Intro to Graphic Design syllabus

Corresponding syllabus from presentations (Intro to Graphic Design, Columbia College, Chicago).

1. 22-2330: INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
SPRING 2010 | Tues 6:00 – 9:50 pm 
INSTRUCTOR: Shawn Calvert
[email protected]

Course Description
This course introduces students to graphic design as a form of visual communication through
the use of type, image, form, and color. Projects explore design processes in two and three
dimensions, visual identity and communication, thematic structure and hierarchy, creative
problem solving, and basic design practice of critiques and discussion.
Pre-Enrollment Criteria
22-1220 Fundamentals of 2-D Design
22-1210 Drawing I
22-1320 Design Lab
22-1101 Hist of ArtI:Stone Age to Gothic
22-1310 Beginning Typography
22-1102 Hist of ArtII:Renaissance Modern
General Course Objectives
n To introduce the student to the field of graphic design, the realities of design practice and the
procedures of the designer.
n To develop systems of creative thinking that will aid in solving visual problems.
n To explore how problems are resolved in graphic design and how ideas are generated.
n To understand and define successful graphic design.
n For students to develop professional attitudes toward themselves, their peers, and colleagues in
the profession of graphic design as a whole.
Disclaimer
This syllabus is subject to change at any time during the semester. You will be notified of any
changes or will be issued a new syllabus.
last day to add a class
Saturday, Jan 30
last day to drop class
Saturday, Feb 6
last day to withdraw
Saturday, Mar 20

2.  | introduction to graphic design
COURSE DETAILS
Text
(required) Dabner, David, Sheena Calvert, Anoki Casey.
Graphic Design School, 4th ed. Wiley, 2010.
ISBN: 978-0-470-46651-3
Materials
n medium sized sketchbook (dedicated to this class)
n  pencils, pens, watercolors, markers of choice
n  black mounting board (purchase as needed)
n  storage media of choice (firewire/USB 2.0 external, ipod,
flashdrives)
Course Fee
Course fees are used to support special class materials and
activities. A certain percentage of the course fee will be
credited directly to your student card after the add/drop
deadline. The course fee funds on your card are directly
linked to this specific course and the balance will return to
zero one week following the end of the semester.
Students with Disabilities Statement
Students with disabilities are requested to present their
Columbia accommodation letters to their instructor at the
beginning of the semester so that accommodations can be
arranged in a timely manner by the College, the department
or the faculty member, as appropriate. Students with
disabilities who do not have accommodation letters should
visit the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities
(312-369-8134/V or 312-360-0767/TTY).
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is one of the most cherished principles
of the Columbia community. You must adhere to this
principle: by understanding the nature of plagiarism and
by not plagiarizing materials; by refraining from the use of
unauthorized aids on tests and examinations; by turning
in assignments which are products of your own efforts and
research; and by refusing to give or receive information
on tests and examinations to or from other students. If
you violate these principles of simple honesty, you risk
embarrassment, course failure, and disciplinary action. It is
simply not worth it.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCES
Attendance
is
required
in
all
 Art
+
Design
classes.
In each
class, attendance is tied to specific learning outcomes and
to course grades.
Any absence will affect your ability to
complete coursework successfully. There are no excused
absences. More than three absences is cause for failure.
Here are some examples of the ways in which attendance
connects with learning outcomes:
1 Students critique and evaluate each other’s work
in class and it is essential for your progress and learning
experience to be present to do so. Critiquing develops
analytical skill and communication proficiency.
2 Students frequently collaborate on projects and
in-class exercises, and learning these skills requires
you to be present.
3 Participating in class discussions and critiques
helps you develop skill in self-expression and
verbal/rhetorical abilities
Tardiness and early departure will also be considered a
violation of the absence policy. Attendance will be taken
at the start of each class. Being late to class twice (15
minutes or more), or leaving before the end of class twice
(or instructor dismissal), will equal an absence. While I
appreciate being informed if you are arriving late or leaving
early, the attendance mark is automatic nonetheless. Class
will not dismiss earlier than 9:20, so if you leave before
then, you will receive and early departure. Attendance will
be recorded in Moodle after each class; it is the student’s
responsibility to keep track of their attendance record.
EXPECTATIONS
To do well in this course, plan on an average of at least 6–8
hours of work per week outside of class. Project schedules
are designed to give students time for critical and creative
revisions; the drafts leading to the final version of a project
should represent active experimentation, critical self-
assessment, and personal commitment to the work.
Arrive at class on time, with your materials, your projects
prepared, and ready to work. There will be two 15-minute
breaks per class. While in class, you are expected to work
on class projects; internet usage should be limited to class-
related research.
You are expected to be an enthusiastic participant in this
class and take ownership of your work and development
as a creative professional. The function of critiques is not
only to receive feedback on your work, but to build essential
skills of presentation, negotiation, and persuasion.

