LAYOUT/GD131

Any student who has questions outside of class, please email me at zigahelen@yahoo.com.

Instructor: Helen Ziga
Office Hours: 4:30-5:30 on Wednesdays by appointment; Room 417

Lab: 228 from 5-6:50 pm
Classroom: 518 from 8-9:40 pm

Course Description
This course explores various means of indicating visual elements in page design. The ability to effectively integrate photographs, illustrations and display text and type text is developed using page composition software. Prerequisite: ART120 Color and Design, GD Typography.

Course Objectives and Purpose
Upon completion of this course students will:

• Produce a series of 5 portfolio-quality graphic design pieces;
• Learn to apply basic design layout technique to assigned projects;
• Identify the different elements used in design layout;
• Understand and incorporate grid systems to their projects;
• Apply electronic techniques to produce their assigned projects; software usage will include Adobe InDesign (main), Photoshop and Illustrator;
• Communicate design concepts both visually and verbally;
• Begin to understand the role of layout within the design profession.

Project Evaluation
Your projects will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Displaying your process through sketching grids, thumbnails and roughs for final pieces;
• Creativity and aesthetic skill within the parameters of the assignment;
• Meeting the specifications of the project;
• Meeting deadlines;
• Working with electronic files as specified;
• Presenting work in a neat and professional manner (using 3-ring binder)

Estimate on How Many Hours You Will Spend on Assignments Outside of Class
Expect to spend 2-4 hours per week in addition to the 4 lab hours to complete your assignments.

Required Materials (available in school store or online at www.Amazon.com)

• How to Understand and Use Design and Layout by David Dabner
• Adobe InDesign CS3 Revealed by Chris Botello
• Loose sketch paper/sketchbook
• A new 3-ring binder
• 1 thick and 1 thin black marker
• Drawing pencils
• CDs - at least 6 (one for yourself and five for turning in work)

Required Technology
Adobe Creative Suite - Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat

Grading
Major Projects: 70% / In-Class Assignments: 20% / 2 Exams: 10%
Classroom Performance defined as professionalism, attitude and participation. The breakdown of your major project grades will be given with the assignment specifications.

Grading Standards
A 95-100; A- 90-94; B+ 87-89; B 84-86; B- 80-83; C+ 77-79; C 74-76; C- 70-73; D+ 65-69,
D 60-64; F is Below 60

• A - Superior performance on all levels of evaluation, participation and submissions standards.
• B - Above average craftsmanship and problem solving abilities
• C - Average performance, everything is turned in on time of an average quality of creativity and production
• D - Failure to meet minimum quality requirements in most areas
• F - Serious problems with work and attitude

Skills Needed to Pass This Course
In order to pass this course students must be able to:

• Work from concept to sketch to composite design to a final professional-quality printed design
• Produce strong headlines in type
• Know hot to format type - style sheets, punctuation, text inset, text wrapping, alignment, tracking, kerning, leading
• Know how to create a proper grid for layout - margins, gutters, column grids and modular grids
• Use InDesign software for design production- file management, setting document size and formats, setting columns and print set-up (bleeds, registration)
• Resize and resample photographs using Photoshop
• Understand and exhibit knowledge of the design process - visual hierarchy, unity, balance, flow, font selections, color, symmetry and spatial relationships between text and objects.

Class Rules

• Come to class on time and prepared to work for the entire class period. You will be marked absent if you do not have your supplies or are unprepared.
• Keep all projects and evaluation sheets in your binder. Your binder will be collected and evaluated at the end of the quarter so keep it organized and neat.
• Cell phones must be turned off while in the classroom. Students who take calls in class will be asked to leave. Headphones are permitted but must be turned off while the instructor is speaking to the class.
• Food and drink are not permitted in the classroom.
• You do not have to ask to take breaks. However, students who take regular extended breaks or who leave class early will be counted absent.

LATE PROJECTS

Project specifications and deadlines are given when projects are assigned. Students who are absent must turn in their project by the beginning of the next class meeting.
Students who are missing 2 or more assignments at the end of the quarter will automatically fail this course.
Assignments not 100% ready for to turn in, lest extraordinary circumstances or extreme illness (doctor’s note required) warrant an extension.
Final submissions of any whole project deemed late will not be graded and will result in the student receiving a zero for the project and an F as an overall grade for the course.

Attendance Policy
Any student who misses more than 3 classes will receive a 10% decrease in their final grade. Missing class includes not attending class, leaving early before being dismissed or generally missing more than 1 hour of class.