Course Description

Graphic Design II: Introduction to systems of visual organization in graphic design with a focus on conceptual development and print production. Develop dynamic portfolio samples using Adobe Creative Suite. Prerequisites: GDS 120, or approval of program director or department chair.

Graphic Design III: Gain experience in visual problem solving through advanced design projects. Communicate creative concepts through effective use of type and images. Develop presentations skills and become power users of Adobe Creative Suite. Prerequisite: credit or concurrent enrollment in GDS 122.

Purpose

These courses are designed specifically for designers whose objective is to function effectively in today's marketing communications industry. In these classes, we will gain practical experience in problem-solving by working through the design process.

Emphasis

Students will work through the creative process and learn how to balance creativity with problem solving. We will focus on techniques of generating new ideas and how to communicate those ideas through effective use of design principles. We will apply those techniques to real-world design problems. Presentation skills and in-depth understanding of Adobe Creative Suite applications will be emphasized.

Topics

The major topics we will cover this semester will include:

• The creative process
• Applied design principles (unity, emphasis, rhythm, depth, etc)
• Systems of visual organization (balance)
• Applied color theory
• Research and using reference
• Visual thinking and conceptual sketches
• Visual literacy and graphic styles
• Dealing with form and content
• Using stock illustrations and photographs
• Software proficiency and computer use etiquette
• Printing and print production issues
• Client presentations

Going beyond form and aesthetics, advanced students will become content creators giving visual form to memorable creative concepts that communicate on a deeper level. Some of the narrative devices we will explore to achieve this might include:

• Irony
• Subversion
• Symbolism
• Subtext
• Contradiction
• Paradoxes
• Allegory
• Metaphor

Grading System

In this class, your grade will be based on the quality of the work you do, software proficiency, class participation and attendance.

• A = 100-91 (exceptional work beyond the class requirements)
• B = 90-81 (excellent technical and creative abilities exhibited)
• C = 80-71 (all work accomplished on time and minimum goals achieved)
• D = 70-61 (minimum goals not achieved, late assignments)
• F = 60 or less (failure to finish assignments or doing "D" work late)

Your grade will be discussed during your individual reviews at midterm and at the end of the semester. You must bring all the work you have done up to that time (including all research/reference materials, sketches, preliminary proofs, revised proofs, final proofs, digital files, etc.). Do NOT delete any work-in-progress from this class. Your grade will depend on it. At any time during the semester, you may request individual reviews to check your progress. You may revise and re-submit projects and exercises as many times as you like up until the final review.

Earning Points

Points can be earned in each of the following categories:

	GDS 122	GDS 222
Projects	40%	45%
Blog Posts		35%
Blog Discussions		15%
Homework/Lynda Tutorials	30%
Exercises	15%
Open Book Quiz	5%
Process Book	5%	5%
Visual Diary	5%

 

All assignments will be graded based on creativity, problem solving ability, effective use of design principles, craftsmanship, typography and adherence to projects specifications. Numerical grades will be awarded for all assignments except for Exercises, Homework Assignments and Lynda Tutorials.

Exercises will be graded based on accuracy and craftsmanship. Exercises are due at midterm/final review and will be graded pass/fail.

Homework Assignments will be graded based online discussion board participation and adherence to assignment specifications. Homework Assignments must be posted on time and will be graded pass/fail.

Lynda Tutorials will be graded based on the quality of your weekly Cobra Dropbox submissions. The results of your Lynda tutorials must be submitted on time and will be graded pass/fail.

At the end of the semester, all the points earned in each category will be averaged and weighted to determine your final grade.

Extra credit points may be awarded for submitting excellent work into the annual Graphic Design Student Exhibition.

Bonus points may be awarded for active participation in class.

Class Format

This course will consist of projects, exercises, demonstrations and critiques. There will also be one quiz. It is expected that additional time, on a weekly basis, will be spent on projects and homework assignments. Parkland provides three Macintosh computer labs with ample open lab hours for students to use to complete their assignments.

It is important that the entire class work together in a collaborative environment, learning from each other as well as the instructor. Therefore, everyone should be working on the same assignments at the same time. Understanding that there might be technical expertise differences, it is expected that more experienced users will be willing to help beginners users with software issues. Conversely, less experienced designers should elicit feedback from more experienced designers during their working process.