3. introduction to graphic design | 
GRADES
A project will be evaluated by the following criteria:
1 following instructions accurately and meeting deadlines,
2 appropriateness of solution to project design brief,
3 uniqueness of solution, demonstration of creativity and
purposeful experimentation,
4 craftmanship and attention to detail, and
5 presentation.
There will be something due each week that will affect your
grade. Deadlines are clearly noted in Moodle and/or project
printouts. It is your responsiblity to keep track of when your
work is due and to ensure that you are clear on expectations
before starting your projects.
All grades and comments will be posted through Moodle.
Grade Breakdown
Four projects — 100pts each
Exercises — 10pts each
2 Quizzes — 50pts each
Self Evaluation — 100pts
GRADE DESCRIPTION GRADE AVG
A excellent 96-100
A- 91-95
B+ 88-90
B above average 84-87
B- 80-83
C+ 77-79
C average 73-76
C- 70-72
D below average 60-69
F failure below 60
FX failure for non-attendance
P pass
I Incomplete (not given)
R course repeated
W withdrawal
COURSEWORK
Each project will be provided with a detailed project sheet.
Be sure to follow the instructions carefully. Reread the
directions prior to handing in your projects. Failure to
comply with these instructions will effect your grade.
We will critique work-in-progress as well as finished projects.
Critiques are meant to develop skills of presentation and
discussion and should be approached in a professional
manner. The presentation of work is an essential part of the
project as well as your development as a creative professional.
Creating the work is only part of the process—you must be
able to present your work as the right solution to the given
design problem.
Unless instructed otherwise, work must be printed out to be
accepted for review, class viewing or grading. If you wait
until 10 minutes before class to print out your work and
then run into printing problems, that is not a valid excuse
for late work. Any work brought into class after a crit has
started will be counted as late. All work must be posted in
Moodle for credit; if the work is analog (like a pencil
sketch), it should be scanned or photographed and
uploaded (image quality isn’t an issue).
Projects vs. Exercises
Throughout the course, we will have around 10 in-class
exercises that will be graded on a credit/no-credit basis. The
exercises are intended to build specific skills that will be needed
for projects, or to reinforce topics and/or design techniques.
You will be given time to complete exercises in class.
Late Work
All work will be due at specific dates as outlined in the
course schedule, and will be due at the beginning of class.
Exercises If you do not complete the work in-class or are
absent, then exercises must be submitted in Moodle before
the beginning of the next class (i.e., within one week). Late
exercises will not be accepted for credit (not negotiable).
Project drafts/work-in-progress All in-progress project
work must be turned in on the date specified. Missed
work will count a full letter off the final project grade. All
in-progress work is posted in Moodle, so class attendance
is not required to the ability to turn in work.
Project finals If your project final is one week late, your
project will drop 1 full grade, two weeks late, your project
will drop 2 grades. Project finals will not be accepted after
two weeks. Please don’t miss class because you haven’t
finished your work.
Backing Up Your FIles
Losing work due to failed media or overwritten files is
not an excuse for late work. Students are expected to
have an effective backup strategy for all of their files. It is
suggested that this strategy includes dupicate back-ups of
all working and final files. Please note that lab computers
are completely erased at the end of each day.

