Visual Communication Rules for Success September 8, 2009
Posted by kd49 in : Class 1 - Design Rules, Classes , comments closed Course descriptionClass introductions
Dillon | Thompson work
Goals of the class:
To give you practical knowledge and skills for making the visual choices that will be an inevitable component of your academic and professional careers and some confidence on how to approach visual problems. The assumption is that in your academic and professional careers you will be confronted with visual decisions or involved in managing or hiring design professionals. This class does not assume that you will become professional designers.
Expectations:
- Attendance. You must attend at least 12 classes
- Assignments. You must do the assignments
- Participation. You must participate actively in the class discussions
- You must have a blog, post your work to it and be prepared to discuss it during class
- Hone your visual skills “Test Your Awareness,” a new PSA from Transport for London’s campaign for cycling safety, turns the fact that we can all miss seeing the obvious
Format: Half the class time will be used for a lecture and introduction of a new topic and half the class will be spent reviewing the previous week’s assignment which is generally based on the lecture topic and focused on developing a body of work that is ultimately useful to you.
Categories of design that we will explore in print and digital media:
- Principles and vocabulary of visual communication
- Tools of communication including
- Typography
- Logo and branding
- Color
- Photography
- The application of design principles to:
- Information design
- Interface design
- Packaging
- Motion Graphics
- Photography
• Design process and resources
Discussion of sample assignments
Cool visual for this week:
Melting Men
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PRINCIPLES OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION
Basic Principles: START WITH AN IDEA
Good design is not about good taste or bad taste. It is about having an idea and applying it rigorously to communicate a message
Clarity: communication is the goal
Consistency: rules are consistently applied.
Appropriateness: feels right for the subject matter
Practicality: can be reproduced, coded, whatever.
Presentation of 10 Rules for Design Success (ppt)
Demonstrate how to analyze design showing Macaulay Honors College example
Discussion of use of grid.
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ASSIGNMENT
Pick a website that you like and analyze its success in terms of grid, colors, layout, typography, consistency and usability.
Read: Design Observer