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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AS 332"
COURSE NAME: "Poster Design"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Devin Kovach
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: W12:30 PM 3:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: one previous course in Graphic Design
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course focuses both on the practical and the theoretical aspects of Poster Design. It will address how to develop graphical concepts in order to bring a coherent message across for didactic purposes, campaigns, exhibitions, or events, and it will examine poster design from an historical and aesthetic point-of view. Technical practice includes an in-depth study of typography, composition, color, photography, and illustration. A basic competence in visual communication, including the major Graphic Design programs, is expected from students who wish to take this course.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

Poster design is a perfect entry-point into considering the relationship of word & image in visual communication.  In this course, learners will be guided through an in-depth study of this unique format of graphic design.  Emphasis is placed on exploring a range of different technical and visual strategies coupled with concept review of fundamental design principles.  The objective is that learners develop technical skills and design awareness to create their own clear, sophisticated, and compelling poster designs.  

 

The course experience unfolds through four design projects each aimed at a different technical skill, design principle, and conceptual approach. Through these projects, learners will be instructed in hands-on and digital techniques for creating poster designs.  This technical instruction will be supplemented by examination of different poster design styles from a range of historical periods and cultures to strengthen and inform learners personal approach.   
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Develop capability and fluency with digital tools, including Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, to organise type and image.

 

Develop skills with hands-on illustration, drawing, lettering, photo, and collage strategies to enrich and strengthen the visual appearance of their work.

 

Gain experience with different methods for outputting poster designs, including digital file management and colour separations for printing.

 

Master the use of two-dimensional form (line, shape, colour, texture, pattern)  to create dynamic, visually compelling compositional designs.

Develop fundamental awareness of typography to convey information in a clear, sophisticated, and visually complex manner.

 

Align visual approach and conceptual intent to create effective designs for a range of different purposes and applications.

 

Gain a strong sense of the history of poster design and contemporary trends.

 

Develop a personal creative voice and original design aesthetic.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberComments
How Posters WorkEllen LuptonCooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum978-0910503822  
Thinking with TypeEllen LuptonPrinceton Architectural Pr; Expanded edizione978-1568989693  
Pulled: A Catalog of Screen PrintingMichael PerryPrinceton Architectural Press; 1st edition978-1568989433  
History of the PosterJosef Müller-Brockmann, Shizuko Müller-Brockmann Phaidon; Multilingual - Illustrated edizione978-0714844039  
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Design Project 1: Scavenging DesignFor this project learners are prompted to create a poster design consisting of “scavenged” Xerox imagery addressing one of the design prompts. The first phase of the project consists of organising a manual (hands-on) composition. Learners are then instructed in the use of Adobe Photoshop to adapt, modify, and evolve the original design. Deliverable at peer review will be a hands-on poster design and a digital iteration. Together they should represent the resolution of each design phase in the expression of two related, but distinct versions of the design. 20%
Design Project 2: RISOgraph printed posterThe midterm project has two primary focuses: the use of type as an active design element and RISOgraph printing. For this project, learners are challenged to put their design skills into action in relation to a JCU event (Event TBD. We are looking at connecting to a couple of different events occurring around mid-March; the final selection will be announced by Week 3) Learners will work with Adobe Illustrator to further explore vector graphics, with particular emphasis on working with type. They will then be prompted to implement their typography skills and RISO printing awareness to design a two-color poster expressing the practical details of the chosen event and dialoguing with its content in a conceptually sophisticated and visually impactful manner. 20%
Research Project: Pop and PrintFor the research component of this project, you will be examining a historical poster designer/artist who used screen-printing as a central component in their work. In a two-page (min. 500 words) written text, address the questions listed below. Supplement your analysis with images of the poster design in question as well as additional relevant examples from the designer/artist’s catalog > > Historical context | Formal Analysis of visual language | Idea or message being conveyed | Relationship to serigraphy (technical analysis)5%
Design Project 3: Pop and Print silkscreen posterThis design project is linked to the Pop and Print research prompt. Learners are prompted to create a poster design using the same visual language/aesthetic as their chosen artist/designer (emulating period style). Emphasis is placed on strategically using hands-on and digital skills to gain capability with the chosen designer's visual approach, and then using that approach to create a personalized design addressing a social/political/environmental topic of their choosing. On a technical level, this project introduces learners to silkscreen printing. Like RISOgraph, silkscreen involves breaking down an image into single color layers that can be exposed onto a screen and printed by hand. Learners will be guided in the process steps to create a two-color screen-printed poster. They will implement their new knowledge to expose their imagery, mix ink, process the screen, and print an edition of posters. 25%
ParticipationIn class participation The level of observable attentiveness and participation demonstrated during class discussions, exercises, and critiques. Students are expected to be more than just present. Of utmost importance is that learners keep up with weekly project phases. As you will note we have a small number of projects; but each project involves multiple phases. Part of participation therefore is doing the necessary work from week to week to meet the deadlines within the longer-format projects. 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: 3 unexcused absences = forfeit of one grade level of the Participation Grade (eg. A to B) 4 unexcused absences = forfeit of additional letter grade and mandatory meeting with faculty and department chair. 5 unexcused absences = missing over a quarter of the semester makes successful completion of the course virtually impossible. 10%
Expanded Poster Design & ApplicationThe final project will challenge learners to expand the application of their poster design skills. I am considering a few different approaches to the final project, including >> SAMPLE BRIEF 1 Collaborative/Group Poster Design: Learners work together, pooling their skills to work in tandem with one another to solve the visual and conceptual challenges of a given design challenge. Learners work in teams to resolve the various aspects of the poster design process including image gathering/editing, type design and formatting, layout/compositional strategy, and print output. | SAMPLE BRIEF 2 In Situ: Poster Design and Installation: learners work beyond standard formats to apply their knowledge of poster design in an expanded realm. Options include: virtual posters installed seamlessly into an AI generated “real-world” context; Poster design for exhibition, in which type and image are print/cut on vinyl and installed directly to the wall; large format (A1 or A2) wheat paste posters. Whatever the eventual direction, learners should consider this final project as a culmination of the course experience where they will be challenged to work more independently and apply their technical and conceptual problem-solving skills to resolve an ambitious final work. 20