4. SOFTWARE TRAINING
Design Lab is required to be taken prior to Introduction to
Graphic Design, so a certain amount of familiarity with the
software used in class is expected.
Please note that while there will be some software tutorials
covered in this class, it is not the primary focus. If you lack
the basic skill levels for Adobe CS (InDesign, Illustrator and
Photoshop) tutors can be scheduled through the Graphics
Lab on the 9th Floor, 623 South Wabash Street or tutorials
CDs can be taken out on loan.
CLASS NEWS AND UPDATES
I will be contacting you via email (through the Moodle
News Forum) with reminders, changes or any other
pertinent information. Please check your email at least
24hrs before class or more often. It is your responsibility to
manage your mailbox so that lines of communication are open
and available.
I will also be posting up-to-date project handouts,
presentation pdfs, and the syllabus/calendar with any
updates on Moodle. If you misplace your project handouts
you will find them on Moodle for the duration of the project.
CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR
The best way to contact me is through email; I will get
back to you within the day. Please note that I only check
my Columbia email after 6pm on weekdays. If the issue
is an emergency, please call my cell phone. I am only on
campus during class hours, but will be available for student
meetings during breaks or after class.
RECOMMENDED READING
Bierut, Micheal, et al. Looking Closer (series). Allsworth
Press.
Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style.
Hartley and Marks Publishers, 2004.
Communication Arts (magazine)
Cullen, Kristen. Layout Workbook. Rockport, 2007.
designobserver.com
Dot Dot Dot (magazine)
Elam, Kimberly. Grid Systems. Princeton Architectural
Press, 2004.
Felici, James. The Complete Manual of Typography. Adobe
Press, 2002.
French, Nigel. InDesign Type: Professional Typography with
Adobe InDesign CS2. Adobe Press, 2006.
Friedl, Fredrich. Typography. Black Dog and Leventhal
Publishers, 1998.
Heller, Steven. The Anatomy of Design. Rockport, 2007.
Heller, Steven and Teresa Fernandez. Becoming a Graphic
Designer. Wiley, 2005.
Hochuli, Jost and Robin Kinross. Designing Books: Practice
and Theory. Hyphen, 2004.
How (magazine)
Lidwell, William. Universal Principles of Design. Rockport,
2003.
Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type. Princeton Architectural
Press, 2004.
Meggs, Philp and Alston Puvis. Meggs’ History of Graphic
Design, 4th ed., Wiley, 2006.
Müller-Brockmann, Josef. Grid Systems in Graphic Design.
Arthur Niggli, 1996.
Print (magazine)
Samara, Timothy. Making and Breaking the Grid. Rockport,
2002.
Shaughnessy, Adrian. How to be a Graphic Designer
Without Losing Your Soul. Princeton Architectural Press,
2006.
Various. Type Director Club Annuals. Watson-Guptill
Publications.
Weingart, Wolfgang. My Way to Typography. Lars Müller,
2000.
White, Alex. Thinking in Type. Allsworth Press, 2004.
White, Alex. The Elements of Graphic Design. Allsworth
Press, 2002.
 | introduction to graphic design

5. introduction to graphic design | 
MOODLE
Moodle is a new learning management system (LMS) at
Columbia that is available as an alternative to Oasis. To
enter the Moodle site, go to moodle.colum.edu, log in with
your Oasis ID, and you should see our class under “My
Courses.” On the course site landing page, you will find
all of the same information that you would normally find
in Oasis; grades, attendance records, handouts, etc, but in a
more user-friendly interface. Below are the primary Moodle
features that we will be using in this class.
1 News Forum
News items topics can be posted by the instructor only
and will be used to notify the class of any course changes,
emergencies, and general reminders and clarification
to assignments. You will automatically receive an email
notification of any items posted to the News Forum.
2 Class Forum
The two faces icon indicates a forum . The general
class forum (located above the first week) is open to the
entire class for any postings of interest relevant to the
course, assignment questions, and impromptu requests for
feedback on your work. Posting in this forum will send an
email to the class.
After your work is posted, you have a 30 minute grace
period to delete or edit the posteing (unless you check
“email now” – we will walk through this in class). After your
work is up, you can comment on class postings by clicking
“reply” at the bottom of an entry.
1
2
3
4
3

