The Official GrD3200 Syllabus for Spring 2012

GrD3200– Intermediate Graphic Design Stan Anderson, Associate Professor, Graphic Design

CRN # 11854 Office: 362 A&H Bldg

MW Arts & Humanities - CMC Lab 468 Phone: 404-413-5234

3 Credit Hours Email: stananderson@gsu.edu

www.3200Spring.blogspot.com

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Stan Anderson schedule for Spring 2012:

Monday & Wednesday

11-1:50p - GrD4400-Film & TV (Juniors) 460 CMC

2:30-5:20p –GrD4950 –Portfolio (Seniors)- 460 CMC

5:30-8:20p - GrD3200-Intermediate Graphic Design, (Sophomores) - 468

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Course Description:
Intermediate Graphic Design. Prerequisites: GrD3000 with grade of C or higher. Continued development of conceptual and traditional/ digital media skills including art direction, image-making, and specialized problem areas. Lab Fee: $20.00.

General Overview of course:
This is the third graphic design class designed specifically to sequentially follow GrD3000 (Introduction to Graphic Design) and GrD3150 (Beginning Typography.)  Students may only remain in this course if they have taken (or concurrently taking) 3000 and 3150. No exceptions.

The main goal of this intermediate graphic design course is to allow students to gain further development of their conceptual and traditional media skills through experimentation with digital technology as well as the more traditional aspects of art. There will be a continuing focus on conceptualization, development of ideas, time management and problem-solving techniques. The majority of the class will focus on Branding/Identity.

Student professionalism and ethical behavior by all is expected in the classroom/lab environment.
Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated as described in the GSU Policies. Please be advised.

If you are having any type of problem with class, classwork assignments, getting to class on time then just let me know and we’ll work through it together. We are all in this together and my goal is to insure your leave the semester with excellent and creative work that you can apply to the major or perhaps get some freelance design work.

There is no required textbook for this class; however below are some suggested textbooks you should check out:
-InDesign Type: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign CS2 (Paperback) by Nigel French (Author)
- Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, & Maintaining Strong Brands (Hardcover) by Alina Wheeler
-Brand Apart (Hardcover) by Joe Duffy
-Packaging Design: Successful Product Branding from Concept to Shelf, Klimchuck & Krasovec
-Logo Lounge Series 1-4: International Identities by Leading Designers by Catharine Fishel & Bill Gardner

Student-Directed Blogs:
All students in this class are responsible for creating and maintaining a daily/weekly/monthly blogger/tumblr/typepad site that relates directly to your interaction with graphic design, illustration, animation and fine art. (This may also be in the form of a website should the student wish.) This type of “online sketchbook/design book” is in lieu of the more traditional paper versions associated with fine art (drawing sketchbooks.) Everyone must participate and all blogs should be available to others.

This design blog is crucial to the fundamental development of each student and how they think, process and experiment with outside influences as a designer. The blogs are also an important design tool with regards to how students share creativity with others inside & outside the graphic design program. It also serves as a place to archive work for posterity. These blogs will be viewed by others in and possibly others, including Instructors, outside of the classroom so be professional with the work you put into these online sites. Nothing controversial or adult oriented should be on your blogs. If you have questions about this just ask the Instructor.

The Instructor will be giving blog assignments you need to complete as well as your own blog entries showing your work in progress and the work that you will finish so others can see. It is also a “design vault” of your work for future references.

The student blogs will count for 10% of the final grade so it should be taken seriously.
Blogger, Typepad, Tumblr are three examples of reputable sites where students can sign up for their free services.
*No profanity and no adult content are allowed on any of the student blogs. You may also wish to include work from other classes but it should focus primarily on the GrD3200 experience. If any student publishes any materials that are deemed by the professor as inappropriate (this includes any images that are found online or personally created) the student can be dropped from the class. No exceptions. This includes comments made on other students blogs.

I take this very seriously and inappropriate content will not be tolerated.

Software Programs:
Students will be using Adobe Creative Suite programs during the interim of this course.
Although the Graphic Design program does not endorse Mac computers, most art students seem to work more proficiently and easily on this computer platform. Every student is expected and encouraged to learn all the software programs outside the classroom experience. Most of the classroom lab time will focus on the conceptual part of graphic design process, although demonstrations will be provided from time to time for specific projects. You must continue to learn the programs on your own outside the classroom experience. If you need additional assistance with learning software programs there are several places students can visit which will prove to be very beneficial. (See Digital Aquarium at GSU for classes (all classes and printouts are free) or you can use Lynda.com that the University provides for free. Sign up now!

