Thursday, July 27, 2017

Identity Package Finalized Sketch DUE: Saturday, July 29th Midnight


The inspiration for this project is YOU!  Branding a business is the first step to making an impression on your consumer.  You'll need a logo that stands out from the rest but remember it has to read well and convey your business.  


For this project students will use Illustrator and Photoshop to create their own identity package.  Which will include the following:
1. Logo (4 color, 2 color, and 1 color)
2. Business Card Design (front and back)
3. Letterhead Design
4. Envelope Design
5. Web Ready Logo


Identity Package Finalized Sketch DUE: Saturday, July 29th Midnight 

Logo DUE: Tuesday, August 1st end of class

Business card Designs DUE: Thursday, August 3rd end of class

Letterhead & Envelope Designs DUETuesday, August 8th end of class

Web Logo Designs DUEThursday, August 10th end of class

Printing and Presentations Due Date: Finals



Important Terminology: 

What is an Identity Package?
Brand identity, is the graphic and verbal representation of you and your business.It visually conveys who you are and what you do, communicating the essence of a brand. The root of a company’s identity is its logo, usually consisting of a name and unique logomark. Other core elements of a standard corporate identity package include business cards, letterhead and envelopes. Identity materials can extend to web sites, signage and other marketing collateral which, together, project the company’s image in a consistent and professional manner. Identity is a vital asset that must be invested in, leveraged and managed to ensure a company’s success. At its foundation, compelling brand identity increases recognition and awareness and builds businesses.[2]

What is Branding?
Branding is the cultivation of a feeling. It is the creation of expectation, a promise of quality – the emotional response of your audience to you and your business. Since brand consistency ensures that clients will easily recognize you, branding is especially important to young and growing individuals and businesses. [3]

Why is Creating a Logo Important?

Often treated as an afterthought, many new businesses create logo and identity materials on the fly as they grow. However, developing effective identity is a thorough process of research and discovery, rather than a simple matter of putting images on paper or a screen. Professional identity designers know that, before the design process begins, the essence of a company must be discovered and key messaging defined. Careful consideration must be given to shape, color and font choices, all of which must reflect the unique nature of your company, its goals, audience and industry. Each element plays an important role in influencing the perception of your company, its capabilities and level of professionalism.[4]
The identities of two well-known companies, Home Depot and UPS, illustrate the value and influence of color. Home Depot’s logo and signage use orange as the primary color, a shade noted by color psychology and marketing experts to indicate a good value or a bargain. UPS’ signature brown, likewise, is associated with reliability, a quality at the heart of that company’s services. 



[1] www.standoutgraphics.com/3d-advertising/
[2] Franklin, Carly, Branding and Identity: More Than Buzz Words for Small Buisnesses, (http://www.cfxcreative.com/cfxcreative_bivarticle.pdf) pg. 2
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid



EXAMPLES:












Lego Self Concept Sketch DUE: Saturday, July 29th at midnight

Lego Self Concept Sketch:

Turn in your sketch for your Lego Self concept -note: this can be digital or drawn on a piece of paper -A concept "paints a picture" of the overall theme or direction you want for your lego self.

For example, you could decide your lego self will highlight you musical talent.  So your lego self will be represented as a lounge singer. Or you may decided you want to be a rock star.  Or a garage band -this part is up to you but develop your character.  To help aid this character building component I am asking you all, to have 5 accessories.

For example your 5 accessories in this theme of "musician" might be the following:
1. Guitar
2. Amp
3. Microphone
4. Lucky pick
5. Bottle of Jack Daniels :)

Finally, you need to think of your backdrop, for example, a lounge singer would be on a small intimate stage, a rock star would be in an arena, and finally a garage band would be in a garage.

If you think about your backdrop and placing your lego self in an environment it will help you find template images of your lego self in that backdrop.

Good luck and be thorough in your conceptual development.

Here are some examples of sketches:




Building your template for Project 3.5:


Follow the steps below to setup your document and template for Project 3.5 (Lego Self)

Step 1: Create new Illustrator document with the following specifications and click ok

Step 2: Create a new layer titled Box Front and create a box using the Rectangle Tool (M) with a 1 point black stroke using a width of 10.25 inches and a height of 7.5 inches. Next, copy your box and  create a new layer and paste your box -title the new layer Box Back.

Step 3: Create a new layer titled Front Left and Right and create a box using the Rectangle Tool (M) with a 1 point black stroke using a width of 2.4 inches and a height of 7.5 inches. Next, copy your box and paste your box.

Step 4: Create a new layer titled Front Top and Bottom and create a box using the Rectangle Tool (M) with a 1 point black stroke using a width of 10.25 inches and a height of 2.4 inches. Next, copy your box and paste your box Placing them around the Box Front rectangle.

