Visual Communication

Katherine Dillon

Fridays 12:30-3:00

Week 2 September 12:

DESIGN BASICS

Review of last week's assignment signage

Reference: Design Elements: A Graphics Style Manual

1. HAVE A CONCEPT, start with an idea. 
a concept is the basis for all design decisions

examples:

2. Communicate - don't decorate

Use elements that support the idea

example: Si Scottt, Illustrator

Miller Theatre series

3. Speak in one visual voice

example: apple

jetblue

4. Use two typefaces

example of too many faces: Chicago Tribune (prior to redesign)

redesigned Chicago Tribune

5. Limit the use of color

example of overuse of color: Bloomberg

cleaner: http://www.reuters.com/ Reuters Financial

6. Have a hierarchy - look here first!

bad example: UPS website

better example FedEx

7. Don't fill up the page. have some breathing room

Hulu

8. Balance: of darks and lights and elements

Case study: Macaulay Honors College redesign

Next week:

read: How Great Design Makes People Love Your Company

Business Week article

Week 1 September 5:

Course Description
Introductions Dillon | Thompson work

Goals of the class:

To give you a framework for making visual choices and some confidence on how to approach visual problems.
To help you see better.

Basic Principles: START WITH AN IDEA

Clarity: communication is the goal
Consistency: rules are consistently applied
Appropriateness: feels right for the subject matter
Practical: can be reproduced, coded, whatever.

Categories of design that we will explore in print and digital media:

Brand and Identity design (logos)
Typographic Design
Editorial Design
Experience Design
Information Design

This week's examples:

Target

Absolut vodka campaign

Ten by Ten

Remembering Segregation

Checkland Kindleysides

Free Rice

Design is everywhere - good and bad examples around New York.

ASSIGNMENT:

2-3 images added to the flickr collection

Flickr Group for this week's assignment

read Design Observer

1st student to prepare to show 3 websites