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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AS 101-3"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Graphic Design"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Devin Kovach
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TH9:00 AM 11:45 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The aim of this course is to give students a comprehensive introduction to visual communication and to demonstrate how Graphic Design can be an effective and powerful tool for business. It covers a broad spectrum of different design disciplines, ranging from corporate identity, branding, brochure design, poster design, to packaging and illustration, and provides precious insight into the world of Graphic Design. The course is open to all students, particularly those who do not have a background in design, and complements other courses including Business, Management, Marketing and Communication.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

This course introduces the fundamental principles of graphic design.  Learners will gain knowledge of how graphic designers use two-dimensional forms to communicate meaning.  Core topics include visual composition, rhythm and balance, contrast, colour, visual hierarchy, layers, transparency, the grid, and gestalt principles.  These topics will be explored through slide concept presentations, live skills tutorials, and asynchronous exercises.  Learners will gain skills with contemporary design software including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.  With instructor guidance, learners will put their new knowledge into practice completing a series of longer-format projects in which they will be encouraged to not only demonstrate comprehension of core concepts/skills, but also to begin defining a personal creative voice and design approach.  

Each project is introduced with a concept overview of the design principle(s) in question, including information relating to historical and contemporary design thinking, professional case studies, technical background information, and resources.  Detailed technical tutorials follow, providing students with hands on experience of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign applications.  The course projects will then challenge learners to implement both their conceptual learning and practical skills to address a specific design prompt.  
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Learners who successfully complete this course will develop the following skills:

  • Capability with fundamental skills of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign
  • The ability to create effective visual compositions and layouts
  • Work efficiently with vector and raster based imagery
  • Work with type to create functional and visually compelling layouts
  • Understand essential colour relationships and implement colour effectively in their designs
  • Employ design thinking to develop unique visual solutions
  • Develop skills to work successfully with a design prompt
  • Develop a sense of the history of graphic design and how it informs contemporary practice
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
Foundations of Digital Art and Design with Adobe Creative CloudXtine BurroughNew Riders (an imprint of Peachpit, which is a division of Pearson Education)978-0-13-573235-9 Learners will need access to the Ebook edition of this book. They can then follow along with exercises using the open-source wiki: https://wiki.digital-foundations.net/
Graphic Design The New BasicsEllen LuptonPrinceton Architectural Press; 2nd edition978-1616893323  

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
A *New* Program for Graphic DesignDavid ReinfurtInventory Press/D.A.P.978-1941753217  
The Interaction of Color: 50th Anniversary EditionJosef AlbersYale University Press9780300179354  
Design as ArtBruno MunariPenguin Classics9780141035819  
Design BasicsStephen Pentak & David A. LaurerCengage Learning; 9th edition978-1285858227  
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Site Study: One place, two waysIn this project learners are challenged to use the design skills acquired during weeks 1-4, putting them into practice to engage with their visual experience of a specific site. Concept Brief: capture a unique dimension of the site and represent it graphically. The project starts with a site study. Learners are prompted to visit their chosen location and record their experience, making numerous sketches and taking ample photographs. They will then distill their collection to create: logo or symbol representative of the site; OR an icon for a dimension of the site’s function digital illustration of an object or element from the site. 20%
Type & Myth Poster ProjectIn this project learners are challenged to use the design skills acquired during weeks 7-9 to complete a poster in which type plays an active role in both visual impact and the expression of meaning. Concept Brief: capture a myth, creation story, or folktale using type forms in an expressive manner. There should be a unique and compelling relationship between the visual form of the type and the meaning/content of the myth. Considerations: How can the visual appearance of a piece of type be used to create meaning? What makes one font different from another, how can the selection of a font amplify impact of a piece of text? How can you employ the shape, positioning, and size of letterforms and type elements to convey the meaning of the story? 15%
Final Design PortfolioThe final project is a culmination of the course experience. Learners will be prompted to utilize their skills toward the realization of an ambitious multi-part project. Emphasis will be placed on articulating a unique conceptual approach, personalizing the design, and working efficiently to achieve a professional final product.20%
Lab Exercises These exercises (6 total, 5pts. each) encompass the activities learners will engage in from week to week. They cover the nuts and bolts of design software including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, as well as hands-on design skills to give them a well-rounded design skill set. These "low-stakes" exercises enable students to work through problems, gain practical skills, and envision possibilities, providing a necessary foundation for the longer-format personal projects. Lab activities are initiated in class during live tutorials. Learners will then be prompted to complete an extension of the activity, implementing the skills learned, for homework. 30%
Formstorming Design JournalThe design journal is a platform for you to develop an archive of visual imagery connecting course concepts with your visual experience of the world. Week by week new terms and principles will be introduced. Learners will be prompted to find and/or make their own examples to illustrate the ideas discussed in class; their own photographs/pictures, searching/sampling online, printed ephemera. They are then prompted to edit and organize their images and upload them to their archive folder (JCU OneDrive account). By the end of the semester, learners should have a rich collection (approx. 100 images) of their own source imagery demonstrating knowledge and awareness of core design principles. A list of the weekly entry prompts will be included in the assignment handout.10
Course ParticipationIn class participation - The level of observable attentiveness and participation demonstrated during class discussions, exercises, and critiques. Students are expected to be present and engaged! Preparation: Students are expected to arrive to class on time and ready to work. This means having all of your materials and homework assignments! It is critical that you make the most of in-class work periods; not having your materials is not a good excuse. Attendance - Students are expected to attend every class period. If you miss a class, you are responsible for acquiring the missed information and completing assignments before the next class. Unexcused absences will affect your participation grade (refer to the "Attendance Requirements" for details on excused/unexcused absences): 2 unexcused absences = forfeit of one half of a letter grade (of learners' participation grade; eg. from A to A-) 3 unexcused absences = forfeit of an entire letter grade of learners' participation grade 4 unexcused absences = forfeit of an additional letter grade and mandatory meeting with instructor and department chair. 5 unexcused absences = inability to pass the course. 5 unexcused absences means the learner will have missed over a quarter of the semester, thus making successful completion of the course impossible. 10