Grading:
Students are required to complete all the coursework as prescribed by the Instructor’s deadlines.
See Deadlines for additional grading procedures.

1. Client Research and Choices for Semester

    Discovering the Client Logos and Prep (color/B&W and PMS Colors          20%
2. Stationery Design Sets (letterhead/envelope/business card)                       10%

3.  Collateral Mailer/Printed                                                                               10%

4.  Printed Advertisements (3 sizes) 10%

4. Specialty Collateral Items                                                                                10%
4. Critiques/Presentations/Discussions                                                                 10%
5. Blogs/Blog Assignments                                                                                   10%

6. Written Creative Brief/ Experiences with Client/Journal/Photos                       10%

8. Earth Day Posters                                                                                              5%

9. Entry to Welch School of Art and Design Student Competition                          5%

Assignments:
Students are subjected to many types of different Instructors and their various methods of teaching during their undergraduate years. Therefore it is necessary for students to remain open to the classroom experience as well as to the critiques from their peers. It is the intent and preparation by these Instructors that students gain the basic intermediate education during the semester in order to prepare themselves for future classes or for application to the BFA graphic design program and beyond. Your class will move at its own pace and assignments can and will vary from the other instructors/classes being taught. One Instructors opinion can (and probably will) vary from other Instructors. Be open for those opinions and then form your own conclusion. Every student will be treated equally regardless of whether or not the student is making application to major in Graphic Design at the end of the semester. 

Critiques:
All students must learn to discuss their work during critiques, as they would have to do in a business/client working relationship. Students will also be required to submit a creative brief along with all the work due at class critiques. Students should learn the art of discussion about their creative work in a classroom environment.  Written creative briefs will accompany every project and should be turned in on time. These creative briefs should be kept short and precise.

All work at critiques must be printouts unless otherwise noted by the Instructor. No excuses. Do not wait until the last minute to print your work as sometimes printers/printing services available to students may not be working or too crowded.
Craftsmanship is crucial to the success of the entire project. Pay attention to the details. Clean, Crisp and Professional.
Final presentations should be mounted printouts (12” x 18”  or 11”x17” on white or black board unless otherwise noted by Instructor.) If you started out printing 11”x17” in GrD3000 and GrD3150 then continue with that proportion in GrD3200.

Deadlines:
Each assignment will have sufficient time allotted in order to compete the necessary work prior to critiques. A completion date (deadline) will be announced at the beginning of each assignment and documented on the syllabus. Deadlines are usually accompanied by an in-class critique. All finished work is due at the announced deadline regardless of whether or not the student is present or not at the critique. Failure to complete projects by due date will result in an automatic “F” for the project regardless of how much time and effort might have been put into the project. One of the most important aspects of becoming a professional graphic designer is managing time in order to complete each assignment. Learn how to manage your time now and the future will be much less stressful and more creative.

“Late” means that once the critique has begun you will be considered to be “late.”
Everyone is given ample time to arrive to class on time.  A critique will begin once a majority of students have arrived.
Meeting a deadline is crucial to the understanding of personal time management and professional standards in the industry.

Time management works in tandem with creativity. True understanding of time management increases you productivity, thus eliminating stress at critiques. Build in prep time for printing and any possible snafus that may occur with each project. Think ahead and be prepared. This includes drive time to class, production problems, sickness, weather conditions, and other emergencies that may arise unexpectedly.

* If a student foresees a problem with a due date/deadline it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Instructor prior to the critique. Communication with the Instructor is important if any problem arises regarding any course situation.

Absences:
Every student is expected to arrive on time and leave at the end of each class period. This is also important on the days when critiques are scheduled.  Arriving late and leaving early may be considered absences. It depends on when the Instructor takes roll and if the student is late or leaves early when the roll is taken then the student will also be considered “absent” by the Instructor.

Tardiness:

Students who arrive after the critique has begun will receive an “F”  unless the student has discussed it with the professor prior to the class. Unexcused absences and habitual tardiness (arriving late and leaving early) is usually evidence that the student is not taking the course seriously or not focused on completing the projects set forth in this course syllabi.

