Week15 – GRA3611
And here we are – the last day of class!
I am looking forward to seeing your final booklets: printed, trimmed and bound. We will (hopefully) be celebrating the completion of a very successful semester!
After our in-class critique, I will collect your digital files, and summer officially begins – class will be dismissed.
Please note: if there are any final corrections I will accept a perfected PDF up until end of day Thursday at Midnight via email.
Congratulations and have a great summer!
—
One announcement: the ADC is having their yearly paper-expo tomorrow evening:
ADC SPRING PAPER EXPO
Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
5:30-8:30 pm
@ ADC Gallery
106 West 29th Street, NYC
ADC Members Free with RSVP
APC, SPD, TDC Members $5.00
Non-Members $10.00
Usually the day after they open the gallery up to students to pick up leftover paper books. It’s a great place to build up a library of paper samples.
Week15 – ADV1162
Hello!
We have just about made it – Monday is our final day!
Here are a few things to note:
Book cover and extra credit assignments are due. They should be complete and ready to show at the beginning of class. I will collect your file – preferably as a PDF.
On the Agenda:
1. Have everyone present bookcover (we will do a digital presentation on the class overhead). I would like you to explain your graphic solution and how it is relevant to the book. Be sure that you are able to talk about storyline and author.
2. 15 minute – inclass progress project: Photoshop-Illustrator-Spring2012
3. This is the final day for class presentations. If you have not presented this is your very last chance. Edgar is the only one scheduled to present so he will be given priority.
4. Printing – final project or first project (for your own record)
Send everyone off to enjoy summer!
Week14 – ADV1162
Next Monday is our last class before the final.
I would like to see a draft of your book cover design on Monday.
If things are moving along nicely than you have the option to work on the extra credit assignment. See details below for the extra-credit assignment.
Keep in mind the following criteria will average out to your final grade (this is from the syllabus handed out at the beginning of the semester).
-> Class Participation (verbal participation and timeliness): 20%
-> Class Homework (sketches & class trip paper): 20%
-> Presentation: 20%
-> Poster: 20%
-> Book Cover: 20%
Extra-Credit: Bookmark Design
* Note – if your book cover is not complete and needs more work than I will not accept the extra-credit assignment.
A well-designed bookmark makes big impact. This bookmark should help to promote the book whose cover you deisgned. There are no additional content requirements for what needs to go on it. Remember readers are interested in reading the book, not the bookmark, which is simply a tool for keeping place. Bookmarks are also potentially a give away (gift) item – and that of course implies that they are a better alternative to keeping place in a book than a pencil or random object. With that in mind, make your message bold and easy to quickly understand at a glance. Capitalize on your main message and put the rest in smaller print so readers can read on if they choose (for example, a library might wish to include an upcoming event calendar).
Specifications: 2×6″
Resolution (at least 300 dpi).
See bookmark template from PsPrint LLC to ensure the correct formatting: bookmark.pdf. Position your design within the safety lines, and make sure anything on the border extends to the bleeds and where the cutline is. Correct color mode (CMYK)
Week14 – GRA3611
Hello again – I am reposting the blog I sent out yesterday – I’ve updated the homework. See below:
No class next week (5.16). Our final class is 5.23.
Please be ready to:
1. Print a final version of your copy and hand into me tomorrow. I would like to edit one more time before it appears in your final printed deck.
2. By end of class tomorrow I would also like to see the two additional pieces that you will be including (see ‘GRA3611-FinalDeck’ week8).
3. I also encourage you to test print a black and white copy of you PDF tomorrow on the class laser printer. Until you see your layout on paper, you do not really know what it will look like.
On a side note:
It’s Creative Week in New York City (May 7th – May 11th). Take a look and see if there is anything you might want to attend: http://www.creativeweek.com
Homework
Your final booklets are due printed, trimmed and bound on May 23rd. We will (hopefully) be celebrating the completion of a very successful semester!
PLEASE READ: Although we are not meeting next week – I would like you to email me a copy of any work that I have not seen that you are hoping to include in your booklet by or before 5.16.12. The sooner you can get it to me the more time you will have to print, trim and bind by the due date (5.23.12).
Also I would like to emphasise – the class is focused on Illustrator. The final work should showcase some of the things we have covered over the course of the semester in the program – including the identity, product renderings, packaging, and the two additional pieces I am requiring for the final project deck.
