final deliverables – due wed dec 11, 5pm

i checked the brief for project 3, but there are no deliverable requirements listed – we were going to talk about that. whoopsie! in lieu of a class discussion, i’ll propose the following:

icon/symbol set
horizontal 11x17 pdf
all icons nicely spaced horizontally across the page
filename: lastname_firstname-project3icons-vc1.pdf

animations
3 separate files – .mov, .mp4 or .gif
filename: lastname_firstname-project3anim-vc1.gif [or .mov or .mp4]

3d form
2–4 good quality photographs showing different angles/views
consider lighting, context [analog studio seamless vs “real life”] and ways to show scale of your work [placing something recognizable alongside your form, such as the object it contains]
high resolution jpg files, somewhere between 3 and 6 mb each
filename: lastname_firstname-project3form1-vc1.jpg, lastname_firstname-project3form2-vc1.jpg, etc

all documentation is due due wed dec 11, 5pm
upload all files here

final crit order

here is your randomly generated list:

1. shane

2. ricardo

3. cordell

4. noah

5. hannah-rae

6. ki

7. jacob

8. shelby

9. husnain

10. halee

11. anna

12. lynnsie

13. gillian

14. ava

schedule redux

M nov 25
physical 3d component due [packaging]
1.5 hr full-group review, then determine next steps

homework for M dec 2
x

W nov 27 [no class]
eat tofurkey!

M dec 2
presentation prep / production work day / course evaluations
discuss crit / presentation: how will you display and talk about your work?
refine / edit / improve all three phases of your work

homework for W dec 4
make prints, prep animations, fix up 3d form, practice presentation, etc.

W dec 4
final crit with guests: kcai gd alumni kelsey mack and jenna schwartze! yay!

project 3 // final crit

criteria based presentation / crit

8 minutes per student, total: 3 minutes to present, 5 minutes for peer feedback
for your presentation, directly and clearly address the questions below. i will be looking for these exact answers in assessing your presentation grade for this project. your presentation time is short, so practice beforehand, making your language concise.

two recent grads, kelsey mack and jenna schwartze, will be our guest critics, so we will prioritize input from them. orient your presentation toward them as first-time viewers of your work.

overview – in a sentence or two, who is your subculture? what are your chosen attributes for this group?

symbol / icon set – in one sentence, what is the context and function of your symbol / icon set? how are you using the elements of design [line, shape, color, texture, space] to communicate your attributes?

time-based piece– what do your animations communicate that the still versions cannot and how do they do that?

form study – in one sentence, what is your container’s function? how is the element of “form” communicating one or more of your attributes? what are the 2d elements communicating?

peer feedback should also very directly address the degree of success for the above questions.

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example presentation script:

overview – in a sentence or two, who is your subculture?
my subculture is bmx bikers from 15 to 25 who frequent skateparks.
what are your chosen attributes for this group?
rebellious, fearless and creative

symbol / icon set – in one sentence, what is the context and function of your symbol / icon set?
my icons are meant to communicate details of bike tricks [function] via cell phone [context], as a way to help each other understand how tricks are done, or what was just done [more function], to be placed in texts or over photos [more context].
how are you using the elements of design [line, shape, color, texture, space] to communicate your attributes?
the cut-and-paste line is a rebellious and non-traditional way to make lines. the colors are fearless in the way they intentionally class, and the use of positive and negative space is creative and unexpected.

time-based piece– what do your animations communicate that the still versions cannot and how do they do that?
they tell a more explicit story of how a trick was done – which pegs grind in a toothpick grind or specifically how an alley-oop works. time is important to clearly show the complete sequence of these actions.

form study – in one sentence, what is your container’s function? how is the element of “form” communicating one or more of your attributes? what are the 2d elements communicating?
my container holds replacement parts that can be brought to the skatepark for a long session – tubes, a small pump, and basic first-aid supplies. the form is meant to communicate “rebellious” because it’s made entirely out of d.i.y. stitched together patches. the 2d elements are fearlessly creative in that they are all appropriated and repurposed from existing bike company logos.

sophomore review brief

here is the brief.

review is monday december 9th, from 8:20 to 2:20.

we will review in class and go over any questions.

you will set up for your final review starting at noon on friday dec 6 in irving 101 [junior classroom]. that way, your review space will also serve as your end-of-semester show, where everyone has individual space allocated. if you want, you can refine your space on sunday for monday reviews – add, subtract, re-compose as you see fit.

lectures // elements of design

"the politics of design" // links!

gapminder, mentioned on pp 162–3. tons of great data-based articles and videos on global issues.

