Class Info

  • Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2023
  • Meeting Info: In person, Pearl 116, 8:30 to 11:00am, followed by Professor’s office hours from 11:00am to noon in Pearl 116.

Reminder about Refined Projects 1 and 2, if you’re refining work already submitted:

  • Refined versions of Projects 1 and 2 are due by Class 28 (i.e. the night before class, which is Dec. 6) December 7, 2023.
  • Project 3 is due Class 29 for final refinements. Everything must be completed by Class 29 (December 14)
  • Presentation of Project 03 will occur in Class 30 (December 19)

Topic

  • Type Classification: Quick review on your own.Sans Serif. Sub-category: Geometric
  • Project 3 : CONTINUE Posters; START Social Media Posts

Objectives

Explore contrast and legibility though use of actual color (other than black), imagery (photos), and type.

Review on your own: Geometric Sans

Activity 1

Posters

  • Does your poster grab attention??
    • Keep in mind that SCALE is important.
    • Hierarchy is below. Note that “Annoying!” is like a flag; it declares the idea of the exhibit but it is not the main thing that annoys you. “Student Pet Peeve Exhibit” can be smaller.
      • Title
      • Your brief text
      • Credit for any image you use, even if it’s your image
      • Source of any text that you haven’t written yourself.

Activity 2

Social Media Posts: Design four posts.

Description: In addition to your posters (you’ll present the strongest 2 out of 3), Create a series of typographical posts that will be used to promote the theoretical Student Pet Peeve Exhibit (with its heading of “Annoying!”

Specs: Use common social media square format 1080 x 1080 pixels

  • The margins are up to you.
  • 1080 x 1080 pixels translates into an InDesign document of 3.5 x 3.5 inches (aka 3.5 inches square).
  • Use RGB Colors
  • Take an abstract photo (of your own)  or create a texture.
  • Use the imagery as a background only. Ideally no illustrations; a graphic is OK if we discuss.
  • Use typefaces that relate to your Annoying! posters (i.e., your posters about what annoys you). These Social Media posts promote and partner with the posters.
  • Take into consideration all concepts previously explained this semester: typeface selection, visual hierarchy, use of a grid, color and legibility, alignment, line space, word and letter spacing.
  • Remember paths as well.

More Specs! Use this text on each of the four boards:

  1. Board 1: Your peeve | link in bio
  2. Board 2: [Your peeve] and other pet peeves | Student Exhibit | link in bio
  3. Board 3: Annoying! | [Your peeve] | link in bio
  4. Board 4: Annoying! | Student Pet Peeve Exhibit | [Your peeve] | see link

THE EXAMPLE BELOW OF TEXT CONTENT SHOWS THE SAME TEXT AS THE LIST ABOVE. IT’S FOR CONTENT ONLY AND IS NOT DESIGNED!!!

Still More Specs: What to do for each of the four boards:

  • Square 1: Black Text on White Background
  • Square 2: White Text on Black Background
  • Square 3: Photographic or Textural Background Choose RGB color. For typography, remember our readability studies)
  • Square 4: Use RGB color somewhere in the post.

Step-by-Step (if you prefer to work in InDesign, we can talk):

  • Open Illustrator
  • Create new document 1080 x 1080 PIXELS / 4 artboards
  • RGB color
  • 300dpi for starters; 72 dpi for posting
Once your document is created, you can arrange the artboards as indicated here.
View ARTBOARDS, click bottom left of artboard window to get rearrange artboards:
Choose layout/ 2 columns / Spacing 120 pixels between 

For your preliminary pass at Social Media Posts:

  • Look at example below by Professor Maria Giuliani—YET DO YOUR OWN. PLAY WITH YOUR TYPE.
  • (Note that your solutions must be different from these).
  • When you work: is the hierarchy appropriate? Are the colors and images offering the viewer an easy to read experience? Are point size, line space and letter space working in a cohesive way?

__________

If you’ve done the basics as shown above, Experiment.

The examples below show 4 sketches for an exhibit about a different topic—just to show process.

BELOW: SKETCHING AROUND AFTER DOING INITIAL FOUR

  • Keep going. The examples below are further studies for posts about a different topic—and the beginning of experimentation.
  • Keep going some more! As shown, some of them are too flat and must be pushed farther or must be abstracted to become intriguing.
  • NOTE: take your own images or use copy-right free images. Make sure to credit all images, even if you’ve done them yourself.

When you experiment, use the techniques we went over in earlier classes.

_____________

FOR YOUR POSTERS, referto InDesign handouts we’ve already used:

Assignment (To-Do After Class)

  • Due next class: Refine Posters and Complete Social Media posts
    • Save and package native InDesign files for Posters FOR YOURSELF. Upload PDF to Dropbox.
    • Save and Illustrator files for Social Media Posts and upload
    PDF or PNG to Dropbox
    • Name as:
    • Lastname_Proj03_Posters_112823
    • Lastname_Proj03_SocialMedia_112823
Print this page