Free AdviceGrading CriteriaParticipationAcademic HonestyScheduleRecommended reading list |
JMC/ART 424 Typography & Advanced Projects
Professor Joel Davies 280-4060
AIM - cuprofessorx
T/Tr 11:00-12:20am
"Think more, design less." - Thinking with
type
Objectives and Goals
In this course, we will be exploring the mechanics and theory of typography both in modern and historical practice. Beginning with the Gutenberg bible and hand-rendered type, we will cover the history of the letterform through a series of projects and project proposals. This course will serve as both a historical lecture and studio class, as we will be designing a complete set of typefaces throughout the semester. The final typefaces will be used in a series of projects appropriate for portfolio display.
Additionally, we will be creating a series of increasingly challenging projects to develop and enhance your conceptual and creative skills. All of these projects are also suitable for inclusion in a professional portfolio.
The overall goal of the course is to forge you into a professional-level designer over the course of the semester. We will be pulling many of the technical and aesthetic skills you have learned together to build a portfolio suitable for employment or graduate school applications. Throughout the semester, I will serve as the client, and attempt to simulate typical client/vendor interactions and issues.
Grading Criteria
Project grades will be determined by combination of factors tracked by a course grading sheet (available here). Points can be earned in 10 different categories - some design elements in a project can impact more than one grading category. There is a 10 point scale for each category to reflect the overall quality of student work.
Finished font grades will be determined by originality, fit & finish, letterform consistency, level of completion, and kerning/ leading/ metric development. Final portfolio grades will reflect the overall work quality done for 424-specific assignments, the conceptual development and execution of the assignments, and the craftsmanship of the final portfolio assembly.
There will be a series of six quizzes in the course, some scheduled, some "pop" quizzes. All quizzes will be derived from the reading materials or will cover specific lectures for the midterm. the lowest pop quiz grade will be dropped. Quizzes start promptly at the beginning of class. Makeup quizzes are not allowed. Be on time.
It is very difficult to acheive "A" quality work in the class. An "A" project will be considered professional level design, and perfect in the majority of grading categories.
Being late for a critique (including not having your assignment prepared when class begins) will result in a 20% "late fee" on that grade the moment that critique starts, and throught the first 24 hours after critique starts. Another 20% will be assessed in the second 24 hour period. Late assignments cannot be revised.
Failure to turn in any assignment will result in a maximum course grade of D. I reserve the right to reject assignments after the second 24 hour period has expired, thus triggering the automatic maximum course grade of D.
My office door is always open to discuss ways to improve your design, technical or critical skills.
D and F work will fail to meet expectations.
Participation
Participation in critiques is mandatory, and each assignment has a critique participation requirement. All assignments handed in on time may be revised before the final critique.
Attendance and punctuality are mandatory. I expect you to behave as professionals over the course of the semester, and that includes showing up to class on time. I will not rehash lectures for students who miss class. You are responsible for gathering notes on missed classes. Tardiness will not be tolerated.
Thunderdome
Everyone is required to participate heavily in Thunderdome, our message board for critiquing class projects. I expect each student to post concepts to Thunderdome for every major assignment due over the course of the semester. Every student is expected not only to post their own work, but to make constructive critical comments on other student's work as well. Grading for Thunderdome will be a combination of evaluating your post quality and quantity. Posts should be insightful, rather than "attaboy" comments. As advanced students, you receive credit for assessing the work of both your fellow 424 students and students in other courses in Thunderdome.
As an additional project in Thunderdome, I want you to keep a design journal for this class. This should be a collection of posts within the same topic in Thunderdome that follow your progress for the semester. It should consist of relections on your own work and evolution as a designer alongside the things that inspire you. Post photos of great design (or bad design) that you see in everyday life. Your design journal should read like a running critique of design you encounter throughout the semester.
Assignments - Brief Descriptions
Opentype Font: Create an original serif or sans-serif Opentype font for use in body copy. The font should have a complete set of upper and lowercase characters, numbers and punctuation marks.
Font Specification Project - Narrative: Using your custom Opentype font, you will create a multipage narrative document that shows off the various features of your font. The narrative itself can be a work of fiction or non-fiction. The document format is flexible, but should contain 4 2 page spreads for a total of 8 pages. CMYK or 2 Pantone colors can be used for the entire document, and at least 4 pages should use full bleed. There does not need to be body copy on every page. Be creative, and find a beautiful and elegant way to flaunt the typographical elements of your font in this project. The final document is due in both printers and designer spreads.
Lupton Poster: Design a poster for a series of lectures using only typography - no vector or bitmap graphics are allowed. That being said, Design elements made up from simple shapes or typographical elements are allowed. The poster must use 2 PMS colors on white paper. The content for the poster is supplied on the Peacock server.
Convergent Type Narrative: Illustrate a short narrative or exchange of dialogue using only motion typography. I recommend using Motion, Flash or LiveType for this project. The typography should be animated and synched to either the pace of text read aloud, or the sound of the spoken text. There are no limitations on what fonts or colors you may use. Final projects are due in either .swf or Quicktime formats.
Channel your Annoyance: Find an artifact of typographic design that annoys you in any way. Find a more effective way of using typography to tranform the work into something with both utility and good design sensibility. There are no font, size or color limitations on this project. Make sure the color and size are appropriate to the chosen artifact.
