Grading System

• Sketchbook (Keeping a sketchbook of drawings and class notes is a requirement.) 10%

• Individual Assignments 40%

• In-Class Productivity, Participation in Critiques, In Class Quizzes 25%

• Final Project 25%

Labs

You are expected to work on sketchbooks and assignments for at least four hours a week outside of class. You will find that assignments will take a lot more than that to be successful. Students are encouraged to utilize outside of class Life-Drawing Opportunities listed on the Class Site Resources section.

Critiques

Each student will present his/her work weekly for critique using appropriate design vocabulary. The critique is a neutral dialogue. Students will present their work and discuss the strengths and weaknesses, expressing what works and what doesn’t work in relation to the assignment guidelines. Peer responses will be given. No personal likes or dislikes are discussed without elaborating the “why” of it. Design-specific terminology should be used at all times.

Communication

Communication is at the heart of everything you do as a creative professional. Whether you go on to become a designer, illustrator, art director, game designer, or any one of the numerous careers that the COMD department is preparing you for, your number one goal is to communicate, and to do it visually. To be able to communicate visually you also need to be able to communicate verbally. One of the most important and overlooked skills in our industry is to be able to express yourself clearly so that other people understand what your are saying. With that in mind you should always try to express yourself as clearly as possible in this (and all) of your classes.

Within this class you are expected to communicate with your classmates and with your professor. If you are going to miss a class it is your responsibility to let the professor know. If you are sick and miss a class when an assignment is due you will get a zero unless you contact your professor. If you have a question or are confused about something COMMUNICATE! Ask a question, send an email. Ignorance is not an excuse.