ClassInfo

GD 300 Graphic Design: Projects

Dolores Wilber

Office: CDM 510
Fall 2012-2013
Class number: 15102
Section number: 401
TuTh 3:10PM - 4:40PM
CDM 00632 Loop Campus

Summary

DePaul University
College of Cinema & Interactive Media

GD300 Graphic Design II
Fall 2012 - TU-TH 3:10-4:40PM
CDM 632

Professor Dolores Wilber
dwilber@cdm.depaul.edu

Office hours:
TuTh 12:00PM-1:30PM CDM 459
Register online or email to confirm appt.

This course explores word and image in content and form. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of meaning,structure, and communication to specific audiences. Readings, design and writing projects in commercial graphic design and fine arts comprise the content of the course. Projects are graphic and expressionist in nature, structured to emphasize the relationship between form and content. Content is largely based on the student?s own research and writing.

Requirements include: GD200 (Graphic Design I and GD230 (Typography) or the equivalents as well as competency in Photoshop, Illustrator and preferably InDesign.

What we will do:
The course combines lectures, reading, writing, and studio projects in design composition ? hand-rendered and computer applied.

Course Policies
Student grades are based upon completion of assignments when due, quality of work, active class participation and attendance.

Academic Integrity
?Students must abstain from any violations of academic integrity and set examples for each other by assuming full responsibility for their academic and personal development, including informing themselves about and following the university's academic policy? Violations of academic integrity include but are not limited to the following categories: cheating; plagiarism; fabrication; falsification or sabotage of research data; destruction or misuse of the university's academic resources-alteration or falsification of academic records; and academic misconduct. Conduct that is punishable under the Academic Integrity Policy could result in additional disciplinary actions by other university officials and possible civil or criminalprosecution.?
? DePaul Student Handbook
http://condor.depaul.edu/~handbook/code17.html

Attendance & Punctuality
Attendance is mandatory!
Three absences will result in a lower grade (from B to C, for instance) without a verified excused reason. An excused absence is allowed in the case of a medical or personal emergency (illness with doctor?s letter; death in the family). An absence is defined as not showing up for class or showing up 15 minutes or more late for class.

Supplies
You will need to purchase a portable storage device (key drive), IPOD or your choice for class storage. Budget at least $25 for mounting supplies and a field trip.

Harassment
The policy as specified in the DePaul Student Handbook will be adhered to in this class.

Syllabus Changes
I will make every effort to adhere to the syllabus but sometimes, changes may occur. You are responsible for keeping up with changes that may occur even when you are not in class?so keep in touch with your fellow students and the teacher.

Required Textbook
Graphic Design Thinking: Beyond Brainstorming, Ellen Lupton, editor. Princeton Architectural Press. 2011
ISBN 978-1-56898-979-2

Books that you should have from lower level classes for reading reference often:

Elam, Kimberly, Geometry of Design, Studies in Proportion and Composition. Adobe Press, 1999,
ISBN 0-672-48543-5

Hurlburt, Allen, Grid, A modular system for the design, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1978,
ISBN 0-471-282923-X

Meggs, Phillips, Type and Image, the Language of Graphic Design, John Wiley and Song, 1992,
ISBN: 04-712-8492-0

Carter, Rob; Day, Ban; Meggs, Philip. Typographic Design, Form and Communication. New York, NY:
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.

Craig + Bevington, Designing with Type, A Basic Course in Typography, Watson Guptill, 4th Edition, 1999,
ISBN 0-8230-1347-2

Grading Formula
Class participation (blog postings) 20%
All readings require a 300-word blog posting; All students must respond to three other student?s posts after a
reading or assignment critique posting
Please note that all assignments are required;
you must complete every assign for a final grade in the class

Project: My Worst Job 30%

Project: Ethnic/Racial/Cultural/Identity 30%

Project: Dating Identity and Performance Strategy 30%

DePaul Design Mailing List
All students are required to sign-up for the DePaul Graphic Design mailing list
Design@mailman.depaul.edu
http://mailman.depaul.edu/mailman/listinfo/design

Projects
Each project requires a 300-words statement describing the goals and audience of the project. When in doubt, make an appointment for discussion.

Project Descriptions

Project: My worst job ever

1- Listen: David Sedaris from This American Life about his job at Macy?s Department Store in New York city
as a Christmas elf and presentation of previous student work. Available through This American Life website

2 ? Write and Research:
List all the jobs you have had with the dates, employers, work sites, and cities where they took place.

