Week 1, January 26
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Introduction & Review of Syllabus | Understanding Identity Design hierarchy and what makes up an identity system
Lab: Select client prompts | Meet your cohort | Begin brand naming research
Homework: Create a list of possible brand names based on research. Be sure the names you short list are available and have a proper URL available.
Week 2, February 2
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: 5 Principles of effective logo design | Introducing Assignment 1: What makes up a “Brand Snapshot”?
Lab: Meet with cohorts to review name options for peer feedback | Demo on collaboration tools you can use with your cohort (Miro)
Homework: Begin to work on Assignment 1: Brand Snapshot, starting with the mood board and overall idea for the creative direction.
Week 3, February 9
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Watch an episode of Netflix’s Abstract-featuring Paula Scher and Pentagram Debrief following the episode
Lab: In class WIP critique of Brand Snapshot moodboards | Demo on creating a presentation template in InDesign
Homework: Continue working on Assignment 1: Brand Snapshot. Final version of Brand Snapshot is due next class.
Week 4, February 16 (Assignment 1 Due)
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Introduce Assignment 2-Creating a logo & style guide
Lab: Getting started with logo design | Do’s & Dont’s in Logo design-What is a style guide?
Homework: Begin to work on logo concepts. Create at least 3 preliminary directions to show for an in class WIP critique next week (you could have multiple variations per overall direction).
Week 5, February 23
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: WIP Critique on preliminary logo concepts | Talk about resources for visual mockups that can help amplify your logo presentations
Lab: Meet with your cohort to review logo concepts in more detail and decide which direction you want to focus on
Homework: Continue working on Assignment 2. Explore possible free mockups you can use for your logo presentations.
Week 6, March 2
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: No formal lecture as I will be out. Continue to work on your logo concepts during class time.
Lab: Meet with your cohort members to share/critique the progress you are making on your logo concepts
Homework: Continue working on logo concepts based on the feedback you received from your cohort.
Week 7, March 9
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: No formal lecture as I will be out. Continue to work on your logo concepts during class time.
Lab: Upload your WIP logos into Dropbox at the end of the class-I will send individual feedback | Begin to work on the other components of your style guide including typography and color palette
Homework: Continue working on logo concepts. I will be emailing feedback on the work you uploaded into Dropbox.
Week 8, March 16
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: What is extended visual branding? (Patterns, Icon Style, graphic elements) | Review examples and discuss how this can be derived from a logo
Lab: In class WIP critique on formalized Logo and Style guide presentations. | Demo on how you can create visual branding elements from a logo
Homework: Take feedback from the critique and apply it to your finished Logo & Style Guide-these will be due next class | Are there any visual elements you want to add to your style guide to amplify your branding?
Week 9, March 23 (Assignment 2 Due)
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Introduce Assignment 3-Building a Personal Wordmark and Resume | Review how designers brand themselves
Lab: Demo on how to format a designer resume, do’s and don’ts
Homework: Begin working on building out your personal Wordmark | bring 3 concepts to class next week.
Week 10, March 30
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: WIP Critique on 3 logo concepts | How to create visual harmony between typography, color, layout and logo
Lab: Meet with your cohorts to share your Personal Brand ideas | Isolate one of the 3 concepts to focus on Begin to design resume portion of project
Homework: Continue finalizing personal logo and resume | Be prepared to show finished logo design and resume next class (April 20)
Week 11, April 6 (No Class)
Homework: Continue finalizing personal logo and resume | Be prepared to show finished logo design and resume next class (April 20)
Week 12, April 13 (No Class)
Homework: Continue finalizing personal logo and resume | Be prepared to show finished logo design and resume next class (April 20)
Week 13, April 20 (Assignment 3 Due)
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Introduce Assignment 4 (final)-Brand Guidelines & Extension Piece | Managing brand consistency and logo usage within an organization.
Lab: Demo on how to create some common visual branding elements | Review examples of brand extension pieces-show logo in use with additional branded elements
Homework: Begin working on building out your brand guidelines for your client-pulling from the work you did in assignments 1 & 2 | Start on Cover, contents and sections 1-4 | Determine what you want to create for your brand extension piece
Week 14, April 27
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Managing brand consistency and logo usage within an organization | WIP Critique of brand guidelines
Lab: In-class work on brand guidelines and extension pieces. I will be walking around to give feedback and help anyone who has questions.
Homework: Continue working on brand guidelines and extension. You should focus on finishing sections 1-8. | Be prepared to present brand extension pieces next class.
Week 15, May 4
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: How to approach a rebrand or a logo uplift for an established company | WIP Critique of brand extension pieces
Lab: Continue working on brand guidelines and extension pieces. I will be walking around to give feedback and help anyone who has questions.
Homework: Continue working on brand guidelines and extension pieces | Be prepared to show WIP for final group critique next class.
Week 16, May 11
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture: Final WIP critique of brand guidelines and brand extension pieces
Lab: Continue working on brand guidelines and extension pieces. I will be walking around to give feedback and help anyone who has questions.
Homework: Revise and finalize brand guidelines and extension pieces. Everything is due next class.
Week 17, May 18 (Assignment 4 Due)
Location: Pearl 114
Lecture/Lab: Each person will have 5 minutes to present their final projects. Your presentation will be part of the great. Please submit PDF before class on May 18.
