COURSE SYLLABUS

DESIGN RESOURCES

P1: LETTERSPACING

P2: COPYFLOW

P3: WORDPLAY

P4: ADVERTISEMENT

STUDENT GRADES

ART 159 GRAPHIC DESIGN - LAYOUT
Southwestern Community College, Fall 2009
Instructor: Naomi Spellman
Email: naomi ( dot ) spellman ( at ) gmail ( dot ) com

LAB ACCESS

You can work in the lab in the Academic Success Center, located in building 479 in the Student Learning Center. Hours are M-TH 8-8 and Friday 8-4. They have CS3 on the machines.

Adobe.com has some Photoshop tutorials for those that are new to Photoshop or if you need to learn specific features.

FINAL PROJECT SCHEDULE

NEWSLETTER PROJECT GRADING CRITIERIA

    36 POINTS TOTAL
  1. Use Master pages to set up margins, columns, and guidelines 6 pts
  2. Consistent application of Style Sheets 6 pts
  3. Logical Layout arrangement and copyflow 6 pts
  4. An InDesign Table (each student) 4 pts
  5. Photos with Captions 4 pts
  6. An Identifying Name Plate (each student) 4 pts
  7. Overall consistency and quality 6 pts
    REQUIRED STYLES
  1. Article Body Copy
  2. Article Headline
  3. Article Subtitle
  4. Article Byline
  5. Article Subhead
  6. Article Emphasis (character style)
  7. Article Photo Captions

Reading for Final Project Chapters 13-20 (except Chapter 18)

WEEK THIRTEEN NOV 9: WEDNESDAY HOLIDAY NO CLASS NOV 11th

Wednesday Nov 11 is a Holiday, so we will not meet on Wednesday.

Monday we will set up all Style sheets for your Newsletter. See list of required Styles above - everyone must set up styles for the above elements, and use them. Start by deciding which typeface to use from this list of Type Families for your Newsletter: Garamond, Didot, Helvetica Neue, Optima, Baskerville, Goudy, Oldstyle, Caslon, Eurostyle, Gills Sans, or Rockwell. Your type family must include some of the following weights: Bold, Bold italic, Regular, Light, Black, Condensed Black. Suggestion: Use a Bold weight for the Headline. Use bookface, regular, or normal weight for the Body Copy. Use italic for the byline. Use Bold for headlines, etc.

Read Chapter 14 Automating your Work and Chapter 16 Typography

WEEK TWELVE NOV 1: NEWSLETTER PROJECT

Reading for next week: Chapter 15 Styles. Use this chapter to set up the style sheets for your newsletter.

Reading for this week: Chapter 10: Pages and Books. Use this chapter to set up your master page.

Start by making a list with your partner based on the Newsletter_Samples.pdf. List all the visual elements you see on these pages. What visual elements do the pages have in common (in other words, what appears on all the sample pages)?

Decide which 5 articles you want to use on your 2 page Newsletter spread. If you are working in groups, each of you will complete a double page spread (2 pages)

Next, with your partner brainstorm a name for your newsletter, and sketch on a piece of paper some ideas for the Nameplate (the title of your publication which goes at the top of the cover page). You can create a graphic solution or a typographic solution.

WEEK ELEVEN OCT 28: NEWSLETTER PROJECT

    In class Wednesday: Based on the newsletter samples answer the following:
  1. List all the visual elements you see on these cover pages. What visual elements do the pages have in common (in other words, what appears on all the sample pages)?
  2. Are some articles treated more importantly than others? How?
  3. How many different fonts do you count on one page?
  4. How many different font weights do you count and how are they applied?
  5. Does the type line up across columns in your example? Do you think they should?

Due Monday 11/1: Using text provided by the instructor for this purpose, and Chapter 13 on Tables and Tabs in your book, you will create one table of numerical information.

Reading for Monday: Chapter 10: Pages and Books. Make sure you understand and can use the features in this Chapter.