-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.
BA highly competent level of performance with work that directly addresses the content of the course, with a good quantity of work produced.
CAn acceptable level of performance: the work shows awareness of the course content, but is very limited in quantity, quality, commitment and skill.
DThe student lacks a coherent grasp of the course material and has failed to produce much work.
FNegligent in attendance, academic honesty, engagement with the course content, or production of work.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
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 (Jan. 17th). Course Introduction.  Watch Ellen Lupton’s lecture “How Posters Work”.  Briefing: Design Project I “Scavenging Design".

Homework: Gather collage materials for week 2.  Read Lupton, How Posters Work, pp. 12-23 

Week 2 (Jan. 24th). Slide presentation: early 20th century avant-garde collage design and the art of the cut up.  Scan collage material for the digital “catalog” of design elements. Hands on collage exercises focused on compositional design.  

Homework: Finalise the hands-on collage design, scan, and upload to your personal OneDrive archive folder.  Read: Lupton, How Posters Work, pp 40 - 43 and 106 – 115. 

Week 3 (Jan. 31st). Digital skills demo Adobe Photoshop: exploring the interface, image acquisition and resolution, creating files, filetypes, cropping and transformation, generating layers, making selections.  (Reference text: Chp. 8 Foundations of Digital Art and Design, Burroughs, Xtine; also available online, Digital Foundations Wiki Chp. 9).   

Homework: Re-work the design to complete phase II of the project.  Output the final digital poster for peer review. 

Week 4 (Feb. 7th) Peer review of Design Project 1 “Scavenging Design”.  Briefing: Design Project 2 “RISOgraph printed poster”. 

Week 5 (Feb. 14th) Introduction to the logic of color separations and RISOgraph printing.  Texture and mark-making laboratory and RISO test proofing. 

Homework: Read Lupton, How Posters Work, pp 124 – 159. 

Week 6 (Feb. 21st) Digital skills demonstration with Adobe Illustrator: setting up a document, placing an image, adding a text box, choosing a font, adjusting type (reference text: Foundations of Digital Art and Design, Burroughs, Xtine, pp.215 - 247, also available online, Digital Foundations Wiki chp. 4). 

Homework: complete rough draft comp of project poster design. 

Week 7 (Feb. 28th) SPRING BREAK.  Complete chp. 11 activity from Foundations of Digital Art and Design, pp.249-273.   

For week 8: Complete poster design.  Final file should be print ready (with color layer separations for beginning of class, Mar. 6th). 

 

Week 8 (Mar. 6th)  RISOgraph printing.  Rotating print appointments to output the final poster edition.  Peer review at the end of class.   

Week 9 (Mar. 13th) Briefing Design Project 4: “Pop and Print”. Slide lecture: “Silkscreen printing and the poster as social and political expression”.  

Homework: review artists/periods/styles, identify research focus.  Read: Lupton, How Posters Work, pp 24-37, and 56-61.   

Week 10 (Mar. 20th). Work Period – group exchange and discussion of research topics.  Silkscreen demo #1: coating the silkscreen.   

Homework: 2-color poster design w/layer separations.  First layer must be “print ready by Mar. 27th. Coat screen before class (refer to studio open hours). 

Week 11 (Mar. 27).  Silkscreen demo #2: Expose screen and washout the design.  After the demo we will expose/develop screens.  In the meantime, students will mix their inks and prepare paper.   

Homework: prepare ink and paper.  Have all tools ready for Apr. 3rd. 

Week 12 (Apr. 3rd).   Silkscreen demo #3: Printing.  In-class printing to complete the final edition of posters. 

Homework: Finish printing and curate the final edition of posters *check available studio hours in case of need for additional printing session*  

Week 13. (Apr. 10th) Design Brief 4 “Expanded poster design & application” 

Homework: create project proposal and get to work generating the design. 

Week 14. (Apr. 17th) Work Period & Individual consultations. 

Homework: finalise designs and output/install the final product. 

Week 15. Present final projects for Final Peer Review.