CONTINUING STUDIES Summer Institute for Teens 2012 Course Outline SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEENS GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR TEENS. Course Number: CETP 103 SU01 Instructor(s): Rafael Puyana Number of Sessions: 11 Day and Time: Mon, Weds and Fri Date(s): July 4 July 27, 2012 Room: 390+203B COURSE DESCRIPTION Do you like to design or draw logos? Do you look for eye-catching design in posters, packaging and online? In the Graphic Design studio, students will develop a foundation in visual literacy, typography and design sketching, and will develop software skills in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Students will design and print posters, logos and product packaging, and will learn to upload their work to their own online graphic design portfolio. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES + OBJECTIVES Course Objectives: 1. Understand the significance of graphic design in a contemporary context. 2. Visualize the role of graphic design as a tool for translation, bridge, and mediator in our contemporary society. 3. Initiate a professional and critical encounter with graphic design beyond its visual dimension. 4. Be able to combine the capacity to produce visual works with a supportive critical discourse. 5. Be able to grasp the basic notions of typography and composition in the creation of graphic design pieces. 6. Receive, listen, and digest critical feedback from peers and instructors. Course Outcomes: 1. Understand the role of typography in graphic design. 2. Become familiar with the extensive field of design beyond its graphical expression. 3. Understand the basic workflow of graphic design practice from ideation, planning, production, and distribution. 4. Recognize the role of the visual creation in the new digital culture, and the creative potential of networking and sharing. Students will be challenged with graphic design theories, discussions, and exercises that will introduce them to the areas of typography, composition, information visualization, visual narrative, layout and logotype design. These areas
will be developed through readings, presentations, and extensive sketching work combined with series of workshops in the essential digital and online tools used in the graphic design industry. COURSE METHOD Presentation and lectures. Interlaced handmade and digital production. Selected readings. Individual and group assignments. Recurrent feedback, conversation, and evolution of the work produced in class. Persistent critique and active conversation about the work. All assignments will present students with entertaining challenges. Integration of productivity tools and best practices from the graphic design industry. Constant encouragement in the documentation of ideas, thoughts using digital and physical journals. COURSE CONTENT Typographic design. Basic layout Design Postcard and poster design. Book cover / music album art re-design. Narrative and composition with pictograms. Brand design. Design as a problem solving methodology. REQUIREMENTS To successfully complete the course, students are expected to complete all assignments to the instructor s stated requirements, attend all classes, and participate actively in discussions and critiques. FURTHER REQUIREMENTS Course assignments are time intensive. Strong concentration and communication with instructor is necessary.
ASSESSMENT METHODS Attendance and participation Critique of assignments and exercises Completion of exercises and projects to specific criteria. SCHEDULE OF INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY Wednesday July 4 Introduction of instructor. Presentation: What is Graphic Design? Graphic / Visual / Communication / Thinking Presentation of course outline, goals and expectations. Discussion about class materials. Students will introduce themselves, their current knowledge about graphic design, their thoughts, motivations and expectations. Create a list of your favorite brands, movie posters, open titles, music album covers, or videos that make use of strong graphic design elements. File management, Dropbox, Google Docs/Drive. Research online. Copyright considerations and Creative Commons. Setting up our digital Tumblr research journal. Research online visual support from the list created this morning. Create a slideshow and upload to Tumblr Journal. Reading for next class: Anatomy of an alphabet. Finalize slideshow and share online with instructor. Friday July 6 Presentation: Typography matters and alphabet anatomy Sketching Session: Fall in love with a character. Introduction to Adobe Illustrator. Basic tools. Bitmap vs. vector formats. Analysis of a character. Sketching, digital dissection and composition with letter parts.
Print and short critique session. Introduction to postcard project. Weekend Keep sketching three more characters from the Garamond alphabet. Trace and cut your compositions and paste them outside: A wall, a street, a bench, the beach, etc. Take pictures and prepare slideshow for next class. Prepare a selection of short texts from your favorite books, lyrics, poetry, movie quotes, etc. Search for supporting black and white imagery. Monday July 9 Presentation of assignment. Short critique session Introduction to typographic design. Sketch session. Students will divide their selected text in fragments. Each one will be represented as a typographic composition. Photocopy transfer. Composition creation with text and images. Students will research online and offline imagery that support their texts: colors, textures, and details. Bring as many options as you can. Wednesday July 11 Presentation of assignment. Short critique session Designing with grids Sketch session for postcards project: Students will create a series of postcards combining the typographic exploration from previous session with the supporting imagery found in the assignment. Introduction to Photoshop. Basic tools, layers, and channels. Digital studio session. Students will prepare postcards for next class presentation and critique.
Friday July 13 Presentation of assignment. Short critique session. Students will redesign one of their favorite books or music album covers. Book / music album cover. Digital studio session. Weekend assignment Sketch and select your favorite pictograms from the assigned document. Reading on iconography and pictograms. Monday July 16 Book / music album cover. Digital studio session (continuation). Print, presentation of assignment and short critique session. Presentation: Introduction to pictograms and information visualization. Contemporary remix culture. Students will sketch a series of compositions or a narrative piece using pictograms and typography. Sketch session, individual discussion. Keep Sketching and evolving proposals. Wednesday July 18 Students will start working in their projects. Several rounds of feedback from instructor must be addressed during the day. Continuation of assignment. Final print and presentation. Critique session. Reading: Corporate design.
Friday July 20 Presentation: Introduction to brand design Workshop: Logotype creation. Workshop: logotype creation. (continuation) Digital studio session. Weekend Students will be grouped and assigned with a problem. They must bring possible solutions and support them visually for discussion on Monday. Reading: Design as a way of thinking Monday July 23 Presentation: Design as problem solving Students will modify their proposals and work during the day for a final presentation at the end of the day. Problem solving session Self Directed session: Outside, digital studio, classroom Preparation for exhibition. Students must select their favorite work during the course and make the necessary adjustments or improvements for the final exhibition. Problem solving session Self directed session: outside, digital studio, classroom End of day meeting Students should finalize their solutions presentation for Wednesday. Critique session. Wednesday July 25
Presentation of assignment: Design as problem solving Students will finalize their work for the show Thursday July 26 Final exhibition Friday July 27 (TBD) Library research Visiting the artist s book collection Final meeting and group discussion about sketchbooks and digital journals. Learning outcomes, assessments, and post-exhibition review.