Course Information

COMD1100 Graphic Design Principles I
This foundation design and color theory course explores graphic communication through the understanding and use of the elements and principles of design, as well as the design process, including idea development through final execution. Students develop basic skills in two-dimensional design, color, and content creation while employing the design process of research, sketching, and experimentation. Communication designers use the concepts explored in this course in careers such as advertising, graphic design, web design, illustration, broadcast design, photography, and game design.

Credits, Hours
3 Credits, 6 hours (1 lecture, 5 lab)

Section
E054

Course Site

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/graphicdesignprinciples1/

Class Meetings

In-person

Monday 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Pearl 123

Thursdays 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM Pearl 125

Faculty Information

Professor Anmol K. Dhamrait

In-person office hours/information:

  • Office Hours: Mondays & Thursdays: 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm make an appointment by email or Calendly (info below)
  • Book time in advance to meet during office hours on Calendly

Contact Information:

Learning Outcomes

Through hands-on experiments, collaborative learning, and individual projects, students will demonstrate:

  • visual literacy uses basic design elements and principles to understand and create visual media
  • design process and practice utilizing effective time management and project organization
  • accurate use of design vocabulary to articulate ideas and concepts in written and verbal peer critique
  • an inspired personal vision to enable curiosity, creative problem-solving, and design thinking.

Teaching/Learning Methods

  • Presentation and discussion
  • Visual and tactile examples
  • Hands-on projects
  • In-class and online peer critique sessions
  • Team collaboration
  • Design thinking exercises
  • Individual reflection/documentation
  • Sketchbook
  • Writing and blogging on OpenLab & ePortfolio

Grading Policy

Grades will be awarded using the College’s standard grading scale, but your coursework will be evaluated using a rubric that takes into consideration the effort applied, technical understanding, and creative use of resources. Your final grade will reflect how well you explored and integrated the design concepts and practices introduced in this course.

Grades will be based upon:

  • 70% Projects & Experiments
  • 10% Participation
  • 10% Documentation
  • 10% Final Project

Review details for successfully completing your coursework on the grading policy page.

Design Resources

Graphic Design Thinking : Beyond Brainstorming, edited by Ellen Lupton, Princeton Architectural Press, 2011. ProQuest Ebook Central [City Tech Library Card Required]

Lupton, Ellen, and Jennifer Cole Phillips. Graphic Design : The New Basics, Princeton Architectural Press, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central [City Tech Library Card Required]

http://gdbasics.com

Leborg, Christian. Visual Grammar, Princeton Architectural Press, 2006. ProQuest Ebook Central [City Tech Library Card Required]

Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type : A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, and Students, Princeton Architectural Press, 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central [City Tech Library Card Required]

Vit, Armin, et al. Graphic Design, Referenced : A Visual Guide to the Language, Applications, and History of Graphic Design, Quarto Publishing Group USA, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central [City Tech Library Card Required]

Norman, Don. Emotional Design : Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, Basic Books, 2007. ProQuest Ebook Central. [City Tech Library Card Required]

Class Etiquette & Netiquette

Learning is a group activity. The behavior of each person in class affects the overall learning environment. As a COMD student you are expected to act in a professional manner; to be respectful of the learning process, your instructor, and your fellow students. And hopefully have fun!

Attendance (College) and Lateness (Department) Policies

Attendance is taken and is important to success in this class. Both absences and arrivals more than 15 minutes after the start of class will be marked. If excessive, the instructor will alert the student that he or she may be in danger of not meeting the course objectives and participation expectations, which could lead to a lower grade.

If this course is being offered asynchronously, attendance and lateness are determined by timely participation in discussion, posting, and commenting deadlines set by the instructor.

COMD Attendance Policy

The COMD BFA and AAS are design studio programs. In-class activities and engagement with other students are a significant portion of the courses. Absences in excess of 10% of the total class hours will affect your final grade due to an inability to meet participation and in-class activity requirements. No more than 4 class absences will be allowed. It is expected that you will be ready to work at the start of each period.

COMD Department

Make-ups / Late Submission

If a student finds they will not be able to present or hand in a project on the scheduled due date, it is their responsibility to notify the instructor PRIOR to the due date and request alternate arrangements.

Points will be deducted for late projects and missed critiques. It’s better to turn in incomplete projects than late projects. If you turn in your work on time, you will have the opportunity to rework to improve your grade.

Academic Integrity (Cheating/Plagiarism)

Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citation of sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the college recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited at The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. More information about the College’s policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the College Catalog. 

Accessibility Statement

City Tech is committed to supporting the educational goals of enrolled students with disabilities in the areas of enrollment, academic advisement, tutoring, assistive technologies, and testing accommodations. If you have or think you may have a disability, you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments as provided under applicable federal, state, and city laws. You may also request services for temporary conditions or medical issues under certain circumstances. If you have questions about your eligibility or would like to seek accommodation services or academic adjustments, you can leave a voicemail at 718-260-5143, send an email to:  Accessibility@citytech.cuny.edu, or visit the Center’s website at  http://www.citytech.cuny.edu/accessibility/ for more information. 

Student Success Center

Throughout the semester, I may send you messages about how you are doing in this class. If the message indicates that there is something you need to work on, you may be contacted by the Student Success Center. A Student Success Center Coach will reach out to you by phone, text, and email to offer support and suggest additional resources to support your success in this course. I encourage you to respond and work with the Student Success Center to improve your performance in our class.


City Tech Diversity & Inclusive Education Statement

This course welcomes students from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. In accordance with the City Tech and CUNY missions, this course intends to provide an atmosphere of inclusion, respect, and mutual appreciation of differences so that together we can create an environment in which all students can flourish. It is the instructor’s goal to provide materials and activities that are welcoming and accommodating of diversity in all of its forms, including race, gender identity and presentation, ethnicity, national origin, religion, cultural identity, socioeconomic background, sexuality and sexual orientation, ability, neurodivergence, age, and etc. Your instructor is committed to equity and actively seeks ways to challenge institutional racism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of prejudice. Your input is encouraged and appreciated. If a dynamic that you observe or experience in the course concerns you, you may respectfully inform your instructor without fear of how your concerns will affect your grade.  Let your instructor know how to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally, or for other students or student groups. We acknowledge that NYCCT is located in the traditional homelands of the Canarsie and Lenape peoples. 

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