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)

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

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.

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!

Hello – Welcome to week 9!

In-class
This Monday we will work on finishing the ‘Get Out the Vote’ poster campaign. I realize that I was not able to get to everyone week 7  and many of you may have unanswered questions, so we will use a good portion of week 9 as lab time to finalize your project.

• Please find attached a self-evaluation worksheet.
  You can use it as a final checklist – it includes all the elements I will use to grade your poster: ADV1162-SelfEvaluationAssignment
• Also attached is peer-evaluation worksheet. Each of you will be asked to peer-evaluate a classmate’s poster when we return from Spring break. I will be collecting these worksheets. Your final grade will relate both to how you respond to your classmate’s feedback and also how thoroughly you provide valuable feedback in your peer-evaluation. ADV1162-PeerAssessmentAssignment

Lab Time
Please note the following:
1.  If your poster is far enough along I recommend bringing a color 11×17″ print of it with you to class. It is very important to test print your work – often there are a number of unhappy surprises the first time you print (especially with the color and type size and readability).

Rumor has it you might be able to get it printed on the 8th floor in the Vorhees building. I’m not sure ADGA students are supposed to use that lab, but it might be worth trying…

Otherwise you can try Remsen Graphics. It will likely cost you around $3.00 (and if you ask for ‘card-stock’ paper, it might cost a little more – but the color will print much better. You might save the good paper for the final print) Here is their contact info:
Remsen Graphics
(718) 643-7500
165 Remsen St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Lesson – I plan to review the lesson of week 7:
-> ‘Expanding’ in (Illustrator)
-> Cropping and transforming (Photoshop)
-> Smart Objects – Illustrator into Photosop (Photoshop)
-> Adjustment layers – brightness and contrast (Photoshop)
-> Layer Mask – blending images (Photoshop)
-> We can also review anything covered to date and I hope to reserve some time to answer individual questions.

3. Student presentations:
Shadow Chen & Matteo Bologna

4. Hand-in writing assignment from field trip last week (see week 8)

Homework
DUE: Posters week 10
Over Spring break – complete the posters. I would like everyone to print, trim (11×17″) and bring with you for an in-class critique. You will need to make any edits from the in-class critique and then hand the digital file as a PDF into my drop box by Weds 4/14

Start to think about what you might do for project two: Book Cover design (series of three).

Hello!

In-class -> Field Trip!
Don’t forget this coming Monday (03/26/12) we are going on a field trip. We will be visiting two places: first the AIGA and then the ADC.

-> We will meet at the AIGA.
Please try to get there between 2:30 – 3:00PM:
AIGA
164 Fifth Avenue (btwn 21st and 22nd Street)
New York NY 10010
Tel. (212) 807-1990
The nearest subway station is on the N/R/W line at 23rd Street.

From there we will walk to the ADC:
Art Directors Club Gallery
106 West 29th Street (between 6th and 7th Aves.)
New York City
Tel. (212) 643-1440

After we have viewed both shows you are free to go. I will be sure to dismiss everyone by 5PM so you have plenty of time to get back to campus if you have evening class.

-> ‘Get Out the Vote’ Posters – I realize that I was not able to get to everyone last class  and many of you may have unanswered  questions. We will use week 9 as lab time to continue to work on your project. I can review anything covered to date in class, and answer individual questions.

Over Spring break I will ask everyone to complete the posters. I will also introduce project two so you can start to think about what you might do. If you want me to take a look at something before week 9 – please print it out and bring with you on Monday. Or send me an email of the file – a PDF is preferred. Questions welcome, so don’t be shy!

Homework
1. ‘Get Out the Vote’ Posters
2. Field trip homework:
I would like to ask you to chose one piece of work in one of the exhibits that you really like and write a brief report about it. In your report I would like you to address:
-> The designer’s name
-> Client or agency or school, work was produced for
-> The medium used (oil on canvas, ink on paper, digital, etc.)
-> Bring a camera in case you are permitted to photograph the artwork
-> In your report I would like you to explain why you feel this work is particularly successful
-> Address what the purpose of the work is (what was the assignment). What was it created for
-> I would also like you to research the designer – do they have a website? What other work have they done?

I will collect your response week9 in class.

Welcome to Week 7!

Inclass

We will work on the posters today. I would like to collect the first digital draft of the poster by the end of class today. Please save your file with your name into my dropbox. You have to sign into: shares/ghitchings/dropbox
Example of how to save file: ‘GenevieveHitchingsPoster.ai’

Lesson in Illustrator & Photoshop
(Please download these files: original-images)
-> Cropping and transforming (Photoshop)
-> Smart Objects – Illustrator into Photosop (Photoshop)
-> Adjustment layers – brightness and contrast (Photoshop)
-> Layer Mask – blending images (Photoshop)
-> Review last week illustrator (see tutorials posted under week 6)

No Presentations today. Next time (week9):
Shadow Chen & Matteo Bologna

3. Announcement: class trip next week. We are going to the AIGA to see the book cover show: www.aiga.org/exhibit-fifty-fifty-2010/
Details on how to get there will be posted next week.

4. Test-print poster by end of day – today!

Homework
DUE – Poster first draft (digital files due) Week 9.
Please bring paper – we will print in class
Specific paper is: HP Advanced, Illford or Pearl for inkjet printer (11×17″ – matte or glossy your choice). Maybe you can pool together and share costs – let’s discuss in class.
Make sure to include all the required elements that go within the poster (see ProjectOverview handout from Week3)