|
Thursday nights
7:00-10:00
1 three hour lab per week over 10 weeks
Instructor
Lou Fuiano
Phone:
215.923.5990
e-mail:
fuiano.design@verizon.net |
CE 2404
continuing education
DIGITAL DESIGN STUDIO
WEEK BY WEEK
Introduction
Student backgrounds in relationship to the course - Overview of the course - Syllabus - Lab policy and availability - Discuss course requirements - 2-d design principals and background. Assignment: structure exercises
Form, composition and communication Review theories and practical applications of two dimensional space - exercises will work with forms, division of space. balance, symmetry and the information they reveal.
Color
Color theory and application - The function of color in graphic design - create order, create a voice, create impact and atmosphere. Color printing; spot a color and process color. Assignment: Book cover design
Type / introduction
Introduce type particulars: type styles, letter forms and voices - Typographic terminology "What is Postscript" - Type as form: concordance and contrast - Text type. Assignment: Five type treatments from supplied copy
Type as design
Use type in composition - apply design concepts to type arrangement - Explore type and space - explore type and shape. Assignment: Type hierarchy through a calendar
Iconography
Reduction in art and design is the practice of breaking down an image to it's most essential characteristics. The final result is a picture graphic, brand or mark. While this sounds relatively simple, it can be one of the most difficult design tasks to do effectively. It demands strong conceptual skills with things visual and a fierce eye for detail. Assignment: Logo and letterhead
Image vocabulary
Discuss image vernacular, borrowed design and low art. This is an excellent exercise to reinvent and rediscover old design devices. This is also a powerful tool in connecting ideas through common or overlooked forms of communication.
Page design
Arrangement of several elements on a page: Primary and secondary heads, body copy, quotes, initial caps, photos & art. Begin working with type and image. Develop order between the two. Explore composition through hierarchy, balance, rhythm, emphasis, unity, white space and proximity. Review final project requirements.
Final project
Lecture and samples of presentation techniques. This is also a workshop class to clean-up old assignments or to begin the final - Prepare alternate design ideas - Review found and favorite samples of graphic design. Begin research for final project
Final critique
Review work and presentation of final project - Final lecture on the rapidly changing environment of visual communication. Look at samples of forward thinking work. |
Design becomes tangible through visual elements, principles of organization, and methods of creating and evaluating form. These components of design activity are not unlike those that govern other communication disciplines, such as language. By becoming familiar and fluent with these components, you can better produce and interpret messages. Unlike language, however, visual components need not necessarily adhere to a logical set of rules that are easily transferable among design problems.
-John Bowers
Understanding Form and Function |