WEEK 3
Tuesday 1/24: BSG Genre Analysis presentations!
assignments (due before class on Thursday 1/26):
- respond to discussion #4 on brand adjectives and inspiration (here’s a nifty list of adjectives to get you started)
Thursday 1/26: Identity Designed; discuss brand adjectives; moodboard exercise
assignments (due before class on Tuesday 1/31):
- upload the PDF or PNG for your moodboard to our class Google folder
- read the Foreword, Introduction, and the chapter Why typography matters in Practical Typography by Matthew Butterick
- also Butterick’s Typography in ten minutes and his Font recommendations are very helpful pages
- read Chapter 3 from Stop Stealing Sheep by Speikermann & Ginger
- watch The History of Typography 5-minute video by Ben Barrett-Forrest
- KernType: a kerning game where you can compare your kerns to a typographer’s solution
WEEK 4
Tuesday 1/31: discuss typography readings; links for the in-class writing exercise:
- Five traits that define a typeface, by Creative Bloq
- Canva’s Beautifully illustrated glossary of typographic terms you should know
assignment (due Thursday 2/2):
- respond to discussion #5 on describing the look of a letter
- check out these resources on finding perfect typeface pairs:
- Type Connection: “a typographic dating game” with lots of helpful suggestions for finding typefaces that pair well
- Fontjoy: very rich interactive tool for font pairing
- 29 perfect font pairings, by CreativeBloq
- 10 Beautiful Font Combinations, by Inkbot
- 30 Great Font Combinations, by Digital Synopsis
Thursday 2/2: more discussion of typefaces; work on typography draft
- choosing a body font:
- Serif vs. sans-serif for text in print, by Fonts.com
- How to choose the right face for a beautiful body, by Smashing Magazine
- Body text, by Matthew Butterick
- check out these body text comparisons
- Meet the ipsums
- BSG typography pages by former students
assignment (due Tuesday 2/7):
- finalize your typeface choices and create your typography draft; upload it to the “typography draft” folder in our shared Google folder
WEEK 5
Tuesday 2/7: begin logo design process; in class we’ll watch The Art and Origins of Logo Design; we’ll work through Illustrator Tutorial #1 (Getting Started with Text)
assignment (due 2/9):
- complete the logo exercise and be prepared to share it in class on Thursday 2/9
- explore the following resources on logo design:
- The 7 types of logos (and how to use them), by 99 designs
- 31 Creative Techniques for Two-Letter Logos, by Company Folders
- 40 Creative Lettermark & Wordmark Designs, by Bashooka
- Logo of Letters, by Before and After
- Lettermark Design, Pinterest
- logos and business cards designed by previous students in the minor
Thursday 2/9: watch The Art and Origins of Logo Design; discuss logo readings; feedback on logo options; Illustrator Tutorial #1 (Getting Started with Text)
assignment (due 2/14):
- respond to discussion #6 on resources
- create a draft of your logo draft to share in class on Tuesday 2/14
WEEK 6
Tuesday 2/14: feedback on logo drafts; Illustrator Tutorial #1 (Getting Started with Text); Illustrator Tutorial #2 (Shapes) and possibly Illustrator Tutorial #3 (Fun Stuff)
assignment (due Thursday 2/16):
- complete your logo draft
- check out these BSG logo pages by former students
- check out the color resources on the Resources page
Thursday 2/16: class cancelled
check out these BSG color pages and these from 2021 students ; discuss color readings and resources; Photo editing tutorial #1: Interface, Filters, & Adjustments
assignment (due Tuesday 2/21):
- read How to Find the Perfect Color
- respond to discussion #7 on imagery
WEEK 7
Tuesday 2/21: in-class work on Photo editing tutorial #2: Text and creating a mood board: download melissa carter modified.psd.zip and this tutorial for creating and modifying a mood board in Photoshop and Photopea
assignment (due Thursday 2/23):
- check out the other mood board templates
- complete the mood board exercise and upload it to the “mood board exercise” Google folder before class on Thursday 2/17
Thursday 2/23: feedback on mood boards; Photo editing tutorial #3: Selecting & Combining
assignment (due Tuesday 2/27):
- respond to discussion #8 on color
WEEK 8
Tuesday 2/27: feedback on color palettes; creating mockups in Photoshop