6.  | introduction to graphic design
3 Assignments
Wherever you see the assignment icon , that is a
location where something needs to be turned in (uploaded
through Moodle). Assignment icons appear in the week
that the particular project or exercise is due. At the bottom
of the project page is an area to upload and submit your
project files (see below).
The dates & times listed in the assignment refer to when
the assignment is open for submission and the deadline
for projects to be considered on-time. On assignments that
are not accepted late, such as project work-in-progess and
exercises, the due date is when the submission function will
turn off.
Once you have uploaded a file into the “Submission Draft”
area, a new button appears: Send for Marking. Until you
send the files for marking, you can delete and replace your
files, but are still available to the instructor in case you
forget to do the “send for marking” step.
4 Resources
Resource entries include project information pages, pdf
downloads, presentations, and web links.
Project information pages will contain a pdf of the project
sheet provided in class, project files, student work samples,
and additional resources related to the project.

7. introduction to graphic design | 
COURSE SCHEDULE
1/26 Introductions/What is Graphic Design?
Exercise 1 circle, square, triangle
for next week
Project 1 poster roughs/research
Reading handouts (posted in Moodle)
2/2 Language of Graphic Design
Project 1 in-progress crit
Exercise 2
for next week
Project 1 poster revisions
Reading GDS Units 1, 2

2/9 Layout: Foundations
Project 1 in-progress crit
Exercise 3
for next week
Project 1 poster final
Reading GDS Unit 3
2/16 Typography Review/Document Structure
Project 1 final crit
Exercise 4
for next week
Project 2 brochure roughs
Reading GDS Unit 4
2/23 Color
Project 2 in-progress crit
Exercise 5
for next week
Project 2 brochure revisions
Reading GDS Unit 5
3/2 Image
Project 2 in-progress crit
Exercise 6
for next week
Project 2 brochure revisions
Reading GDS Unit 6
3/9 Production Issues
Project 2 in-progress crit
Exercise 7
for next week
Project 2 brochure revisions
Reading handouts (posted in Moodle)

8.  | introduction to graphic design
3/16 Sign, Symbol, Logo
Project 2 final crit
Quiz 1
for next week
Project 3 logo roughs
Reading handouts
3/23 NO CLASS
3/30 Intro to Branding
Project 3 in-progress crit
Exercise 8
for next week
Project 3 logo revisions
Reading handouts
4/6 Type as Image
Project 3 in-progress crit
Exercise 9
for next week
Project 3 logo final
Reading review Des El chapter 3
4/13 Intro to Web Design
Project 3 final crit
for next week
Project 4 sitemap, wireframes
Reading GDS Unit 6
4/20 Web Design Process
Project 4 in-progress crit
Exercise 10
for next week
Project 4 revised sitemap, first visual designs
Reading handouts
4/27 HTML & CSS
Project 4 in-progress crit
Exercise 11
for next week
Project 4 revised visual designs
5/4 Review & Lab
Project 4 in-progress crit, in-class lab
for next week
Project 4 final
Self-evaluation (due by Sunday, 5/16)
5/11 Final
Project 4 final
Quiz 2

9. 22-2330: INTRO TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
Project 1  Festival Poster