WEEK NINE OCT 12: ADVERTISEMENT WITH IMAGE

Complete your logo redesign. You will use the pen tool, shape tool, and - if you are creating a logotype - the type tool to come up with a new logo. Required: Any logotypes must exhibit reshaping of letterforms with the pen tool and/or shape tool (i.e., don't just use the lettering as is). I would like everyonen to get practice with the Pen tool.

WEEK EIGHT OCT 5: ADVERTISEMENT WITH IMAGE

Due at the beginning of class on Monday: Master Page document with 3 pages, set up based on the Project Rules .

Learn to use the pen tool by tracing these shapes. Chapter 7 in our book will help you understand how the pen tool works. Page 87 describes how you can create a variety of shapes. Any shapes including those made with pen tool or shape tool can be combined in a variety of ways using the Pathfinder Palette. Pages 179-181 will tell you how to use the Pathfinder palette.

Reading for Advertising Project: pp 277-281 Master Pages; Chapter 7 Points and Paths; Chapter 5 Color; Chapter 6 Fills Strokes (pp. 151-169 and 179-183); Chapter 8 Import Graphics; Chapter 11 Layers.

Make a page of rough sketches for logo ideas in your sketchbook

This is primarily a thinking exercise - don't worry about what the sketches look like. Instead focus on communicating a simple idea to be associated with your brand. You could focus on What the product does, How it works, an Unusual aspect of your product or company.

Also, find an effective Logo design and place it in your sketchbook. You can use magazines or books, you can use the links below, or do your own research. If you are researching online print the logo in class and paste it in your sketchbook. Briefly explain the following: Why does it work well? Does it employ visual rhetoric such as a metaphor, a visual pun (double meaning)? Does it rely on cultural associations to communicate?

Logo and Symbol Examples

The evolution of some well known logos. What might have necessitated each change in style?

Logoed: logo inspiration, a compilation of great contemporary logos,with links to designers' website.

Good Logo! This site is dedicated to the artform of the logo and its accompanied corporate identity.

Logo design results at del.icio.us

Step by step breakdown of logo design process, by Chuck Green

WEEK SEVEN SEPT 28: ADVERTISEMENT WITH IMAGE

Due at the beginning of class 9-28: 10 high quality images to be used in your advertising campaign. You should have also started assembling your images in Photoshop. You don't have to finish your images before importing them into InDesign, as you will probably want to adjust them after importing them into InDesign.

Use your book to learn how to set up a Master Page (pp 277-281) and to Import Graphics (Chapter 8). Please note the Project Rules regarding Master Pages and graphic elements.

WEEK SIX SEPT 21: ADVERTISEMENT WITH IMAGE

Quiz on Wednesday 9/23 on Visual Rhetoric terms

Advertising blog I Believe in Advertising. You can get some great ideas for advertising images and graphics here (thank you Elio!).

In class: Start by making 3 rough sketches each (total of 6 sketches for each pair) by hand in your sketchbook for your advertising campaign. These sketches should indicate your photographic imagery, your headline, your logo placement (just use a little rectangle to stand for your logo for now). Your sketches should exhibit some of the visual rhetoric devices we shared in class. Once 3 ideas have been approved by the instructor, you can search for found images online to use in your 3 ads.

Use google images advanced search to look for high resolution images after your concept has been approved by the instructor. You may NOT use low resolution images for this project! Using advanced image search, request images that are "Larger than 800x600".

WEEK FIVE SEPT 14: ADVERTISEMENT WITH IMAGE

In class: Brainstorm again in pairs to come up with a product together. Try to choose a lesser-known product, or a more specific product, rather than a product that is already well-known through advertising. After you have decided on a product, use the advanced search features in Google for the following research.
    ADVERTISING RESEARCH REPORT DUE MONDAY 9/21 AT BEGINNING OF CLASS.
  1. Find the company website, and make a list of products they manufacture.
  2. Obtain a history of the company and a mission statement.
  3. Locate an existing advertisement for your product if it exists, and locate 3 ads for other similar products from other companies. These will help you compare and consider marketing, positioning.
  4. Describe the audience you are targeting: age, gender, interests, behavior, characteristics, cultural affiliation
  5. Based on your research, make a list of at least 10 adjectives that describe an appropriate look and feel for your product..
  6. Collect all researched information and advertisements and compile them in a single document. You can put them into a Microsoft Word document. Hand in this document on Monday 9/21.

