Week #1

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Week 1What is Graphic Design?
Class introductions and learning potentials –  Design Solutions: Strategy, Concept, Design, Execution & Production
Exploring the Design Process: Thumbnails, Roughs & Comps
Assignment #1

Logos by Paul Rand

What is Graphic Design?

“Graphic design, also known as communication design, is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. The form it takes can be physical or virtual and can include images, words, or graphics. The experience can take place in an instant or over a long period of time. The work can happen at any scale, from the design of a single postage stamp to a national postal signage system. It can be intended for a small number of people, such as a one-off or limited-edition book or exhibition design, or can be seen by millions, as with the interlinked digital and physical content of an international news organization. It can also be for any purpose, whether commercial, educational, cultural, or political.” Via – Juliette Cezzar

Read the full essay here – https://www.aiga.org/guide-whatisgraphicdesign

Great explanation of Graphic Design, but what about the speed of the video??

Poster Design by Milton Glaser

The History of Graphic Design – We will be exploring and referencing Design history in our class. Lets explore these two references below over the course of this week.

Design History.org – http://www.designhistory.org

Key Moments in Graphic Design / Timeline – https://www.thoughtco.com/key-moments-in-graphic-design-history-1697527

Logo rough by Carolyn Davidson

Class Discussion: What is the Design Process? How do designers create strategies? Move from research to sketch, thumbnails to roughs and comps? What do these terms mean?

Thumbnails – Simply put, thumbnails are small sketches. Projects always begin with thumbnail sketches. No matter how tempted you are to get working with the computer and its software right away, thumbnail sketch practice is essential in the design process. Each project will require 6-9 thumbnail sketches. This practice will keep your idea muscles sharp!

Examples of Thumbnail Sketches

Roughs – Roughs are full scale renderings of your selected thumbnails. They are sized to the specific dimensions of your project. Roughs are about making the needed revisions and necessary decisions to meet the many challenges you may discover in the process.

Examples of Roughs & Comps – What is the visual difference between a rough and a comp?  Lets find examples together.

Comps –  (short for comprehensive) or a final comp, is the plan and official map that is ready for production. It is ready for publishing on the web, or print production with a printer or printing company. The comp is ready to  share with your client (or your professor 🙂 as it will fully communicate all aspects of your project and assignment. A final comp will be produced for each project in our class.

Assignment #1 (Part 1) – Post Card Design

We will be designing a standard sized Postcard to promote and communicate one of the following messages below (students must choose one)

1- A cause that you are passionate about

2 – An up and coming event that you would like to promote

Assignment Specifications:

Size: The final design will be 4″ X 6″ in size. (Students should decide on the arrangement of the height and width, will your postcard be a horizontal or vertical image?

Process: 

R&D – Where will you find visual inspiration and research? Flickr? NYPL Digital Archives?

1 – Thumbnail sketches – Students will generate a series of 6-9 thumbnails sketches using pencil and their sketchbooks to brain storm and illustrate their process.

2 – Roughs – Students will select the 2-3 strongest thumbnail sketches and develop them into 1 rough scaled to the 4″X6″ size in pencil.

3 – Students will produce a final comprehensive pencil rendering scaled to size ready for scanning and application using photoshop. Students will experiment with various image manipulating techniques and styles to develop contrasts and visual interest.

Production:

Students will prepare their final work for both print out up in (CMYK) as well as presentation and application on the web (RGB).

Due dates for next week: 

Thumbnail studies, Roughs & Comps Due at the beginning of next weeks class 2/7 @5:30pm

2 thoughts on “Week #1

  1. Pingback: Week #2 | BMCC MMA 100 Foundations of Digital Graphic Design

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