Step 5: NOTE, the placement of your rectangles are creating an open and flat box shape with a front and a back, a left, right, top, and bottom flaps.

Next, place your lego template layer, scale it to an appropriate size and use it as a template to draw your lego self. Don't forget to dim and lock your template layer before you begin the process of drawing your lego self.

Step 6: Create a new layer titled Lego Self Drawing and start the drawing process using the Pen Tool (P) with a 1 point black stroke. Draw each component of the lego self separate (i.e. arm, leg, body, neck, leg, hat) do not outline the whole lego.  Note: the hand may have three or four different compound shapes the top, side, inside, wrist, etc.  You need to do this so you have more control for gradient fills and meshes -if need be.

We will discuss more EMAIL ME npena@cbu.edu

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

SYLLABUS ILLUSTRATOR ESSENTIALS ART 107 – X

SUMMER 2017 SYLLABUS


Christian Brothers University

ILLUSTRATOR ESSENTIALS

ART 107 – X  T R 4:00pm - 6:30pm  Buckman Hall Room # 360

Office: RD 124  Office Phone: (901) 321-3350



Office Hours (by appointment only): M T W R 3:15pm – 4:00pm 

Online hours F 1:00 – 3:00pm


Professor: Nicholas Peña

E-mail: npena@cbu.edu

Course Credits: 3 

Weekly Instructional Time:
Faculty will spend at least 5 hours each week on student instruction.  Additional lab hours are by appt. only.

Weekly Student Engagement Time:
Students should expect to spend at least 5-8 hours each week on course work.
                                               
Required Text: 
Photoshop CC2015: The Professional Portfolio
Author: Against the Clock Team
ISBN: 978-1-936201-59-4

Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the user interface, tools, and features of Adobe Illustrator. Students begin working with the industry standard for creating vector graphics.  This incredibly deep program is used for digital illustration, custom graphics, graphic design, web design, and packaging.  By the end students will have progressed from a beginning to intermediate skill level able to command many of the powerful tools Illustrator has to offer. 

Course Objectives:
This 5-week course will focus on 6 projects using the user interface of Illustrator.  Instruction will be technical and hard line with demonstrations and readings of a number of techniques used for creating, manipulating, and outputting images from the computer.  Throughout the class students should consider both the technical and conceptual aspects of each assignment and by the final try to push what you’ve learned.

Course Goals:

• To understand CC management
   To become familiar and comfortable using the user interface, tools, and features of         Adobe Illustrator
• To create imagery used by the contemporary visual designer
• To demonstrate an understanding of the software.
• To comprehend the basic vocabulary of CC

Skills To Be Mastered
• Illustrator CC—you should be proficient in basic Illustrator skills
• Following instructions—working within the time frames, exercise limitations and deadlines
• Organization; Time Management
• Basic concept development
• Professional execution—work ethic and presentation skills.

Students will provide the following
Materials
• Removable Flash Drive, notebook and or sketchbook

Skills To Be Successful
• Following instructions—working within the time frames, exercise limitations and deadlines
• Organization; Time Management
• Basic concept development
• Professional execution—work ethic and presentation skills.
• Come to Lab Hours on Fridays!

Students will provide the following
Materials
• Removable Flash Drive, notebook and or sketchbook.

Instructional Methods
This course will include weekly lectures, tutorials, and hands-on exercises utilizing various educational resources. 

Attendance and Plagiarism Notification:
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is one of the more important components of a successful class and studio practice.  In this class “excessive absences” is defined as missing more than three classes.  After the third missed class each absence that follows will start to decrease your overall grade.  For example, after the first three absences, every additional absence will drop your letter grade one full scale; 6 absences is an automatic drop from the class with a failing grade.  If you are tardy 3 times, it will equal 1 absence.  Missing more than 30 minutes of a class at the beginning or at the end will be considered an absence.  If you have trouble attending class, please discuss your problems privately with me after class.
Medical or personal problems will be excused but only with acceptable documentation. All missed activities and work will need to be made-up outside of class. You are responsible for the information missed by an absence.  It is the student’s responsibility to obtain class notes from fellow students (if they are so kind) and find out what was missed.


Class Policy
This course is a studio situation, which will contain lectures, demonstrations, and time to work in class at every level of project development. From thumbnails to finished project, you are expected to work on assigned problems in class and in lab. You are expected to spend a substantial amount of time outside of class to produce the highest-level design solution for any given assignment. To receive credit for the class you must complete all assignments and participate in all discussions and critiques. If you miss more than six sessions you will not receive credit (we will be going through technical information very quickly - if you miss even one session you will be at a huge disadvantage). If you show up to a lab or work day without things to work on it will count as an absence. If you show up to a discussion without having done the readings it will count as an absence. If you show up to a critique without work or show up, but don't take part in the critique, it will count as an absence. I will be starting class at 4:05 sharp. If you are late 3 times it will count as one absence. Attendance will be taken every morning.