Description
Create a poster design to promote a classical music festival. There will be three groups, each
with a different composer. Your design should reflect an understanding of the historical context
of the music, represented in both type choice and graphic imagery. Your work can appropriate
historical styles, or may take a more contemporary vision of the composer’s work. Your work
should, however, clearly demonstrate an understanding of historical context and the music itself.
For example, you may choose to pick up imagery related to the composer or his era (see ex a),
or you might interpret the music in more abstract imager (see ex B). While you may use found
photography, ephemera, printed matter, etc, you must manipulate, retranslate, or in some way
alter the meaning of the images enough to make them “your own” (see ex C).
Posters are meant to exist in a public space, and should communicate to the viewer from across
the room as well as up close (see ex A). Its message and meaning should be clear and quickly
grasped by the viewer; pay special attention to strong contrasts of color, value, scale, and positive/
negative space.
Your poster will also contain detailed information about the festival concerts. This information
should be set with a clear hierarchy of information. This information is intended for close
viewing, so should be set at a comfortable size and weight for standard text legibility (see ex B).
However, your poster should not look like an image with type slapped on; your image and text
should all be a part of the same message and composition.
Specifications
n Print size will be 18 x 24 inches. Can be vertical or horizontal. See schedule below for details
on print sizes needed for crits. If your colors bleed, trim off the edges before presenting. Ask if
you are unsure about how to set up bleeds and crop marks when printing.
n You may only use 4 Pantone colors (and screens of these 4 colors). These will not be literal spot
colors, but will be defined as global process swatches.
n You can use Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign to create your layouts. Images should
be placed at no less than 225ppi. If you are not using vector images, keep the resolution
requirements in mind when researching and using images.
Steps
1. Due 2/2—Present 5 concepts to your group, along with your research from the
questionnaire. Your focus on these should be on visual concepts, not creating a polished
work. While you should have 5 concepts to present, those concepts should be developed out
of dozens of sketches. You will select the strongest concept during a crit with your group. Post
your sketches in Moodle.
2. Due 2/9—Revised design for review. Print two tabloid sized sheets and tile together (we will
go over how to set this up in class). Trim off any bleeds. Post pdf of work in Moodle.
2. Due 2/16—Final design, printed full scale. You are not required to mount the work, but
the printouts should be kept flat and clean. You may tile work and assemble with care, or
(preferably) print at full size on a large format printer. Trim off any bleeds. Post final pdf in
Moodle.

A poster should tell
its story at once—a design
that needs study is not
a poster, no matter how
well it is executed.
 Edward Penfield
A
B
C

10. 22-2330: INTRO TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
Project 3  Composer research

When and where was your composer born? List any interesting biographical details.
Is your composer considered part of a musical or visual art movement? List a few
contemporary visual artists that would have been near the composer’s circle.
Give some details (or examples) of art that would fit the historical context
of your composer.
Give some adjectives that would describe the music.
List 2–3 typefaces that are of the composers era.
Are there themes in the work that you can relate to contemporary issues?

11. 22-2330: intro to Graphic design
Project 3  Festival poster

[note to designer: the copy below is not formatted; please design and structure the
text as you think best]
[Festival T itle]
NEC Presents Celebration of Steve Reich, November 28--29
[Festival Schedule]
Wed., Nov. 28
5pm – Brown Hall
Piano Phase for two pianos (1967) - Stephen Drury & Yukiko Takagi
Different Trains for string quartet and tape (1988) - Borromeo String Quartet
8pm – Jordan Hall
Six Pianos (1973) – [nec]shivaree, Stephen Drury, director
Music for Eighteen Musicians (1976) - Callithumpian Consort, Stephen Drury, director
Thurs., Nov. 29
5pm – Brown Hall
Violin Phase for four violins – [nec]shivaree
Drumming (1971) - Callithumpian Consort
8pm – Jordan Hall
Triple Quartet for string orchestra (1998) - NEC Philharmonia, Stephen Drury, conductor
Vermont Counterpoint for 11 flutes (1982) - NEC Contemporary Ensemble, John Heiss, director
City Life - NEC Wind Ensemble, Charles Peltz, director
Daniel Variations - NEC Philharmonia, Drury conducting
Emily Spear, Sheena Ramirez, Jonathan Reed, Alex Powell, soloists
[Contact Info]
New England Conservatory
Jordan Hall Box Office
30 Gainsborough Street
Boston, MA 02115
[phone]
newenglandconservatory.edu