Students are allowed 3 absences (this includes unexcused/excused) per Semester. The Instructor will issue a warning after the 3rd absence (email and verbal) to the student. For every absence after the 3^rd absence the student’s final grade for the semester will be lowered by 1 letter grade. Please understand this important part of the grading process. There is no negotiation in this area. Habits student’s form early on inside a classroom usually follow them into the professional world.
Learn to make god choices and habits now.

Plagiarism:
Plagiarism continues to be a huge problem in most areas of graphic design. Since the invention of the Internet people have been downloading, swiping, and sampling other people’s artwork and words and claiming them for their own. This is type of behavior is not permitted in the classroom as well in the professional world. There are exceptions that might allow others to use someone elses' work but usually that is when the work becomes footnoted or given proper credit in the format it is being used.

GSU has a very tough policy on plagiarism that every student should be aware of in the University catalog. This includes expulsion from not only the particular class but possibly from the University as well. (http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/codeofconduct_conpol.html)

The easiest route around plagiarism is to always create your own work. It is ultimately your own artistic voice that wants to succeed. Take your own photos, write your own words/copy, and illustrate your own imagery. Everyone can certainly be inspired by others work but let that translate only into inspiration to motivation of your own work.
Every student in my class is expected to create their own imagery for all their projects. All work that has not been created, conceived or produced by the student and used in this course will be considered plagiarism. The only exception to this rule is if the chosen client gives you written or verbal permission for you to use some of their existing work and to incorporate that into your own work for the semester.

No one can ever accuse another student of plagiarism if they work off their own creativity.
Please do not purchase stock photography or illustrations from other reputable companies.

Create your own library of images.

Calendar: Important Dates:

First Day of Class: Monday January 09, 2012

MLK Holiday: Monday January 16, 2012

Midterm: February 24, 2012

Spring Break: Week of February 27, 2012

Classes End: Monday, April 12, 2012

Application to Major in Graphic Design: TBA

New Majors in Graphic Design Announced: TBA

2012 Spring Semester Re-branding Project for an Independent Client:

Branding: Phase One
RESEARCH AND SELECTION OF A CLIENT

You will be expected to bring into class at least 3 different clients/companies whom you feel are worthy (and in need of) a total redesign/re-branding. The beauty and danger in choosing your own client is that you are ultimately taking the lead and the responsibility for this re-design experiment for the semester.

The clients you choose must be independently owned. They can have multiple stores but cannot be owned by another source. These are commonly referred to as “mom and pop” companies. Only independently owned companies/boutiques/restaurants, salons, bars, etc.

Think about where you want to begin on how to choose a client to actually re-design.
Think about the location and the competitors to this particular client and their business.
Where you begin is crucial to the final outcome. Make your choices wisely.

It must be a client you can “grow” throughout the semester and not grow weary of working with until the completion of the project. This graphic design marathon begins the minute you choose your client and must continue without waiver until the very end. Every piece of the design must fit comfortably within the mission you will give to the re-design.

The minute you begin searching for a client, you should be keenly aware of the “elasticity” involved in how this client can be reformatted and re-designed into a new, more modern design. These “mom and pop” owned business means that there is usually one owner who has invested his/her own money into the facility. These are independent businesses that might have competitors in their profession but might have found a novel way to re-introduce their privately owned business to the public.

Maybe your choices will be in the areas of: barber shops, hairstylist, fish and tackle, taxidermy, skateboard shops, massage therapist, chiropractor, pet groomer, dance club, rock n’ roll club, restaurant, bistro, café, modeling agency, photography studio, niche hotel, bookstore, bed and breakfast, nail salon, etc.

Branding: Phase Two
MORE RESEARCH AND EDITING INFORMATION

Once you have chosen your top 3 clients, do more research to investigate what makes each client unique. Take photos of these clients if possible. Ask permission from the clients and enlighten them as to what your intentions are. Include them in on your process and tell them you are a designer and let them participate in your strategy for a new fresh design look. Some clients will become very interested in your project while other clients may ignore you. Don’t let any of that deter or influence your decisions.
Remember you are re-branding this client for your own personal and academic gain.

Many students have in the past actually sold their ideas and work to the clients they choose to work on during the semester. Don’t let this be your only motivation, but it can certainly take your work to a whole new level with regards to the type of professionalism you give to your client.