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bureau d’etudes, mentioned on p 167.

elements of design - final definitions

element – a part or aspect of something abstract, especially one that is essential or characteristic. [the tools]

principle – general law with numerous special applications.

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line– line is an element with length, width, and directionality. it can be used to outline or make shapes. line can be implied and is not constrained to a single weight.

shape– a two dimensional outline or silhouette. shapes can be geometric, abstract, or organic in construction.

texture– texture indicates the surface quality of an object. graphic objects can actually have a certain texture to them or texture can be implied, making them purely visual.

color– the perception of the visual light spectrum. combining multiple colors and using specific color combinations can create different visual effects.

form – [3d or 4d] the visible shape or configuration of structures or space, forms are described by virtue of the area of space bordered by the lines.

space – [positive or negative] a continuous area or expanse that is to be filled or seen as: available within the environment, or between applied elements.

elements of design - semifinal definitions

dearest designers, these still need polish. they are not written consistently. some seem to have multiple attempts. one asks a question as part of the definition. is that normal? do you want examples or not?

element – a part or aspect of something abstract, especially one that is essential or characteristic. [the tools]

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line – An element with length, width, and directionality. It can be used to outline or make shapes. Line can be implied and is not constrained to a single weight.

shape – geometric, organic, or abstract form.  Soft curvy shapes Can appear warm and welcoming. Sharp edgy shapes can appear cold and threatening.   

• 2D,Outline/silhouette, bordered by lines, simpler than forms

• A two dimensional outline or silhouette. Shapes can be geometric, abstract , or organic in construction. 

texture – We associate textures with the way that things look or feel. Also texture can help describe objects as they appear. Texture can be visual or implied.

color – The absence or addition of light. How we perceive light coming from the visual spectrum?

form – 3/4d the visible shape or configuration of something. structures, space, Forms are described by virtue of the area of space bordered by the lines.

space – [pos/neg] dominance/emphasis “an area to be filled” “the area around, within, or between applied elements”

and finally, are these “considerations” or elements of design [see “element definition above]? decide as a class and move on.

considerations
Sound -texture-vibrations (accessible design) 
time
People/audience/target market
Medium

project 3 schedule

W oct 16: discuss reading, collectively define the elements of design, discuss culture/subculture.

homework for mon oct 21:

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M oct 21
work out general schedule for the remainder of the project
finalize the elements of design
mid-term discussions – noah through husnain

homework for W oct 23
read “the politics of design” pp 110–127 and be ready to discuss

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W oct 23
subcultural description + attributes due
EDIT: turn in a pdf with your subculture’s name, description, and attributes HERE. thanks!
ideas for subcultural communication
idea generation session
editing / selection of strong ideas
discuss “the politics of design”
mid-term discussions – cordell through jacob

homework for M oct 28
x

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M oct 28
lectures: line [download] and shape [download]
confirm communication needs/goals for everyone
quick iterations / refinements
editing / selection of strong ideas

homework for W oct 30
read “the politics of design” pp 130–150 and be ready to discuss
prep small prints of final symbols and iterations, color optional.

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W oct 30
3 symbols due – printouts
class crit over symbols

homework for M nov 4

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M nov 4
what progress was made since last wednesday?
review project status – our schedule with respect to the questions we have left
lectures: texture [download] and color [download]
discuss “the politics of design” pp 130–150
mind-mapping attributes for form using text and image

homework for W nov 6
read “the politics of design” pp 152–169 and be ready to discuss

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W nov 6
discuss “the politics of design”
form [download] and space [download]
animation demo 1 – photoshop and/or aftereffects

homework for M nov 11
refinement and iterations on symbols/icons
clear communication need/context for animations [what are they used for and where?]
basic storyboard thumbnails to plan your animation before production
break apart elements of your symbols in prep for animation. each thing that moves should be separated from the rest of your drawing.