GROUP
1

12. 22-2330: intro to Graphic design
Project 3  Festival poster

[note to designer: the copy below is not formatted; please design and structure the
text as you think best]
[Festival T itle]
The Stravinsky Project
Xak Bjerken, Director
February 19–23
[Festival Schedule]
Except for the Cornell Concert Series performance on Feb 28, all events are free and open to the
public.
Thursday, Feb 19 12:30 PM
B20 Lincoln Hall
Midday Music at Lincoln: a Kabuki-inspired Oedipus rex.
Friday, Feb 20 8:00 PM
Barnes Hall Auditorium
Opening concert: guest pianist Christina Dahl plays Petrushka and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an
Exhibition, and is joined by Xak Bjerken for Four Etudes and Adams’s Hallelujah Junction.
Saturday, Feb 21 10:30 AM
Johnson Museum of Art
Lecture by musicologist Glenn Watkins: “The Cosmopolitan Stravinsky: Culture and the Search for
an Angle.”
Saturday, Feb 21 1:30 PM
B20 Lincoln Hall
Lecture by John McClure, former director of Columbia Masterworks and producer for most of
Stravinsky’s recordings: “Working with Stravinsky.” 
Saturday, Feb 21 8:00 PM
Barnes Hall Auditorium
Ensemble X; Steven Stucky and guest Mark Davis Scatterday, conductors. Features Octet, Three
Pieces for String Quartet, the classic Octandre of Varèse, and Judith Kellock singing Three Japanese
Lyrics, Two Poems of Konstantin Bal’mont, and Ravel’s Mallarmé Songs. Pre-concert discussion
7:15-7:45 pm.
Sunday, Feb 22 3:00 PM
Bailey Hall
Three Classics: Les Noces (“The Wedding”) conducted by Scott Tucker; Concerto in D, performed by
the Cornell Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Hsu; and “Dumbarton Oaks” Concerto, played
by the Cornell Chamber Orchestra, Xak Bjerken, conductor.
 Monday, Feb 23 4:15 PM
316 Lincoln Hall
Music Colloquium: lecture by Dimitri Shapovalov, “Stravinsky’s Approach to Text: How to Sing
Russian without Accents.”
[Contact Info]
Sponsored by the Department of Music, Cornell Council for the Arts, Department of Russian,
Center for European Studies, Percy Browning, and Joan Niles Sears.
Cornell University Music Department
101 Lincoln Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
www.arts.cornell.edu/music/
GROUP
2

13. 22-2330: intro to Graphic design
Project 3  Festival poster

[note to designer: the copy below is not formatted; please design and structure the
text as you think best]
[Festival T itle]
Debussy and His World
August 10–12
[Festival Schedule]
Friday, August 10
Olin Auditorium
8:00 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Leon Botstein
8:30 p.m. Performance: Jonathan Biss, piano; Colorado Quartet; Jeremy Denk, piano; Dennis
Helmrich, piano; Dominique Labelle, soprano; New York Virtuoso Singers, Harold Rosenbaum,
music director; Karl Paulnack, piano
CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862–1918): Ariettes oubliées (Verlaine) (1903); L’isle joyeuse, for piano
(1904); Estampes, for piano (1903); String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10 (1893); Printemps, for
piano four-hands and female chorus (1887; 1904); En blanc et noir, for two pianos (1915)
Saturday, August 11
Olin Auditorium
1:00 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Robert Martin
1:30 p.m. Performance: Laura Ahlbeck, oboe; Melvin Chen, piano; Jeremy Denk, piano; Eugene
Drucker, violin; Dennis Helmrich, piano; Karl Paulnack, piano; Sarah Pelletier, soprano; Steven
Tharp, tenor; Leon Williams, baritone
GABRIEL FAUR´E (1845–1924): Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major, Op. 13 (1876)
SONGS AND ARIAS BY Emmanuel Chabrier (1841–1894), Georges Bizet (1838–1875), Charles
Gounod (1818–1893), Reynaldo Hahn (1874–1947), Jules Massenet (1842–1912), Edouard Lalo
(1823–1892), Gabriel Pierné (1863–1937), Benjamin Godard (1849–1895), Ambroise Thomas
(1811–1896)
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921): Oboe Sonata in D Major, Op. 166 (1921)
Sunday, August 12
Olin Auditorium
4:30 p.m. Preconcert Talk
5:00 p.m. Performance: Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, piano; Randy Bowman, flute; Melvin Chen, piano;
Colorado Quartet; Sara Cutler, harp; Jeremy Denk, piano; Dennis Helmrich, piano; Jeffrey Lang,
horn; Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano; Nardo Poy, viola; Jonathan Spitz, cello; Steven Tharp, tenor;
Eric Wyrick, violin
CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862–1918): Images, series 1, for piano (1901–05)
PAUL DUKAS (1865–1935): Villanelle, for horn (1906)
SONGS BY Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht (1880–1965) and André Caplet (1878–1925)
[Contact Info]
Bard College
Tickets: Bard Music Festival, PO Box 5000,
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000
ph: 845-758-7410
www.fishercenter.bard.edu
GROUP
3