Email me with questions!
Week13 – ADV1162
Greetings. Three weeks to go!
It’s Creative Week in New York City (May 7th – May 11th). Take a look and see if there is anything you might want to attend: http://www.creativeweek.com
On Monday we will work on book covers. I would like to go over a few advanced techniques in both Illustrator and Photoshop, including:
Illustrator: Scatter Brush, 3D Grid, Masks
Photoshop: More on selections
In-class presentations:
Gail Anderson, Louise Fili, Chip Kidd, & Shadow Chen
Homework (for May 14th)
First draft of the book cover completed
Week13 – GRA3611
Hello everyone!
The count down begins. See last week’s posting (Week12) for details – but we will continue to plug onwards towards the completion of your project decks. Next week, May 9th the digital files of your final PDF are due. This Weds we will continue working on putting together the finishing touches. I would also like to collect your edited copy (draft 2) tomorrow. Please bring edited text with you to class. I will ask you to print and hand-in to me.
Feel free to email me if you have questions or want some feedback. Otherwise see you Wednesday!
Week12 – ADV1162
Wow the time is flying! Three weeks left to the semester.
I hope you all had a chance to checkout the Grace Gallery show. Congratulations to the ten of you who made it into the show.
There were a handful of you who were very close and should have also been in the show but because of either a typo, or not getting me the final edits in time, your work did not go in (they only accept 10 pieces).
Ultimately what is most important about your work, is making sure you are developing pieces that you will feel confident showcasing in your portfolio. When you graduate your portfolio is what will get you work.
—-
So with that in mind – we move on to project 2 the Book Cover design.
Please read last weeks posting very carefully (week 11). All the details for the project are specified there. For homework you should come in with a few example book covers that you think are really well designed (check the AIGA design archives online) and fall into the same ‘genre.’
On Monday:
-> Lesson. We will revist the lesson on retouching in Photoshop.
Here is a good tutorial in case you want to practice: http://sixrevisions.com/photoshop/26-professional-photoshop-retouching-tutorials/
-> In-class Presentations. There are a few presentations we have missed so this Monday we will aim to focus on:
Gail Anderson, Shadow Chen, Tibor Kalman, & Maria Kalman
-> Lab time to work on book cover (paperback). Download specifications here: 6x9_Paperback
Homework:
Begin to sketch three ideas for Book cover design. You will be asked to explain your design concept.
Week12 – GRA3611
Hello class – we are fast approaching the end of the semester.
(Just remember summer is around the corner and then hopefully you can truly relax.)
The final must be handed in to me May 9th as a digital PDF (please note that is just two weeks away). The following week is ‘Reading Day’ and our class does not meet. You then have until May 23rd to make any final corrections and have your book printed and bound. On May 23rd we will have a viewing party. This should be a celebration day – everything must be completed and we will be presenting the final work to each other.
At this point everyone should have a draft of your Project Deck set up in InDesign. Feel free to send me a PDF of the file via email if you want some feedback.
Look at week8 if you need more information about what goes within the project deck. And look to the student examples I provided in class.
In addition to what is listed in Week8. I would like you to chose two additional items from the list below to be included in your final deck.
1. Packaging design (full comp of packaging)
2. Instruction manual (detailing how your product is to be used, or detailing unique features and design of your product.)
3. Advertising , choose any one of the following:
- Magazine ads – min. of 3, same concept different representation
- Billboards – min. of 3, same concept different representation. Ads sized for bus stops, buses & taxis, highways…
- Subway ads – min. of 3, same concept different representation. Ads sized for space.
4. Promotions, choose any one of the following:
- Promotional cards – wave or staggered distribution min. of 5 different cards
- Premium promotional giveaways/ merchandising – gift item, product that raises awareness about your subject (hats, key-chains, bags, hang-tags…)
- DVD of CD package – case/container, label & min. 6 page booklet
- Website – min. 4 screen shots
- Flash Promotional Animation – min. 20 secs
Again, I am only asking you chose two items from everything that is listed above.
Please take a look at these two related handouts:
GRA3611_Ad_Assignment
GRA3611_Promotional_Assignment
Here is a template of an InDesign file for a spiral bind booklet 10x 7 inch, no spreads (with a baseline grid set to a leading of 14pt): Deck-7x10in_SpiralBind.indd
Tomorrow in class we will use the time to plug away at wherever you are with your project.