Advanced Search Made Easy
Google Web Search Features

Website on Visual Rhetoric, with examples of visual devices.

WEEK FOUR SEPT 09: ADVERTISEMENT WITH IMAGE

ASSIGNMENT 4: PRODUCT ADVERTISEMENT

25 points total (5 pts for research, 5 points for the three initial versions, 5 points for company logo redesign, and 10 pts for printed final)

Students will design 3 one-page magazine advertisements for an existing product. One advertisement will be be refined for your final print.

    Project Requirements
  1. Each of the 3 advertisements must contain an image, a slogan, some product info text, and a logo
  2. Your advertising solutions should reflect your research regarding audience, company goals, etc.
  3. Master Pages must be used to set up your 3 page document
  4. Pages must measure 8x11" with a 2 pica margin
  5. Any bleeds must be set to 2 picas
  6. All graphic element frames and text frames must be placed in your Master Page for consistency. Only the content of the boxes may be altered*
  7. All copy should be done InDesign, not in Photoshop

*An original logo (logo redesign) should appear on each page in the same place and at the same size on each page. All text elements (slogan, ad copy) must appear on each page in the same place and at the same size An image must appear on each page at the same place and same size.

Project Calendar - due dates
10/5 Master Page
10/12 Logo
10/19 Finished ads in electronic (pdf) form, with all elements including images integrated
10/21 Printed ad mounted on gatorboard

In class activity: Start by brainstorming by yourself and write down the following information on a piece of paper: Which products or companies would you like to work with? Choose a product that you use yourself, or choose a company you have some kind of connection with. Make a list of 5 products, listed in order of preference – i.e., #1 will be the product you are most interested in, #5 the least interested. You will hand this list in to the instructor Wednesday 9/9 at 11:00 a.m. If you want to change your list after handing it in, email your updated list to the instructor by Friday 9/11 5:00 p.m. Email address above.

Due Monday 9/14 -Sketchbook Assignment: Locate 2 examples of Advertising Photography that do NOT show the actual product shot (it is okay if the product appears small on the page, but it must not be featured prominently). Also locate 2 examples of effective advertising slogans. Be ready to explain why you find these examples effective. Bring these examples in to class Monday, either by tearing out the entire advertisement page, or by xeroxing it (black and white copy is fine).

Homework due Wednesday 9/9 Completed Project 3 Wordplay. Also, practice the InDesign software features for quiz, below:

    Your quiz week 4 will be done in class on Wednesday 9/9, and will require you to demonstrate the following to the instructor:
  1. Create a new single page document measuring 8x8 in., with 3 pica margins all around
  2. Create a textbox that matches the page margins, and type a word into the textbox in lowercase
  3. Change the typeface to Helvetica Neue Condensed Black
  4. Change the size of the text to 150 points in one step
  5. Decrease the letterspacing of the word, so that it is tightly set
  6. Change the kerning between a pair of letters in your word
  7. Zoom in close to one letter
  8. Select one letter, change the case to Upper Case, and shift the baseline of the letter up or down

WEEK 3 AUG 31: EXPRESSIVE TYPOGRAPHY

Reading Assignment due Wednesday 9/9: Chapter 2 Document Set up (pp.30-37; 47-49). Chapter 3 Basic Text (pp. 68-84)

    Your quiz this week is based on the film HELVETICA by director Gary Hustwit. Write your name on a piece of paper, and while watching the film, write down the answers to the following questions:
  1. Which font designer created the very first version of Helvetica? In what country, and in what year was this first version created?
  2. What is the name of the foundry (font manufacturer) that further developed the font, and made it into the form we know today?
  3. Name one of the art directors in the film who talks about Helvetica, and write down one of the things this art director had to say about the typeface.
  4. Make a rough sketch of two of the layouts or type treatments shown in the film.