14.  | introduction to graphic design
22-2330: INTRO TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
Project 3  Logo & Business Card

Description
Create a logo that visually identifies your company based on the criteria given in your design
brief. The logo should be unique, appropriate within its market, easily identified and understood,
and memorable. The logo should represent a solid understanding of the visual and social meaning
contained within the type and imagery used.
Specifications
n Logo must contain both type (logotype) and image (mark). The image can be integrated into
the text, or may be a separate entity that could be used both with the logotype and on its own.
n Create both color and b/w versions. You can use up to 3 PMS colors. Create the logo to be
flexible. Think of the types of products and collateral that your company might produce
and how the logo would look in different media and dimensions. Keep the graphic elements
simple—reduce and refine.
n Must be vector-based (resolution independent). You can use Photoshop, but the layers
must be vector (shape layers). You may also use hand lettering, but the art would need
to be traced/outlined in Illustrator.
Schedule
1. Due 3/30—Create a minimum of 10 refined sketches. Start with research. Look at the
competition. Go to related businesses, look closely at how they use their identity system:
variations, colors, scale, imagery. Check out design books at the library, especially letterhead
and logo annuals from Graphis and Print. Look at the name—what does it mean? Start
sketching out symbols and themes that come to mind. Avoid over-used symbols like arrows,
globes, swoops, etc. Sketches should be done in pencil or ink on paper. They may be done on
individual sheets or in your sketchbook. Draw out your text by hand, but use reference.
Scan and post your sketches in Moodle and bring originals/printouts to class for review.
2. Due 4/6—Three proposals, in color and black and white. Take your three unique sketches
that are the most successful and create digital versions (vector). These three logos should look
as near to finish quality as possible, but the emphasis should be on refining your initial ideas
further and narrowing down to the most successful option. Post your proposals in Moodle and
bring originals/printouts to class for review.
2. Due 4/13—Final logo, in color and black and white, with business card, mounted on black
board. Post final pdf in Moodle.

definitions
PMS: Pantone Matching
System. Pantone is a
company that supplies
color formulas to printers
to mix inks that are used
as “spot” colors, i.e., inks
that are used instead of or
in addition to CMYK.
software tip 
In Illustrator, to find PMS
colors , look under Swatch
Libraries/Color Books and
select the swatch book you
want. Once you add a spot
color to your document’s
swatch palette, double-click
on the color swatch. The
window shown below
should appear. Note that
Color Type reads “Process
Color” instead of “Spot.”
Unless you are intentionally
using a true spot color ink,
make sure your colors are
set to process, or that color
will create a separate plate
on output.
Make sure “Global” is
checked. Then, when you
want to use a tint of the
color, your color palette will
look like:

15. 22-2330: INTRO TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
 Creative brief questions

Company Name:
What do they do
Who are their customers/demographic
How they want people to view their company
List 3 adjective that would describe the new logo design
How the logo will be used (print, web, t-shirts, signs, etc; functional requirements)
Competitors (list three)
List three reasons why the current logo needs to be updated

16. 22-2330: INTRO TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
Project 4  Brochure

