Class 1 | The Beginning

Course Overview

What is Design?
To design is to plan or arrange elements in order to communicate a thought, feeling, or concept. Design can also be described as the organization of information.  This information can be visual, aural, informational, or tactile.

The products of design are compositions — arrangements of elements. We will be focusing on the arrangement of visual elements in this course.

Why Learn Design?
A good designer, no matter what the medium (data, sound, pixels, paint, wood) has a significant advantage in the world, because s/he can influence what people see/feel/do.

How do you become a good designer?
First you must learn the fundamental tenets or guidelines. Fundamental does not mean simple. When building a sturdy house, you need a strong foundation. When learning a new language, you need to master the grammar. It’s  not rocket science, but it takes patience, attention to detail, and dedication to the craft. ARE YOU TAKING NOTES RIGHT NOW?

What are the Fundamentals?
All the basic tenets of DESIGN can be grouped into three categories and this is what we will study in this course.

  1. The Practice: Concept + Form are ingredients that an artist uses to produce a work of art. The relationship between the Concept (idea) and the Form (process/result) produces the Content (meaning).
  2. The Principles: basic assumptions or truths that guide the design practice.
  3. The Elements: basic components used as part of any composition, independent of the medium.

Review of Course Documents

Introductions

Verbal presentations are an integral part of this course.  To get started, we will go around the room and introduce ourselves (2 min. each). Please follow the guidelines below:

  1. State your full name.
  2. Your life goal or philosophy (no, really– seriously).
  3. Your strategy for successfully completing this course and why it’s important.
  4. Describe what you see out your apartment window?

Shopping Trip

Refer to the Supply List and get the highlighted items before next class.

Walk together to:
W.C. Art & Drafting Supply Co.
351 Jay Street

Homework

ASSIGNMENT #1 Prep:

In your Creative Process Book (your new sketch book) do the following in pencil:

  1. Research /  Inspiration
    • Choose a spot in your apartment and let the window ‘frame’ the view from that spot.
    • Write on the 3rd page of your Book: ‘A View From My Window’ and compose a minimum 2-paragraph description of the view. Focus on describing the shapes, lines, points and their relationship to each other. Ignore everything except what you see inside the boundaries of the window frame.
  2. Experimentation / Iteration
    • On the following page(s) make at least 12 thumbnails of the view in pencil. Do not shift your position.
    • Draw whatever you see. Draw quickly, without thinking or worrying about the quality of the drawing. JUST DRAW!

Bring your book to class next week and every class from now on.