Introductions (1 hour)

  1. Choose 2 words to describe your personality. Write these on the inside of the name card provided.
  2. Think about how you will convey your name so that it visually describes your personality.
    • For example: if your words are “bold” and “bubbly” or “shy” and “sly” consider what type of graphic style would best convey these words.
  3. Write and/or illustrate your name (or the name you wished to be called in this class) on the front of the card.
  4. Next, we will go around the room and try to guess the two words that describe your personality. (3 min. each)

Course Overview (1/2 hour)

Learning Community: Ways of Seeing

This Learning Community for COMD students taking COMD1100 & ENG1101 will include field trips, hands-on projects, and cross-sensory experiences to help you discover and express your creative vision.  Students must be enrolled in both courses to complete the Learning Community.

Faculty: Jody Rosen (ENG1101) & Jenna Spevack (COMD1100)

More about First Year Learning Communities at City Tech: openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/fylc/

COMD1100: Graphic Design Principles 1

This design and color theory course explores graphic communication through the understanding of the elements and principles of design, as well as the design process, from idea development through final execution.

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 focus primarily on the arrangement of visual elements in this course, but we will also consider how all our senses affect how we interact with and understand the world.

Why Learn Design?
A good designer, independent of the medium (data, sound, pixels, paint, wood) has a significant advantage in the world, because they can influence what people see/feel/do.

What Kind of Careers?
There are many interesting opportunities for designers, but learning how to think creatively is useful for every career. Here are some careers that our Communication Design program can prepare you for:

  • Graphic Design
  • Advertising Design
  • User-Experience Design
  • Interface/Web Design
  • Animator/Motion Graphics
  • Broadcast/Video
  • Photography
  • Illustration

How do you become a good designer?
First you must learn the fundamental principles. When building a sturdy house you need a strong foundation. When learning a new language you need to master grammar. It takes patience, attention to detail, and dedication to the craft.

Good designers love problem-solving. They love a challenge. They are inquisitive investigators with a strong internal motivation. They use all of their senses to find inspiration and solutions to design problems. Like a scientist they research, experiment, get feedback, and repeat– until they arrive at the best solution to the problem they face. Their first idea is rarely the best.

A good designer follows a design process.

What is a Design Process?
A Design Process is the workflow a designer uses. Following a clear design process gives structure to design problem and helps to bring an idea from conception to final delivery. It is especially helpful when collaborating with others.

The primary design process we will follow in this class is:

Phase 1: Discover: Exploration and Experimentation
Phase 2: Define: Iteration and Feedback
Phase 3: Develop: Refine and Execute
Phase 4: Deliver: Professional verbal, written, and visual presentation; critical reflection

Review of Course Documents

Getting on OpenLab (1/2 hour)

Become a member of our OpenLab course:

  1. Follow these instructions if you don’t have access to your City Tech email.
    NOTE: You need be able to access your City Tech email before signing up for OpenLab.
    Check this page for instructions for City Tech email access or contact Help Desk at 718-260-4900 or studenthelpdesk@citytech.cuny.edu, or visit the Help Desk on the first floor of the Atrium Building.
  2. Create an OpenLab account and/or sign in.
  3. Join our OpenLab Course:

Urban Archaeology Walk (15 min)

The WALK:

  1. At the end of class we will walk from the classroom to the art supply store, taking a circuitous route and arriving at our destination in about 15 minutes.
    W.C. Art & Drafting Supply Co. 351 Jay Street
  2. Along the way you will be looking for three small “urban artifacts” — detritus, objects or fragments of objects that have been discarded, lost, or destroyed.
  3. Think about the history of each object. Take note of the shape,  the texture, and how it ended up where it did.
  4. Take a photograph of each object, making sure that there is a clear differentiation between the object and the background.

Homework

  1. Become a member of our OpenLab course:
  2. Sign up for a FREE Dropbox account, if you don’t already have one.
  3. Review Course Documents

Materials needed for NEXT CLASS:

** Note: if you are unable to purchase these items due to financial aid delays, please make arrangements with a classmate to borrow or share supplies next class. And contact me BEFORE the next class.