Week 1

Tuesday, September 2
Class introductions. Read Syllabus.
+ Talk about the semester-long brand identity project
+ Project 1 Overview & Readings

Thursday, September 4
+ Introduce Project 1, Phase 1: Research & Content Development; Use Theme Questions to facilitate your search for the project topics
+ Start researching theme ideas in class
Homework:
+ Research 3 ideas for a theme, based on your personal interests 
+ Use theme questions (linked in Phase 1 post) to deepen your understanding of the theme
+ Create a Presentation to share with the class on Tuesday. You may include images in your presentation to support the answers to the theme questions.
+ Be honest and thorough while answering the questions. Think of your answers from multiple points of view, and think of the unintended consequences of your theme.

Week 2

Tuesday, September 9
+ Theme presentations. The class presents themes based on theme questions in a PDF presentation format.
Homework
+ Narrow down your research and arrange Content Presentation for the next class
+ Gather research for conference description and 5-6 speakers, include sources in content presentation
+ Visit Project 1 : Phase 1 post for more details
+ Read Good Design Is Good Will by Paul Rand

Thursday, September 11
+ Continue Presentations: Class presents proposed conference description, 5-6 speakers & their list of sources in PDF format.
+ Introduce Project 1 : Phase 2 | Naming
1. Braindump List
2. The Free-Association Exercise with post-its
3. Concept Cloud > using central idea
4. The Thesaurus Exercise 
5. Name Evaluation Shortlist
Homework
+ Refine content & continue with the naming process using brainstorming exercises.
+ Create a shortlist of 3 promising ones and add exercises to the presentation.

Week 3

Tuesday, September 16
+ Discuss Reading: Good Design is Good Will
+ Small groups — Review shortlist of names — Include visuals of the Naming process (lists, word clouds, post-its, etc.) 
Work in class session — Content refinements on Presentation
Homework
Read Graphic Design Solutions – Chapter 9: Branding
+ Research all names in ShortList – What comes up?
– What entities show up in your search? Are they supportive of your message or disruptive?
– How are others visualizing your theme? Include screenshots on your presentation.

Thursday, September 18
+ Small groups — Review Peer Visual Audit (How are others are visualizing your topic?)
+ Review Creative Brief Post: Watch Briefly – Bassett & Partners (video)
+ Class ends at 1:50pm
Homework
+ Work on a single page creative brief for your event
+ Read Graphic Design Solutions – Chapter 9: Branding

Week 4

Tuesday, September 23
+ Review Graphic Design Solutions – Chapter 9: Branding
+ Individual Rounds – Present Creative Briefs
+ Work in class – revise Creative Briefs and any other updates to presentation
+ Go over typography-based brands (ex: Herb Lubalin & 2×4)
+ Visual Reference Search Exercise: Document the rabbit hole going into 10-layers of visual reference online search
+ Start hand sketches
Homework
+ Complete Creative Brief
+ Start sketching (by hand) iconography that helps convey your message through visual metaphors, simple gestalt, and 1+1=3* combinations

NOTE: 1 + 1 = 3 (or more)” is an important design effect described by Josef Albers and Edward Tufte. It means that two elements in close proximity cause a visible interaction: Figure: 1 + 1 = 3.
Edward Tufte’s 1 + 1 = 3

Thursday, September 25
+ Review Graphic Design Solutions – Chapter 9: Branding
+ Project 1: Phase 5 – Identity System Visualization
+ Go over brand examples for events & brands in general
+ Work in class on Logo Sketches and Title Lockups (hand or Digital): Continue with hand and digital sketches for identity development – focus on title lockups built from type and include typographic and metaphoric icons
+ Creative Brief review (cont.)
Homework
+ Revise (if needed) Creative Brief
+ Continue with identity development – focus on title lockups built from type and/or typographic and metaphoric icons. Bring in 10-20 sketch variations for review.
+ Search for fonts – with intention
+ Write your event name on the screen (caps, lowercase, bold, regular)
*note: Start looking at how different stacking options start to speak to you visually. What are some opportunities you see in the letterforms and counterforms?
+ Read the attached readings: Gestalt Theory and Chapter 6, The Typographic Message

Week 5

Tuesday, September 30
+ Review hand and digital sketches — class critique
+ Advance sketches to digital form based on review
Homework
+ Move all logo variations into Adobe Illustrator and define icon, wordmark and/or title lockup
+ Start to layout your brand’s Visual Identity Presentation. Remember to use a grid system while designing your presentations.
+ Read the attached readings: Gestalt Theory and Chapter 6, The Typographic Message
+ Ai Tutorials

Thursday, October 2
NO CLASS

Week 6

Tuesday, October 7
+ Review reading: Gestalt Theory and Chapter 6, The Typographic Message
+ Present visual identity digital sketches – small group review
+ Quick Illustrator Tutorial (pathfinder tools, patterning)
Homework
+ Prepare formal Presentation format of your Identity System
+ Continue to refine lockups/marks & Presentations
+ READ: Brand New Worlds / Practice In Identity