Description
You have been chosen by the city to design a walking tour brochure of Millennium Park. The
purpose of the brochure is serve as both a functional map and attractive showcase/keepsake of
the Park’s more unique features. You will be given manuscript in a separate document that must be
followed exactly; your challenge is to find a functional and creative solution within these guidelines.
The brochure will be placed in dispensers in various locations throughout the park and used to
guide tourists to the most popular features. Your design should be both original and look like it
belongs with the other collateral located in the Park. The cover should be eye-catching with the
text “Walking Tour” highly legible from several feet away. You will be provided with the standard
park map to use to illustrate the tour, but you may also create your own version to complement
your visual design and information system.
The purpose of this project is to:
1) gain experience with creating a multi-page brochures, creating a unified message and visual
style through type, imagery, color, and layout;
2) gain experience working with provided copy, imagery, and general layout direction;
3) experiment with layout strategies, balancing clarity of message with engaging graphics, and
4) set professional-looking type with a clear hierarchy of style, using InDesign stylesheets.
Specifications
n The project folder is being provided to you, and should be kept intact as-is. Within the folder
“Text” is a document called “manuscript” that contains the instructions for the brochure. Any
text in this document that is not contained in brackets or parentheses is live text, and must be
used on the brochure. The photos included in the folder are optional: you may create your own
graphics (including photos and illustrations) for the project.
n There are three brochure templates in your project folder to choose from, or you may propose
an alternate format to match your concept.
n The layout should be done in InDesign, and you must use paragraph styles for any type
styles used more than three times. Images should be placed at no less than 225ppi. If images
are intended to bleed off of the page, the bleed should be no less than .25 in (1p6). Any
images or text not intended to bleed off of the page should be at least .125 in from trim.
n You may only use up to two typefaces. Select a typeface with a good variety of weights and
widths such as Franklin Gothic, Trade Gothic, Avenir, Univers, Futura, Helvetica Neue, Myriad.
Schedule
1. Due 3/02—Two rough layouts, digital. Layouts can be supported with pencil thumbnails to
show working process and alternate ideas. The layouts do not need to be polished, but should
be resolved enough to discuss direction. The two layouts should be unique approaches, not just
a change in text and imagery. Review will be with instructor only. Post pdf in Moodle.
2. Due 3/09—First draft of final design. Print out and mock up your brochure for group crit,
and post pdf in Moodle.
3. Due 3/16—Final design, printed and mounted on board. You are also encouraged to show a
mocked-up brochure in your presentation. Post final pdf and Zipped InDesign file in Moodle
(you do not need to package the fonts or images).
Sponsored by the Chicago Office of Tourism 2/06 QT Y XXX
For more information on Chicago events and
activities, please call toll free 1-877-Chicago
(244-2246) or visit www.877chicago.com.
City of Chicago
Richard M. Daley, Mayor
City of Chicago
Richard M. Daley, Mayor
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
Lois Weisberg, Commissioner
Sponsored by the Chicago Office of Tourism 2/06 QT Y XXX
For more information on Millennium Park,
including a complete schedule of free concerts
and events please call 312-742-1168, visit
www.millenniumpark.org or stop
by the Millennium Park Welcome Center,
located in the Northwest Exelon Pavilion,
201 E. Randolph Street.
need brochure inspiration?
Go to the Visitor Information
Center located at the North end
of the Chicago Cultural Center,
at the corner of Michigan Ave
and Randolph.
Folder structure
3 panel template
4 panel template

17. 22-2330: intro to Graphic design
Project 4  Web page redesign
Description
Your assignment is to revisit the non-profit you chose for your logo project and propose a
redesign of their website (the homepage and one interior page). Your process will include
defining the goals of the site, the primary users the site is intended to reach, the most important
tasks/actions, reworking the site structure and navigation, and creating a proposal for an
engaging and interactive visual design (based on your earlier identity work).
The deliverables will be:
­— a site map (developed by team as a whole). Can be high-level and not polished—show your
ideas for restructuring the amount and type of pages. Create logical groupings and flow. Use
the group questionairre to define the site and its goals; base your decisions on these goals and
desired user interactions.
— wireframes of the home page and one interior page (your own work). Focus on the amount
and type of content on the page, general layout arrangements & proportions, navigation labels
and placement, and general functionality. Think sparse, leaving out the “look & feel” of the
site.
— PhotoShop (or Illustrator) mockups of the home & interior page. Be as thorough as possible,
and be prepared to walk us through behaviors and site structure.
Schedule
1. Due 4/20—Wireframes of homepage and at least 1 interior page
2. Due 4/27—First draft of mockups (homepage and at least 1 interior page)
3. Due 5/4—Revised mockups
4. Due 5/12—Final design, printed
Post all work in Moodle.