You should familiarize yourself with these clients. Know their history and their reasons for starting this type of business. This type of conversation with the clients (if possible) will eventually manifest itself into some type of “creative brief or mission statement” that you will follow throughout the design process.
Interview your clients. Look at the business closely. Investigate the archives from previous logos of the client or images. Think about the name of your client and begin to examine how you might update this name in terms of designing a newer and more improved logo.
Re-branding doesn’t mean “throwing out the baby with the bath wash” as it can simply mean using some of the old influence (as not to alienate the older customers of this client) and simply delivering a more modern and fresh feel for the client.

Ask the client how long they’ve been in business, what is their vision of their company, how many employees they have working there, what is the age range of their target audience. Ask those important questions and the answers will assist you in developing a new logo and a new branding experience.
Do not misrepresent your client.
Be ethically responsible to your client.

Arm yourself with a lot of information going into the actual design process and you will be surprised how much easier it is to be creative. Be careful not to always go for the obvious. (for example a company called “yellow bird pet shop” just might not have a yellow bird as its imagery. Perhaps it is just a more nuanced image such as a feather or a cage or just using the color yellow in its logo.) Think outside the usual approach. Remember you are investing into your own success and portfolio. The choices you make at this stage of the design process could possibly prevent or allow you to gain entry into the graphic design program at the end of spring semester.

I encourage you to take your own photos, create your own imagery. If the client wants to use some of their older visuals such as photos or illustrations, you can certainly take that into account.

I’ll be there all along the way to assist and guide you through the process. I’ll test your ideas to see just how convicted you are to those so you can make sound decisions throughout the semester.

Branding: Phase Three
BUZZ WORDS AND FAMILIARIZING YOURSELF WITH THE CLIENT

Once you have chosen your “ideal company” from the initial 3 businesses you brought to class then you can begin the process of re-branding that specific client.
Study, explore, brainstorm, formulate and investigate your chosen client to the max.
Make a list of attributes of your client and then distill them into single words that will become the buzz- words for your client. It will become the “mantra” of the client and for your design strategy.

REQUIRED: 5 Buzzwords that will become the backbone of your creative strategy and re-design.
For example:
Stan’s Bait and Tackle Shop
1. Friendly
2. Reliable
3. Utilitarian
4. Old School
5. Authentic


Branding: Phase Four
ARCHIVING  & CREATING IMAGES and VISUAL REFERENCES

Collect relevant images (tear sheets, extraneous materials such as collages, newspaper articles, old illustrations or artwork) or start creating your own sketches for the client as to broaden your understanding of the client you chose. You might find a magazine typeface you like or a color swatch at Home Depot or historical copyright free images. Hang of to these. Scan them and put them into your Blogsites for references. You might also start thinking of particular grids. Discover layouts or compositions that might also inspire your own re-design.


Branding: Phase Five
THUMBNAIL LOGO SKETCHES AND FINALIZING LOGOS

Start creating thumbnail sketches (put on your blogs) where you begin to visually knock around and play with ideas for the client. Let it be an exercise in stream of consciousness design where you allow all images into your mind for final decisions at a later time. Open your mind to the “what if” possibilities of the client and your eventual marketing and advertising campaign for the client.
Every student should have no less than 50 sketch ideas to begin this creative process.
Students will show these in class and post them on individual blogs.

This is a great time to begin looking at other companies that already exist in the particular genre of your own client. See what has already been done. Examine the competitors in your genre to see how you can possibly merge or create a more hybrid logo design. (aka Memory recall design)
Let these outside companies/competitors influence your own design. This is not plagiarism but inspiration.

Start asking questions about your design.
Will you use only a typeface or a certain font for your logo?
Will you use an illustrative icon infused with a unique typeface for your client?

You cannot change the name of your client’s business.
(example: Stan’s Bait and Tackle Shop. You cannot change it to Stan’s B&T)

Required:
You must develop the following for you client:
1. Type only logo
2. Image only logo
3. Type and Image logo

Branding: Phase Six
BLACK AND WHITE LOGOS AND COLOR LOGOS

Explore the communicative skills of a B/W and color logo. How do different colors express or influence your logo? How many colors will be included in your logo design? What is a duo-tone? What is a color screen? What is a half tone? What are Pantone colors?
What will be your clients color palette and how will that color palette work with your color logo?
How does your color choices relate to your client?
Do you have secondary color choices/palette?
Does your “hero mark” testify to the client and it’s color usage?
Does your logo ever change color or is it static?
How versatile are your color choices for your logo?

Think long range about your logo and the application of color.

Take your logo to the computer now and start the process of developing the layers and images you will need later on in the creative branding strategy process.

