GD100: Introduction to Graphic Design (3 credits)

Department of Integrative Arts

30 Borland Building

Course Description GD100: Introduction to Graphic Design is an introductory course designed to present a broad overview of the discipline and its role in our complex visual culture. Lessons focus on the history of design, the development of various niches of design, including corporate, identity, packaging and environmental, to design that incorporates motion and interactivity. Through their readings, students will be introduced to prominent graphic designers (both historic and contemporary), and learn more about the discipline as a profession. Assignments for GD100 include identifying examples of design, creating basic designs and typographic exercises, and include assignments that introduce the designer’s problem solving process. Course Textbook Textbook for GD100 is The Cheese Monkeys. Written by PSU graphic design alumni Chip Kidd, the book is an amusing satire of his educational experience: “part irreverent academic comedy, part autobiographical statement of purpose… and a triumph of design as substance.” The book is available at the PSU bookstore, and on-line. ISBN-10: 0061452483. ISBN-13: 978-0061452483. Course Objectives

• Gain a basic understanding of graphic design as a profession. • Gain a basic understanding of the rich history of graphic design. • Experience the problem-solving process of the graphic designer. • Develop and hone sensitivity to the visual environment. • Develop and hone critical skills, and articulate the same in writing.

Academic Integrity Any instance of academic dishonesty, which, according to the faculty handbook, includes cheating, plagiarism, fabricating or falsifying information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students, will result in a failing grade for the assignment. There will be no opportunity given to recover lost points for assignments that you fail due to academic dishonesty. Repeated dishonesty will result in a failing grade for the course and a consultation with the department head. Special Flu Protocols

In compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control recommendations, students should NOT attend class or any public gatherings while ill with influenza. Students with flu symptoms will be asked to leave campus if possible and to return home during recovery. The illness and self-isolation period will usually be about a week. It is very important that individuals avoid spreading the flu to others. Most students should be able to complete a successful semester despite a flu-induced absence. Faculty will provide students who are absent because of illness with a reasonable opportunity to make up missed work. Ordinarily, it is inappropriate to substitute for the missed assignment the weighting of a semester’s work that does not include the missed assignment or exam. Completion of all assignments and exams assures the greatest chance for students to develop heightened understanding and content mastery that is unavailable through the weighting process. The opportunity to complete all assignments and exams supports the university’s desire to enable students to make responsible situational decisions, including the decision to avoid spreading a contagious virus to other students, staff, and faculty, without endangering their academic work. Students with the flu do not need to provide a physician’s certification of illness. However, ill students should inform their teachers (but not through personal contact in which there is a risk of exposing others to the virus) as soon as possible that they are absent because of the flu. Likewise students should contact their instructors as quickly as possible to arrange to make up missed assignments or exams. If you have questions about academic policy-related issues, please call the Associate Dean/Chief Academic Officer of your college. For health-related questions you can email Dr. Margaret Spear, director, University Health Services, at uhsinfo@sa.psu.edu. Grading Grades in GD100 are determined by a series of 12 Assignments and three quizzes. Please note that Assignments have three parts with different due dates. The first part is to upload the image(s) and written statement for the Assignment. Additionally, Assignments require students to give written critical feedback to peers on their visual uploads. We use a point-based scale, and point values are distributed as follows: ASSIGNMENT POINTS TOTAL POINTS Assignment #1: Design is Everywhere 30 points: images 20 points: statement 10 points: feedback Total: 60 points Assignment #2: Mapping the Design Process 20 points: mind map 20 points: word list 10 points: feedback Total: 50 points

Assignment #3: Elements & Principles of Graphic Design 20 points: images 20 points: statement 10 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #4: Illustrated & Photographic Images 30 points: images 10 points: statement 10 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #5: Expressive Typography 20 points: image 10 points: statement 20 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #6: Symbolism in Graphic Design 20 points: image 10 points: statement 20 points feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #7: Corporate Identities 10 points: images 20 points: statement 20 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #8: Book Jackets 10 points: image 20 points: statement 20 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #9: Movie Posters 10 points: image 20 points: statement 20 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #10: Analyzing the Visual Environment 20 points: image 10 points: statement 20 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #11: Analyzing Package Design 20 points: image

