A note about course calendars

Writing course calendars is an imperfect science under the best of circumstances. Because Print Production relies so heavily on students' foundational design skills, trying to predict how quickly we will be able to move through the material is mostly guesswork. So, while I certainly hope that we can stick as closely as possible to this schedule, please be prepared to make adjustments as necessary to ensure that you all have the best possible chance to do your best work. 

 

 

You will notice that there are days and entire weeks with no specified activities, assignments, or homework. I have intentionally left these calendar slots blank to leave us room to respond to specific learning needs near the end of the semester as you are working on your final projects. 

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Reading: With the exception of the first day of class, reading assignments should be completed before the class listed on the line below. Thinking with Type is primarily a textbook for the study of typography. (However, it is so awesome that it is used across disciplines for just about any class that addresses graphic design.) Because typography is a subset of what we are learning in this class, we will not be reading it sequentially, but rather as the content addresses our purposes. If you need to backtrack to figure out what's going on, feel free. Most of it is self-explanatory.

 

Week 1: Introductions and Flyer Critiques

8/29-9/2

Reading: Thinking with Type. Start with the "Text" section and focus on the "Hierarchy" component.

 

 

Week 2: Flyer Redesign

9/5-9

Reading: "Text"

T: Assignment: Go find a horrible flyer and steal it. If you cannot steal it, take a photo with your phone and print out a copy. Discuss design concepts

Th: Assignment: Bring your horrible flyers to class for critique.

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Week 3: Intro to InDesign

9/12-16

T: InDesign Workshop with Jenny Cha. Please bring documents to work with. Resumes and flyer redesigns are good choices.

Th: Flyer redesigns due. Discuss advertisement redesign assignment. Find a horrible advertisement and bring it to class for critique on Tuesday.

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Week 4: Technical/professional information design

9/19-23

T: Assignment: Technical information poster

Th

 

 

Week 5:

9/26-30

T: 

Th

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Week 6: Sales Docs (brochures, menus, cards, etc.)

10/3-7

T: 

Th: Introduce sales docs assignments, review parts of type

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Week 7: Sales Docs (working with images)/Midterm quiz

10/10-14

T: Technical/professional information posters due. Work on sales docs in class.

Th: Midterm quiz

 

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Week 8: Type, Branding, and Business Packages

10/17-21

T: Work on sales docs in class. 

Th: Branding exercises.  <Please click on this link, print a copy or two, and bring it to class

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Week 9: Business Branding Packages (workshop)

10/24-28

T: Sales Docs due. Start Branding Packages

Th: 

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Week 10: Color and Type Quote and Midterm

10/31-11/4

T: Midterm review and color and type quote assignment

Th: Midterm quiz

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Week 11: 

11/7-11

T:  ELECTION DAY. Class will not meet so that you can go and vote. 

Th: In-class workshop on brand packages. Mood boards assigned. 

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Week 12: Book Projects (Content Collection)

11/14-18

T: Mood boards due. Color and type quote assigned. Workshop these in class. 

Th: Color and type quote due. Page layout and design assignment. 

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Week 13: Book Projects (Design Plan)

11/21-25

T: Branding packages are due. Submit on Canvas. Finish your book. Peecho, the company that prints and ships your ISSUU publications, offers this information on production and shipping times. 

Th: THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY, CLASS DOES NOT MEET. 

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Week 14: Book Projects

11/28-12/2

T

Th: I recommend that you order your magazine from ISSUU no later than today. They claim that it takes about five days, but I'd err on the side of caution. 

 

Week 15: Book Project Presentations

12/5-9

T

Th: Book projects due. 

 

Week 16: Finals. There is no final for this class. 

 

12/12+