Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Visual communication for art and design in digital media. Students learn the fundamentals of digital raster and vector image creation. Design principles such as form, typography and colour theory as they apply to digital media will be taught. Students will have core projects in digital photography, magazine layout and kinetic typography. Primarily for non-SIAT majors; while SIAT majors may take the course, it does not count for credit for SIAT degree requirements. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

This inquiry-based course will allow students to practice researching, writing and reflecting on a visual communication problem. Students will learn in a "studio style/interactive" lecture, where hands-on activities including sketching, journaling, and team discussions will be used to facilitate active engagement with the course ideas and approaches to acquire the fundamentals of analog and digital visual communication. 

In addition, students will be introduced to historical, political and technical dimensions of visual composition including the principles and elements of design applied to an image, a series of images and to image and text combinations.

NOTES:  

Students will be expected to use analog techniques such as a pencil, a sketchbook, and image collaging tools. Digital tools required include access to a digital camera and open source applications.

This is not a technically oriented or software training course, students will be expected to be highly motivated and self-sufficient in learning any necessary technical skills to complete the assignments.  

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Students will be prepared to:    

1. Examine the historical, political and sociocultural dimensions of visual communications including the technical affordances over time, space and cultures.
2. Compare and contrast analog and digital representations related to common visuals communication problems in selected contexts (static and dynamic)..
3. Apply the principles of design including research, visual composition, sketching and analysis to an image, a series of images and to image and text combinations. Using selected technologies to create design solutions. 
4. Reflect on their own perspective when solving visual communication challenges and how their personal perspectives and biases influence their design approaches, decisions, and solutions.
5. Critique their own designs and the work of others in terms of how the elements within the design communicate ideas and intentions.

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

REQUIREMENTS:

Learning Prerequisites

Before starting this class, you should be able to:

• use a digital camera or phone to take photographs.
• use a computer to print, scan and download instructional materials from a website.
• be comfortable self learning open source software applications and / or apps for tasks such as photo editing and word processing.
• organize your work-schedule

 

In order to do well and to get the most out of this course you will be expected to attend all classes, fully engage in the learning groups, and support the learning of peers. You will be expected to prepare and undertake homework assignments, practice using available software and apply common, everyday tools such as:

• Powerpoint
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• etc.

 

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES: (this is a draft)

This is a draft list of materials, other materials may be assigned on the first day of class. 

Required Materials:

• A sketchbook with white pages (no lines or squares). It has to be no bigger than letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) and no smaller than (5.5 x 8 inches). 
• An analog writing tool (pencil, marker or pen).
• Access to a computer that is able to process digital images and that you can download software to. You will be expected to download freeware as needed.
• Have access to a digital camera. Camera phones or other lower quality cameras are fine as long as the picture is at least 10-mega-pixels in resolution quality.
• Readings: There is one required book for this course (see info in the "required reading" section). Additional readings will be distributed digitally through CANVAS via SFU Libraries.

 

REQUIRED READING:

RECOMMENDED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: