Syllabus
AR
114 Graphic Design I
Albertus
Magnus College
Jerry
Nevins, Professor
Phone:
773-8546, office, 203 Aquinas Hall
Contact
Preferred method of contact is email. I will respond the same day.
jnevins@albertus.edu
____________________________________________________
Introduction:
Graphic Design I is intended to be a fist course in computer aided page design.
The skillful combining of images and text become the core of this course.
It is a working studio class and through demonstrations and hands on work
you will learn to solve visual problems using Adobe Photoshop CC 2020. This "hands on" experience is the key to success in this class.
In the end, you will work on traditional design problems leading to a portfolio
of 10 pieces illustrating concepts learned.
From postage stamps to giant billboards, graphic design permeates
our environment. Understanding how to apply basic design concepts to the presentation
of informative or persuasive material is crucial to communicating with an
audience. Typography, image, space, color, and form will be integrated as
the term progresses. The main emphasis of the course will be on you and your
work. . By actually working, taking risks, experimenting, making mistakes
and creating with the computer, much is to be learned.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Technical:
Intro to Photoshop CC2020
Editing photographs for use in your projects
Fonts and Typefaces
Finding image resources on the web
Layers, scale
Page layout and design
Creating images for print and for web pages: managing file size.
Aesthetic: To create works that consciously use the following two dimensional
design principles:
Form.
Repetition
Structure
Similarity
Gradation
Radiation
Anomaly
Contrast
Concentration
Texture
Space
All projects summarized video/expectations
Week 1 Join the class blog, post a brief autobiography and a picture of yourself if possible. Download and install Photoshop. Watch several of the videos:
Free Video Tutorials on using Photoshop from Adobe. 42 short videos in all...
Master List of Graphic Designers to write about each week... (and Typographers) There are 68 and each has an article in Wikipedia to begin your research.
Photoshop is installed on and available on all public computers on the Albertus Campus. This includes the Library, Room 315 Aquinas Hall, Rm 140 in the TAG., etc. If you are having any trouble with your computer, and this might include viruses, breakdown, slow or old computers, etc., you should plan on using the available computers on campus.
Tech Help: Please contact Albertus ITS Helpdesk for issues related to installing software on your machine, viruses, etc.
Design 4 variations of 2 letterforms in a square....
Warm up Exercise video:
Design a series of square letterform designs
Important! Resolution should be no less than 2000 ppi on the long dimension.
Assignments:
4 major projects to be executed digitally. Online class will post work to class blog. Your final portfolio will include
the final, as well as the progress versions of each project.
Week 2
Begin work on the stammp project, decide on your project, gather your images.
Video: How to gather and save your
images for the stamp project
Project 1
Design U.S. Postage Stamp.
Guidelines for designing a U.S postal stamp
Every new stamp issued from 1997 to present
How to Find and Save Images For Your Stamp Project Video
Link to download scallop template for your project Be sure to click on the image to get the full size version. Rt click on it then either "save as" or "copy"
Videos:
"How to" Stamp project video 2019 in HD
Stamp project explained again. How to crop the image properly.April 2019
Adding Type to Stamp Project Part I
Adding Type to Stamp Project Part II
Finish Up Stamp Project Part III
Project 2
Poster Design.
Begin by taking one of the posters found in the following links and "copy it" as closely as you can. This is to serve as a warm up exercise.
Read Lessons From Swiss Style Graphic Design
Video: Pick Swiss Posters and copy them in Photoshop
I want you to take posters from the Carnegie Melon collection copy it. It is important that you do this at high resolution, that is, 12" x 17" x 240 dpi. Post the original then post your version. Unless you have good illustration skills I would concentrate on posters that are designed using typography only. The point is to learn about margins, sightlines, type hierarchy, legibility, color schemes… The list goes on. My day classes actually copy about 3 to 4 posters but they are not writing about a designer each week so that seems to work out.
Project 3
Design 2 posters for an art or cultural event. Size: 13" X 19"X 240 dpi
The second part of the project, is to create your own original poster in the style of Swiss design. You would pay attention to the same issues clarity, simplicity, hierarchy, color scheme and impact. You can research an actual event in Google using a search term like New Haven arts calendar, New Haven events etc. It needs to be a real event with a place, a time etc. Do draw on the design ideas you have been looking at. If you go to Google images, and type "Swiss poster", you'll see many more examples of contemporary applications to this design idea and perhaps find some simple ideas that you could use in your own work.
The Swiss Poster Collection at Canegie Mellon University
One of the largest collections of movie poster images online.
Poster Designs using the letter "B"
The International Poster Biennale in Warsaw
September 11, 2001 poster project
Master List
of Movie Poster Designers
30
Inspiring Poster Designs
Project 4
CD design
Video: How to Lay Out the Cover
In this project you will design all of the elements that go into a CD jewel case. This includes the front cover, inside the front cover, the back cover (tray card) with the two spines and inside the back cover, under the CD.
In this project, you will design the artwork for a CD jewel case. You are to take an existing and published CD found on Amazon.com and redesign it from scratch. This will include the front cover, inside the front cover, and the back including the spines.