Other Class Policies:
  • Turn cell phones off or on silent mode.  If your cell phones, laptops, or other devices become a distraction to the other students you will be asked to leave class and be counted absent.
  • There is no eating or drinking in class.  NO GUESTS ARE ALLOWED IN CLASS WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL.  This is CBU policy.  
  • Do not leave class early.  This will result in an unexcused absence for the day.
  • Treat fellow students with respect. 
  • Do not disrupt class.
  • If you have already planned to have absences (i.e. vacations, weddings) prior to taking this class, please inform me of these dates ASAP. 
Grading Opportunities
This is a project-based class however there will be quizzes after each project is completed.  The quizzes are important to understanding standard terminology and idiosyncrasies for each program.  Each project will be given a number grade during the quarter.  The grades of both project and accompanying quiz will be established based on 5 exercises (roughly 75%) and Final Project (25%)

Remember that a “C” means average.  If you want your grade to reflect excellence, your work must be excellent in every respect. Your evaluation for the course will be based on assignment grades plus your overall willingness to learn, participation in class discussions and critiques, ability to meet deadlines, presentation of work, attendance.

Deadlines
All project specifics as well as deadlines are given at the time the project is assigned. These requirements will be major factors in the grading of each assignment; you must adhere to these specifics as you would in business.  This class simulates the real world and the real world does not tolerate misinformation or missing deadlines. All project work is due at the beginning of each class on the due date.
Component: 
Percentage:
Quizzes
25% 
Projects & Tutorials
50% 
Final 
25% 
Total 
100% 

Letter Grade: 
Percentage:
90-100% 
80-89.999%
70-79.999%
60-69.999%
0-59.999%

Grading Opportunities
This is a project-based class however there will be quizzes after each project is completed.  The quizzes are important to understanding standard terminology and characteristics of the program.  Each project will be given a number grade. Each project will be followed by a quiz.  The grades of both project and accompanying quiz will be established based on the breakdown above.
Remember that a “C” means average.  If you want your grade to reflect excellence, your work must be excellent in every respect. Your evaluation for the course will be based on project, quiz, midterm, and final grades plus your overall willingness to learn, participation in class discussions and critiques, ability to meet deadlines, presentation of work, attendance.

Deadlines
All project specifics as well as deadlines are given at the time the project is assigned. These requirements will be major factors in the grading of each assignment; you must adhere to these specifics as you would in business.  This class simulates the real world and the real world does not tolerate misinformation or missing deadlines. Each projects work is due on the date specified by when the project is assigned.  

Academic Honesty
Under all circumstances, students are expected to be honest in their dealings with faculty, administrative staff, and fellow students. In speaking with members of the school community, students must give an accurate representation of the facts at hand. Students must submit work that fairly and accurately reflects their level of accomplishment. Any work that is not a product of the student’s individual effort is considered dishonest.  Students may not submit the same work for more than one class. A student may be suspended or expelled for academic dishonesty. Please refer to the Student Handbook for additional information regarding the policy on academic honesty

NO LATE PROJECTS ACCEPTED!
Projects not ready for final presentation at the end of the week will be considered “unfinished” and graded accordingly. All project work must be submitted–even if it is unfinished—at the deadline. Failure to submit a project will receive a zero for that project.

College-wide Policies
All school policies also apply to this course as explained in your Student Handbook as well as the policies outlined in this document.

Disability Statement:
Students with disabilities or conditions requiring accommodation must meet with the Karen Conway Dean of Students, Disability Services, Thomas Student Center, 901-321-3536, 
www.cbu.edu/studentlife/disability in order to document the disability and make appropriate accommodation plans. 

Notice of Non-Discriminatory Policy:
Christian Brothers University admits students of any race, age, color, religion, sex, national and ethnic origin to all the programs and activities of the University with the rights and privileges generally accorded to students.  It does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, sex, national and ethnic origin or handicap in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics and other University-administered programs.

Teacher Evaluation:
Students will receive emails from the Registrar’s office with the link to evaluate their instructor during the evaluation period.

Tips for success:
• Come to class. It makes or breaks you grade.
• Get a thumb drive!!!!
• Back up your data after every change Save multiple versions and store them in multiple locations. You don’t want to lose 30 hours of work because you never backed your files up.
• Manage your time. The assignments take a considerable amount of time to complete. Space out your time, and never leave it to the night before.
• Be creative and have fun!


The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus and will notify the students in a timely manner. 

Identity Package Finalized Sketch DUE: Saturday, July 29th Midnight

The inspiration for this project is YOU!  Branding a business is the first step to making an impression on your consumer.  You'll ne...