We can review 3-D grid and I would also like us to look at brushes as well as working with Photoshop. Please let me know if there is anything you would like us to review in Illustrator or if there is something that we have not covered that you are interested in knowing more about…
See you tomorrow!
Week11 – ADV1162
Hello!
High priority:
I must receive FINAL poster by 5PM TODAY – Friday April 20, 2012.
(And that includes anyone who already submitted but wanted to make some final edits.)
You were supposed to send me a PDF of your final on Wednesday. If I have not received, you must email it to me ASAP. If you sent it and did not get an email back from me, it means I never received it – please send again or use one of the two website’s I recommended (see Week 10).
For the Grace gallery show I will take care of the printing and mounting – but I need your file by 5PM. (We will still print a final poster in class on Monday.)
And thank you to all whose posters I did receive. Your hard work is noted and appreciated!
——
Project 2: Book Cover Design
Please review the following list of books. I would like you to select a source book for which you will develop a cover design. You may choose a book that is not on this list but please seek my approval before proceeding.
The advantage to choosing a book from this list is that you will not run into copyright issues. All selected books are public domain titles and have text readily available on-line through multiple sources. I recommend checking Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org) for full-text downloads on these titles.
Project Specs:
Cover designs MUST include the book title and author’s name; you are not required to feature any additional text.
Dimensions: 6 x 9”
Bleed: .125”
400dpi format
RGB
Photoshop or Illustrator
Book Recommendations
01. Jane Austen – Pride & Prejudice
02. J.M. Barrie – Peter Pan
03. L. Frank Baum – The Wizard of Oz
04. Emily Bronte – Wuthering Heights
05. Lewis Carroll – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
06. Lewis Carroll – Through the Looking Glass
07. Charles Dickens – Great Expectations
08. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
09. Homer – The Odyssey and The Iliad
10. Victor Hugo – Les Miserables
11. Franz Kafka – Metamorphosis
12. Rudyard Kipling – The Jungle Book
13. Herman Melville – Moby Dick, or, the Whale
14. Robert Louis Stevenson – Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
15. Robert Louis Stevenson – Treasure Island
16. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley – Frankenstein
17. Bram Stoker – Dracula
18. H.G. Wells – The War of the Worlds
19. H.G. Wells – The Time Machine
20. Oscar Wilde – The Importance of Being Earnest
-> Class Presentations
Tibor & Maira Kalman
Homework:
1. Select a book: Author and Title
2. Visit Barnes and Nobles online and research book cover designs in the Best-selling list for your genre: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Classic-Books-Barnes-and-Noble-Classics/379003245
Additional We will discuss this in class next week:
Looking at a complete book cover (wrapped around a book) laid flat you will see the back cover, spine, and front cover, in that order from left to right. So allowing .125 for trim around each edge, your width formula is .125 + cover size + spine width + cover size + .125.
The formula for spine width is page width ( typically.002252) times final number of pages. So for a 300 page book the spine width would be .68 (.002252 x 300).
Week10 – ADV1162
Hello –
Nice work today. It’s exciting to see the posters in their final stages.
DUE – Self-evaluation worksheet (see week 9).
In-class
Peer-evaluation worksheet (see week 9) due end of class today.
FINAL Poster DUE – must receive by end-of-day Wednesday April 18th (Please read carefully):
1. Revise your poster based on the feedback you received and then email me a (high-res) PDF of your final Illustrator or Photoshop file. Because the file will likely be larger than you can send via email you can use either of the following free sites to send me your work:
www.yousendit.com
www.dropbox.com
**Please note: You can leave out the AIGA banner. Just make sure you have left enough space at the bottom of your layout to accommodate the banner. I will add the AIGA banner in InDesign
Homework
Make sure you include all the elements that have to appear on the poster:
-> Title: Vote 2012 (your can tweak this to your poster needs)
-> Tagline: Should relate to your concept and be integrated into the poster design
-> Registration deadline: Voting registration deadline for New York State must be postmarked 25 days before the election (this can appear as fine print [10/11 point font] – at the bottom of your poster – just above the AIGA banner.
On Thursday of this week I will send an email with details about project 2: the book cover design.
Email me with questions. Keep up the hard work!