Materials

• Required textbook (for GDS 122): Design Thinking for Visual Communication by Gavin Ambrose (available at Parkland's bookstore)
• Required textbook (for GDS 222): Steal Like An Artist by Austin Klean (available at Parkland's bookstore)
• Optional reference book: Eat and stay: restaurant graphics & interiors (on reserve in the Parkland Library)
• USB flash drive, portable hard drive, or access to a cloud service (i.e. Google Drive or OneDrive)
• 3-ring binder & dividers (Process Book)
• Blank book (Visual Diary)
• Felt tip pens
• Parkland Identification Card
• Other supplies may be required for specific exercises or projects

Late Work Policy

Projects have multiple critique deadlines. If you miss a critique, I will deduct 10% off your project grade for each critique missed. Students have the option of continuing to work on and improve each project after the final critique for (possibly) a better grade. Grades for re-worked assignments will be no more than one full letter grade higher than the original grade at final critique (re-worked project grades will never drop in grade). All re-worked assignments are due by the final review date.

Homework Assignments and Lynda Tutorials must be posted on time in order for you to receive full credit (therefore it is not possible to make-up for missed deadlines).

Exercises have no deadlines, but must be completed by final review. It is not possible to make-up for a missed exercise if you were absent on the day it was taught, but you are welcome to complete the exercise on your own.

The following assignments will be graded twice, once at midterm review and again at final review (therefore the late work policy does not apply):

• Process Book
• Visual Diary

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be taken promptly at the beginning of each class. Being late counts as an absence, but you should come to class even if you are late because it is not possible to make up in-class critiques, exercises or tutorials that you missed.

Your semester grade will drop by one letter grade for every four classes missed. "Excused" absences will only be discussed under extenuating circumstances and only if you have missed more than three classes. If you know you are going to be absent, you have the option of emailing me assignments before they are due to avoid any penalties for late work.

If you stop attending, I may drop you from the class with no refund of tuition or fees. After midterm, you should not plan on an instructor withdrawal. You are responsible for your own withdrawal by the official withdrawal date (see Course Calendar). Non-attendance after midterm will result in a failing grade if you don't withdraw from the course.

Note: Attendance is required for the entire scheduled class period. If you have an issue that requires you to leave early, please inform the instructor beforehand. Leaving class early will count as an absence.

Online Gradebook

All students have an account in Cobra Learning (an online course management system). In this class, we will be using Cobra for:

• Grading
• Attendance records
• Online discussions
• Dropboxes (digital assignment submissions)
• Communication
• Quizzes

 

General Education Objectives

The following general education objectives are embedded in this course:

• Demonstrate their creative and analytical potential and their ability to appraise the quality, value, and significance of cultural components and artifacts, such as literature, sculpture, painting, music, performing arts, media arts, and spoken rhetoric.
• Demonstrate their ability to use technology, especially computer technology, to access, retrieve, process, and communicate information.
• Demonstrate information literacy and their ability to think critically, which includes identifying biases and selecting and evaluating sources from varying as well as conflicting positions.

Student Conduct

We believe strongly in the Core Values espoused by Parkland College in order to foster a positive classroom environment. Parkland's academic honesty affirmation states: "I will honor Parkland's core values by following all academic integrity guidelines for all work submitted in this class."

In addition, all students are expected to follow these guidelines:

• Honesty and integrity (don't cheat, don't steal)
• Promptness (arrive on time and don't leave early)
• Courtesy (treat others as you would like to be treated)
• Respect differences among peers (we all have different learning preferences and speeds)
• Be helpful (we're here to learn as a group)
• Willingness to collaborate (team work and constructive feedback are highly encouraged)
• All cell phones turned off or set to vibrate
• No games, Facebook, texting or email during class (unless it's related to course work)
• No excessive noise or talking, please

Parkland's Academic Honesty and Computer Use policies as outlined in the Student Policies and Procedures Manual apply in this class. In short, cheating, plagiarism, theft or abuse of computer time may result in suspension of computer privileges, disciplinary review, suspension or expulsion from the college, termination of employment, and/or legal action.

Anyone found to be cheating will receive a zero for that assignment and the incident will be reported to the Dean. Cheating includes copying assignments from the internet or other students' assignments (from this or previous semesters). 

Stock images

Students may NOT use illegally downloaded images in their projects. An image is legal if (1) the image is downloaded from a royalty-free subscription service paid for by Parkland College, (2) the image has been legally published as "free to use and share", (3) the image is in the public domain, or (4) the rights to use the image has been purchased by the student.

Since your work will be published as part of a digital web portfolio, rights holders can easily use Google's "search by image" function to find illegally downloaded images and claim damages. Lawsuits and/or fines for copyright violations can be in the thousands of dollars. Parkland College will not be responsible for violations of copyright law by students.

Fonts

For this class, you may ONLY use the standard "core" fonts installed in D019 for your assignments unless you obtain prior approval from the instructor (see GDS Core Fonts Specimen Sheet). Parkland also owns the entire Adobe Font Folio collection of 2,300 high quality fonts. Please ask permission from your instructor before installing these fonts.

Note

Student work may be published by the college for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your work not be published, please let your instructor know in writing via email.