ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIAL TOPICS ART457
FALL SEMESTER 2012

MW 8:30am - 11:15am

MW 11:30am - 2:00pm

Helga Watkins

e-mail: helga.watkins@unlv.edu     tel: x54804  895.4804
Office: FDH 205
Office Hours MW 11:30-1:00



Description
Discussion, presentations, studio work, and critiques; topics in illustration and hybrid media. Develop conceptualization and visualization skills; gain experience in digital painting and ideation.

Course Objectives
• Produce computer artwork which effectively resolves given challenges in design and illustration.
• Practical experience in ideation and conceptual hybrid drawing and digital painting.
• Expand working vocabulary of visual, print, rendering, illustration and typographic terms.
• Develop design and artistic sensibilities; become increasingly articulate in discussion about design and visual communication.

Attendance
More than three unexcused absences, repeated tardiness and/or partial attendance will result in a grade reduction. Professional courtesy suggests informing me if you will be absent, if possible. Email or phone message to my office is always welcome. An excused absence requires a doctor’s note, a college or university excusal form, or a department designated event.

Computing & Lab
You will be spending a the majority of your work time for this course at a computer, both in and outside of class. We will utilize the applications Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Finished design projects will usually be turned in as a computer file, though some projects will be printed and mounted. The shared directory for the class is for you to turn in work when finished, transfer scans or captured files, and to retrieve any reference documents. You are required to maintain an archive of all the class projects and exercises you have done throughout the semester for inclusion in a final course portfolio that you will turn in at the end of the course on a CD or DVD. It is your responsibility to maintain your own file archive. You are responsible to take any and all appropriate precautions to assure all files needed for class are available to you until the end of the semester. There will be no extensions or incompletes granted for lost or damaged files. I strongly recommend that you make multiple copies of important work, that you save often, and have more than one location for your documents. Please familiarize yourself with rules governing the use of computers and labs at UNLV. Policies are posted at http://oit.unlv.edu/labs-classrooms/lab-rules.

Open Studio Hours
This course will require you to do design work outside of class using CS software. You may work on any computer you prefer in any version of the software, provided you are able to open it in class. If you are working in versions earlier than 6.0 remember you will need to save your class work accordingly in order to work with it on your own computer.
Also, the UNLV Office of Information Technology maintains multiple open labs on campus, the schedules for the labs are available at: http://oit.unlv.edu/labs-classrooms/labs.

Academic Misconduct –Academic integrity is a legitimate concern for every member of the campus community;all share in upholding the fundamental values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility and professionalism. By choosing to join the UNLV community, students accept the expectations of the Academic Misconduct Policy and are encouraged when faced with choices to always take the ethical path. Students enrolling in UNLV assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with UNLV’s function as an educational institution. An example of academic misconduct is plagiarism. Plagiarism is using the words or ideas of another, from the Internet or any source, without proper citation of the sources. See the Student Academic Misconduct Policy (approved December 9, 2005) located at: http://studentconduct.unlv.edu/misconduct/policy.html

Copyright –The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The university will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student violations of fair use laws. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability, as well as disciplinary action under University policies. Additional information can be found at: http://provost.unlv.edu/copyright

Disability Resource Center (DRC) – The Disability Resource Center (DRC) determines accommodations that are “reasonable” in promoting the equal access of a student reporting a disability to the general UNLV learning experience. In so doing, the DRC also balances instructor and departmental interests in maintaining curricular standards so as to best achieve a fair evaluation standard amongst students being assisted. In order for the DRC to be effective it must be considered in the dialog between the faculty and the student who is requesting accommodations. For this reason faculty should only provide students course adjustment after having received this “Academic Accommodation Plan.” If faculty members have any questions regarding the DRC, they should call a DRC counselor. UNLV complies with the provisions set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC-A), Room 143, phone (702) 895-0866, fax (702) 895-0651. For additional information, please visit: http://drc.unlv.edu/.

Religious Holidays Policy – Any student missing class quizzes, examinations, or any other class or lab work because of observance of religious holidays shall be given an opportunity during that semester to make up missed work. The make-up will apply to the religious holiday absence only. It shall be the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor no later than the last day of late registration of his or her intention to participate in religious holidays which do not fall on state holidays or periods of class recess. This policy shall not apply in the event that administering the test or examination at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship on the instructor or the university which could have been avoided. For additional information, please visit: http://catalog.unlv.edu/content.

Tutoring – The Academic Success Center (ASC) provides tutoring and academic assistance for all UNLV students
taking UNLV courses. Students are encouraged to stop by the ASC to learn more about subjects offered, tutoring times and other academic resources. The ASC is located across from the Student Services Complex, #22 on the current UNLV map. Students may learn more about tutoring services by calling (702) 895-3177 or visiting the tutoring web site at: http://academicsuccess.unlv.edu/learningsupport/Tutoring/.

UNLV Writing Center –One-on-one or small group assistance with writing is available free of charge to UNLV students at the Writing Center, located in CDC-3-301. Although walk-in consultations are sometimes available, students with appointments will receive priority assistance. Appointments may be made in person or by calling 895-3908. The student’s Rebel ID Card, a copy of the assignment (if possible), and two copies of any writing to be reviewed are requested for the consultation. More information can be found at: http://writingcenter.unlv.edu.