List someone you liked and someone you hated from each job.
List 3 objects associated with each job.
List how much you were paid per hour and how many hours you worked per week.
List how much money you estimate you made from the job from start to finish.

Choose five of the jobs and make a headline out of each one.
Select a format for that you believe fits each of these (geometric, deconstructive, or integrative - you are not committing to using this, this is practice). Be prepared to discuss why you made each selection.

Select five typefaces for each different job on this list and be prepared to discuss why you associate it with that job.

Begin collecting images (best to make your own but you may argue to use "found" images) and text for the project: song lyrics, labor statistics, newspaper articles, your own writing...etc.
Read the section as marked on the syllabus for class tomorrow on
Integrative methodology.

Format:
3 design solutions:
1-Geometric grid approach
2-Deconstructivist approach
3-Integrative approach as shown in McLuhan Fiore

You must provide sketches for all three approachs for the project. The output size is 8x16?, landscape or portrait, at 72ppi. You must post all your critiques to the blog.

Readings:
(1) Ellen Lupton and J. Allen Miller
Deconstruction and Graphic Design, 2009
distributed in class

(2) Ellen Lupton and J. Allen Miller
?McLuhan/Fiore: Massaging the Message? from Design, Writing Research, Phaidon Press, 1993
DePaul Library course reserves

(3) Universal Principles of Design, William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, Jill Butler, Rockport Press, 2003;
excerpts

Project: Us vs. them: racial, ethnic + cultural roots

1 ? Write and Research:

List your ethnic ancestry as far back as you have knowledge, from both your mother?s and father?s lineage.
List your religious affiliations and those of your ancestors, again, as far back as you have knowledge.
List holidays or days of remembrance that you celebrate in your family.
Do you identify with any of these for yourself? Describe.
Have you, or has anyone in your family, been harassed or victimized because of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual preference or religious affiliation? Describe.
Do you identify with a given culture than is not addressed in the above questions? Describe.
Do you have friends that cross ethnic, race, religious, gender, or cultural barriers? Describe.
Locate a situation of tension in the material generated form these q you have written or that reference these kinds of situations. These can include news, history, media, narrative, fiction and non-fiction.
You must generate original imagery and text (you can incorporate ?found? or ?referenced? text for the project.

2 ? Select one of the structural formats we have studied in class as the format for your project (geometric,deconstructive, integrative).

3 - Format:
This is a multiple-page project of at least 8 pages, based on race and ethnic identity, or a large format poster or billboard/public arts project.

-?‐

Select one of the design structures we have studied in class:
1-Geometric approach
2-Deconstructivist approach
3-Integrative approach as shown in McLuhan-Fiore

The end of this syllabus contains list of key words for these design approaches.

4-Design Statement
For the Final Critique, you must present a 250-word design statement that describes the process, intent and format for
your project. This statement would include a discussion of the text, context and subtext of the project as described in
the paper description accompanying the syllabus.


Dating Identity and Performance Strategy

How to date; how not to date; how to get over lost love (possible approaches, feel free to re-interpret),

This is a dating identity strategy. How do you ?brand? yourself? What is your profile? What is your ideal date?s profile? Include a real or imagined profile of the individual who wants a date and a profile of who the ideal date-partner would be. Propose and analyze the goal: fun, friendship, sex, partnership, marriage or whatever. Include a marketing analysis that included relevant information like: social economic status,physical characteristics, education level, cultural, religious, political and ethnic preferences, spending habits, financial aims, whether children are sought or not, goals (one month, six months, one year, five years, 10 years, etc.) It can be serious or whimsical, satirical, humorous,light-hearted or angry. Whatever approach you take, you must have lots of data, text, and original image development (your own photographs, collage, or drawings, NO images from the internet that have not been so significantly altered that the original maker would not be offended by your use.)

Format:
?Determined by student

The project will encompass images and text that you will write and create. All images should be
photographed, drawn, illustrated or collaged by the student. Text may be derived (and footnoted where
appropriate) from other sources and original text written by the student.

Finished projects should include one each of the following approaches for the design packages (thus three
packages in total):

1-Geometric grid approach
2-Deconstructivist approach
3-Integrative approach as shown in McLuhan Fiore

All finished compositions should be trimmed to size for final, mounted on board cut to size of artwork for final critique.

Critiques prior to final should be full color with a black 1 pt. rule outlining the composition printed on high-quality output paper. All final works must be titled and labeled on the back with your
name, the class and the title of your final project.

Format for Essay Analysis of Design Projects
Each projects requires a short essay that describes your project in the following manner:

Introductory Paragraph
Identify the design by title, designer, materials, and date.

Body of the essay
The body of the essay should include the following:
1. Text
a) What is the medium (method/material) of this work of design project? (print or digital projection or
website or interactive medium...)
b) What is the specific subject; are there secondary subjects?
c) What are the compositional elements or unifying principles in this work of art that make its subject
matter stand out or give strength to its theme? What are these elements and/or principles? For instance, if
it is geometric, what makes it so? Or, what makes it deconstructive?

2. Context
a) What does this work have to do with you if you are the creator? What particular experiences or attitudes do you bring to the work? How does this work compare to others you have seen in class or have
seen and read about? Is it in dialog with others works you have seen in class or have studied? How does it compare to other student works in class?
b) Tell us something about the designers whose work you are using for comparison or influence your approach.
c) What events and ideas shape your approach? This could all be contemporary information and/or from
the past.

3. Subtext
a) What is your purpose or intent?
b) What kind of effect do you think this has on your chosen audience (specify audience/user)?
c) How successful is the final project? What are the strengths and weaknesses?

4. Format
a) 500 words minimal, not more than 1000 words.
b) Post on blog. Include quote from sources other than yourself.
This will be an oral presentation in class in addition to blog post.

Geometric Structure

References:
The Geometry of Design
examples from International Typographic Style posters website:
http://www.internationalposters.com/IntTypoStyle_Text.htm
3D examples, geometric and deconstructive:
http://www.arx.pt/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=41
http://modernism101.com/all.php
Examples for all categories: http://designarchives.aiga.org/index.html?s1=2|s2=1|eid=474

Qualities of geometric design solutions:
geometric grid
clean and graphic
primarily san serif typography
diagonal directions
use of geometric and nautilus shapes
simple color fields
symmetry
single or limited use of graphics
strong clear hierarchy
presents singular point-of-view
seemingly simple
variations in scale
not many elements
Deconstructive Structure
References:
Writing/Design/Research (various chapters); Cranbrook and Calarts graduates and websites
Qualities of deconstructive design solutions:
may or may not be based on geometric proportions
complex hierarchy
word play
overlapping and collaged images
complex color fields
distressed images and typography
stylized typefaces
mixture of typefaces
presents multidimensional point-of-view
many elements
perspective and strong dimensionality (depth)
Integrative Structure

References:
Writing/Design/Research (McLuhan-Fiore chapter)

Qualities of deconstructive design solutions:
repetition and recycling: translation
merging of one image into another
convergence of content and form
importance of medium:
page spreads and use of dynamics of multi-page projects
sequential unfolding: meaning accumulation
strong clear hierarchy
strong variation and comparison of scale
slant and perspective
bleeds
dimensionality
close attention to cropping?dynamic and severe
type is often subservient to image

Mandatory:
Write and post a 300-word blog entry on one of the following lectures. If you are unable to attend you
must substitute another preapproved lecture blog entry.

Exploratory Languages

Hosted by the School of the Art Institute Visual Communication Design department, the Exploratory Languages lecture series features leading designers and educators from across the country who design interactions and experiences of social benefit and cultural critique.

'*Rick Valicenti'*

Thursday, September 13, 5:15 p.m.
SAIC Columbus Auditorium, 280 S. Columbus Dr.

Rick Valicenti is the founder and design director of Thirst/Chicago, a communication design firm devoted to art function, and real human
presence. Valicenti is the 2011 Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National
Design Award recipient for Communication Design, an honor
bestowed by the White House. In 2006 he received the AIGA Medal, the
highest honor of the graphic design profession.

'*Marcia Lausen'*

Thursday, September 20, 5:15 p.m.
MacLean Center, 112 S. Michigan Ave., room 1307

Marcia Lausen is founder of the Chicago office of Studio/lab and
Director of the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Chicago. At Studio/lab Marcia and her colleagues integrate practices in identity, information, and environmental graphic design. Her book Design for Democracy: Ballot + Election Design was published in 2007 by the University
of Chicago Press.

'*David Dunlap'*

Thursday, September 27, 5:15 p.m.
MacLean Center, 112 S. Michigan Ave., room 1307

David Dunlap is an artist living in Iowa City, Iowa, and teaching at the University of Iowa. He has a lifelong interest in the combination of word and image. His work takes the form of an installation filled to the brim. These installations have been presented at the CUE Art Foundation, White Walls, and Franklin Furnace in NYC.

