WEEK 1
Tuesday 1/5: course overview; Nectir set up (we’ll do this in class); begin the BSG Genre Analysis project
- join the Writing 155a Nectir channel
- respond to Nectir discussion
- download the Nectir app (IOS or Android) at the App Store or Google Play Store; instructions are here
- check out the Nectir Student Guide or submit a support ticket to support@nectir.io if you have questions
assignments (due 1/7):
- read How to Create a Brand Style Guide, from 99 designs
- read How to Create a Visual Style Guide for your Brand, from Canva (lots of good examples in the links)
- email me (by Wednesday 1/6 @2:00) if you have a preference for your BSG Genre Analysis topic
Thursday 1/7: in-class work on BSG Genre Analysis project
assignments (due 1/12):
- respond to discussion #2 on collaboration strategies and tools
- continue working with your team on the BSG Genre Analysis project
- be prepared to report on how your team will present its findings (e.g., slides, PDF, video, website)
- read Creating a Brand to Serve, David Anastacio
- look through some of the examples and explanations of branding in Identity Designed, by David Airey
WEEK 2
Tuesday 1/12: in-class work on BSG Genre Analysis project
assignments (due 1/14):
- respond to discussion #3 on BSG resources
Thursday 1/14: in-class work on BSG Genre Analysis project
WEEK 3
Tuesday 1/19: BSG Genre Analysis team presentations!
- respond to discussion #4 on brand adjectives and inspiration (here’s a nifty list of adjectives to get you started)
Thursday 1/21: begin logo design process; in class we’ll watch The Art and Origins of Logo Design; explore font resources at the Resources page
assignments (due Tuesday 1/26):
- complete logo exercise #1 and be prepared to share it in class on Tuesday 1/26
- 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
WEEK 4
Tuesday 1/26: feedback on logo options; discuss logo readings; Illustrator Tutorial #1 (Getting Started with Text)
assignment (due Thursday 1/28):
- complete logo exercise #2 and be prepared to share it in class on Thursday 1/28
- respond to discussion #5 on logo and font resources
Thursday 1/28: feedback on logo options; Illustrator Tutorial #2 (Shapes)
assignment (due Tuesday 2/2):
- complete your logo draft
- 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
- learn and have fun at the same time:
- KernType: a kerning game where you can compare your kerns to a typographer’s solution
- I Shot the Serif: test your knowledge of serif and sans-serif fonts
WEEK 5
Tuesday 2/2: discuss typography readings; links for the in-class writing exercise:
- Canva’s Beautifully illustrated glossary of typographic terms you should know
- Anatomy of a Letterform 1
- Anatomy of a Letterform 2
- Five traits that define a typeface, by Creative Bloq
assignment (due 2/4):
- respond to discussion #6 on describing the look of a letter
- check out these resources on finding perfect typeface pairs:
- Fontjoy
- 29 perfect font pairings, by CreativeBloq
- 10 Beautiful Font Combinations, by Inkbot
- 30 Great Font Combinations, by Digital Synopsis
- Type Connection: “a typographic dating game”
Thursday 2/4: more discussion of typefaces
- typography displays in various BSGs
- choosing a body font:
- How to choose the right face for a beautiful body, by Smashing Magazine
- Serif vs. sans-serif for text in print, by Fonts.com
- Body text, by Matthew Butterick
- Meet the ipsums
assignment (due 2/9):
- finalize your typeface choices and create your typography draft
- check out the color resources on the Resources page
WEEK 6
Tuesday 2/9: check out these BSG color pages; discuss color readings and resources; Photoshop tutorial #1
assignment (due Thursday 2/11):
- respond to discussion #7 on color
Thursday 2/11: in-class work on Photoshop tutorial #2 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 Tuesday 2/16):
- check out the other mood board templates
- complete the mood board exercise and be prepared to share it in class on Tuesday 2/16
WEEK 7
Tuesday 2/16: feedback on mood boards; Photoshop tutorial #3
assignment (due Thursday 2/18):
- respond to discussion #8 on imagery
Thursday 2/18: feedback on imagery; creating mockups in Photoshop
- here’s a tutorial for creating a mockup using Photopea
- 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”
assignments (due Tuesday 2/23):
- complete the mockup exercise and be prepared to share it in class on Tuesday 2/23
- finalize your color choices and create your color draft; be prepared to share this draft in class on Tuesday 2/23
- optional: create a page or pages for your imagery section, perhaps using a moodboard
- look at BSG examples and templates to get ideas for page layout
WEEK 8
Tuesday 2/23: feedback on color drafts and mockups; page layout and InDesign tutorial; check out Nancy Duarte’s slidedocs (templates are also in our Google drive)
video: InDesign tutorial done in class
assignment (due Thursday 2/25):
- respond to discussion #9 on page design
- layout sample pages for the logo, typography, and/or color section(s) of your BSG and be prepared to share in class on Thursday 2/25
Thursday 2/25: feedback on page layouts; cover/table of contents design
video: InDesign tutorial done in class
assignment (due Tuesday 3/2):
- revise page layouts based on feedback
- create drafts of covers and table of contents and be prepared to show them in class on Tuesday 3/2
assignments (due 1/19):
- finish your BSG Genre Analysis project and be prepared to present your team’s findings on Tuesday 1/19
WEEK 9
Tuesday 3/2: feedback on layouts; focus on writing content and style
- for page layout feedback: The Big Four
- for the intro/welcome and mission/style sections:
- Craft your intro, by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
- How to write a creative “about me” page, by Jessie Lewis
assignment (due Thursday 3/4):
- respond to discussion #10 on writing advice
- create drafts of the introduction/welcome and mission/style sections and upload them to the shared Google folder by Thursday 3/4
Thursday 3/4: feedback on drafts
assignment (due Tuesday 3/9):
- create a complete draft of your Brand Style Guide
- upload the draft to the “complete drafts” shared Google folder for class on Tuesday 3/9
WEEK 10
Tuesday 3/9: feedback on BSG drafts, with the BSG rubric in mind
- to make your PDF smaller, try Adobe’s Compress PDF or ILovePDF.com
assignment (due Friday 3/12 by 5:00 pm):
- complete your Brand Style Guide
Thursday 3/11: let’s get ready for Writing 155b!
videos from the class:
assignment:
- complete the Brand Style Guide project and upload the PDF to our shared Google folder on or before Friday 3/12 at 5:00 pm
Friday 3/12: Brand Style Guide project due