Legibility and Scale with your logo is important.
Simple is better at times. Too many pieces and part in a logo design can become visual clutter and confuse the audience. Always stay on message with your mission for this new client.

Stationery Sets: Phase Seven

Once you have found and created your client identity you will need to establish a set of stationery for this client. Be creative. Look at what is appropriate for this client in terms of contemporary design or play to the strengths of the client depending on their formal goal and audience. You wouldn’t design a set of stationery for a client that has patterns and loud color if the client is a funeral home. Be smart.

You are creating the visual aesthetics for the client. You are merchandising the client.

Stationery sets include: Letterhead, Letterhead with letter that you will write to introduce the company to a prospective client, envelopes (standard, larger sizes and various formats for invitations and such if needed) , business card or business cards (can do more than one if there is reasons to do so.)

Collateral Mailer or Email or Web Design: Phase Eight

This portion of the branding experience centers around how you might create a mailer to send out to the traditional customers as well as trying to engage new customers with respect to your client. It is seen as a possible public relations or marketing piece of design whereby the client informs the customers about a special occasion in the store or facility that they would want to attend. Use your imagination here as you are once again trying to build a larger audience with a larger design appeal.

Print Advertisements: Phase Nine

Building a set of printed advertisements that might appear in various print publications. This can also take the form of billboard designs, bus kiosk and online advertisements. Use your imagination about the client and it’s needs to build a larger audience.

A set of 3 various sizes in printed advertisements.

Specialty Design: Phase Ten

This part of the branding experience is to demonstrate work that might relate to the entire branding campaign that you have already established. The designs could be in the form of any type of product such as hats, T-shirts, booklets, calendars, postcards, billboards, bus wraps, flyers, invitations to gatherings, etc. This is an important part of your campaign since it demonstrates how “creative” you are with giving the client some sense of self mixed with some novel approach to their look and feel.

Branding: Phase Eleven

POINT OF NO RETURN

At some point during the creative process (and semester) you will have to make crucial decisions which means you cannot start over again. Second thinking your decisions will get you into trouble and also get you further behind in your creative process. If you have done all the steps listed previously in this syllabus you should be moving forward without too much stress. Build in some elasticity into your design so you
Can move freely from one place to another and yet still retain the sense of continuity and conformity to your client that you’ve already decided.

Branding: Phase Twelve

PRELIMINARY AND FINAL CREATIVE BRIEFS
Everyone should keep a “live creative brief” going until the very end of the project when the final creative brief will find its final completion. Your final creative brief should be attached to the back of your board for critiques. We will go over all the creative briefs in class and discuss what they should include.

Now the fun starts after you’ve found your final logo (visual face/branding) for your client.

Now comes the application process of using your selected logo in various and creative situations to build the 

brand of the client.

Branding: Phase Thirteen

COLLATERAL WORK AND PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PORTFOLIO

Everything must relate. No obtuse related pieces in your Branding Campaign.

If you are using a chosen color palette then stick to it. If you want to create additional collateral pieces such as animations, websites, catalogues, book, hats, pins, buttons, etc. then insure that they are designed within the realm of your original brand. You are building a brand so everything must relate to your overall concept and imagery for the client.

-Specialized Collateral Designs are another part of your branding process as you build a special item/items for your client.  might be in the form of a collateral pieces such as menus, postcards, additional artwork, matches, booklets, etc.                                   

-Print Advertisements (original photography/Illustration)  for your client in different scale for print or web.
-Typographical-based printed project  can take many forms and will enhance and celebrate the client and your own design.

Branding: Phase Fourteen

THE FINISHED IDENTITY FOR YOUR CLIENT

Everyone should have a complete set of work by the end of the spring semester that demonstrates what each of you set out to create for the client you chose.  Each piece that you design is working in harmony with the rest to create a tight and clean and authentic branding campaign.  All work should be put up on your blog at the end in one complete entry.

All work should also be printed and mounted along with the final creative brief.

Additional Design Project: Earth Day Poster

Created as part of the annual celebration for Earth Day each designer must research and create a design that symbolizes and educates the public to what Earth Day actually means….with a direct tie-in to the client you have selected. Your clients logo will appear on the poster as well in some form….you can also include other logos to the poster such as WWF, Discovery,  PBS, Printing company,EPS, , etc. Conceptualization of your idea as it relates to your client is crucial here.

Will create a 12x18 Poster Design. You can do more than one if you so choose.