Rebelmail – By policy, faculty and staff should e-mail students’ Rebelmail accounts only. Rebelmail is UNLV’s Official e-mail system for students. It is one of the primary ways students receive official university communication such as information about deadlines, major campus events, and announcements. All UNLV students receive a Rebelmail account after they have been admitted to the university. Students’ e-mail prefixes are listed on class rosters. The suffix is always @unlv.nevada.edu.

Grading Overview
A = superior work, all criteria have been surpassed
Technical: Student demonstrates mastery of technical skills. Files construction to professional standards.
Visual/Creative: Work shows imagination, in-depth research and exploration of the designer.
Research: Insightful or unique visual solutions, novel application of techniques, evidence of systematic development and visual research in a rich and well-presented process notebook. Process notebook exhibits clear evidence of rigorous refinement of final solution.
Class Citizenship: Participates and contributes to class discussions, team projects, and critiques. Offers insightful and productive analysis of other student's project. Articulate in presentation of own work.

B = very good work, all criteria have been surpassed, above average, strong work. Technical/Craft–technically competent, file construction organized, accessible and "clean."
Visual/Creative–Images show evidence of effort and thought in assignments.
Research: Evidence of and application of systematic visual research.
Time/Effort–puts forth clear effort towards growth, participates in class is attentive during critiques with intermittent comments on others' work.

C = criteria have been met, adequate good work.
Technical/Craft–technically adequate. Production ready.
Visual/Creative–Typical solutions with some thought.
Time/Ambition–basic concern for or effort exhibited towards growth; attends classes and is attentive during critiques.

D = barely meets the project criteria, or not all criteria met.
Technical/Craft–technically poor, not production ready
Visual/Creative–typical subjects with little thought.
Time/Effort–no evidence to show concern for growth.

F = failure to meet all of the criteria, is incomplete or of very poor quality
Technical/Craft–no effort to gain technical control of the medium
Visual/Creative–little to no evidence of meaningful research or idea exploration
Time/Effort–misses class or fails to spend appropriate time on projects outside of class.

Project Evaluation

Process (20% of project grade): defined as research, schematic thumbnail sketches, and computer roughs.
10% Research (as recorded in process notebook)
10% Sketches and Rough Comps (as compiled in process notebook)

Execution (60% of project grade):
defined
as the implementation of the design such as visual organization, typography, and effective communication.The specific parameters will vary somewhat according to the nature of the project
Project -specific criteria will be provided at the time of assignment.

Presentation (20% of project grade): defined as the final production quality of your project, as well as your professional presentation, written wrticulation, and participation in the class critique
10% file construction, verbal and visual presentation
10% attendance, interim deadlines.

- Missing a due date/ critique will mean an automatic 10% off your grade. If your work is complete and turned in according to project requirements (digital files to directory or printed design work mounted and ready to view) prior to the start of the critique, then your work is on time. Work  turned in after the start of critique is late. Working on your project during critique is unfair to students who have turned their work in on time. If your work is not ready for critique, it is a better strategy to engage your full attention and participate fully during the class review and discussion, as this will have a positive impact on your grade, and, more importantly, demonstrate professional courtesy to your future colleagues.

Materials
portable external drive or USB thumb drive, any other media you may prefer for archiving files
Sketchbook/notebook for developing design ideas and taking notes
Access to a camera and means to transfer image files. Digital SLR preferred.

mechanical or drafting pencil, medium to soft grade graphite
selection of drawing pencils
ultra fine point sharpie
letter-sized or similar sketchbook ( this need not be used exclusivley for this class)
kneaded eraser, pink or white erasers
Assorted traditional art materials and found material for drawing/creating textures

Optional Materials (depending on your approach to illustration assignments)
watercolor set
paints-acrylic or oil, suitable medium, brushes, palette etc.
crayola crayons
painting knife
scrap matboard, pressboard, smooth cardboard
hot press and cold press watercolor paper, small sheets or block
selection of brushes for water-based media
baby food jars or similar container collection for washes
water media palette
small spray bottle
illustration board, multi purpose, hot or cold press (20x30)
black matboard for mounting projects/ spraymount
white gouache
graphic white
black ink (india or Pelikan)
set of grayscale markers-french gray
30% and 60% cool grey, black
9x12 marker paper pad
Prismacolor pencils in selected colors (TBD by your project)
markers in selected colors (TBD by your project)

Helpful items to assemble if you already own:
small straightedge for drawing
drafting templates, flexible curve and french curves
any other art media -paints, watercolor, colored pencils, etc.
markers
airbrush & airbrush paints
water-soluble colored pencils
butcher paper roll, or easel paper for rough work
liquid friskit
friskit on sheets or roll

All student artwork not claimed and removed within two weeks of the last day of class automatically becomes the property of the Art Department and will be disposed of at their discretion.

Classroom lectures may not be recorded.



 

 

 

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