This will consist of two separate panels… The front panel measures 9.5" x 4.75" at 240 dpi. Place a margin line at 4.75 inches. On the right will be your front cover and on the left will be the inside portion of the front cover. There's a fold at the margin line. All the panels should flow together in terms of stylistic similarity and color scheme. The back panel is a separate document which is 5.905" x 4.625". Place a margin line at 1/4 inch in from the left edge then place a second on the right side also a quarter inch in from the edge. Do a Google image search to look at what's included on the back panel. In addition to a playlist, there are the logo of the publisher, a barcode, legal boilerplate, etc. pay attention to the design of the spines and they must include the name of the album and the artist as well as a small record label logo. Again do a Google search and Google images using the search term "back of CD" .
Video: How to Lay Out the Cover Part 2
Artwork dimensions for Jewel case
Front 12 X 12 cm X 2
Rear 11.7 cm X 15.2 cm
. Set up your Photoshop document as follows: Front cover and inside front cover is 1 document and will be designed together on one canvas. The inside portion is to the right and the front of the case is on the left.
The cover should include the title of the album and the name of the artist. The choice of artwork is up to you.
Inside the front cover should include a playlist of all of the tracks on the disk
The back cover should have the playlist again as well as a logo of the record label, a bar code, copyright information or legal boilerplate from the record company in small type.
Adobe tutorial for Jewel case project Although the tutorial is for using InDesign, the project is just as easy to complete in Photoshop.
Eisner Museum History of Album Design, Intersting flash presentations
Wikipedia article
Museum of Bad Album Covers
Visual Encyclopedia of Symbols
Project 5
Book cover project.
For the book project, you will redesign the front cover, spine and back cover of an existing book found on Amazon.com. The overall dimensions are 13" x 9" x 240 dpi. Place your margin lines and 6 inches and 7 inches for the spine. Use information at Amazon such as a short synopsis or short reviews for your back cover. Include details like the logo of the publisher, a barcode, etc. do a Google image search to see what existing books look like and what details need to be included. Pay attention to the color scheme, type hierarchy, imagery as it relates to the content of the book, margin lines, etc. Post an image of the original book in addition to your redesign.
Project 5
Video.....How to get started designing you book cover, including front, back, spine and end flaps.
Academic Expectations:
Attend all classes, care about your work, make progress in the medium, help
and cooperate with your classmates, take risks, make mistakes. Your grade
will be based on your willingness to achieve the above as well as a portfolio
of the 4 major projects as well as any smaller warm up exercises due at the end of the semester. The online class also will post 5 reviews of the work and influence of graphic designers chosen from the list "Master
List of Graphic Designers to write about each week... "A maximum of 3 absences is allowed,
with or without a valid excuse. After that your grade will drop.
Tradition of Honor: As a member of the Albertus Magnus College Community, each student taking this course agrees to uphold the principles of honor set forth by this community, to defend these principles against abuse or misuse and to abide by the regulations of the College. To this end, every student must write and sign the following statement at the end of each examination: "I declare the Honor Pledge." In digital classes, students will represent all work as their own and not copied from the internet.
Tradition of Respect: In our class: 1) Everyone is allowed to feel they can work and learn in a safe and caring environment; 2) Everyone learns about, understands, appreciates, and respects varied races, classes, genders, physical and mental abilities, and sexualities; 3) Everyone matters; 4) All individuals are to be respected and treated with dignity and civility; and 5) Everyone shares the responsibility for making our class, and the College, a positive and better place to live, work, and learn.
Accommodations for Special Needs: Please advise the instructor of any special problems or needs at the beginning of the semester. Those students seeking reasonable accommodations based on disabilities should contact Shayna Chomko, Director of the Germain Center and Coordinator of Disability Services, (203) 672-1050 or schomko@albertus.edu, to obtain a Faculty Accommodation Letter. Albertus Magnus College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
In order to respect the independence, rights and dignity of students with disabilities, the College initiates services only after a student makes a voluntary disclosure of a disability to the Office of Academic and Student Disability Services. Students who are approved for accommodations are responsible for approaching instructors in a timely manner to provide faculty accommodation letters and to arrange how accommodations will be implemented. Accommodations cannot be retroactive, so we strongly advise students to make accommodation appointments as soon as possible.
In providing reasonable accommodations, the College shall not fundamentally alter the nature of programs, services, or activities, require a waiver of essential academic standards, or violate accreditation requirements.
WITHDRAWING FROM A COURSE:
It is the responsibility of the student to officially drop or withdraw from a course. However, failure to attend a course for 14 calendar days may result in an administrative withdrawal from the course. The policies on course withdrawals and administrative withdrawals may be found online at http://www.albertus.edu/policy-reports/academic-policies-regulations-ug#apgr
Albertus Magnus College adheres to the definition of a credit hour in compliance with, and as defined by, NECHE commission policy.
Required Reading:
Numerous Photoshop tutorials online at http://www.adobe.com
Excellent Photoshop Videos: http://lynda.com
Virtual Training Co. Photoshop CS2 Essential Training with Michael Ninness... Free
Any mass market bookstore will have numerous Photoshop titles for sale in the computer section. Although not required you may want to pick up a book that fits your budget and learning style to have as a reference.
Suggested Reading:
The Non-Designer's Design Book, Second Edition - Robin Williams (Author); Paperback
Layout Index: Brochure, Web Design, Poster, Flyer, Advertising,
Page Layout, Newsletter, Stationery Index - Jim Krause; Paperback
Randy Weston & African Rhythmus Duo
Swiss Poster Design at Canegie Mellon University
Library
Pittsburg, Pa.
Jazz in Willisau,
Willisau Grafik-Studio
Niklaus Troxler, Willisau Niklaus Troxler Bösch AG, Stans 1991
