Week5 – GRA3611

Hello!

Here is the agenda for 2.29

Announcements
-> Field trip: Weds March 14 (Week7) – Society of Illustrators: http://www.societyillustrators.org/The-Museum/2012/Illustrators-54-AI/Illustrators-54–Advertising-and-Institutional.aspx
->  GRA surveys
-> Adobe Software: We have an opportunity to purchase the FULL Adobe Suite for $175.00, including CS6.0 Deadline: March 1st
If you are interested please send an email to: Ms. Jessica Garcia at: JMGarcia@citytech.cuny.edu (please include your contact info)

Presentation: Milton Glaser on drawing

Due: Logo sketches. Logos can be either a symbol or a logotype. Keep in mind logos should:
-> work in black and white (color comes later)
-> be readable at a large and fairly small size
-> be a simple enough graphic that it is memorable – think geometric in shape.

Note how I asked you to layout the page – so that you have one logo per page – a small and large version along with the product name.
Remember these are sketches – raw ideas – they do not have to be finalized pieces of art, just enough to get the message across.

Lab-time: finalize sketches and render logo in Illusrtator

Lesson:
-> Live Trace and then pencil tool
-> Review Gradient Mesh tool

Homework
1. Finalize your logo (I would like to collect the completed illustrator file)
2. Read handout: (see ‘GRA3611-ProductResearch’ week 4)
3. Bring in three concept sketches for product design
4. Start working on mid-term assignment: Design Brief (see ‘GRA3611-ProductResearch’ week 3)

Week4 – ADV1162

Hello,

Welcome to week 4!

Inclass:
Due: 3 pencil or ink sketches of your ‘Get Out the Vote’ development concept for your poster. We will review in class. I want each of you to speak about intention:
A. What is your concept (message you are conveying). You should be able to articulate this in one clear sentence for each sketch.
B. Who is your audience? Even though the campaign is geared at a very broad audience, you can focus the audience for your purposes, for example: 18 year old NYC residents.

Principals of good poster design (from last week): ADV1162_DesignPrincipals

Lesson in Illustrator
-> Review Pen tool
-> Review Compound Paths & Compound Shapes
-> Brushes
-> Type tool
-> Creating Outlines
-> Blob tool – Eraser tool
-> Masking

Class presentations David Carson & Steve Brodner

Lab time to work

Homework
We have an opportunity to purchase the FULL Adobe Suite for $175.00, including CS6.0
Deadline: March 1st
If you are interested please send an email to: Ms. Jessica Garcia at: JMGarcia@citytech.cuny.edu (please include your contact info – see Week1)

Begin Poster Design (see ProjectOverview handout from Week3)
Make sure you are working with the correct specifications.
You can work in both Illustrator and Photoshop – note: type in Illustrator, images in Photoshop

Week4 – GRA3611

Hello!

Inclass
1. Due three solid logo concept sketches (sketches can be pencil of ink and rough). We will review them in class.
2. Submit ‘moodboard’ if you did not do so last week
3. Handout: GRA3611-WhatisBranding

Lesson:
Today we will review:
-> Envelope Distort
-> Live Trace – pencil tools
-> Live Paint

I will introduced:
-> Working with gradients
-> The Gradient Mesh tool
-> Transparency palette
-> Texture using the transparency palette

Here are two very useful tutorials that recap what we looked at:
Adding Texture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coE27IqCvW8
Gradient Mesh Tool Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AmtaaRKJaY

Lab Time to work in class on final logo

Homework
1. Finalize your logo (I would like to collect the completed illustrator file)
2. Read handout: GRA3611-ProductResearch
3. Bring in three concept sketches for product design

Week3 – ADV1162

Hello. I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend.

In-class
Due: Over the break everyone was supposed to finish off their moodboard relating to the ‘Get Out the Vote’ poster campaign. (you did  not need to print, the .psd file is fine). Moodboards – also known as your research board should be made in Photoshop – import images into the document from the web, the way I showed in class: (8.5 x 8.5” – 300 dpi [high res]) See handout: ADV1162 InspirationBoard posted week2.

ADV1162-ProjectOverview

Principals of good poster design:
ADV1162_DesignPrincipals

Lesson in Illustrator
-> Pen tool
-> Compound Paths & Compound Shapes
-> Brushes
-> Type tool
-> Creating Outlines
-> Blob tool – Eraser tool
-> Masking

Class presentations: Milton Glaser & Stever Brodner

Lab time
Break into small groups to construct a 6-8 word question or statement that captures the theme of everyone’s mood board. This question or statement will become the basis for the tagline of your poster.

