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Graphic Design

This course is an investigation of the role of graphic design in the visual environment. Students explore a variety of conceptual and production methodologies to create effective visual communication.

Course summary

The world in which we live is populated by myriad printed and screen-based messages of information and entertainment. We position ourselves in this visual landscape by creating visual presentations of themselves in various forms through social media profiles, personal web sites, class projects, and so much more. Since elementary school we have been asked to create digital presentations to demonstrate their command of class material, but in what way have we been prepared to do so? While many secondary schools teach technology, very few offer a concerted education on the fundamentals of graphic design outside of exclusive art classes. It is fair to say that the vast majority of people have no real understanding of how to create effective messages in a world that increasing uses visual perception to judge them. This course addresses these issues by providing students with fundamental critical thinking and creative making skills that will increase the effectiveness of their visual communications.

Graphic design has a formative role in the production of visual messages in contemporary culture. Everything we do to share our ideas in academic presentations, resumes, political messages, corporate communications, email and social profile construction is visually articulated through a variety of conceptual and formal decisions that make up the graphic form of the message. Everyone is a publisher today, and the success of any communication often rests upon how it is visually perceived by the audience long before it is read and digested. The course positions graphic design as both a formal tool and conceptual device by instructing students to skillfully and intelligently manipulate graphic form to communicate information effectively.

This course addresses the core proficiency of crafting strong and visually persuasive messages, and is designed to help students understand how the ideas they are continually charged with presenting in academic and professional contexts are dependent upon clear visual structure and coherent graphic expression. This course will provide a critical environment for examining visual communications with current and historical examples. The skills development aspect of this course will directly address practical aesthetic methodologies for developing and producing visual communication artifacts in a series of practical and conceptual projects.

Course Requirements

• Attend class each week, as assignments will draw upon topics covered in readings, projects and discussions.
• Collect all readings, sketches, prints, versions, ideas and other process materials in a 3-ring process journal.
• Read the assigned texts by the next class meeting.
• Comment on class readings on the class web site.
• Participate fully in class activities.
• Complete all projects in a timely manner to the best of your ability.

Electronic Communication Policy

• Facebook: A class Facebook group will be used for general questions about assignments as well as a place to post interesting links to topics related to this class. The group is called FALL 2015 GD and can be found here:
  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1632949843650096/
• Email: Use email to communicate questions and comments that pertain only to you. If the question is about the class in general, please use the Facebook group.
• Texting: You may text me in extremely urgent situations. My mobile number is in my email signature. Please try the Facebook group first.

Craft
Presentation is a critical part of graphic design. Poorly presented work handicaps the effective communication of ideas. Badly made work will not be accepted.

Reading/Writing
The ability to articulate oneself well in written and spoken words is crucial to you professional success. Readings from contemporary and historical design topics will be assigned in this course on a regular basis.

Equipment List
This course has a considerable supply list available at the KSC Book Store. We also use computers in addition to one of your most valuable tools — your mind — please remember to bring it to class. You will need:

• Thumb Drive (min. 8GB, 16-32GB preferred) or external hard drive
• 3-ring binder for process materials
• Small Aluminum triangle with measurements
• Steel ruler (15″ or18″) (no wooden or plastic rulers, please)
• X-acto knife
• X-acto replacement blades (box of 40+ blades)
• Standard Metal Utility knife (+ spare blades)
• Cutting matte (12″ x 18″ min.)
• Black sharpie markers (one thin, .01-.03 & one thick + various sizes)

Process notes
You will keep an ongoing and detailed record of all work, readings, and other visual inspiration and influence throughout the term in dedicated 3-ring binder. All drawings, notes and other materials will be uploaded on a project by project basis to the class blog.

Submitted Work
All work should be submitted according to medium. Digital files will be uploaded to class site and/or DropBox. Printed work will be submitted in clean and organized envelopes with your name written clearly in the upper right corner. No exceptions or alternatives will be accepted.

Assignment due dates

• Complete the assigned reading prior to the next week’s class meeting.
• You will not receive credit for any assignment passed in after the due date. If illness or other personal issues are keeping you from fulfilling an assignment, you must contact me before the assignment is due, or you will receive a zero (0%) for the missed assignment.
• Students are responsible for handing in any assignments due on the day of an absence.

Attendance policy
The Keene State College attendance policy emphasizes the correlation between attendance and academic achievement. A student is expected to attend all class meetings of courses in which he or she is enrolled.

• Keene State policy: A student who misses more than 6 classes in the first 10 weeks of the semester (for any reason whatsoever, including excused absences and emergencies) must withdraw from the course. The student must follow the regular withdrawal procedure. The complete KSC attendance policy can be viewed at http://www.keene.edu/administration/policy/detail/attendance/
• Class policy: students may take 2 unexcused absences. Students will lose a half letter off their final grade (A to A/B, A/B to B, B to B/C, etc.) for every non-excused absence thereafter. Students must provide documentation for any excused absence (doctor’s note or proof of other emergency).
• Students are responsible for handing in any assignments due on the day of an absence.
• You must actively seek out the information from any class you might miss from a fellow student in the class, or from me.
• Please consult the KSC Academic Calendar for non-class days and other notable events.

Electronic devices in the classroom
Unless otherwise stated, students may not use any personal electronic devices during class meetings. Texting or any other type of cell phone or electronic device use during class will count as an unexcused absence and you will be asked to leave the class. And remember, more than 6 absences and you will have to drop the class.

Disabilities
Any student with a documented disability should see me as soon as possible so that we can make the appropriate accommodations. Students with disabilities can register with the Keene State College Office of Disability Services on the first floor of the Elliot Center (358-2353).

 Academic honesty

• All students are expected to hand in original written work. Using other people’s words without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism.
• Plagiarism and any other forms of cheating will result in an F for the assignment and may include further College sanctions. In this class, every student must be aware of and adhere to the college’s policy on academic honesty. Detailed procedures and processes pertaining to the Policy on Academic Honesty can be viewed at http://www.keene.edu/policy/academichonesty.cfm

Evaluation
Grades are based on your performance on Participation, Website Posts, Quizzes, Exercises, and Projects as follows:

Participation / 10%
Website Posts / 15%
Quizzes / 15%
Exercises / 20%
Projects / 40%