Thursday, October 9
+ Present visual identity digital sketches – small group review (cont)
+ Work in Class to develop digital variations Ai Tutorials
+ Prepare formal Presentation format of your Identity System
+ Discuss Color Theory
Homework
+ Define supporting typeface, Color Palette and Logo Variations/Formats considering Icon and Wordmark relationships
+ Review: Modes of Appearance 
+ READ: Brand New Worlds / Practice In Identity

Week 7

Tuesday, October 14
+ Identity presentations DUE. Class Review + Upload Final PDFs to Class Drive
Homework
Apply feedback to identity development

Thursday, October 16
+ Final Identity presentations DUE. Class Review + Upload Final PDFs to Class Drive (cont.)
+ Introduce Project 2: Fold Out Poster Overview
+ Show digital & printed examples
+ 18×24 flat poster final size
+ Review Reading: Brand New Worlds
Homework
+ Collect data & write the content for your event’s program.
– Include information about speakers, program/activities schedule with dates, location, etc
– Think of your message and how it relates back to your brand’s identity system
+ Bring in two visual study directions to share in class on Tuesday
+ Remember to define your grid system

Week 8

Tuesday, October 21
+ Indesign Demo : Character and Paragraph styles
+ Work in Class / small group feedback
+ Individual feedback of poster layout and visual studies
HOMEWORK:
+ Continue populating the layout with your text and images.
+ Work on photography, collage and or Illustrator imagery if applicable.
READ:
Making & Breaking the Grid – Exhibits from Chapter 1 (33-111)
The Persistence Of Posters

Thursday, October 23
+ Individual reviews: Fold-Out Posters
+ Work in class: Continue working on poster layout
+ Have visual design cemented so we can focus on typography next week (InDesign)
READ:
Making & Breaking the Grid – Exhibits from Chapter 1 (33-111)
Homework
+ Refine layout and typography
+ Prepare file for printing demo on Tuesday

Week 9

Tuesday, October 28
+ Full-Scale prototype Demo (tiling)
+ Work in class: Continue working on poster layout
Homework
Finalize Brand Identity Presentation for grading – Complete PDF in Google Drive Folder

Thursday, October 30
+ ADVISING
+ Full-Scale prototype Demo (tiling) [cont.]
+ Work in class: Continue working on poster layout, printing and tiling
Project 1 – Brand Identity Presentation DUE – Complete PDF in Google Drive Folder
READ:
The Art Of The Leave-Behind: Why Print Collateral will Always Have a Place in Marketing

Week 10

Tuesday, November 4
+ Fold-Out Poster class review on screen + printed mockup
+ Introduce Project 3: Signage and Swag
+ Discuss Printing on Plotter
READ:
The Art Of The Leave-Behind: Why Print Collateral will Always Have a Place in Marketing
Homework
+ Review Project 3 post
+ Come to class prepared to discuss ideas

Thursday, November 6
+ Project 2 Due : Fold-Out Poster – Printed on plotter – 2 sides + complete PDF in Google Drive Folder
+ Show examples of Signage treatments & Swag (think fancy 3D printed / laser cutter pieces
+ Work in Class to refine project themes
Homework
+ [week late]: Finalize foldout-poster for in class printing on Tuesday

Week 11

Tuesday, November 11
+ Project 3 one-on-one review
+ [week late]: Project 2 Due : Fold-Out Poster:
– Print on plotter (in class): 2 sides > wall presentations
– Print double sided small plotter – paper feed > folded
– Complete PDF in Google Drive Folder
Homework
Continue Project 3

Thursday, November 13
+ Introduce Project 4 : Screen-based Media
+ Show mock-up methods with Photoshop
+ Work in class
+ Project 3 one-on-one review
Homework
Finalize Project 3 > include flat images and mockups in the presentation.
Read:

Week 12

Tuesday, November 18
+ Project 3 DUE – Small group review
+ Work in class on project 4
+ Review examples of screen-based media projects
Homework
+ Bring in sketches of your screen-based media direction

READING:
Choose 2 from the following list of articles:
+ Is this the future of conference branding?
+ Shira Inbar on the Power of Motion Graphic Design
+ Tasteful food photography for weirdness dinner Tetris
+ 5 Contemporary Developers shaking up what video games do, say and mean
+ What not to do to a logo
+ Can websites look the way we feel?
+ Designing a Photography festival campaign with screen shots
+ What does it really mean to brand a festival

Thursday, November 20
+ Work in Class
+ Individual Critiques
Homework
Revise based on feedback

Week 13

Tuesday, November 25
+ Work in Class
+ Small Group Critiques – Project 4 Ideation
Homework
Revise based on feedback

Thursday, November 27
THANKSGIVING BREAK

Week 14

Tuesday, December 2
+ Work in Class
+ Individual Critiques
Homework
Revise based on feedback

Thursday, December 4
+ Work in Class
+ Individual Critiques
Homework
+ Revise based on feedback
+ Prepare Final Presentations

Week 15

Tuesday, December 9
Last day of regular classes
FINAL PRESENTATIONS (Projects 3 & 4) for feedback

Thursday, December 11
Reading Day – Office hours open for advising / consultation / feedback
11:30am-2:30pm

Week 16

Tuesday, December 16
FINAL EXAM DAY
Presentations: 11:45-2:45am
Final Submissions (Send final PDF of all projects no later than 5pm)