ATS 240 – Graphic Design I
Professor Martine Barnaby
Department of Art and Art History
204
Dowd Fine Arts Building Cortland, NY 13045
Email: barnabym@cortland.edu | Telephone: 753.4390
Online
Course Information: http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/barnabym
Teaching
Assistant:
Caitlin Adsit
Email: caitlin.adsit@cortland.edu
Office Hours: Monday 11:00-12:30 | Wednesday 11:00-12:30 & 5:00 -
5:45 | Friday 11:00-1:00 or by appointment.
Most of my courses are taught in Dowd 87 –
Computer Graphics Lab. If you need
assistance, you can find me during my other class sessions in the lab on Monday
and Wednesday. You may come in to the lab to speak with me. However, you are not to interrupt my
class in session or lectures. If
my students are working in studio, you may come in quietly. If there are extra workstations you may
work during this time. Please be
respectful.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The
objective of the course is to introduce the student to the processes,
techniques, basic terminology and concepts of the profession. The course also
asks the student to achieve the highest aesthetic and creative standards
possible. To achieve those standards, the course challenges the student from
the beginning with tough assignments and rigorous grading. To achieve real success, the student is
expected to approach the class with a serious attitude and a willingness to
work beyond just doing what is asked.
Students are expected to commit themselves and work through the graphic
design process. . The course will
focus on Adobe Illustrator CS4 and the use of Vector Graphics.
GOALS
The
course stresses four main objectives: process, craftsmanship, composition and
concept. Each student will be asked to explore the many facets of the creative
process. Research and sketches and
revision will be the foundation for Graphic Design I. Craftsmanship includes
traditional and digital tools, software and materials and how to use them, with
a heavy emphasis on precision and presentation. Composition builds upon the principles covered in Design I
and Design II, and stresses principles of visual perception as a foundation for
understanding compositional problems. Conceptually the course covers design as
a form of aesthetic expression and as a means of effective communication. The
student is asked to solve problems, which involve both of these aspects using
conventional as well as more experimental methods.
The
student should also gain a broad knowledge of the field of graphic design and
understand the professional standards, which are demanded of an individual who
wishes to enter the field. In
addition, students should be personally driven to research and work through
ideas, read pertinent information and push their own limits within each
assignment.
Course
work, information and resources will be listed on http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/barnabym. It is your responsibility to check the
class website regularly for assignments.
All
students must have a working email.
It is your responsibility to log onto banner and correct the personal
information that is listed under your C#.
If you prefer to use an email other than Cortland, make sure you change
it in the University system (My Red Dragon).
EXPECTATIONS
Contact hours for all courses are 4 hours per
week. During this time assignments
will be introduced, lectures, and demonstrations will be given, one-to-one
instruction will be provided, and group critique/discussions will be held. There will be a substantial remainder
of class time to work on assignments, but you will need to do consistent work
outside of class each week.
Students must be dedicated. The lab hours and schedule are posted outside
of B121A.
In order to be accounted as
present the student must: 1) be on time and present for the entire class
session, 2) have work properly and professionally prepared for submission or a
critique, or 3) be prepared to work in class with all necessary texts, tools,
reference, external hard drives and materials.
Students that do not present
their work for a project critique will receive an E in the product presentation
category for that project. (*See EVALUATION
AND GRADING)
There will be a sign in binder
at the entrance to the lab. It is the studentŐs responsibility to sign in at
the beginning of every class. If
the student does not sign in, they will be considered absent.
Absences will affect grades.
This is a studio course; many of the requirements will be actively worked on
during class time. Lectures, critiques, computer lab sessions, and
demonstrations cannot be recaptured. It is the studentŐs responsibility to
insure that he/she is accounted present by signing in the attendance binder.
There are no excused absences
without written permission from the Associate Dean. If you miss a class (excused or unexcused) it is your
responsibility to make up the work, contact the instructor and obtain the
assignment (http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/barnabym) and any preparatory work
so that you arrive at the next class prepared.
Students accumulating more than three absences, will result
in the final grade dropping a full letter, i.e. if the grade earned is a
"B" it will drop to a "C".
Tardiness
All students must be consistently
on time for class. Habitual tardiness will result in accounting the student
absent (3 late arrivals equal 1 absence).
Likewise students who disappear during class time, leave class early, or
extend break time, will be accounted absent.
Professional Courtesy
It is required that cell
phones, music players are turned off
before entering the lab. Texting is absolutely prohibited, phones. You will be asked to leave if your
electronic devices disrupt the class in anyway. Email, instant messenger and
Facebook (and alike applications) are prohibited during class time. Food and drink are not permitted in the lab. You are responsible for cleaning up all
unneeded files on shared disks and reporting computer problems as they arise.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a
disability and wish to request accommodations, please contact the office of
Student Disability Services located in B-40 Van Hoesen Hall or call (607)
753-2066 for an appointment. Information
regarding your disability will be treated in a confidential manner. Because many accommodations require
early planning, requests for accommodations should be made as early as
possible.
Academic Honesty
It is assumed that you will
submit only your own work that has been done expressly for this course, during
the time parameters of this course.
Written work must contain your own ideas, expressed in your own words,
any quotations and sources must be cited.
Technical Difficulties & Service Failure
Technical difficulties,
hardware/software problems, printer problems are never an acceptable excuse for
not meeting a deadline. Students are challenged to acquire the life skill of
working in advance of deadlines and backing up work. Students are required to
be prepared to work during each class session. Students must always backup
their work to either CD or personal portable hard drives. It is the studentŐs responsibility to
be able to work even with network problems that may interfere with files stored
on ŇHomeÓ or network server spaces. Students who are unprepared will receive an
E for Product Presentation in the grading evaluation.
