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Objective

To develop conceptual thinking skills. To communicate ideas visually and verbally. To explore illustration and typography styles. To apply design principles to real-world visual communication problems.

 

Secondary objectives

To utilize Adobe Illustrator as a design and production tool.

 

Description

Design a limited edition promotional T-Shirt for Weiskamp Screen Printing. The final art must be all vector and utilize only three spot Pantone colors (maximum imprint area is 14x17 inches). The desired elements are:

• Weiskamp Screen Printing (logo not required)
• 312 S Neil Street & 512 E Green Street
• Champaign IL
• www.weiskamp.com
• original art of your design

Your design must show an understanding of unity, emphasis, balance and color theory. When appropriate, utilize rhythm and depth as well.

 

Procedure

1. RESEARCH FOR INSPIRATION: Research existing T-Shirt designs. Be sure to review books, annuals, trade publications (Print, How, Communication Arts). Look specifically for creative concepts and creative typography. Publish your research on your personal projects page for critique (be sure to caption each image and cite the source). Be prepared to explain why these examples are successful.

2. MARKETING RESEARCH: Meet with the client (Carol Blumthal) who will describe the marketing objectives and the desired look-and-feel of the T-Shirt design. You may ask questions at this meeting. Analyze your research and write a written statement of objectives in the form of a memo (see sample brief). Be sure to include descriptive adjectives in the "character" paragraph (see vocabulary wheel ). Have your brief reviewed by the Writing Lab, then email your brief as an attached Word document to pyoung.parkland.edu@gmail.com (or use Google Docs and publish a link).

3. INCUBATION: Absorb the information you have gathered and sleep on it. Allow your unconscious mind to make connections for you.

4. DEVELOP THE CONCEPT: In your sketchbook begin to conceptualize ideas for this project (see examples of sketches). Make at least 10 sketches of all possible directions you might take this project. Edit your concepts down to your best three ideas and redraw them on 8.5 x 11 white paper using a felt tip pen. Scan (scale/crop in Photoshop: no wider than 800 pixels) and publish your concepts on your personal projects page for critique. Be prepared to discuss how your design fulfills the client's marketing objectives.

5. EXECUTION: Based on the critique of the above, use the computer to translate your sketches into b&w vector art using Illustrator. Generate web-ready JPEGs (no wider than 800 pixels) and publish your design on your personal projects page for critique. Be prepared to talk about what design principles are utilized in your layout.

6. PORTFOLIO PREPARATION: Based on the critique of the above, make adjustments as needed and prepare a verbal presentation to "sell" your design to the client. Publish web-ready JPEGs of your revised design on your personal projects page for final critique. If necessary, make refinements until you are 100% satisfied with the project. Print three high quality laser proofs of your final design (one copy will be given to the client). Be sure to save all your files for future editing.

7. GRADING: Submit two high quality laser proofs with your name on the back for grading. One proof will be returned to you after grading. File the graded proof in your Process Book for individual review along with all the preliminary work you did for the project (research, brief, sketches, preliminary proofs, final color "comp"). You will not receive credit for this project if any of the above elements are missing.

8. STUDENT GALLERY ARCHIVES: Once you are 100% satisfied with your project, prepare a low resolution PDF (smallest file size) of your project and drop it in Angel's drop box. Your project may be published in a showcase of student work on Parkland's website.