Archive for January, 2011

Design Process and Conclusions Statement:

The intent of this exercise is to assist you in gaining a better understanding and insight into your work. You are to create a blog posting for each project that articulates the process (inspiration, formation and manifestation) you underwent as you carried your inspired idea to a final, tangible product. While this is not an English course, I expect you to be cognizant of proper grammar, spelling, vocabulary and sentence structure.

The writing assignment will be posted to the class blog for review; therefore, it will also be available for your classmates to review and provide comments. The goal is to create a safe space (the blog) where each student can:

• Improve writing skills, especially as they relate to design disciplines.
• Connect current course content, concepts and techniques to personal experiences and real-world applications
• Encourage dialogue between classmates with thoughtful and constructive responses to the ideas of others.

Posts

Minimum Requirements:

1. 250-300 words (word count appears below the post editor window after you save the draft).
2. Content must relate directly to current project, course content and required reading.
3. Include a hyperlink to an outside source that relates to your writing and/or course content. A good place to start is this list of graphic design blogs.
4. Include an image from another source that visually relates and exemplifies the content of your writing. This can be from the hyperlink mentioned above if appropriate. Here are a couple of visual resources: Communication Arts: Exhibit, Graphic Exchange

Related Content Suggestions:

1. What precedents/inspiration were important to your work? Why?
2. What are the major concepts/themes present in the work?
3. What personal experiences influenced the work and exemplify concepts discussed in class?
4. Illustrate connections between the course content and other areas of study/media such as music, film, video and animation.
5. Illustrate connections between the course content and contemporary cultural topic such as politics, economy, environment, health care, social justice, campus issues, etc. Use content from current cultural topics to illustrate concepts from current course content (example).
6. What were the conflicts and difficulties present during the design process? How were they resolved?
7. What questions arose during the process? How were they answered?
8. Why is your response relevant to the project’s goals and objectives?
9. Incorporate relevant information from reading and research
10. Evaluate the success of the final product

Note: Assuming your audience has the same knowledge as you related to the course, please avoid writing too much about course content and the project’s goals and objectives. These can be addressed to establish context, but should not account for the bulk of the writing.

Comments

Minimum Requirements:

1. Elaboration and response, not just simple agreement. For example:
   Comment A: “I agree. This is a good idea.” = ZERO CREDIT
   Comment B: “I agree. It makes me think of…” = POINT
2. Charitable tone
3. On Topic

Goals:

• Render texture, style and three-dimensionality using an ink process to achieve contrast, shadow and shade
• Use distinct line weights in drawing to establish depth of view
• Refine precision and neatness in drawing
• Develop time management skills

Media: Black ink

Assignment:

Produce ink “texture” drawings on vellum using the provided site plan. These drawings should portray visually developed views enhanced through the use of practiced inking textures, while using a 45-degree and 1/4″ offset shadow technique.

Process:

• Begin by producing a drawing on trace paper. Overlay the trace paper on the site plan drawing and redraw the site plan using appropriate line weights.
• Experiment with different types of tonal value techniques (hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, etc.). Feel free to overlay multiple sheets of trace to refine your drawing.
• Once you have decided on the technique for the drawing. Complete a final version on vellum.
• Create a simple title block, with scale and north arrow. (We will discuss in class.)

Schedule + Deadline:

• Thurs., Jan 20: Begin project,  Draw first draft of plan on trace paper.
• Tues., Jan 25: Develop site plan textures, patterns and shadow.
• Thurs., Jan 27: No Class
• Tues., Feb 1: Work on final drawing of site plan
• Thurs., Feb 3: Project due, Critique at beginning of class

Student Examples on Flickr