Course Syllabus, GA150

Design I
Course Description:
Design I will introduce students to the many facets of design and its uses in the world. By first learning the history
of design and its basic principals, students will form a knowledge base to build upon throughout their college
career. Students will engage in an exploration of technology, hand skills and the creative process to apply and
plan for projects in the design field. They will not only learn from lecture and reading, but also from hands-on
projects. Through demonstrations and experimentation students will also learn the fundamentals of Adobe
Illustrator, an essential tool for the visual communicator.

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

• Understand the history of Graphic Design and the variety of design types.
• Understand how design can be incorporated into everyday layout/design situations.
• Apply the creative process effectively, taking ideas from concept, to finished piece.
• Identify and comment on modern designer’s work.
• Build skills for the creation of ideas for multiple (electronic/media/print) outlets.
• Present their work to other designer’s as well as listen to feedback.
• Comment on other designer’s work in a helpful and constructive fashion.

Required Materials:
• “Design Elements, A Graphic Style Manual” textbook available in the school bookstore.
• “Visual Quick Start to Illustrator CS5” textbook available in the school bookstore.
• A sketchbook of any size/type, and various pencils or markers to sketch or take notes.
• USB drive or external drive for transfer/storage of files.
• Pocket folder for handouts and notes.

Expectations:
You are expected to:

• Attend all classes. Arrive on time and stay for the duration of class, just as you would at your job. Consistent
and prompt attendance develops responsible professional behavior and insures you get the most out of class
time.
• Conduct yourself in a professional manner.
• Work diligently. Use class time wisely and productively, not for social networking.
• Respect others. Be considerate of classmate’s time, workspace and personal preferences.
• Be prepared at the beginning of each class. Come to class with your work completed and your tools at the
ready.
• Turn in work, completed and on time. (See Assignment Policy.)
• Participate in class discussions and critiques. Participation is big factor in communicating your ideas.
Every project will include participation as part of your grade. At times you will present your work for critique,
present your ideas and listen to other’s comments. When critiquing others you are expected to give honest,
yet helpful feedback. No disruptive, inflammatory or disrespectful conduct will be tolerated.

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Grading Criteria:
The student will complete exercises, projects, and evaluative quizzes and tests required to the satisfaction of the
instructor. Graded exercises, projects, and tests will be evaluated on the following point system:

585 points Projects. Must be in by the posted due date.

100 points Exercises. Must be turned in at least one week prior to the end of the semester.
75 points Quizzes & Final exam.

A minimum overall score of 60% is required to pass with a grade of D, 70% for a grade of C, 80% for a grade of
B, and 90% for a grade of A.

If you officially or unofficially withdraw from school before week nine of the semester, you will receive a WA as
your final grade in all of the courses for the semester. All withdrawals after week nine of the term will receive an A,
B, C, D, or F grade as determined by your course instructor.

Assignment Policy:
All assignments are due by the deadline given in class and listed on the Project Brief. Deadlines are an important
part of any designer’s work. If you miss the deadline, you lose the job. In class, if you miss the deadline you get
a zero! This grade will not be revisited.

Come to class prepared with your project completely finished at the beginning of class. Even if your assignment is
not finished to your liking, turn it in for a partial grade. An assignment can be reworked and resubmitted for
consideration ONLY if the original deadline is met. Talk to the instructor as soon as possible to set a new due
date. All resubmitted assignments will incur a 10% points penalty for being late. Failure to meet the rescheduled
deadline will result in a “D” or “F” for the project grade.

Projects count as 80% of your grade and should be your main focus in class. The remaining 20% of your grade is
comprised of a number of exercises, which are simple tasks done together in class, along with quizzes and tests.
As long as the exercises are completed and turned in, you are awarded the full points value. At the end of the
semester the points are added up along with quizzes and tests and count as 20% of the final grade.

Special Needs:
I wish to accommodate persons with disabilities in this course. I need advance notice to provide accommodations,
so please let the Student Advisor know if you might require assistance. Madison Media Institute wishes you to find
this educational experience enjoyable and worthwhile.

Email Policy:
Email is the best way to contact your instructor when outside of class. Students are required to use MMI’s email
system for all communication within the school. Please keep in mind that email to your instructor is considered
formal communication and should be written in a respectful and polite manner. All messages should be necessary
and considerate of the instructor’s time.

If you will be late or absent from a class, you are expected to contact your instructor by email.

Academic Honesty:
Academic work that is submitted to an instructor is assumed to be the result of your own work, thought and
research. Plagiarism is the failure to acknowledge the use of words, ideas, images, music, sound, or layout of
another person. Anyone engaged in plagiarism may face reprimand and even dismissal by the school.

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Electronic Devices:
• CELL PHONE BAN: Cell phones must be turned OFF and placed out of sight during class.
• Cell phones should be used ONLY outside of the classroom during breaks or after class.
• Students should refrain from using ipods, email, facebook, twitter, social networks or the Internet during class
lectures.
• Ipods may be used during work time only, and should be kept at a low volume so that your neighbors are not
disturbed.
• Anyone caught using a cell phone or social network during class will be asked to leave the classroom for a
time, or relinquish his or her phone to the instructor until the end of the session.

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Course Outline, GA150
Design I
Below is the course outline for the fifteen sessions of this course.

Session Topics Reading Projects Given Projects Due

•
01
Intro to Design 1 Design Elements
• What is Design? Why do we need it? Pages 8-29 (20 rules)
• Overview of course content
• Intro to ecourses Chapter 1,
• 20 rules of Design pgs 30-55

•
02
Early History of Art & Design Design Elements Project A:
• Form & Space, elements of design Ch. 1, pgs 56-79 Form & Space
• Gestalt Theory
• Negative Space

•
03
History of Design, part 2 Design Elements Project B: Project A: Form &
• Introduction to Adobe Illustrator Ch. 2, pgs 80-91 Research Paper Space DUE!
• What is a Vector?
• Interface/Workspace VQS Illustrator
• Selection Tools Ch.1, 3 & 4
• Drawing Shapes
• Fill & Stroke

•
04
Color, an element of design Design Elements Exercise 1: Project B: Outline of
• Subtractive & Additive color Ch. 2, pgs 92-113 Color wheel topic
• Color Influence
• Color Wheel Project C: Color
• Using Color in Illustrator, part 1 Study

•
05
Color in Illustrator, part 2 VQS Illustrator Exercise 2: iPod Project B: Take rough
• Color Guide Ch. 6-10 & 24 drawing draft to LRC for proof
• Building Gradients reading
• Gradient Tool
• On-screen annotator Project C: Color
• Realistic drawings with Gradients Study DUE!

•
06
Typography, an element of design Design Elements Project D: Type Project B: Research
• Fonts, Styles, and Families Ch. 3, pgs 114-135 Study Paper DUE!
• Typography design
• Type Anatomy Exercise 2
• Type Tools in Illustrator
• Fonts and formatting

•
07
Other Type tools in AI Design Elements Exercise 3: Type on a Project D: Type
• Type on a Path Ch. 3, pgs 146-163 Path Study DUE!
• Ruler with E-scale
• Transform Tools VQS Illustrator Project E: Personal
• Making shapes with Pathfinder Ch. 19-20 Tattoo
• Blend tool

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Session Topics Reading Projects Given Projects Due

•
08
Designing Logos Project F: Logo Design Project E: Personal
• Creating Identity & Tattoo DUE!
• Good logo, bad logo Project G: Identity
• Thumbnail Sketching System
• Moving to the Computer

•
09
Creating Logos in Illustrator VQS Illustrator Exercise 4: Effects Project F: Rough
• Layers panel Ch. 14-15 & 27 draft
• Effects & Appearance panels
• Transparency
• Printing issues

•
10
Images, an element of design Design Elements Exercise 5: Raster vs. Project F: Logo
• Abstract, Organic, Photo-real Ch. 4, pgs 164-183 Vector Design DUE!
• Raster vs. Vector images
• Placing into Illustrator VQS Illustrator
• Combining Raster & Vector Images Ch. 22

•
11
Putting it all together Design Elements Exercise 6: Exercise 5
• The Creative Process Ch. 5, pgs 196-217 Brainstorming
• Generating Ideas Project G: Identity
• Brainstorming Project H: Vision System DUE!
• Design Basics Board
• Vision Boards

•
12
Drawing Tools in Illustrator VQS Illustrator Exercise 7: Pen tool Project H: Vision
• Pen tool revealed! Ch. 7, 13, 21 & 25 Board DUE!
• Working with Paths Project J:
• Designing for a Theme Poster Design
Or DVD cover

•
13
Designing Layouts Design Elements Project J: idea comps
• Combining Type and Image Ch. 5, pgs 232-245
• Using grids
• Review semester, Part 1

• Review Semester, Part 2

14
VQS Illustrator Project J: Rough draft
• Fun stuff in Illustrator Ch. 26
• Work time for Final project

• Final Presentations
15
Project J: Final is
• Final Exam DUE!!!!!

Take Final exam

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