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality shows excellent mastery of the course content along with exceptional levels of technical skill, artistic awareness, originality, resourcefulness, commitment, quantity of work and improvement. There has been excellent collaboration and leadership in group projects, and there have been no attendance problems. An A grade also indicates an extraordinary level of growth. It is not a reflection of inherent skill, but rather an evaluation based on the rigor of learner's engagement with and development of a particular project (their ability to work through multiple iterations of an idea to arrive at the most compelling and/or effective solution).
BA highly competent level of performance with work that directly addresses the content of the course, with a good quantity of work produced. There is some room for improvement in the objective formal/visual qualities of the work and/or the depth of idea development & conceptual strategy informing the project.
CAn adequate level of performance: the work shows awareness of the course content, but is very limited in quantity, quality, commitment and skill. There is room for improvement in idea development and the visual/formal qualities of the project. More effort is required to work through multiple iterations to arrive at a unique/original solution to the project.
DThe student lacks a coherent grasp of the course material and has failed to produce much work. Significant work is necessary to address the basic objectives of the project prompt including both conceptual and formal/visual aspects
FNegligent in attendance, academic honesty, engagement with the course content, or production of work.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

In class participation

The level of observable attentiveness and participation demonstrated during class discussions, exercises, and critiques.  Students are expected to be present and engaged! 

Preparation - Students are expected to arrive to class on time and ready to work.  This means having all of your materials and homework assignments!  It is critical that you make the most of in-class work periods; not having your materials is not a good excuse.

Attendance - Students are expected to attend every class period.    If you miss a class, you are responsible for acquiring the missed information and completing assignments before the next class.  Unexcused absences will affect your participation grade (for details refer to the official Attendance requirements listed below):

3 unexcused absences = forfeit of one letter grade (refers to learners' participation letter grade; eg. from A to B)

4 unexcused absences = forfeit of additional letter grade.

5 unexcused absences = five unexcused absences is more than a third of the course and renders successful completion of the class virtually impossible.

 

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity.

Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________

 
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Week 1: Course Introduction, Seeing with a designers eye.  In-class activity: Setting up the Design Journal.  

Homework: Design Journal entry #1.

Week 2: Concept Topic: Point, Line, Plane (reference Lupton text Graphic Design: The New Basics  pp.32-48, slide examples in class).  Lab exercise Found.Dig. Chp 1 “The Dot, The Path, The Pixel” (Ai)

Homework: Finish Lab Activity #1

Week 3: Concept Topic: Line Quality and Structure (reference Pentak and Laurer text Design Basics, chp.7, pp126-148, slide examples in class). Lab exercise Found. Dig. Chp2 “Drawing Expressive Lines” (Ai)

Homework: Finish Lab Activity #2

Week 4: Design Project 1 Brief "One Site, Two Ways".  Concept topic: Symbol, index, icon (slide presentation).  In class exercise Dig.Found. Chp3 “Modify Basic Shapes” (Ai)

Homework: Site visits and Formstorming Activity (Design Journal)

Week 5: Saving and Outputting Artwork + Individual project consultations.  Design Project 1 work period. 

Homework: Finish Design Project 1, print and output comps for presentation. 

Week 6: Peer Review of "One Site, Two Ways" & progress review of Design Journals

Week 7: Concept Topic: Unity and Balance. Organising a dynamic composition (reference text Pentak and Laurer pp. 26-108).  In-class exercise: Found. Dig. Chp. 8 "Select, Copy, Paste, Collage"

Homework: Finish Lab Activity #3, Read Found. Dig. pp.215-222.

Week 8: Concept Topic: Introduction to Typography and Hierarchy (Lupton text Thinking with Type, accompanying slide presentation).  In-class exercise: Found. Dig. Chp. 8 "Type and Image".

Homework: Lab Activity #4

Week 9: Project Brief: Design Project 2 "Type & Myth". Concept topic: Gestalt Principles (reference Lupton text Graphic Design: The New Basics pp. 98, and Reinfurt texts).  Lab exercise: Found. Dig. Chp.11 "The Grid".

Homework: Formstorming for the Type and Myth project

Week 10:  Peer Review of Type & Myth project

Week 11: Concept Topic: Colour Theory (reference Lupton text Graphic Design: The New Basics pp.80, and Albers text The Interaction of Color).  Lab exercise: Digital Foundations Wiki (online) Chp. 5 “Color Theory and Basic Shapes”

Homework: Lab Activity #5 

Week 12: Design Brief: Final Design Portfolio.  Introduction to Adobe InDesign.  Lab exercise: Digital Foundations Wiki (online) Chp. 13 “Multiple Pages Unity” + Chp. 14 “Multiple Pages Chaos”

Homework: Lab Activity #6

Week 13: Concept topic: sequence, pattern, and narrative.  Lab exercise: Impagination and printing using Adobe InDesign.  

Homework: Formstorming for the Final Design Portfolio.

Week 14: Work Period & Individual Consultations/Preparing artwork for presentation.

Week 15: Final Peer review of Final Design Portfolio.