Unit Question: What makes good design?

Significant Concept: We can communicate visually.

 

 

Terminal from Handmadefont on Vimeo.

Due to time constraints, this unit has been shortened from its original version.

 

Lesson 1:

Business Card Challenge (45mins)

Using Photoshop or Illustrator, you will create a business card for a fictitious business of your choice.

There are no limits to colours or use of graphics. Be creative! 

 

Share and critique:

Did you include colour?

What size should it be? What should be included?

Does your font should reflect the business?

How have you considered placement? layout? hierarchy?

What burning questions do you have? Document them.

 

Unit Question: What makes good design?

Begin researching this question. *This is assessed for Criteria A.

 

Homework:

Continue investigating the unit question.

 

(optional)

NOTE: there are several tutorials on YouTube for creating business cards.

Below is an interesting point on designing business cards:

 

Intro to Adobe Illustrator (LogoType)

 

 

Lesson 2:

Quick Discussion: What is graphic design?

The Universal Arts of Graphic Design | Off Book | PBS

 

"What is the difference between art and design?"

 

What Type Are You? (60mins)

Using Photoshop or Illustrator, create a document/composition using only the letters of your name.

*Depending on which software you used last class, you may wish to change which one for today's activity.

If using Photoshop, you will need to utilise layers more. 

• You should experiment with various fonts. 
• You should experiment with size.
• You should include upper and lower case. 
• You should experiment with rotation, overlapping and/or mirroring.
• You should experiment with kerning etc. 
• You should limit your colour palette, but may use colour in any way you see fit.
• You should consider layout, spacing and/or white space.
• Your composition should have an attractive balance. 
• You may use repetition.
• You may experiment with letters running off the page. 
• You may play with orientation.
• You may play with opacity.
• When complete, export your work as a jpg and email it to the teacher. *Note: If using Illustrator, export as a PNG. Go to File > Export. DON'T FORGET TO CLICK "USE ARTBOARDS" In Photoshop, go to File > Save As.

*Due next class. 

Some student work from 2013 here.

    

 

Homework:

Continue investigating the unit question.

Optional: The History of Typography

The History of Typography - Animated Short from Ben Barrett-Forrest on Vimeo.

 

 

 

 

Lesson 3:

Quick Discussion:

"What makes good graphic design? What are the elements?"

Elements of Design

 

Good Design Project:

You will create a 1 page A4 document sharing your research on what makes good graphic design. What are the elements and principles? How do designers convey their messages etc.?

You will need to be creative! There is a catch. You will research one of the designers below, and create your document mimicking their style.

You should play with layout! Put your research where now where it counts.

You have 1 week to complete this.

Graphic Designers to research:

• Stefan Sagmeister
• Chipp Kidd
• Paula Scher
• David Carson
• Alvin Lustig
• Milton Glaser
• Herb Lubalin
• Saul Bass
• Paul Rand
• Shigeo Fukuda
• Laura Rosenwald

*This project will be assessed for Criteria A and B. Due lesson 6.

 

 

Lesson 4:

Continue with your "Good Design" Project.

 

 

Lesson 5:

Continue with your "Good Design" Project. Due next week! 

 

 

Lesson 6: Photoshop Collage

Intro to Photoshop Task: Creating a Basic Collage

  

Task: You are a graphic designer that has been asked to contribute to a leading national magazine that highlights international students.

You will create a collage that represents you, or "sells" you in any way that you see fit.

This could be a collage celebrating your achievements, your dreams, your character etc.

You should attempt exploring layout and balance. You are also expected to implement good design practices into your work. 

 

You will follow the tutorial video below and basically:

1. Open Photoshop and create an A4 document. You can decide if you wish the document to be landscape or portrait mode.
2. Import photos (crop, resize, apply effects).
3. Add text if required. Try to at least include your name or a word.
4. When complete, save the file as a jpg that includes your name in the title like this: Gr9-u4-2013-John Magazine Ad. Email it to the teacher. Due next lesson.

video link

 

 

 

Lesson 7: The Illustrator Pen Tool

(The following 3 tutorials are one but had to split due to size restrictions on YouTube.)

 

Intro to the pen tool in Illustrator. Before beginning the 2 tutorials, you will need to download these 2 files by simply clicking them:

Illustrator Pen Tool Prac1.tif

Illustrator Pen Tool Prac2-Maze.tif

Now you may begin the Prac 1 tutorial. This should take 20-30 minutes. Don't forget to save your work.

Now you may begin the Prac 2 tutorial. This should take 30 minutes. Don't forget to save your work.

 

 

Lesson 8:

You can view the chart with notes in full here when complete.

 

Summative Task: Student handbook cover

You are a graphic designer. Your client, YIS, has asked you to create a cover for their MS/HS Student Handbook.

It will be A4 in size and contain information relating to school policies, procedures and guidelines.

You can view last year's here. There is no restriction on the number of colours.

You should include the school logo, which you may find below (drag it to your desktop).

 

You will need to research, brainstorm & plan your cover.

What can you include? What will your cover represent and what mood will it convey?

(Consider the graphic design process above.)

• What do you wish to covey? What are you selling? What are you visually communicating? Will you take a serious or lighthearted approach? How will you do this?
• What images can be included? Will they be photographs or drawn elements? or both?
• Will you focus on images to represent students? student life? Yokohama city? the School? A school value? Japan? etc
• Will you use Illustrator or Photoshop?
• How will you use text? How will you use colour?
• Consider layout, images, colour, font etc. Be bold and creative! Do something different. No one wants to see the same old thing.
• If using images, use your own images or those taken by the school. DO NOT use images from the web. You may use creative commons if the licence is appropriate. Note: you may need to provide the link on the cover to give attribution.

 

Seriously take the time to brainstorm some ideas. Share your brainstorms in small groups. Look at the work of designers for inspiration.

Then begin exploring 1-2 of of your ideas more in-depth through another brainstorm. Share this again in small groups.

You may also gather resource images to use as inspiration. 

If you wish, you may begin creating some quick thumbnail drawings as well. (This is required)

 

**Consider what your strengths and weaknesses are and how can you include them or work around them.

If you are a person that likes collage, is it possible to create a collage, scan it and incorporate it into your work?**

 

The above process is recommended. You can also play with layout within the application you have chosen to work with.

When doing this, you must take screen shot pictures throughout your digital process to document your work and to prove that you have done it.

 

View previous student work here:

2013

2012

 

 

Lesson 9: Final Project

Sketch out

 

 

Lesson 10:

Continue with your final project.

 

 

Lesson 11:

Continue with your final project.

 

 

Lesson 12:

Continue with your final project.

 

 

Lesson 13:

Presentation

 

Lesson 14:

Reflection