By Wednesday 9/2: Go to the Career Center in the Cesar Chavez building to complete any of the career or education activities recommended by Hilse in her presentation in class. You can take the MBIT Meyer Briggs personality test as a starting point, complete the CHOICES career matching questions, plan your educational goals, build your resume, etc.

ASSIGMENT: WORDPLAY

Part 1 of Wordplay assignment: For Monday 8/31 bring 3 sketches in your sketchbook of ideas for this assignment. Sketch simple letterforms (we will be using Helvetica only for this assignment). This project investigates the expressive qualities of a single word. Using the word assigned to you, sketch the letters by hand in your sketchbook. You want to manipulate the letters in order to emphasize the meaning of the word. You can add spaces, repeat letters, use Caps and/or lower case, change the position or angle of letters, use various weights (bold, light, condensed) within your word etc. You may NOT distort any letterforms however (do not stretch, compress, or otherwise alter individual letters). Recommended while sketching: If you have internet access open this link to examples of the Helvetica typeface. Look at the letterforms as you draw, so that you can roughly approximate the shape of the lettering.

You can express the meaning of a word or an idea through the spacing, sizing, and placement of letters on the page. - from Ellen Lupton's word lecture shown in class. Review this for inspiration.

Part 2 of Wordplay assignment: Hand in: 8 x 8 inch square Digital PDF file
Digital file due September 2 Wednesday (we will work oni this in class on Wednesday).
5 points.
This project investigates the expressive qualities of a single word. Using the word assigned to you, use InDesign to manipulate the letters in order to emphasize the meaning of the word. Use Helvetica Neue only, any weight or case. Type must be black on white background. You may use outline type. If you complete this assignment in a typeface other than Helvetica, it will not be accepted for credit. The following features of InDesign will be useful: Baseline Shift; Rotate text box; Transform/flip horizontal or vertical. You can control spacing, repeat letters or words, use Caps and/or lower case, change the position or angle of letters, etc. You may NOT distort any letterforms (do not stretch, compress, or otherwise change the shape of individual letters).

WEEK 2 AUG 24 WEDNESDAY: TYPESETTING AND COPYFLOW

Reading Assignment due Wednesday 9/2: Chapter 1: Getting Started; Chapter 2 (pp. 19-27; 38-42); Chapter 3 Basic Text (pp.51-65)

HOMEWORK due 8/24 SKETCHBOOK: Collect 3 printed examples of Headlines from magazines, newspapers, etc. We want Print examples only - not from the Web! Be able to explain why your examples work well typographically (i.e., the appropriateness of the style to the content). Also, be able to analyze the letter-spacing and kerning. How can it be improved? Ideally there will be no gaps or distractions in properly spaced letters.

PROJECT 2: COPYFLOW
Due Wednesday 8/26
Hand in: Digital pdf file.
5 Points

In this exercise you will format and typeset a single page of text. songlyrics.com can be used to find the song lyric for this assignment. Simply cut and paste your chosen song lyric text into the textbox in InDesign. Use black only - no colors. Use only one Type Family for all 3 documents.

    PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
  1. 8" x 8"
  2. Left, Top, and Right margins: 5 picas
  3. Bottom margin: 8 picas
  4. Black text on white background
  5. Separate text box for title
  6. 2 Columns for body copy
  7. Use Baseline Grid to lock body copy into place

To get started, make a New Document with the following specifications: 8" x 8". Left, Top, and Right margins: 5 picas. Bottom margin: 8 picas. 2 Columns (change from 1 column default setting)

Copy and Paste the song lyrics into a textbox that extends to the Margin Guides. Cut and Paste the Song Title and Artist name in a separate text box above the lyrics, just inside the top margin.