EVALUATION AND GRADING
Grades are a way of evaluating
your progress, commitment, and potential as designer/artist. However, instead
of being preoccupied with grades, try to concentrate on living up to your
personal potential and always try to exceed your own expectations. Students are
expected to care about their work, be mature and make a conscious effort to
practice new skills and concepts throughout the semester. At midterm, an estimate course grade
will be given. If there are
additional grading questions, students should request a meeting at any point in
the semester.
EACH PROJECT WILL BE EVALUATED BY THE FOLLOWING (A-E Grading)
1) Process Journal: 30% of Project Grade
Concept development, research,
applicable writing assignments, exercises, experimentation, sketches,
thumbnails, and collected materials.
Process should be reflected in your journal.
2) Product: 15% of Project Grade
Understanding of the problem,
originality, appropriateness of the solution, creativity, the ability to follow
the assignment and instructions given in class, tutorials, technical exercises
and software tests.
3) Craftsmanship: 15% of Project Grade
The intentional use of materials
and techniques, technical proficiency, neatness, quality, and clear
comprehension of the media.
4) Product Presentation: 15% of Project Grade Poised
articulation of the development process, purpose and rationale for the final
product, timely production, timely presentation, revision, an openness to
critique and feedback, a positive attitude, further revision and organization
of the presentation.
5) Participation: 25% of Project Grade
Listening and contributing to
the class discussions, and critique sessions.
GRADEs
A Excellent execution of
Process, Product, Craftsmanship, Product Presentation and Participation.
Minuscule Revision needed
B Above average execution of
Process, Product, Craftsmanship, Product Presentation and Participation.
Small Revision Needed
C Average execution of Process,
Product, Craftsmanship, Product Presentation and Participation.
Revision Needed
D Well below average execution
of Process, Product, Craftsmanship, Product Presentation and Participation.
Major Revision Needed
E Unsatisfactory execution of
Process, Product, Craftsmanship, Product Presentation and Participation.
Complete Revision Needed
Deadlines
A deadline is a deadline is a deadline. Late work is
accepted only until the next course session and is down graded one full letter
grade. Work will not be accepted any later than the next course session after
the due date.
Grade Inquiries
Students have one week after
receiving graded work to request reconsideration of the grade and must do so in
writing. The instructor will not reconsider work that has been returned longer
than one week.
MATERIALS
Portable
external hard drive
to back up and transport files. (Minimum 250GB)
USB Flash Drive (recommended for smaller
capacity transport)
Writeable CDs
and DVDs for
regular back up
Required Text
Adobe Illustrator
CS4 Digital Classroom [Paperback]
Paperback:
320 pages
Publisher:
Wiley; Pap/Dvdr edition (February 3, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0470436352
ISBN-13: 978-0470436356
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS
Journals
I will ask you to keep a working journal. This book is
for you to develop your ideas, process, interests, research and sketches as it
pertains to your work. I will be relying on your journals as a starting off
point for individual discussions. The journal book must be at least 8.5 x 11
and bound. All work must be well thought out and sketched before advancing to
the computer. This journal should reflect your process throughout the semester.
Journals might include notes, drawings, images, photographs, napkin sketches,
technical diagrams, storyboard roughs, framework etc. Private material that you
do not wish to be reviewed should be explicitly indicated at that time or
marked with paper clips, post-it notes, etc. Journals will be graded for each
project.
Course Blog -
http://ats240-fall2010.blogspot.com
This
blog serves as a weekly posting area of design, objects and imagery that we see
every day. Students will use this
forum for discussion, critique and sharing. Students are expected to research
design industries and post 1 image with well thought out commentary every
Monday by class time. Every post
will be evaluated and counted toward process (research) evaluation.
Readings
A
large part of this course is about self-direction, problem solving, and the
ability to learn software. Readings, online articles and tutorials will be
given throughout the semester. It
is very important to stay up to date with these assignments. Critiques and projects will frequently
be initiated from various topics covered in the readings/tutorials. In order to participate effectively,
you will need to have read the required texts and be able to articulate your
response through critique, technical execution and informal journal writing.
Writing Assignments
There
will be approximately 3 writing assignments throughout the semester. All papers
must be typed, spell checked, well researched and cohesively written. Papers
that are clearly unreadable due to spelling errors, poor grammar and
presentation will be returned.
Presentation of written work will be announced in class with printing or
digital instruction. Plagiarism
will not be tolerated. If a
writing assignment is copied from a web document you will get an E for the
assignment.
Technical
Workshops and Exercises
ATS 240 is a very technical course. There will be 1
day a week designated as a technical workshop. The class will learn from
demonstrations, tutorials, and handouts. Work that is not completed in class
must be completed outside of class time. Exercises and tutorials will be marked
complete or incomplete. The
completion of exercises/tutorials will be taken into consideration when grading
each project.
Participation
Incompletes
An
Incomplete will only be assigned to students with a passing record unable to
complete work due to some unforeseeable serious illness or personal tragedy.
Non-allowable excuses include foreseeable job assignments or work from other
courses. Students must assume responsibility for preparing all necessary
incomplete status paperwork for faculty signature and for submission to the
department.
Note:
It is the responsibility of the student to contact the instructor for extra
technical help. Technical snags
are not an acceptable excuse for not having work completed.