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Course
Description

Introduction to composition and visual literacy for digital media artists and designers. Surveys a broad range of digital tools including the Adobe Creative Suite. Proficiency with personal computers and Internet browsing is required.

 

Purpose

This course is designed specifically for the digital artist/designer whose objective is to function effectively in today's commercial art field.

 

Emphasis

In this class, we will be introduced to the elements of "visual grammar" and establish a solid foundation for visual literacy based on design principles. We will also be introduced to the professional digital tools graphic designers use to create commercial art.

 

Topics

The major topics we will cover this semester will include:

• Design principles
• Design elements
• Color theory
• Composition
• Creative process
• Effective use of digital tools

 

Class
Format

This course will consist of lectures, projects, exercises, demonstrations and critiques. There will also be two quizzes. It is expected that additional time, on a weekly basis, will be spent on projects and homework assignments. 

It is important that the entire class work together in a collaborative environment, learning from each other as well as the instructor. Therefore, everyone should be working on the same assignments at the same time. Understanding that there might be technical expertise differences, it is expected that more experienced users will be willing to help beginning users with the software. Conversely, more experienced users should elicit creative evaluations from beginning users during their working process.

Note: Attendance is required for the entire scheduled class period.

 

Materials

• Required textbook: Launching the Imagination by Mary Stewart
  (available at Parkland's bookstore or Chegg.com)
• Recommended books are on reserve in Parkland's library
• USB flash drive
• 3-ring binder & dividers (Process Book)
• Blank book (Sketchbook)
• Felt tip pens
• Parkland Identification Card
• Other art supplies may be required for specific exercises and projects

 

Grading
System

In this class, your grade will be based on attendance, class participation, software proficiency and the quality of the work you do.

• A = 100-91 (exceptional work beyond the class requirements)
• B = 90-81 (excellent technical and creative abilities exhibited)
• C = 80-71 (all work accomplished on time and minimum goals achieved)
• D = 70-61 (minimum goals not achieved, late assignments)
• F = 60 or less (failure to finish assignments or doing "D" work late)

Your grade will be given to you during your individual reviews at midterm and at the end of the semester. You must bring all the work you have done up to that time (including all reference materials, concept sketches, b&w proofs, color comps, digital files, etc.). Do not throw away any material from this class. Your grade will depend on it. At any time during the semester, you may request individual reviews to check your progress. You may revise and re-submit projects and exercises as many times as you like up until the final review.

 

Earning
Points

Points can be earned in each of the following categories:

• Projects (40%)
• Exercises/Assignments (20%)
• Open Book Quizzes (20%)
• Process Book (10%)
• Blogging Assignment (10%)

Exercises will be graded based on accuracy and craftsmanship. Exercises/Assignments will be graded pass/fail.

Projects will be graded based on creativity, problem solving ability and craftsmanship. Numerical grades will be awarded for projects, quizzes, the Process Book, the blog and the sketchbook.

At the end of the semester, all the points earned in each category will be averaged and weighted to determine your final grade.

No credit (read "zero" points) will be given for work not completed by the assigned due date. In other words, late work will will not be accepted, period. It is the student's responsibility to know the deadlines for each assignment.

If an assignment has been submitted on time, students have the option of continuing to work on and improve each assignment after the due date and class critique for (possibly) a better grade. Grades for re-worked assignments will be no more than one full letter grade higher than the original grade at the assigned due date (re-worked project grades will never drop in grade). All re-worked assignments are due by the final review date.

Bonus points may be awarded for active participation in class.

 

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be taken promptly at the beginning of each class. You are considered absent if you are not here when attendance is taken.

Your semester grade will drop by one letter grade for every four classes missed. "Excused" absences will only be discussed under extraneous circumstances and only if you have missed more than three classes. It is your responsibility to make up any work missed during absences. However, it is not possible to make up in-class exercises or tutorials that you missed.

If you do not attended regularly, I may drop you from the class with no refund of tuition or fees. After midterm, you should not plan on an instructor withdrawal if you want to withdraw from the course. You are ultimately responsible for your own withdrawal by the withdrawal date. Non-attendance after midterm will result in an F if you don't withdraw yourself.

 

Online
Gradebook

All students will have an account in Angel Learning (an online course management portal). Your attendance record and grades will be posted online so that you can access them 24/7 from a web browser (click the REPORTS tab). We will also be using Angel for communication, testing and online discussions.

Your Angel username is the first part of your Parkland email address (the part that comes before the @ symbol). Your default Angel password is the last five digits of your social security number. If you need to look up your email account, go to Parkland's account lookup page.