class performances
The types of objective examinations used in the course:
None
Other category:
Portfolio of completed work, attendance, effort, growth, participation.
Writing assignments: 0% - 0%
Problem-solving demonstrations: 10% - 30%
Skill demonstrations: 10% - 30%
Objective examinations: 0% - 0%
Other methods of evaluation: 40% - 80%
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Units: 3
Recommended: Art 18, or Art 51.1, or Art 51.2, or Art 51.3, or enrollment in the Applied Graphics Program
Grade code: CR/NC option
Repeat code: 8
Transferability: CSU
Cost: $5
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Design Writing Research Writing on Graphic Design, Elen
Lupton & Abbot Miller Phaidon, 1996
Great Type and Lettering Designs, David Brier, North Light
Books, 1992.
Creative Typography, Marion March, North Light Books, 1988.
Type Design, Color, Character & Use, Michael Beaumont, North Light Books,
1987.
STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT BUY TEXTBOOKS before
checking with the SRJC Bookstore.
These titles are representative only, and may not be the same ones used in your
class.
REQUIRED SUPPLIES:
Students are required to obtain a 250MB Zip disk formatted for either the Macintosh or PC to store small project files.
Students should also purchase several blank recordable CDs to store larger movie files. Ideally the student will have a minimum of 4 CD’s to last the length of the semester. Some students may need significantly more, others significantly less. Recordable CD’s are especially recommended for students who intend to work on assignments at home.
Students are also required to have an e-mail account. This can be accessed through the lab and may be a free account like those available from Hotmail, Yahoo, Freemail, Excite, etc. The instructor will assist students in obtaining an e-mail account if necessary only on the first day of class. Students will be expected to check this e-mail account at least once a week. Assignment grades, class progress, and general class announcements will be reported via e-mail.
Students are expected to attend all of every class meeting unless they have received prior permission from the instructor. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class meeting. Anyone absent when attendance is taken will be assumed absent from the class. If you are late to class it is your responsibility to make sure your attendance is acknowledged by talking to the instructor.
If a student misses two weeks of class without being excused, it can be assumed that the student is intending to drop the class. Because this class meets only once a week that means two absences will be grounds for the instructor to drop you from the class.
If you are intending to drop the class, it is your responsibility to drop the class. You should not assume that the instructor will automatically drop you because of absences. If you stop attending classes, you do not drop the class, and the instructor has not dropped you from the class; the instructor may be required to give you a grade of F for the class.
Graphic Design: Digital LayoutArt 51.4
Spring Semester 2003
Instructor: John Sappington - 707.874.9786
Class web site: http://www.basearts.com/design.htm
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Graphic Design: Digital Layout
Art 51.4
Instructor: John Sappington - 707.874.9786