CC2, Weeks 4 & 5: Composing a Letterform Alphabet from Observation

This is a two-week assignment you will do on your own. We will not meet in class this week or next week.

You will need three sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" paper. Work either vertically or horizontally, but be consistent on all three pages.

Divide each page into nine equal spaces (to do so quickly, fold one sheet into thirds vertically, then again into thirds horizontally).

You may use a ruler to draw the grid that divides the space into nine equal sections.

Now look for man-made objects in your surrounding environment that contain letterforms. NOTE: Do not simply copy a letterform alphabet from the internet - any images copied from online sources will receive a zero.

Draw one letterform in each space. The first page should look something like this:

After drawing the object in line, use pencil shading or grey markers to add values to each letterform composition. Complete the first 13 letterforms this week and submit them to the drop box.

NOTE: Because this is not a typical in-class drawing exercise, you have all week to complete the first half of the alphabet. The drop box closes at the start of next week's class.

CC2, Week 3: Sketching Type in a Layout

You can try reproducing these layouts by observation and calculation OR drag Layout Page 1 and Page 2 (below) off this blog to your desktop and print them out.

Each one should fit on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. Once you've printed them, you may use pencil or markers (or both) to reproduce them.



You can trace through the pages by using a light table, a glass coffee table with a small table lamp placed under it, or by taping the pages to a window.

But don't just reproduce the exercises - study what they are telling you about how to organize a good vs. bad layout.

Due at the beginning of next Wedneday's class.

Week 3 sketchbook assignment: Choose any person (real or imaginary) and sketch their head in perspective in a layout includes the type of a magazine cover of your choice. For example, you could sketch your own face on the cover of TIME magazine or sketch a favourite video game character on the cover of Playstation magazine. NOTE: If you choose an imaginary character, you must do a "realistic" interpretation - not a cartoony version.

Due in the Week 3 Sketchbook Drop Box at 1 p.m. on July 21st.

CC2 Week 2: Drawing a self portrait in perspective

Start by opening Photobooth on your MacBook and taking a photo of yourself. Try not to look straight into the camera. Tilt your head up or down a little and turn your head a bit to one side so we can see a bit of the profile of your nose.

Print out the photo on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, tape a piece of tracing paper over the photo and start working on a construction drawing of the head as we learned in class this week.

Once you've completed the construction drawing using basic shapes and applying the rules of proper proportion to establish the location of the facial features and the planes of the face and head, tape a new piece of tracing paper over top and begin a clean line drawing on a new layer. Use both the construction drawing and the photo to help you draw this clean line artwork. DO NOT simply trace the photo!

Continue refining your line drawing...

When you're satisfied that you've completed enough of the line drawing to give you an accurate linear portrait sketch, scan or take a photo of the three layers and upload a jpeg to the Drop Box on eLearn. The sketch is due in the Dropbox Monday July 14th at 1 o'clock..

CC2, Week 2: Sketching Type, Part 1

For this week's exercise you may use a ruler. I recommend you download the jpegs in this post, print them out and place a thin sheet of paper over them and trace each of the three exercises.

Complete all the pages at home and bring them to class to hand in at 11 a.m. on Wed. July 9th. If you don't have tracing paper, just use regular printer paper. Use a light table (if you have one) or a small light placed under a glass coffee table. In a pinch, a brightly lit window will do.

In each case, replicate as accurately as possible all the lines and letterforms in each of the three exercises.

Hour One: Draw the grid, then the letter forms on the same grid.

Hour Two: Draw the grid, then the letter forms on the same grid.

Hour Three: Although it's not shown below as it was in the two examples above, by now you should have the general idea: Draw the grid, then the letter forms on the same grid.

This week's sketchbook assignment (Due in the Dropbox on Monday July 14th at 11 a.m.):

Read this article about Herb Lubalin.

Google Image Search Herb Lubalin's logo designs.

Look specifically for "Beards" , "Mother & Child" , "Families" and other Lubalin "typographics"

Choose any word you like and design a "typographic" logo that visually describes the subject of your word.