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M nov 11
animation demo 2 – aftereffects. download the source file here
animation production day

homework for W nov 13
read “the politics of design” pp 170–189 and be ready to discuss

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W nov 13
final animation due
discuss “the politics of design”. all done!

homework for M nov 18
lots of 2d and 3d thumbnail sketches / prototypes.

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M nov 18
3d form sketching / ideation
sophomore review brief
foam cutting demo
review thumbnails / prototypes – identify top 3 ideas to pursue

homework for W nov 20
continued development on your top 3 ideas. bring in new rapid prototypes for next class.
consider 2d element[s] of design as mapped on to your 3d form. what additional attributes can color, line, shape, texture, space communicate?

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W nov 20
small group crits – 3d form idea selection for final

homework for M nov 25
final production on 3d form.

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M nov 25
physical 3d component due [packaging]

homework for M dec 2
x

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W nov 27 [no class]
eat tofurkey!

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M dec 2
presentation prep / production work day
refine / edit / improve all three phases of your work

homework for W dec 4
x

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W dec 4
final crit

what is a subculture?

as defined by the class…

Has to have a parent culture, Nested within and more specific than the parent culture
Can have multiple levels of “nesting”

Points of differentiation or Confidentiality: in vs out
- Language: “fish” in drag culture
- Fashion / makeup
- Music
- age
- Material culture – objects
- Location: may depend on where you live [surfers, rock climbers, safari, skiiers]. Or a gathering place or neighborhood / pilgrimage

“Clumping together”

Time of day / year / seasons or era in time [origin of the subculture, high point, evolution, etc]

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a wikipedia article about subcultures

”what is a subculture” from grinnell college. scroll to the section titled “characteristics of subcultures”. looks like you all identified a good number of the right things! way to go! there is a lot of interesting and detailed info in this section though. worth a read.

oct 14 class / project 3 brief

in class
12:00 class advisory session

project 2 crit! see previous post for details on crit fomat.

new work
the project 3 brief is here. arrive at a consensus on what homework is reasonable for next class.

read “the politics of design” pp 86–109 and be ready to discuss.

per class discussion:
homework for wed, oct 16: research the elements of design, consider your subculture, figure out what constitutes subculture.

oct 9 class

in class
discuss “politics of design” pp 64–85

desk crits and work time – quick review of all 130-ish ideas. 

begin final production of all work

new work
finalize poster for output:

• all raster [pixel-based photoshop or scanned] images should be saved at 300 pixels per inch at their final print size [2.5” square].

• vector images are scale-independent, so you should be able to pop those into the image frame and scale as needed.

• if you have imagery that would look better without the black frame around it, feel free to set the line to 0 points.

• don’t forget to put your symbol name in the title, and your name at the top.

• file > export your final file to pdf [print], using the “press quality” setting. do not output with cropmarks.

• send to casey in the print output center by mid-day friday, ideally, and before 5pm on sunday at the very latest. remember there are 13 other students trying to print stuff for crit, plus other students across campus printing their own projects.

• in the comments section of the online form, say “gd bond paper” – it’s the cheapest and thinnest stock she has. it should cost about $18. remember they are closed saturday and open 5pm to 9pm sunday.

• if your file is set up as described above, the plotter should output a 36” x 36” sheet, so no need to trim at all. you lucky ducks.

• i will say right now that posters not hung on the wall by noon on oct 14 will receive a zero for the project.
  

final crit format
let’s do “the imposter”, where each student will present a work that is not your own. for 3–5 minutes, you will pose as the creator of the work, indicating the following:

• your single most memorable solution and why

• your most unexpected media choice and why

• your most unique twist on the concept and why

• your most cliché solution and why

• your “nice try” effort that need the most improvement and why

we will save additional comments for an open time at the end of the session

oct 7 class

discussion of found/discovered ideas vs original creations

idea generation lecture: forced connections

forced connections exercise
using a random word generator from the interwebz, generate 10 adjectives and 10 nouns. pair those with your symbol to get new ideas. adjective example: gigantic star, makeshift star, lewd star, ordinary star. noun example: soda cross, attraction cross, girls cross, game cross, tongue cross. yeah, it can get weird, but give each of your words an honest try. 

work time / review new ideas
priority will be given to those who i did not talk to in recent classes

things to keep in mind and plan for:

• that you have at least 100 ideas at this point. more is better.

