Week 10/11: Sketching Type Creatively

PART 1

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"

Design a "typographic" version of the logo you have recently worked on for Cindy's Typography class. Begin by doing a page of brainstorming roughs - brainstorm at least four different typo-graphic ideas. Then comp up the best one.

PART 2

Study these layouts below and consider what they are telling you about how to organize a good vs. bad layout.

This week's sketchbook assignment: Read Frank Chimero's Advice for Graphic Design Students

Choose a section that really speaks to you and sketch a layout design that demonstrates the lessons learned in today's in-class exercises. Use both typography and visual elements - typo-graphically - as creatively as possible!

CC2, Project One: Letterforms in Your Environment

It's essential for graphic artists/designers to do 'field research' - to observe and examine the real world around them rather than relying on the internet as their primary research and inspiration tool. We'll be doing several assignments this semester that will require you to do 'field research' as the first stage of creating and executing a design.


Letterforms are all around us if we just take the time to look closely AND creatively at our world.

WEEK ONE:

Here's one example of an environmental letterform alphabet. And here's another.


During Week One of CC2, take the three hours of our class time to examine everything around you, large and small. Look at furniture, room details like door and window trim, kitchen utensils, tools, bikes, cars, buildings and fences. Go to the hardware store and look at all the items there. Look at the trees and other plants in our landscape. Look at shadows.

Every time you spot what looks like a letterform somewhere in our environment, take a photo of it. Save it in black & white mode if possible.

Once you've managed to photograph the entire alphabet, organize the photos into a grid similar to the examples at the link above. Save the 26-letter assembly as a jpeg and upload it to the Week One sketchbook dropbox.


WEEK TWO:

Print out the page and bring it with you to class in Week Two. We will post everyone's field research on the board and look at them together.
NOTE: there is a 20% penalty for not bringing in the printed-out field research so DON'T FORGET!

Over the next three weeks we will be working toward creating a full-size, hand-drawn letterform alphabet poster. Here are a couple of great examples of previous student work:

In class during Week Two you will begin conceptualizing the design of your poster by researching and thumbnailing. We will begin experimenting with tonal shading techniques so be sure to bring pencils - including the flat pencil from your art kit - erasers, pencil sharpeners, a sharp knife and your grey markers from the art kit.

Once your thumbnail designs and pencil/marker comp are completed in your sketchbook, upload them to the Week Two sketchbook dropbox. At the end of our Week Two class I will be handing out large sheets of plain white paper on which you will execute the final version of your Letterforms in Our Environment Alphabet poster design.

WEEKS THREE & FOUR

We will devote our class time during Weeks Three and Four to completing the full size poster. The finished artwork is due by the end of class in Week Four.

CC1, Weeks 8 & 9: Independent Study Assignment #2

Your second Independent Study Assignment will take place next week, however you can begin immediately if you prefer. It would be advisable to not wait until that day to begin! NOTE that we do not meet in class during an Independent Study Assignment.

The assignment is to redesign the cover of an existing video game. Your new design must incorporate a montage of figures and heads. For example, here is an existing video game cover...



There are four parts to your 2nd Independent Study Assignment:

1.) a page of rough, exploratory sketching (Goes in the Week 9 Sketchbook dropbox)



2.) a minimum of four thumbnails (Goes in the ISA #2 dropbox)



3.) a full size pencil comp (Goes in the ISA #2 dropbox) NOTE that the design is now a montage of figures and heads.



4.) a jpeg of the actual existing video game box cover (Goes in the ISA #2 dropbox)



You must submit all pages to the correct dropbox(es) PLUS the existing image - four files all together - in jpeg format only - do NOT zip your files

Remember:

* Draw the image area to the correct proportion.

* Draw guidelines for all typographic elements.

* Leave construction lines in place so I can tell you are using the stickman construction method when drawing figures and the proportion method when drawing faces.

Week 13: Exercises and Sketchbook Assignment for those who missed the field trip

Here are some of the paintings we viewed at the AGH. Choose one to sketch from. Use the whole page - include values (shading).

Week 13 Sketchbook Assignment: Visit the AGH website at this link. Redesign the landing page to reflect a more modern, clean design as in these examples and feature one of the paintings above in your redesign.

Upload both pages to the Week 13 Sketchbook dropbox.

Drawing Objects in Perspective

Sketch all the objects below in your sketchbook

This Week's Sketchbook Assignment: Find an online home furnishing flyer (eg. ikea.ca) and choose a room setting in two point perspective (eg. a living room or dining room) Sketch the scene but include three people using the furniture (sitting, standing, leaning on something, etc.)

Creative Concepts 1: Week Eight, ISA #2

Your second Independent Study Assignment will take place next week, during Fall Break week, however you can begin immediately if you prefer. It would be advisable to not wait until that day to begin!

The assignment is to redesign the cover of an existing video game. Your new design must incorporate a montage of figures and heads. For example, here is an existing video game cover...



There are four parts to your 2nd Independent Study Assignment:

1.) a page of rough, exploratory sketching (Goes in the Week 8 Sketchbook dropbox)



2.) a minimum of four thumbnails (Goes in the ISA #2 dropbox)



3.) a full size pencil comp (Goes in the ISA #2 dropbox) NOTE that the design is now a montage of figures and heads.



4.) a jpeg of the actual existing video game box cover (Goes in the ISA #2 dropbox)



You must submit all pages to the dropbox(es) PLUS the existing image - four files all together - in jpeg format only - do NOT zip your files

Remember:

* Draw the image area to the correct proportion.

* Draw guidelines for all typographic elements.

* Leave construction lines in place so I can tell you are using the stickman construction method when drawing figures and the proportion method when drawing faces.

CC1, Week Seven: Stickman Construction

Take a good look at the page below. Copy all the stickmen onto a page in your sketchbook:

Watch this short video for a demonstration of how to take your stickman drawings to the next level:


Once you've watched the video, continue sketching all the matchstick figure constructions below...

Week Five Sketchbook Assignment:

Search the term "Google Doodle" and have a look at the many clever designs that have been done by various artists. Design your own Google Doodle on the theme of "Hallowe'en" or "Autumn." Create your own typographic style for the word "Google" and include at least five figures and other props. Begin your figures by sketching them as stick figures, then add volume and surface details as we did in class during our in-class exercise. Your figures can be 'regular' people, animals, fantasy characters or a combination.
Here are a few examples of well done Google Doodles by previous students: