Category: Classes

• Date: September 10
• Dropbox COMD 3501 fall 26

Today’s Topic

• Evaluating Symbol Ideas/Concepts
  • Class Discussion
    • What works? What could be better? Decide
• Establishing visual uniformity/Design Rules/Refine sketches
• Design Principles from last week’s participation activity
• Participation Activity 2

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Participation Activity 2

TECHNICAL REVIEW
Illustrator: Artboards with grid

This activity will show the process of how to create a grid. Additionally will help you think about uniformity within family (main shape, round or straight corners, stroke width).

Consider main shape/padding or border.

And now your document should look like this.

NOTE
The following step is a variable (not a single solution) based on the use of artboards and measurements:

If the grid is not perfectly aligning to the start of the artboard, you will need to:

-align the origin of the ruler to the first artboard (the top left corner intersection)
-Go to rulers CHANGE to ARTBOARD RULERS
-Change the scale of the view (Mac: Command – or Command +)

Start adding some shapes: Concentrate in UNIFORMITY of stroke width, form, and how shape adheres to the grid

A few tips:

Take a screenshot and post

• Make a new post:
  Go to the DASHBOARD>POST>ADD NEW
  
  ADD title  “Grid Illustrator”
  
  Categories
  Under the GEAR to the right of the screen GO to DOCUMENT>CATEGORIES, then check the following categories: 
  “Student Post ” and “Participation Activity”
  
  Add your image as a JPG:
  •   yourlastname_PA2_sept10_grid_illustrator.jpg
• PUBLISH (Open lab has a little delay when posting. Avoid posting numerous times)

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Discussion of CONCEPTS

Students will present their 3 concepts to the rest of the class. By the end of discussion, one idea is selected.

Next Steps: Family of Symbols:

Our next assignment is the actual design of your icons. It will be done through 3 main steps.

Now that one concept is selected. It is time to simplify and unify specifics. Your goal and challenge is to refine your visuals to produce a uniform set of symbols for a specific use.

Research more/ Do you need more imagery, different imagery? Did the discussion in class today prompted other ideas? Have a better understanding of your subjects.

Sketch again

• Think of the actual use of your symbols. You will define the actual use these icons. For example, mine will be used for signage /environmental graphics at a campground.
• Do not “trace” your photographic research (for various reasons)
  • First not all images can be used — be aware of copyright and Creative Commons licenses if images are not your own.
  • Not all images are uniform in scale, view, etc. Results will be wonky
• Sketch more with uniformity clearly in mind.

QUICK DEMO

• Using graph paper
• Go over your sketches with a SHARPIE (on tracing paper)

We will work fully in Illustrator next week.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Due Next Class

Final 5 items / unified COMPREHENSIVE sketches. Use a ruler, graph paper. These should not look like quick sketches of rough doodles.

• At least two different versions of five icons (I am showing three)
• Determine and explain the actual use of your symbols (identity system). BE SPECIFIC (note that mine is a bit more general)
• Look for additional research/images if necessary
• Explain the general similarities of your set.

Final versions of icons are one color only.
Square 24 x 24 unit grid

Save your edited research and symbol comprehensive sketches as a PDF
lastname_firstname_A2_step1_family.pdf

Please place a PDF here:

Dropbox COMD 3501 fall 26

Rubric for Assignment 2

• Date: September 3
• Meeting Info: 
  • P114 / 2:15 to 5:35
• Dropbox COMD 3501 fall 26

To-Do Before Class

• Check your City Tech email regarding your membership to this course OpenLab site.
• You should be members prior to class start Search for COMD3501 and the Specific Section Number
• CHECK your CUNYfirst account, CITYTECH email and make sure that all is working.

Today’s Topic

• Class structure
• What is this class about? Identity Design is a Strategy Course:
  (What, Why and How)
• Design and Identity >> Know what is happening currently with design related topics
  • There a few interesting sites listed under> HELP and RESOURCES>>COURSE RESOURCES for example: Fonts in use
  • Be curious and know about design history as well as current trends. Share with class any interesting findings.

What you should already know

At this level it is important to know the following technology and understand the following type design related concepts:

• Tech:
  We will use varied applications, such as Illustrator and InDesign (but not limited to). You should have comfortable knowledge of these. We might use other applications to support our work.
• Create basic vector shapes
  • Basic pen tool and shape builder tools
• Understand difference between CMYK and RGB / Resolution
• Know basic layout and composition of a digital page (visual hierarchy)
  • design of a multiple page publication
  • typographical grid
• Typography
  • use correct type terminology
  • variations and why to use them
  • variables typefaces
  • how to access typefaces. This is essential for ID design
  • alignment
  • spacing (line height or leading, word spacing: tracking, kerning)
  • type pairing
  • others
    
    
    

Participation Activity #1

GO to STUDENT POST on the menu

During class.

Google’s Open Source Design System and comment as instructed.

Intro to Project 1

We will explore a design identity via uniformity and consistency by constructing a family or set of symbols.

• Note: Some of you designed symbols in COMD1200. This is not the same assignment.

Family of Symbols: Define a family of symbols derived from the umbrella topic that is randomly selected (You get what you get and you do not get upset— this is part of the challenge).

• Time to PICK from the HAT

Within this umbrella theme, then YOU can select a specific topic.

Let’s look at some examples.

Assignment 1: below is due next class and will be graded.

Assignment 1: Family of symbols – Concept

• Come up with 3 concepts within your umbrella theme.
• Write a paragraph that explain these.
  First determine the what (what are you specifically designing),
  then the why (how could these be used–this will be developed further later).
  • For Example: Umbrella Theme> Tools
    • Concept 1: Hand Powered Tools
    • Concept 2: Make-up Tools
    • Concept 3: Cooking Tools
• Within each concept define at least five items that could be part of your symbol system.
  • For example Concept 1: Hand Powered Tools
    • hammer
    • screwdriver
    • saw
    • wrench
    • pliers
• VISUAL or GRAPHIC RESEARCH: Create graphic mood boards or research boards. Can do word association, mind maps as part of brainstorming.
• Do quick sketches of your items. No less than 5. As you sketch this, think uniformity, similarities in placement and style. These must fit into a square area. This will be developed in detail further.
• AI cannot be used for sketches, other or final version of any assignment(s). For this assignment it can be used to help you narrow down your topic. Always include how AI was used.

(DUE night before next class)
Please place a PDF of your research and sketches here

Dropbox COMD 3501 fall 26

lastname_firstnameinitial_a1_symbols_research.pdf

This is a 3 page pdf

Here is my example. Please note that I will always share my examples to show how I solved the assignment. This doesn’t mean that you have to exactly what I do. Be original.