- finishing up the color section:
- check out these BSG color pages by former students
- the presentation earlier this quarter from the BSG Color group
- mockup samples to use in class: wall sign, flower cup, and stamp
- look at Photoshop mockups at GraphicBurger, FreePik, PSD Mockups, Unblast, and/or do a Google search for “free Photoshop mockups”
- check out these mockup generators (though I’m not sure what, if anything, you get for free): PlaceIt, Smart Mockups, Visme, PixelTrue
- here’s a video tutorial for creating a mockup using Photopea
assignments (due Thursday 3/2):
- complete the mockup exercise and be prepared to share it in class on Thursday 3/2
- finalize your color choices and create your color draft; be prepared to share this draft in class on Thursday 3/2
- optional: create a page or pages for your imagery section, perhaps using a moodboard
Thursday 3/2: feedback on color drafts and mockups; page layout video and InDesign tutorial
- ideas for page layouts:
- templates: 20 Brand Book Templates ($39, but I bought the set so if there’s one you like just let me know); Zippy Pixels free/pro templates; Nancy Duarte’s slidedocs (templates are also in our Google drive)
- previous student BSGs: Ricky Nguyen, Yehna Cha, Mable Truong, Natalie Plumb, Sara Bredice, Aanya Sharma, Jade Burchett, Stephanie Foster, Kai Oda, Emily Nguyen, Melody Li, Naomi Blik, Vianna Mabanag, Esther Liu
- InDesign class tutorial video (2/24/22)
assignment (due Tuesday 3/7):
- read The Big Four
- respond to discussion #9 on page design
- layout sample pages for the logo, typography, and/or color section(s) of your BSG and upload them to the “page drafts” folder in our class Google drive for class on Tuesday 3/7
WEEK 9
Tuesday 3/7: feedback on page layouts; covers/table of contents design
assignment (due Thursday 3/9):
- create drafts of covers and table of contents and upload them to the “cover toc drafts” folder in our class Google drive for class on Thursday 3/9
- read through the intro/welcome/about and brand identity/style sections of student BSG examples
Thursday 3/9: feedback on layouts; focus on writing content and style
- for the intro/welcome and mission/style sections:
- Craft your intro, by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
assignment (due Tuesday 3/14):
- respond to discussion #10 on writing advice
- create drafts of the introduction/welcome and (optional) brand identity/style sections and upload them to the “intro drafts” folder in our class Google drive for class on Tuesday 3/14
WEEK 10
Tuesday 3/14: feedback on drafts
assignment (due Thursday 3/16):
- create a complete draft of your Brand Style Guide
- upload the draft to the “complete drafts” folder in our class Google drive for class on Thursday 3/16
Thursday 3/16: feedback on BSG drafts
- to make your PDF smaller, try Adobe’s Compress PDF or ILovePDF.com
assignment (due Friday 3/17 – Wednesday 3/22 at 5:00 pm):
- complete the Brand Style Guide project and upload the PDF to our shared Google folder on or before Friday 3/17 – Wednesday 3/22 at 5:00 pm
Friday 3/17 – Wednesday 3/22 at 5:00 pm: Brand Style Guide project due
WEEK 1
Tuesday 1/10: class cancelled
Thursday 1/12: course overview; begin the BSG Genre Analysis project
assignments (due 1/17):
- respond to discussion #1 on design
- read How to Create a Brand Style Guide, from 99 designs
- read How to build an effective brand style guide, by Venngage
- look at the BSG examples on the Resources page with your analysis section in mind
WEEK 2
Tuesday 1/17: discuss reading; in-class work on BSG Genre Analysis project
assignments (due 1/19):
- respond to discussion #2 on collaboration strategies and tools and/or discussion #3 on presentation strategies
- continue working with your team on the BSG Genre Analysis project and decide how your team will present its findings (e.g., slides, PDF, video, website)
- read Creating a Brand to Serve, David Anastacio
Thursday 1/19: discuss collaboration and presentation strategies; in-class work on BSG Genre Analysis project
assignment (due before class on 1/24):
- look through some of the examples and explanations of branding in Identity Designed, by David Airey
- finish your BSG Genre Analysis project and be prepared to present your team’s findings on Tuesday 1/24