Textbooks are optional:

• Design Basics | David A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak, Design Basics - Eighth Edition, 2011 | ISBN: 978-0495915775

        OR

• Design Basics | David A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak, Design Basics - Ninth Edition, 2015 | ISBN: 978-1285858227

Other materials:

• Sketching/Drawing supplies: You can get these from Dick Blick, and you receive a student discount if you shop in person. Amazon also carries many of these supplies. Feel free to shop around for the best prices and know that you do not need to purchase the exact items on the list, just comparable materials.
  • Paper: Whatever white printing paper you have is fine; I use a drawing paper that has a nice tooth to it.
  • Pencils:
    • Staedtler Mars Lumograph Black, Carbon Blend Provides Jet Black Lines
    • Staedtler Mars Lumograph Art Drawing Pencils, 12 Pack (4H - 6B) Graphite Pencils
  • Erasers:
    • Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser
    • Kneaded Eraser
  • Blending Stumps
  • Pencil Sharpener – You can use a cheap plastic pencil sharpener, but these brass sharpeners are great to give you a sharp lead point, and they help reduce breakage during sharpening.
  • 30 - 60 Triangle (at least 12") or an adjustable 45 Triangle
  • Masking tape or washi tape
  • Sketch Pad Board - The size is up to you, but you may want to be able to tape two pieces of paper side by side. You can even use a plain board like this, which just does not have the handle and clips, but is much less expensive.
  • Other supplies that are nice to have:
    • Proportional Divider Drawing Tool for Artists
    • Architectural Ruler
    • Scanner
    • Tracing paper
    • Precision Tip Pen Style Eraser or eraser pencil

Grading

Participation - 10-points (10%)

There are three components:

(1) Bio - 0.5-point

For week one, all students are required to post a bio online to the d2l discussion board by the zoom class meeting in week one.

(2) Discussion Posting - 7 points

There will be four required discussion postings:

1. 1. Find a good example of the principle of Unity. Post to the discussion board with a paragraph (200 words or less) about why this is a good example of unity (1 point)
   2. Analyze and critique a website/or web-based portfolio that you enjoy frequently. Post a screenshot of at least the homepage (others if needed) + a link and a 500–700-word essay that details the principles and gestalts the designers used. (3 points)
   3. Meaningful critique for at least six student's postings of Composition one. Please provide thoughtful, actionable feedback, and be respectful in your delivery. Copying and pasting the same comments for all postings or saying that you like something without explaining why do not count! (1.5 points - .25 each)
   4. Meaningful critique for at least six stud­­­­e­­­­­­­­­nt's postings of Composition two. Please provide thoughtful, actionable feedback, and be respectful in your delivery. Copying and pasting the ­same comments for all postings or saying that you like something without explaining why do not count! (1.5 points - .25 each)

(3) In-person class meetings 2.5 points (0.83 points each - 2.5%)­­­­­­

While you are not required to attend the Zoom meetings, I will expect you to have watched the recordings. I will post a short quiz for those who did not attend to-be-completed by the following week's class.

Sketch Lab (13 points - 13%)

Deliverables:

Throughout the quarter, you will be expected to complete a variety of sketch exercises ranging in complexity and varied points. For each you will scan or photograph your sketches and submit a single PDF file. See more detail in the Sketch Lab rubric page. These are not graded per se; you will get all the points if you submit completed exercises by the due dates.

LinkedIn Learning tutorials (22 points - 22%)

Deliverables:

Throughout the quarter, you will be expected to complete Lynda.com tutorials in Photoshop and Illustrator. I will have options for both beginners and advanced users (you will choose which set to do yourself). For each you will submit multiple electronic files that you create in the tutorials. See more detail in the rubrics. These are not graded per se; you get all the points if you submit completed tutorial exercise files (with any changes I added) by the due dates. Please follow the instructions carefully. And be sure to download the exercises files from Lynda.com prior to starting.

Composition one - Design Principles (20-points - 20%)

You will create an abstract composition in Photoshop to represent the four major categories of principles and gestalts that we discussed

Deliverables (See Rubrics for more details):

(1) Sketches - provide at least five different sketch ideas for a 4-section composition. Each section should focus on a different design principle (Emphasis/Visual Hierarchy, Scale and Proportion, Balance and Rhythm) as we have categorized in this course (although they will likely exemplify more than one). The entire composition should demonstrate Unity through several methods. The sections of the composition can overlap if needed and elements do not need to be confined to their sections.

