WEEK 1

Monday 1/6: course overview; begin the Design Principles Project

assignment:

  • download and explore the Antonio template (from SlidesCarnival); note that you can use this template with either Google Slides or Powerpoint
  • continue researching your design principle

Wednesday 1/8: in-class work on slides; check out the Resources page and my presentation/workshop Design Awesome Slides

assignment:

  • work with your partner to finish a draft of the five slides for your design principle, and upload the slides to our class Box folder before Sunday 1/12 at 5:00 pm
    • the filename should be the name of your design principle (e.g., contrast.pptx)
  • prepare your 2-minute presentation for class on Monday 1/13
  • read Chapter 1: Research and Concepts, from Graphic Design School, by David Dabner, Sandra Stewart, and Abbie Vickress

WEEK 2

Monday 1/13: design principles slideshow; additional work on slides

assignment:

  • experiment with Screencast-O-matic to create a quick screencast
    • click “Start Recording for Free” and then “Launch Free Recorder”
    • resize the frame; select Screen, Webcam, or Both; and click on “Rec” to start recording
    • click on the Pause button when you’re done, and then “Done” (or click on the Trash icon if you want to start again)
    • click on “Save as video file” and then “Publish” to save the MP4 file to your desktop

Wednesday 1/15: finish Design Principles Project (by Friday 1/17 at 5:00 pm); begin Logo Project; begin logo exercise #1 (on Projects page)

assignment:

WEEK 3

Monday 1/20 — holiday!

Wednesday 1/22: group feedback on logo exercise #1; Illustrator Tutorial #1 (Getting Started with Text)

assignment:

WEEK 4

Monday 1/27: group feedback on logo exercise #2; discuss logo readings; Illustrator Tutorial #2 (Shapes)

assignment:

  • complete logo exercise #3 (on Projects page); here’s a sample

Wednesday 1/29: Illustrator #3: (Fun Stuff) with these line drawings; time in class to work on logos; exploratory writing for the Logo Design Memo

  • complete a draft of the Logo Project (logos plus memo) and bring three printed copies to class on Monday 2/3

WEEK 5

Monday 2/3: group feedback on Logo Project drafts

links for the in-class writing exercise:

assignment:

  • complete the Logo Project: bring a printed copy of the logo/lettermark to class; upload the logo PDF and the logo design memo (preferably as a Word doc) before class on Wednesday 2/5

Wednesday 2/5: Logo Project Due; Photoshop tutorials: Photoshop 1 (Interface & Layers), Photoshop 2 (Text), Photoshop 3 (Selecting & Combining)

assignment:

WEEK 6

Monday 2/10: in-class work on creating a mood board: download melissa carter modified.psd.zip and this tutorial for creating and modifying a mood board

assignment:

  • check out the other mood board templates available in our Box.com folder or via the Resources page
  • complete brand exercise #1 and bring a digital version to class on Wednesday 2/12 (or bring a print version if that works better for you)

Wednesday 2/12: group feedback on brand exercise #1 (here’s a nifty list of adjectives that can used to describe the style of a brand); continue work on the Brand Style Guide project

WEEK 7

Monday 2/17 — holiday!

Wednesday 2/19: group feedback on brand exercise #2; create Photoshop mockups

assignments:

  • look at Photoshop mockups at GraphicBurger, FreePik, PSD Mockups, Unblast, and/or do a Google search for “free Photoshop mockups”
  • complete brand exercise #3 and upload your image(s) to the class Box folder by Monday 2/24 (or bring a print version if that works better for you)
  • make revisions to the pages you created for brand exercise #2; your revisions should incorporate white space, repetition of design elements across pages, and at least one of the other 13 design principles
week 8

Monday 2/24: group feedback on brand exercise #3; tips and tricks for business card design; business cards in Canva; check out logos and business cards designed by previous students in the minor

in class:

assignment:

  • create drafts of the introduction/welcome page and the front and back covers (and perhaps inside covers as well), and upload these drafts to the class Box folder before class on Wednesday 2/26
  • create a Word or Google doc with all of the text from your brand style guide–that is, the text you’ve written on each page of the guide–and print out copies for each person in your group for class on Wednesday 2/26

Wednesday 2/26: group feedback on drafts; take a look at welcome/intro pages and text from previous students

  • create a complete draft of the brand style guide and upload it to the class Box folder before class on Monday 3/2
  • bring a copy of a poorly designed document to class on Monday 3/2
    • you can take this opportunity to redesign your resume, even though it’s not “poorly designed”, in order to make it more unique and visually appealing

WEEK 9

Monday 3/2: peer review of final drafts; begin Document Redesign Project; InDesign tutorial

assignment:

  • complete the Brand Style Guide Project: upload the PDF to the class Box folder before class on Wednesday 3/4; bring a printed copy to class if you opted to print the project

Wednesday 3/4: Brand Style Guide Project due

assignment:

  • create a draft of your document redesign and bring a digital version to class on Monday 3/9 (bring a print version as well, if you can)

WEEK 10

Monday 3/9: look at the 13 design principles and a sample flyer to critique; group feedback on redesigns; document redesign memo; if time, Juxtapose

assignment:

  • create a second draft of your document redesign and a first draft of your redesign memo, and bring a copy of each to class on Wednesday 3/11

Wednesday 3/11: getting ready for Writing 155b!

assignment:

  • complete the Document Redesign Project: bring a printed copy of your redesign and the original document to my office on Friday 3/13, and email me the PDF of your redesign and a Word doc with your memo

Friday 3/13: Document Redesign Project due