Visual Communication Design

#01

M 27 Aug

Tu 28 Aug

• Introduction
• Fill out class survey

• Start Found Type Poster

#02

Th 30 Aug

F 31 Aug

• Images
• Photoshop basics

• Read the syllabus, class schedule, and citations and copyright.
• See also supplies update.
• Do you know how to manage files and folders on a Mac? If you have any doubts, start working through sections two and three of the Lynda Computer Literacy for Mac course. (Sign in through the AU Library.)

• Complete Found Type part 1.1 (before class)

#03

M 3 Sep

Tu 4 Sep

Section 1 off for Labor Day

• Section 4: Layers/compositing

#04

Th 6 Sep

F 7 Sep

• Section 1: Layers/compositing

• Point, Line, Plane (NB2 32–)

NB2 indicates page numbers for Graphic Design: The New Basics, 2nd edition. NB1 is the 1st edition.

• Complete Found Type part 2.1
• Studio (possibly)
• Start Designer Presentations

#05

M 10 Sep

Tu 11 Sep

• Share a design failure
• Lines
• Illustrator

• Rhythm and Balance (NB2 48—)

• Sign up for a Designer Presentations date
• Start Graphic Translation

#06

Th 13 Sep

F 14 Sep

• Scale (NB2 60—)
• Optional: if you want more background on Illustrator, look at the Lynda Illustrator tutorial (log in through AU Library/MyAU).

• Final critique for Found Type ✭
• Turn in via Dropbox upload (as with every other project in this course)

#07

M 17 Sep

Tu 18 Sep

• Bezier curve exercise
• Template (ZIP)

• Gestalt Principles (NB2 98—) or Figure/Ground (NB1 84—)

• Graphic Translation: bring orientation sketches

#08

Th 20 Sep

F 21 Sep

• Framing (NB2 116—)

• Graphic Translation: bring 2–3 line versions, and possibly 2 solids. Work in pen/pencil, Illustrator, or both.
• Studio 

#09

M 24 Sep

Tu 25 Sep

• Studio 

#10

Th 27 Sep

F 28 Sep

• Information design

• Layers (NB2 140—)

• (Some) studio w small-group critiques 

#11

M 1 Oct

Tu 2 Oct

• Introducing InDesign
• Tip: if you seek more practice with drawing tools, try bezier.method.ac.

• Diagram (NB2 214—)

• (Some) studio w individual critiques 

#12

Th 4 Oct

F 5 Oct

• Mapping exercise (bring pens/markers/pencils and a sketchbook, and be prepared to walk around outside)

• Lynda InDesign tutorial, “InDesign in 30 Minutes” segment (sign in through AU Library)

#13

M 8 Oct

Tu 9 Oct

• Typography

• Final critique for Graphic Translation ✭ (For all final critiques, print before class. Turn in PDFs—see exporting Illustrator to PDF.)

#14

Th 11 Oct

F 12 Oct

• Section 1: Typography and Type exercise

Section 4 on break

• Texture (NB2 68—)
• Hierarchy (NB2 128—)

#15

M 15 Oct

Tu 16 Oct

• Section 4: Typography
• Information design technique

USGS Stream Gauges, Workbench

• Modularity (NB2 166—)

• Start Infographic

#16

Th 18 Oct

F 19 Oct

• Anacostia River background

• Anacostia Rising
• The Data Visualisation Catalogue (read: bar chart, line graph, multi-set bar chart, dot matrix chart, pictogram chart, illustration diagram, donut chart, and histogram)
• Look back over Diagram (NB2 214—)

• Look more closely at Infographic

#17

M 22 Oct

Tu 23 Oct

• Discuss Anacostia and Tangier Island stories, with eye toward design
• Grids and alignment

• Should the United States Save Tangier Island From Oblivion?

• (Some) studio 

#18

Th 25 Oct

F 26 Oct

• Color (w exercise)

• Grid (NB2 186—)
• Color (NB2 80—)

• Studio 

#19

M 29 Oct

Tu 30 Oct

• Transparency (NB2 154—)
• Infographic examples

• Studio 
• Small-group critiques for Infographic (finish through phase 4)

#20

Th 1 Nov

F 2 Nov

• Semiotics
• Poster history

• The Chesapeake’s ‘secret garden’ is thriving again, but Trump could end that [NB: Congressional delegations from watershed states kept funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program.]

• (Some) studio 
• Note: there is now a PDF of waterbodies in the DC area, linked from the Infographic assignment sheet.

#21

M 5 Nov

Tu 6 Nov

• Pattern (NB2 200—)

#22

Th 8 Nov

F 9 Nov

• Semifinal critique for Infographic ✭

#23

M 12 Nov

Tu 13 Nov

Boat tour with Anacostia Riverkeeper. Class meets at the dock. See notes re field trip.

• Rules and Randomness (NB2 248—)

#24

Th 15 Nov

F 16 Nov

• Time and Motion (NB2 232—)

• Submit Infographic ✭
• Turn PDF in via Dropbox upload
• Start Issue Poster

#25

M 19 Nov

Tu 20 Nov

• 99 Percent Invisible, Norman Doors (article/video)
• Background for poster: quickly read Chesapeake Bay Program “Learn the Issues”, skim headlines at Baltimore Brew and Greater Greater Washington, and be sure you’ve read the Tangier Island story from a few weeks ago

• Studio 

#26

M 26 Nov

Tu 27 Nov

• Interaction design
• Interaction design/user research exercise

#27

Th 29 Nov

F 30 Nov

• Working File, Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic (podcast w. transcript)

• Studio 

#28

M 3 Dec

Tu 4 Dec

• Studio 

#29

Th 6 Dec

F 7 Dec

• Last group critique poster in-progress ✭
• For critique, upload a PDF to Dropbox before the start of class.