Course Description:

This basic design and color theory course explores graphic communication through the understanding 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 disciplines such as advertising, graphic design, web design, illustration, broadcast design, photography, and game design.
Class/Lab/Credit Hours: 1cl hr, 5 lab hrs, 3 cr

Corequisties:
ENG 092R (ESOL 032R), ENG 092W (ESOL 031W),
or CUNY certification in reading, writing and mathematics

Course Objectives

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES	ASSESSMENT
For the successful completion of this course, students should be able to:	Evaluation methods and criteria
Use a variety of materials and tools including designers gouache, brush, graphite pencil, color pencils, rubber cement, exacto knife, t-square, triangle.	The students will demonstrate their ability with each tool in a project or activity.
Use the elements and principles of design in a composition.	The students will create a pattern and describe the visual concepts used (line, space, shape, form, etc.) in a discussion.
Create a composition by employing the design development process.	Students will demonstrate competency by creating a design through appropriate research, thumbnail sketches, experimentation and final execution using appropriate materials and tools. Students will also document process by the use of a design journal.
Utilize the concept of compositional balance, including symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial balance.	Students will demonstrate competency by designing a series of patterns utilizing various forms of balance.
Apply color theory to a specified design.

Academic Integrity Standards:
You are responsible for reading, understanding and abiding by the NYC College of Technology Student Handbook, “Students Rights & Responsibilities”. section “Academic Integrity Standards”. Academic dishonesty of any type, including cheating and plagiarism is unacceptable. “Cheating” is misrepresenting another student’s or professional’s effort/work, word or concept as you own.

Teaching/learning method:
– Lecture and demonstrations
– Project lab and homework
– Multiple preparatory works per project
– Evaluation of oral presentations and research
– Class discussion
– Written exam
– Portfolio presentation
– Student use of rubrics for proficiency assessment

Class Structure:
The course will exercise study of design elements: line shape, tone, color, and dimension and their compositional principles of organizations. Each class will begin with a critique of the assignment fol-lowed by an introduction and demonstration of an aspect of design. The following assignment will require the application of this aspect. Note: individual assignments may be changed as needed at the discretion of the professor.

Project 1: linear use of expression
Project 2: shape organization for expression
Project 3: texture transformed into figure/ground; pattern recognition
Project 4, 5, and 6: scales of tonal value and of color
Project 7: composition strategies with color, using all means of composition
Project 8: pattern of transparency and dimension (2)
additional:  Photoshop exercise plus requirement for creating an OpenLab web site of your work for this course.

General Education Outcomes:

Thinking Critically
The student will demonstrate the ability to evaluate evidence and apply reasoning to make valid inferences. Evaluated through class critiques and self evaluation of the development of skills through rubrics of class projects with clear goals.
Presentation of research of  Principles of Composition Journal used throughout the semester is used to reinforce all learning skills and oral presentation.

Oral Communication
Speaking: The student will demonstrate the ability to articulate himself using relevant industry-specific language. Presentation of research of  Principles of Composition Journal used throughout the semester is used to reinforce all learning skills and oral presentation.

Writing
The student will demonstrate the ability to write clearly articulated thoughts in a professional, informed manner. This will be reinforced with assigned museum trip and professional events reportage at least 3 times in the semester.

Attendance (College) and lateness (Department) Policies:
For a three credit class with 30 class meetings you are allowed a total of 3 absences for the semester. Note: this means that you may have 2 latenesses to count as one absence. Both lateness and ab-sences count toward this rule. Class roster will be taken at the start of each class. After 3 absences, a student may be encouraged to withdraw because of unsatisfactory attendance. (WU). After roll call, students then arriving will be marked “late”. Students will be notified at the earliest opportunity in class after they have been absent or late. After being absent three times or equivalent (2 latenesses = 1 absence), a student may be asked to withdraw from the class (code W before College drop dead-line, 4/16/14) or may be with drawn form the class (code WU).

Withdrawl:
Each withdrawl can affect a student’s financial aid status. If a student fails to officially withdraw from a course and simply stops attending, the student will receive a “WU” grade. If the student never at-tended the course, the student will receive a grade of “WN”. Both of these grades are calculated into the grade point average as failing grades. Further information on grades and financial aid eligibility can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office. Students who officially withdraw during the CUNY refund period will have no grade recorded. Students who officially withdraw after the CUNY refund period but prior to the end of the designated withdrawal period (see the calendar for specific dates) will have a grade of “W” recorded. After that period and continuing until the beginning of the last week of classes a grade of ‘WF” will be recorded.

Grading:
College is a permanent record. Grades count. Get projects in on time to receive the grade they deserve. Late assignments will have a penalty of one half letter drop for class date it is past due. Two days late will result in a full letter drop. For example if a project is to normally receive a B- handing it in 2 ses-sions late will result in a grade of C-.

80 %  Homework and lab assignments
20 %  exams, portfolio presentation, vocabulary journal presentation and
Class participation
______
100%  TOTAL

Suggested reading:
“The Design Primer” by Susan G. and Gary S. Wheeler ©2002
“The Interaction of Color” by Josef Albers ©2006, or 2014
“Introduction to Two Dimensional design” by John Bowers ©2008
also check the course web site for magazines to look at (at least once!)