Class Info

  • Date: Sept 19
  • Meeting Info: P123
  • Lecture: Download Link
  • Topics: Project 1 Critique, Figure/Ground & Contrast, Intro to Project 2, Meetings with Professor

To-Do Before Class

  1. Project 1 is DUE:
    • Review the complete Project 1 Guidelines to make sure you have completed all phases of this project.
    • Take a well-lighted photo your finished inked composition and then protect it with tracing paper for safe keeping.
    • Post ALL of your Project 1 work. Follow the How to Post Your Work guide and include the project-specific details found under Project #1 Deliver. Remember to add the category Student Work > Project 1 Posts.
  2. We will look at your completed work during the critique next class.

Project 1 Critique

Let’s take a look at the completed Project 1 posts together and use the project vocabulary to describe the work. Specifically let’s observe the uses of shapes, lines, and textures.

  • When presenting your work, start with following: your name, the title and theme of the project, what you feel you did successfully, what you can improve on next time.
  • Your peers and the professor will provide supportive, constructive feedback.
  • You will have an opportunity to revise your work based on the feedback and improve your work and your grade.

Project 2 – Curious Compositions

1. Make a Mind Map

Mind Mapping is a research tool that helps designers to quickly explore a concept or design problem. Starting with a central term or idea the designer quickly finds associated words or concepts.

  1. Find Quiet. Find a quiet space to think. Or use headphones or earplugs.
  2. Open a Blank Page. Open a new page in your sketchbook.
  3. Write Curiosity. In the center of the paper write the word Curiosity. Draw a box around it.
  4. Branch Out. Draw lines out from the center box. Add words or drawings that represent curiosity; the things you do, think, feel, see, that give you that feeling of curiosity- of wanting to know more.
  5. Organize. Are there certain words or concepts that hold more importance than others or that are actually subsections of a main idea? Visually group these in some way using boxes, circles, patterns, arrows, colors, etc.
  6. Highlight. Choose 3 concepts from all the words or concepts in your mind map that give you that feeling of curiosity, or wanting to know more.

2. Define

Thumbnail Sketches / Iterations

12 thumbnail sketches or roughs are used to explore layout and compositional options. These are QUICK drawings that allow the designer to try out a range of  ideas and find the best solution. Do web search to see examples of thumbnail sketches.

Get started! Using simple shapes, draw representations of each of your three “curiosities” from your mind map.

For example:

  • Nature = Leaf or Tree
  • Love = Heart or Fireworks
  • Ancestry = Group of people
  • Travel = Map

Meetings with Professor

  • Meet with the Professor to make sure you are on the path to success in this course. If you have questions or need extra help, now is the time to ask!

To-Do After Class

  1. Revise: Based on the critique, revise your Project 1 Post and any aspect of the completed work that you’d like to improve.
  2. Comment: Part of your Project grade is leaving well-written comments for your peer-critique partner and at least one other student. Follow the How to Comment and Critique guide for specific guidelines for leaving constructive feedback.
  3. Create your mind map and thumbnail 12 sketches based on Project 2.
  4. Post Project One scans/photographs to openlab. Follow instructions on Project One page.

Materials needed for NEXT CLASS

  • sketch book (9″x12″)
  • graphite pencils (Venus or similar 6B, 2B, HB, 2H, 4H)
  • pencil sharpener (basic metal)
  • small box/container for your supplies (find or reuse)
  • Pigma Micron inking pens + big brush Set
  • metal ruler