Choose a type family from the following list: Garmond, Didot, Helvetica Neue, Optima, Baskerville, Goudy Oldstyle, Caslon, Eurostyle, Gills Sans, or Rockwell. Your type family must include some of the following weights: Bold, Bold italic, Regular, Light, Black, Condensed Black. Use only one type family for all 3 documents. Use a Bold weight for the Title, Artist, Year, and CD Title. Use a a bookface, regular, or normal weight for the lyrics. Adjust letterspacing in the title and body. Adjust kerning in the title only.

Resize your text box to fit into the left column, touching the margin and column guides. At this point you might have a red box with a cross at the bottom right of your text box. It indicates that some of your text has run beyond the Text Box and can't be seen. To allow the text to flow into a second column, use your black Selection Arrow to click on the red cross inside the red box. Your cursor should now look like a little paragraph. Click in the Right Column area on your page to create a new Text Box containing the additional text. Adjust the text boxes to fit the new column guides. Adjust the type size so all text fits in the textbox. Then adjust the leading (line spacing).

Turn on the Baseline Grid (InDesign Menu/Preferences/Grid/Baseline Grid) and set it to (18 points or so, depending on your type size). Then select both body copy text boxes, and lock them it to the Baseline Grid. This forces your body copy to line up horizontally across the page, keeping it neat!

Apply indenting to your text. The goal is to differentiate between the verses and the chorus. Copy the textboxes from Page 1, and paste them into Page 3. Select one verse of the lyrics at a time, and change the Paragraph Indent and Alignment (in the Paragraph Panel) to place the text where you want it.

Save this document as a pdf file to hand it in.

WEEK 1 AUGUST 17 - INTRO TO TYPOGRAPHY AND LETTERSPACING

In 704 we have MAC OSX Leopard. Take a look at it at on the apple website.

HOMEWORK 1 (due Monday 8/24) - Purchase your textbook, backup media and sketchbook. Bring them to class each day.

LETTERSPACING

HOMEWORK (due Monday 8/24) - You will have a letterspacing and kerning exercise to do by hand. We will go over this in class and you will receive supplies needed for this exercise. This comparison makes it clear why we need to adjust letterspacing. Tightly set Display Text from the 1970's. Note that this can really only work with very bold or very few letters to be readable, and only for headlines or titling (imagine reading a book set like this!). Excellent letter spacing isn’t the sexiest thing Adobe® InDesign® CS2 can do, but it makes the difference between good type and great type, and it displays the difference between a good designer and a great designer.

In class exercise: Pick a newspaper headlines from today's news. You can use any news source. Try uniontribune.com, latimes.com, nytimes.com, or http://news.google.com. Find a headline interesting to you! Sports, culture, politics - whatever you like. Select the headline in your browser, then Copy and Paste the headline into an 11x17 inch InDesign document (horizontal orientation). Make sure you have 4 pica margins all around. Set type size to about 72 points - you will have to adjust this number so that your headline extends most of the width of the page. Center your headline in the middle of the page, by centering the textbox vertically and horizontally, and by using Center Align for your Paragraph (Paragraph palette). Then use the Character Palette to choose a typeface that reflects the mood or meaning of your headline. Use black text on a white background. We will save your file as a pdf document and put it on the server to share with the class. Do 3 headlines in this manner, each in a different font.

For this exercise you have chosen 3 news headlines and set them in a typeface that expresses their meaning. Next you want to adjust letterspacing (the overall spacing of the copy) and kerning (the space between 2 specific letters, resulting in a kerned pair). To adjust letterspacing: start by selecting text and increasing or decreasing tracking overall. Zoom up close to your letterforms - Do these letters need to be set close together, or do they need some breathing room? The goal here is to create an even texture with no distractions in your letterspacing.

Remember: Form Follows Function