Conceptual Logotype & Identity: Create a highly conceptual logotype using nothing but modified typographical elements. The final design should be simple and easily recognizable. You can create your own imaginary client for this assignment, the highest grading priority will be given to the original solutions in your final concept. For context provide three artifacts using this logo, such as letterhead, business cards, animated logotype for convergent media, signage, or packaging.
Overhaul the Mall: Creighton University needs new signage on the mall. We need related "wayfinding" signage to give directions to buildings, banners for the lightpoles, and building signage. Create a system of signs that strengthen the Creighton brand and brighten up the mall. This assignment will use the simulated client system in Thunderdome. The client might decide to change the scope of the project based on any number of external factors. Be sure to check into the client thread on Thunderdome often to stay abreast of changes.
Assignments |
|
Quizzes (including midterm) |
15% |
Font Specification Project - Narrative |
10% |
Finished Opentype Fonts |
10% |
Lupton Poster |
10% |
Convergent Type Narrative |
10% |
Channel your Annoyance |
10% |
Thunderdome Participation |
10% |
Design Journal |
5% |
Conceptual Logotype & Identity |
10% |
Overhaul the Mall |
10% |
Final Grade |
x/100% |
Grading scale |
|
91-100 |
A |
88-90 |
B+ |
81-87 |
B |
78-80 |
C+ |
71-77 |
C |
61-70 |
D |
0-60 |
F |
JMC Professionalism Policy
The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication offers pre-professional education to prepare students to succeed in communications careers. Professional attitudes and conduct are often almost as important as talent in our fields. Accordingly, students in all JMC classes are expected to conduct themselves as cited below; faculty and staff will enforce consequences:
- Students will attend all classes unless there is a valid reason
to be absent and to arrive on time just as they would at work. Students
who arrive after class has begun are considered late and subject to
grade penalties as imposed by each instructor.
- Valid reasons for absences include illness, participation in an official university function (debate, varsity athletic absences etc), family emergency etc. All excused absences require notification by email or phone PRIOR to class.
- Absences of two classes in a row due to illness require a doctor’s note.
- Absences due to non-emergency medical / dental appointments are unexcused absences. The same goes for picking up a friend, taking a car to be repaired or other circumstances that can be avoided.
- More than one week’s worth (2) of unexcused absences per semester will result in course grade being lowered one grade level per additional absence up to D after which the student will receive an A/F.
- Absences due to a lack of planning or foresight are not excused absences. Plan ahead, be aware of weather conditions, and leave for school early.
- Use of electronic devices during class is prohibited.
- No food and drink are allowed in the labs. If caught, you will be expected to leave class and dispose of the items.
- Students are expected to participate in class. Inappropriate behavior such as reading non-course materials, checking email, instant or text messaging, studying for other classes or sleeping will result in dismissal from that day’s class and count as an unexcused absence.
- Students are accountable for turning in all work on time. Faculty will either penalize late assignments or refuse to accept them.
- Working in groups is part of all communications work. Students who fail to do their share of work on team projects or are unwilling to participate in group problem solving will be dismissed from the teams and lose credit for projects.
Professionalism
Professionalism also involves:
- Accepting criticism gracefully
- Resolving problems with professors, staff and colleagues in a mature fashion.
- Students are always welcome to seek more information about why they received a particular grade on a test or assignment, obtain guidance for how to improve work and ask for suggestions on solving problems. They are encouraged to go above and beyond the minimum work assigned and to demonstrate enthusiasm for work in their fields. In the JMC Department C work is minimal work. A and B work goes beyond the minimum.
Academic Honesty
Creighton's Academic Honesty Policy is listed in detail in the current Bulletin. However, in this class I expect students to adhere to the following guidelines and ethics of design:
- All students will complete their own work. Getting "help" is ok, but I expect you to complete, and if necessary - reproduce class work on demand.
- All work should be original. Any "ripping" of fonts or concepts will result in a grade of ZERO for that assignment.
- Use of tutorial files from online sources is allowed for learning purposes, but any elements from those sources that remain in class projects could result in a grade of ZERO for that assignment.
Integrity Pledge (from "Learning in the Academy:
An Introduction to the Culture of Scholarship")
The students and faculty of the Creighton College of Arts and Sciences
comprise an academic community established within the framework of Jesuit
ideals and firmly rooted in the concept of integrity.
In an effort to instill integrity in those attending this College and to reaffirm its significance along each student’s academic journey, the College has set in place an Integrity Pledge. Your instructors will from time to time present the Pledge for your signature on tests and quizzes and ask you to include it with your signature on writing assignments you submit.
The Pledge promotes a shared culture of integrity amongst Creighton students, while also acknowledging in its language that each of us holds him- or herself accountable for any attenuation or neglect of the conventions that define academic integrity.
The intent of this Pledge is not to act heavy-handedly. The College's students and faculty strongly believe that each student intends to present his or her own original work. But the Pledge serves as a regular reminder of Creighton University’s commitment to the very highest standards of integrity—not only academic but also personal integrity.
Recommended reading list (links to amazon.com)
Aside from the assigned texts, I highly recommend the following books to prepare you as a design professional and to increase your typographic abilities and understanding. In future semesters, these might be assigned texts.
The Elements of Typographic Style
Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works, Second Edition
Journalism and Mass Communication
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