_______________________________________________
You may also visit and report on:

Roy Lichtenstein
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan
roy.artic.edu

Class Blog
http://graphicdesign2fall2012.blogspot.com/

This is the site where all students in the DePaul GD 230 Typography class will post their projects, their project descriptions, comments on readings and share information. Each student must post a reading
reflection of at least 300-words per week with an image that is not in the book that is found noteworthy.

Each project must be posted before the class that it is due so that all students can comments online. Every week, each student must post a comment on 3 different student blog posts that is specific, penetrating and helpful. These are not meant to be ?Awesome? postings but are meant to give your best feedback on how to improve the project in a respectful and collaborative manner. This is practice for our in-class discussions and for work environment collaborations. Happy postings! Timely posts are part of your class participation grade!

Syllabus

Please note that readings are to be completed on the date they appear on the syllabus!

????????????????????????
WEEK ONE
9.6 Thursday
????????????????????????
Introduction to class
Examples of previous projects.
????????????????????????
9.11 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Read for today:
Graphic Design Thinking, The Design Process, pp 6-14; section 01 How to Define Problems, pp14-56
Also read:
Readings:
(1) Ellen Lupton and J. Allen Miller
Deconstruction and Graphic Design, 2009
Excerpts attached to syllabus
(2) Ellen Lupton and J. Allen Miller
?McLuhan/Fiore: Massaging the Message? from Design, Writing Research, Phaidon Press, 1993
DePaul Library course reserves
(3) Universal Principles of Design, William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, Jill Butler, Rockport Press, 2003;
excerpts
????????????????????????
WEEK TWO
9.13 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: My worst job ever
This American Life/David Sedaris feature about his job at Macy?s Department Store in New York city as a
Christmas elf and presentation of previous student work.
In-class writing assignment
List all of the jobs you?ve ever had. Pick-out the best one and the worst one. Write a description of that
job. Make a list of objects associated with the job. Gather images that represent the job and bring to class
on Thursday.
Refer to Project description
???
Present an example (found from your own research) that exemplifies each of the three design paradigms
presented in class:
(1) geometric (a classic R2 or golden rectangle) (2) deconstructive; and (3) integrative
Post these on the blog.
????????????????????????
9.18 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Read for today:
Graphic Design Thinking, The Design Process, pp 60-111; section 02 How to Get Ideas
Discuss in class
????????????????????????
WEEK THREE
9.20 Thursday
Work in class: you must meet with instructor!
Project: My worst job ever
Present initial research and grid choice
Work in class
????????????????????????
9.25 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Read for today:
Graphic Design Thinking, The Design Process, pp 6-14; section 03 How to Define Problems, pp14-56
Discuss in class.
????????????????????????
WEEK FOUR
9.27 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: My worst job ever
First critique ? post work: 2 alternatives to blog ? required!
????????????????????????
10/2 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Read for today:
Graphic Design Thinking, How to Create Form, pp 112-182; section 032 How to Create Form
Discuss in class
????????????????????????
WEEK FIVE
10/4 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: My worst job ever
2nd Critique - Two approaches
????????????????????????
10/9 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Project: My worst job ever
Work in class
????????????????????????
WEEK SIX
10/11 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: My worst job ever
Final Critique ? One approach
????????????????????????
10/16 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Project: Ethnic Identity
Introduction and work in class ? choose one approach
????????????????????????
WEEK SEVEN
10/18 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: Ethnic Identity
Present concept
????????????????????????
10/23 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Project: Ethnic Identity
Work in class
????????????????????????
WEEK 8
10/25 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: Ethnic Identity
First critique ? post to blog
????????????????????????
10/30 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Project: Ethnic Identity
Work in class
????????????????????????
WEEK 9
11/1 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: Ethnic Identity
Final critique ? post to blog
????????????????????????
11/6 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Project: Dating Strategy
Introduction
????????????????????????
WEEK 10
11/8 Thursday
????????????????????????
Project: Dating Strategy
Present research and choose one approach
????????????????????????
11/13 Tuesday
????????????????????????
Project: Dating Strategy
1stCritique ? post to blog
????????????????????????
FINAL November 15 Thursday
11:45-2PM
????????????????????????
Project: Dating Strategy
Final Critique



School policies:

Changes to Syllabus

This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.

Online Course Evaluations

Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.

All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.

Academic Policies

All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.

Students with Disabilities

Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296