10 points: statement 20 points: feedback Total: 50 points Assignment #12: Storyboards 30 points: image 10 points: statement 10 points: feedback Total: 50 points Quiz #1 Total: 100 points Quiz #2 Total: 100 points Quiz #3 Total: 100 points Total: 910 points At the end of the semester, Final Grades are assigned based on your overall point total. The following scale is used. POINTS PERCENT GRADE 846 - 910

93% -100%

A

819 - 845

90% - 92.9%

A–

792 - 818

87% - 89.9%

B+

755 - 791

83% - 86.9%

B

728 - 754

80% - 82.9%

B–

701 - 727

77% - 79.9%

C+

637 - 700

70% - 76.9%

C

546 - 636

60% - 69.9%

D

000 - 545

00% - 59.9%

F

Course Outline

Below is the Course Outline for the semester. Note that the assignments are due on the Tuesdays and Thursdays following the reading. Quizzes #1 and #2 are scheduled on Fridays, and will be available from 9am to 11pm on Angel. Quiz #3 is scheduled for Wednesday of Week 15, and available within the same time frame as the other quizzes. WEEK ASSIGNMENTS Week 1 Syllabus Read introductory materials. Familiarize yourself with GD100 site. Week 2 Overview of Graphic Design Read content for Week 2 Read The Cheese Monkeys: Registration Assignment #1: Design Is Everywhere Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 3 The Design Process Read content for Week 3 Read The Cheese Monkeys: ii. Art 101: Introduction to Drawing Assignment #2: Mapping the Design Process Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 4 The Elements and Principles of Graphic Design Read content for Week 4 Read The Cheese Monkeys: iii. Art 101: Introduction to Drawing (cont.) Assignment #3: Elements and Principles of Graphic Design Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 5 Images: Illustrated & Photographic Read content for Week 5 Assignment #4: Images: Illustrated & Photographic Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 6

Typography Read content for Week 6 Assignment #5: Expressive Typography Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Quiz #1: Friday, October 2 Course Readings 2-5 The Cheese Monkeys: Registration, ii. Art 101: Introduction to Drawing, iii. Art 101: Introduction to Drawing (cont.) Week 7 Symbolism, Analogy, Metaphor and the Visual Pun Read course content for Week 7 Read The Cheese Monkeys: iv. Winter Break Assignment #6: Symbolism in Graphic Design Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 8 Corporate Design Read content for Week 8 Read The Cheese Monkeys: i. Art 127: Introduction to Commercial Art Assignment #7: Corporate Identities Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 9 Publication Design Read content for Week 9 Read The Cheese Monkeys: ii. The First Critique Assignment #8: Book Jackets Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 10 Poster Design Read content for Week 10 Read The Cheese Monkeys: iii. The Second Critique Assignment #9: Movie Posters Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Quiz #2 Course Readings 6-9 The Cheese Monkeys: iv. Winter Break, i. Art 127:

Introduction to Commercial Art, ii. The First Critique, iii. The Second Critique Week 11 Environmental Design and Information Graphics Read content for Week 11 Read The Cheese Monkeys: iv. The Third Critique Assignment #10: Analyzing the Visual Environment Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 12 Package Design Read content for Week 12 Read The Cheese Monkeys: v. The Fourth Critique Assignment #11: Analyzing Package Design Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 13 Motion Graphics & Web Design Read content for Week 13 Read The Cheese Monkeys: iv. The Final Exam Assignment #12: Storyboards Images due Tuesday Feedback due Thursday Week 14 Graphic Design as a Profession Read course content for Week 14 Week 15 Quiz #3: Wednesday Course Readings 10-14 The Cheese Monkeys: iv. The Third Critique, v. The Fourth Critique, iv. The Final Exam