Homework
Poster Development – 3 pencil or ink sketches of your poster based on the tagline you came up with in class.

Strategy Develop a visual hierarchy of all the required visual elements. Create a few sketches to explore different possibilities for your layout. Think about using type as metaphor to visually communicate your analysis, or point(s) of view on the subject. Experiment with a variety of approaches. Don’t assume first ideas and solutions are the best. Take chances, you can always tighten things up later. Select a series of words from your phrases, edit the words down to a series of syllables, literal meanings have less significance here. Experiment with type and composition perhaps focus on the expression through the letterforms themselves, as well as through their arrangement on the page.

Sketches can be smaller than final poster dimensions. Vertical or horizontal layout – up to you. I will review your interim compositions (sketches) next week and from there you will begin to develop one final solution of the poster.

Next week we will review the sketches and begin poster design.

Week3 – GRA3611

Hello everyone – welcome to week 3!

Hopefully everyone has their idea for the product redesign. In-class we will review your moodboards (created in Photoshop – or as a printed collage). The idea behind a moodboard is to help you figure out the general direction of your product in terms of audience and marketplace. The moodboard should give a sense of product positioning and lifestyle.

Break off into teams for brainstorming secession – word associations and image associations related to product
1. Come up with 30 words related to your product
2. Come up with product name
3. Begin to sketch logo ideas (see handout): GRA3611-IdentityDesign

Lesson
llustrator
-> Blending tools
-> Type Tool
-> Envelope distort
-> Color
-> Live Paint
-> Live Trace

Here are a few related online tutorials that might help to reinforce what we look at:
Envelope Distort 1: http://layersmagazine.com/illustrator-text-envelope-distortion.html
Envelope Distort 2: http://www.ndesign-studio.com/tutorials/envelope-distort
Live trace: http://www.tutorial9.net/tutorials/illustrator-tutorials/adobe-illustrator-tip-1-intro-and-livetrace/
Live paint: http://www.duoh.com/varia/illustrator_livepaint/

(Note: all the examples above are from different versions of Illustrator. The interface might be slightly different in CS5 but the basic concepts are the same.)

Homework
Logo – 3 finalized sketches (see handout attached above)
This is a paper that will be due week 7 and will count as your mid-term: GRA3611-ProductResearch

Week2 – GRA3611

Hello everyone – welcome to week 2.

In Class
Hopefully you all had a chance to read the ProjectOverview, posted in week 1 .
Today we will brainstorm three additional possibilities for product redesigns. (Remember the idea has to lend itself to rendering in Illustrator). We will vote on the three most popular. Each of you will then chose one to work on over the course of the semester.

1. Break off into teams for brainstorming secession – word associations and image associations related to product

2. Moodboard/ Inspiration board aimed at developing product positioning – ‘lifestyle’ and target audience
Photoshop moodboard – see  specifications here: GRA3611_InspirationBoard
More about moodboards: click here

3. Lecture Topics:
Photoshop
-> Resolution 300 dpi vs 72 dpi ( Dots Per Inch = DPI  = Pixel = Raster)
-> Resampling
-> Layers
-> Copy & Paste
-> Selections
-> Scanning

llustrator
-> Pen tool
-> Compound Paths & Compound Shapes
-> Brushes
-> Masking
-> Creating Outlines
-> Blob tool – Eraser tools
-> Symbols & Scatter Brush

Homework
Inspiration Board
Product Name

Reading:
http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?object_id=94534

http://nymag.com/nymetro/health/features/11700/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7634269/ns/health-health_care/t/target-turns-old-pill-bottle-design-its-head/
http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/the-target-pill-bottle-isnt-a-bottle-its-a-system
http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/page.jsp?title=pharmacy_clear_rx&ref=link_phrm_pp_3_2

Week2 – ADV1162

Hello – welcome to week 2.

Note: it was pointed out to me shortly after class ended today that we do not meet next week. The following week, we meet on Tuesday 02.21.12 not on Monday. Please mark your calendars!

Because of this long stretch of time before we meet again, please see the tweaks I’ve made to the homework (draft of moodboard due). See homework below.