Limit the elements you use in the sketches to lines, shapes, value, texture, and pattern (no objects). There should be nothing representational - these are meant to be abstract. The sketches should NOT have any color, typography (there should be no need for titles) or perspective. Your sketches should represent a wide range of concepts and exploration. Submit each composition sketch on its own page and combined into a single PDF and post to submissions folder AND the discussion board. We will critique these in our Zoom meeting. If you are not able to attend the Zoom meeting, I will not critique your work in the class (I just do not feel that it is fair to critique unless the person is there). However, you will learn a lot by watching the critique of the other students' work. So please watch the class recording.

(2) After critique, take one of the sketches (or combination of) and produce a single composition in Photoshop saved as a PDF. You can add color this point if you desire. Work in at least 300 ppi. The physical size of your composition is up to you.

(3) Essay (transcription of the presentation) and presentation. In your presentation, focus on each section and describe the primary principle (Emphasis/Visual Hierarchy, Scale and Proportion, Balance and Rhythm) it is supposed to represent (and how). Additionally, describe the gestalt principles that you used. Last, describe how the overall composition is Unified. Keep your description to a 4-minute maximum presentation. Post your presentation to some video platform (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube). Post a link to your presentation with your image as a jpg or png to the discussion board; submit your PDF artifact and a transcript of your presentation essay to the submission folder (cut and paste the link for your presentation at the top of the transcription).

Composition two - Illusion of Space (15-points - 15%)

You will create a composition of a physical object(s) in this assignment.

Deliverables (See Rubrics for more details):

(1) Sketches - provide at least three different ideas for a composition of (1) an object or objects with an organic shape(s) (like a shoe or fruit) and/or (2) structural object or set of structural objects (e.g. chair(s). The three objects you choose must be something in your home (not fictional). You can also combine different object types, e.g., a cup next to a teabag. More organic shaped objects can be more challenging, but also more rewarding. You are not graded on the complexity of what you choose (within reason - do not pick overly simple shapes either like boxes), so tackle things that you feel you can do so confidently but please do challenge yourself.

For each object, provide orthographic views (top, front, side organized in an 'L' shape as we discussed), an isometric view and a perspective drawing. Also include a composition combining the orthographic views with the perspective view (that will be the basis for the final composition). You can also choose to only include two orthographic views (top and front if the third view (side) does not add much (or any) information in the composition sketch, e.g., a wine class. Be sure to use value in the perspective drawing. Think of these sketches as studies of the object. Your sketches should represent wide exploration of objects. The sketches should not have any color.

When you are done, you will have nine pages (combined into a single PDF):

1. Page 1: Object one: orthographic (top, front, side) + isometric.
2. Page 2: Object one: perspective
3. Page 3: Object one: composition using the perspective and at least two of the orthographic views in an 'L shape if you have three views and in a | shape if you have two views. This can be composed in Photoshop. Consider using a background shape to unify your composition.
4. Page 4: Object two: orthographic (top, front, side) + isometric.
5. Page 4: Object two: perspective
6. Page 6: Object two: composition using the perspective and at least two of the orthographic views in an 'L shape if you have three views and in a | shape if you have two views. This can be composed in Photoshop. Consider using a background shape to unify your composition.
7. Page 7: Object three: orthographic (top, front, side) + isometric.
8. Page 8: Object three: perspective
9. Page 9: Object three: composition using the perspective and at least two of the orthographic views in an 'L shape if you have three views and in a | shape if you have two views. This can be composed in Photoshop. Consider using a background shape to unify your composition.

We will critique these in our Zoom meeting. If you are not able to attend the Zoom meeting, I will not critique your work in the class (I just do not feel that it is fair to critique unless the person is there). However, you will learn a lot by watching the critique of the other students' work. So please watch the class recording.

(2) After critique, photograph the one object you decide to focus on from several perspectives. Decide on a good perspective and use that photo as an underlay for your perspective. Using Illustrator or Photoshop (or a combination) use value and color to give your objects dimension. (BTW, it is NOT okay to use photographs for the sketches - I want to see that the sketches were by hand). Your composition should use the design principles well and feel unified and well-balanced. Your orthographics MUST be in an L shape (if you have three views) or an | shape if you have two groups. The top view should be in the top with the front view aligned under the top view.

(3) Essay (transcription of the presentation) and presentation. In your presentation, focus on each section and describe the primary principle (Emphasis/Visual Hierarchy, Scale and Proportion, Balance and Rhythm) it is supposed to represent (and how). Additionally, describe the gestalt principles that you used. Last, describe how the overall composition is Unified. Keep your description to a 4-minute maximum presentation. Post your presentation to some video platform (e.g. Vimeo, YouTube). Post a link to your presentation with your image as a jpg or png to the discussion board; submit your PDF artifact and a transcript of your presentation essay to the submission folder (cut and paste the link for your presentation at the top of the transcription).

Open book final (20 points - 20%)

There will be an open book final in week 11 that will review key concepts we covered in the quarter.

None.