• that you are budgeting time to produce any of your more complicated ideas. since the volume is high, you won’t be able to dedicate much time per idea. balance quickly-produced ideas with more detail-oriented ideas.

• critique is one week from today. plan your production and poster printing accordingly.
  

new work
produce 35 new ideas for next class.

read “the politics of design” pp 64–85

be ready to show at least 135 ideas total. begin final production using the poster template file i gave you last week. 

begin preparing work for critique next monday, october 14.

sept 30 and oct 2 class

in class
renda morton workshop!!!

because this departmental event unfortunately lands on both of our class times, we will need to push the project back one more day. it will now be due on monday, oct 14. hopefully everyone will be fully ready to roll next monday, with 100 ideas to share [30 from the first round, 35 from brainstorming, and 35 from mind mapping and morphological analysis].

sept 25 class

in class

^ watch a film! ^

review “the politics of design” pp 46–61

peep the final poster template format

lecture continued: mind mapping

mind mapping exercise

lecture continued: morphological analysis

morphological analysis exercise

work time / desk crits – quick review of ideas to date

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new work
a minimum of 35 more ideas for next class. yes! get it!

sept 23 class

in class
quick share of brainstorming results

lecture continued: lateral thinking

small group lateral thinking exercise

work time and desk crits as time allows

note: the visual quality of your ideas should be somewhere between quick sketch and a polished final piece. there isn’t enough time to produce 100 amazingly detailed ideas, so bring ideas to a level where they make sense to others and move on. you may want to spend more time detailing the best ones and leave others less refined. as long as each individual idea is visually legible on its own and is appropriately crafted, you’re good.

new work for next class
develop a minimum of 35 ideas for next class. practice lateral thinking as your idea generation technique.

read “the politics of design” pp 46–61

sept 18 class

in class
discuss website building tools. what did you find? here’s my research:

• cargo – $99 per year or $13/month. looks like domains are extra. no obvious blog capabilities. looks like most people here are linking to tumblr for blogging. 

• squarespace – $144 per year or $16/month. combined portfolio and blog options. custom domains. 

• virb – $10/month. combined portfolio and blog options. custom domains.  

• wix – $132 per year. free domain for one year. a few combined portfolio and blog options. may be possible to add blog pages but not sure. 

• indexhibit – free! but you do have to pay for web hosting + domain name, and install the indexhibit “content management system” onto your web hosting space. they recommend dreamhost.

and others. it is imperative to know the pros and cons of each of the many tools out there for web publishing, which we will discuss in class. 

discuss "the politics of design" pp 22–45.

review project 2 brief. what did you find from your symbol research? quick 1 minute share from everyone.

determine day-to-day schedule for our project. 

lecture on idea generation techniques [first section + brainstorming]

new work
make good – no, great! – progress on your ideation process, using individual or group brainstorming. shoot for generating 30 ideas. as legible thumbnail sketches.

sept 16 class

in class
project 1 crit!

hand out project 2. discuss as needed. 

new work for next class
1 hour – research website building tools. what are good resources for you to build your online portfolio? where do you even start?

1 hour – research your symbol. what is the history? what cultures, groups, or companies use it? why? what visual forms has it taken over time?

1 hour – read "the politics of design" pp 22–45

sept 11 class

in class
book club!: discuss the politics of design, pp 1–21

review the project brief, considerations, and deliverables.

project work time and/or small group crits as you need.

new work
prep for final presentation and critique for "define / explain".

each student will have 8 minutes total: 3 minutes for the visual/verbal presentation, a couple of minutes to review the booklet, and 3 minutes for peer input. 

we will do what i like to call a "crit chain", where one student provides primary input for their peer, then presents their own work. the next student provides primary input and then presents their own work, and so on. the advantage of this is that every student has a chance [requirement?] to participate in critique, to practice being critical and discerning about our design challenge. 

comments should focus on the project objectives. how well did your peer

• verbally and visually articulate a clear definition of graphic design and design thinking

• demonstrate curiosity, wonder, and a sense of play through exhaustive and rigorous design processes

• understand basics of primary and secondary research in the pursuit of knowledge

• engage in the basic design process [research, ideate, edit, produce] at a basic level

• demonstrate clear improvement in physical and digital craft – cutting, sizing, attention to technical & visual details and other project parameters.