GRAPHIC DESIGN I & II : James O'Brien : Augsburg College : Spring 2008

Lectures

01 The Elements of Design

02 The Principles of Organization

03 Compositional Structure: picture plane, format, horizon line, paths of vision, repeated forms, focal points

04 Figure/ground: positive space, negative space (white space)

05 Hierarchy and Grouping Principles (Gestalt)

06 Color relationships (color hue shift file)

07 Typography: anatomy, text, grid, Designing grid systems, readability; Type is art (interactive type anatomy site)

08 Message: purpose, audience, desired result

Projects

01 Circle, square, triangle: using this template file, arrange a black circle, a black square, and a black triangle into 36 different compositions.

In your first 12 designs, make the circle dominant in scale. Vary size, position, proximity. In your second set of 12 designs, make the square dominant. Finally, in the third set of 12 designs, make the triangle dominant.
UPDATE: make three sets of 12 designs. In each design, make one shape dominant by varing size, position, and proximity.

In each of your designs, make sure you activate the entire space (format). Use the edges to create interesting negative shapes (white space) around the positive shapes (black square, circle, and triangle). Placing one of the positive shapes close to the edge of the format will pinch off the negative shape around it creating two negative shapes. This also creates tension within the composition.

Looking at your designs, which shape is the focal point of the design, the first one you look at? Is it always the largest shape?

Choose one design from each set and place 12 copies of it into the template. Next, add color using a two color palette (make your color swatches global colors, refer to in-class instructions). Use each color at 100%, and one of the two colors as a tint, 30% or 50% for example. Use color1 for one shape, color2 for the second shape, and a tint of color2 or a tint of color1 for the third shape).

GDII: Add a message to your arrangements. Make each arrangement reflect one of these moods; joy, anger, peace, depression

Final files due April 26.

(Project 01 color example)

02 Designer presentation: choose a current or historic designer. Include in your report:
+ dates of professional practice
+ examples of their work
+ influences and followers
+ important projects or innovations
+ identifying technique and style
+ why did you choose this designer (be specific and relate their work to yours)?

Presentations due April 26 May 10.

03 Initials: using your initials, arrange three letters in a 6" square format. Create twelve different arrangements.
+ make one letter the first read, the focus of the arrangement, the most important letter in terms of visual hierarchy
+ arrange and overlap the letterforms so that they read more as shapes than as letters (see example below)
+ only use one of the following typefaces: Century Gothic, Futura, or Helvetica
+ you can use any style (medium, bold, italic, etc.) but only one typeface in only one style for all twelve designs
+ create outlines for the type (will discuss in class)
+ you can resize and overlap the letters but no distortion, rotation, or flipping is allowed
+ no color, only black letters on a white background

(Project 03 example)

One of the goals for this project (as for your first project) is to create several solutions using the same elements, selecting the most interesting or effective solution for the project. You will also work with:
+ framing: exploring how the shapes interact with the edges of the format (the frame)
+ cropping: what happens to the shape element when it extends outside of the frame or is overlapped (partially covered) by another shape element; what new shape results? is it still recognizable as a letterform?
+ an illusion of space and depth: does a variation in size suggest space or depth? how about placement within the format?
+ positive/negative relationships: imagine cutting out the negative areas around the letterforms, what shapes do they make? are some more interesting than others? what if the negative areas were black and the positive shapes white, which shapes would appear closer or on top and which shapes would appear farther away?
+ personal style: through these exercises, you will develop your own personal visual approach and expand your graphic/visual language.

Next, pick one of your twelve solutions and make six logomarks where the initials are now fully readable. For hierarchy, you can choose which initial is the focus or make them all equal in importance. Once you have these six variations designed, duplicate them and add a two color palette (you can vary the colors you use but only two colors per logomark). Make the logomark one color and use the second color for a background shape. Try to find two colors that vary in value (one is darker than the other; one is lighter than the other).

GDII: combine your logotype with a line of text, your name or the name of your business, make 6 variations.

Final files due May 10.

04 Book title: using the title of a book you are currently reading (or your favorite book), arrange the words within the title in twelve different ways varying the heirarchy of the read (meaning which word is read first, which second, etc.). Make each word the first read in different ways. This can be done by contrasting the size of each word, the placement of each word, and by visually grouping words together.
+ your book title needs to contain at least three words (sorry, this leaves out Moby Dick)
+ only use one font in one style for all 12 designs (choose Baskerville, Bodoni, Caslon, Century Schoolbook, Garamond, or Times)
+ use only black letters on a white background
+ make your arrangements in the center of a letter-size document

(Project 04 example)

Next: choose your strongest title design and create six complete book cover designs by adding the author's name.
+ also, include one graphic element (square, rectangle, polygon, circle, or combination) that sets apart text element(s) or calls attention to one particular text element
+ format: 5 3/16" x 8" vertical
+ use a three color palette by creating global colors (will discuss)
+ prior to our next class, print out your strongest design for class review

(Project 04 example in format with graphic element and color)

GDII: follow the above step but continue by choosing your strongest design and using it to create an entire wraparound cover including the spine and the back cover. Use only text and graphic elements (no images). The back cover design can inclued additional text (quotes, summary, etc.) and a continuation or repetition of the graphic element you used on the front. Use a three or four color palette by creating global colors. For class review, print out your book cover design and wrap it around an existing book.

Final files due May 17 May 31.

05 Process book: this is an ongoing project that will be due on the final day of class. Collect and maintain all research and design files for each project. Making a folder for each project will help you keep these files organized.

You will be combining images and text into a 16-page booklet using InDesign using a grid (will discuss in class).
+ each page should contain text and image.
+ choose one font for the text and no more than three colors as a palette.
+ set up your InDesign document with a page dimension of 5x6".
+ create a thumbnail plan for your booklet (below: Project 5 booklet thumnail plan example)

booklet plan

Here is the template file to use when printing your booklet.

GDII: will discuss in class

Final file and booklet due June 21 14.

Application help

Adobe Illustrator: creating and setting up a new document

Adobe Illustrator: customizing the interface

Adobe Illustrator: creating point and area type

Adobe Illustrator: working with character and paragraph styles

Adobe Illustrator: importing content into Illustrator