Graphic Design I Syllabus

                                    Syllabus

                                   AR 114 Graphic Design I
                                    Albertus Magnus College
                                     Jerry Nevins, Professor

                      Phone: 773-8546, office, 203 Aquinas Hall
                                       Spring Semester, 2008
                                                Contact

____________________________________________________

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 CS2 and Adobe InDesign CS2. 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.

Technical Topics:

Intro to Photoshop CS2
Editing photographs for use in your projects
Fonts and Typefaces
Ink Jet printing using archival materials... the fine print
Finding image resources on the web
Layers, scale
Page layout and design
Creating images for print and for web pages: managing file size.

Two dimensional design principles:

Form.
Repetition
Structure
Similarity
Gradation
Radiation
Anomaly
Contrast
Concentration
Texture
Space

Assignments:

4 major projects to be executed on paper. Your final portfolio will include the final, printed examples of that work as well as electronic variations and trials leading up to your finished, final solutions.

Project 1
Design U.S. Postage Stamp. Finished color output to be 7" X 9"

Guidelines for designing a U.S postal stamp

Every new stamp issued from 1997 to present

Project 2
Design poster for an art or cultural event. Size: 13" X 19"

The Swiss Poster Collection at Canegie Mellon University

Armin Hoffman Poster Designs

Poster Designs using the letter "B"

The International Poster Biennale in Warsaw

September 11, 2001 poster project

Rene Warner's mega link list

Palestine Poster Project

Project 3
CD design

Eisner Museum History of Album Design, Intersting flash presentations

Wikipedia article

Museum of Bad Album Covers

Visual Encyclopedia of Symbols

Project 4
Design 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 10 pieces due at the end of the semester. 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."

Special Needs and Accommodations: Please advise the instructor of any special problems or needs at the beginning of the semester or mod. Those students seeking accommodation based on disabilities should provide a Faculty Contact Sheet obtained through the Academic Development Center in Aquinas Hall, (203) 773-8590.

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 an 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

Back to Syllabi

Home