In-class

  • What it means to be a designer – visual communicator
  • Design Brief: Get Out the Vote Campaign
    http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/
    Review favorites of 2008 (homework – find one you really like from the AIGA website)

Lesson

Photoshop: Inspiration/Moodboard – see canvas dimensions here: ADV1162_InspirationBoard
More about moodboards: click here
-> Resolution 300 dpi vs 72 dpi ( Dots Per Inch = DPI  = Pixel = Raster)
-> Resampling
-> Layers
-> Copy & Paste
-> Selections
-> Scanning

Lab time Break off into teams for brainstorming secession

Emailing – be sure to include a ‘signature’ – Title/ Contact info:
Your name
Communication Design Under-Grad
Advertising Design and Graphic Arts Dept.
New York City College of Technology
CUNY

Tell:(optional)
Cell: (optional)
Email: (optional)

Homework:
1. Next class (Tuesday 02.21.12) presentations begin: Milton Glaser and Steve Brodner
2. Please work on the first draft of your ‘Get Out the Vote’ moodboard’ and bring with you to our next class (you do not need to print, the .psd file is fine). Moodboards should be made in Photoshop – import images into the document from the web, the way I showed in class today. See above for canvas dimensions. (If you have any questions or problems email me)
3. In our next class I will ask you all to construct a 6-8 word question or statement that captures the theme of your mood board.

Here is a comprehensive list of words brainstormed in class today. There are some good ones. We had a few overlap. And one group went missing – Marvin, Angel, Brieseida, and Wilson – what happened to yours?:
Action
America
Activism
Belief
Chance
Crowd
Choice
Color
Democracy
Deceived
Duty
Equality
Expression
Freedom
Heroism
Hope
Justice for all
Liberty
Nation
Opportunity
Opinion
Polls
Peaceful
Power
Protest
Persuasion
Participation
Patriotism
Promises
Races
Responsibility
Republican
Rights
Success
Test
Unity
Voice
Vote

Week1 – GRA3611

Welcome to the first class of the semester!
Here are the handouts given in class including the course outline:

GRA3611_HitchingsSyllabus
GRA3611-ProjectOverview

Lecture Topics Intro & Overview
Introduction to Illustrator

  • Workspace
  • Panels
  • Bridge
  • Geometric Objects
  • Freehand drawing

Homework

  • Register for this blog to receive regular updates
  • Research product history
  • Environmental factors
  • Inspiration board

Resources

  • www.commarts.com
  • www.aiga.com
  • www.tdc.org
  • www.adcglobal.org

Week1 – ADV1162

Welcome to the first class of the semester!
Here are the handouts given in class including the course outline:

ADV1162_HitchingsSyllabus
ADV1162_Week1-Terms

Lecture Topic
Introduction to Photoshop and Illustrator

  • Vector vs. bitmap, print vs. web, resolution, saving, file formats, file management
  • Workspace
  • Role of a designer
  • Introduction to Project 1  – poster design (We will be working on the poster design over the next several weeks. We will start by researching the subject matter and exploring different possible design solutions. The assignment will take us through several stages in the design process. You will be assessed on each stage of this process – so please do not rush ahead…)

Homework

Resources

  • www.commarts.com
  • www.aiga.com
  • www.tdc.org
  • www.adcglobal.org

GRA3611 Vector Art Editing

Welcome to GRA3611 (Vector Art Editing) online. Here you will find regular postings for handouts given in-class.

Course Description:
An advanced course that continues to develop how to create, correct, and modify graphics. Students will learn advanced techniques for design, illustration and production on the computer, how to simplify path points and specify the flatness value for optimized files. Students are exposed to professional techniques and tools using software such as Adobe Illustrator and Bridge on the Macintosh operating system.

4 cl hrs, 3 cr Prerequisites Raster & Vector Graphics, AD 360, GA 508

Course Objectives

  • Design and develop an overarching multi -part design project
  • Apply critical thinking skills supported by research
  • Present a design project logically and convincingly
  • Identify and apply strategies for design in five sub disciplines: product design, packaging, corporate communications, advertising, environmental design and information graphics.
  • Create various complex vector graphics.
  • Reflect learning from engaging challenging resource material that a student will interpret appropriately and accurately in his/her own words and following ethical guidelines for intellectual property.

Teaching/Learning Method

  • Show and Tell – happenings within the field (websites, magazines, nyc)
  • Review homework – place in ‘ghitchings’ – drop box on the server
  • In-class critique of work – provide feedback
  • Lectures, lessons and software demonstrations
  • Discuss projects and assignments
  • In-class lab time to work on assignments
  • Class blog (www.artorium.com/instruction)