Courses // Typography
The study of letterforms—their form and function in graphic communication. Credits: 3
11:00 am - 11:50 am; T, R
Course Text
James Craig and Irene Korol Scala
Designing with Type: The Essential Guide to Typography
OBJECTIVES
- Discussion of the historical context, purpose, and role of typography within graphic communication, and society in general
- Use of appropriate terminology associated with typography
- Demonstration of proper practices such as type selection, composition, hierarchy and legibility
- An understanding of the visual form (art) and the utilitarian function (science) of typography
Format
The course includes assigned readings, lectures, classroom discussion, exercises and projects all intended to promote not only theory but practice and application. Assigned readings serve as a primer to class discussion, and promote a more informed dialogue. Lectures reinforce topics found in the reading, emphasize key points and include visual examples of typographic concepts.
Students will exhibit understanding of typographic principles through exercises and projects. Exercises are graded classroom activities such as participation in topical discussion, brain-storming or collection of examples. They are generally completed during class time, but sometimes carry over into homework. Projects are larger in scope and more intensive than exercises. They implement the entire design process from conceptual thinking to well-crafted comprehensives. As such, projects are weighted more heavily in grading.
projects
project 1 - Everyday Type
project 2 - Type Anatomy Poster
project 3 - 27th Letter // project template
project 4 - Wordplay // project template
project 5 - Type as Image / Image as Type
project 6 - Typographic Union
project 7 - Book of Proverbs
course calendar
meeting
|
day |
date |
activities
|
1
|
R |
8-27 |
syllabus & introductions |
2
|
T |
9-1 |
lecture: More Than Just a Pretty Face |
3
|
R |
9-3 |
due: Everyday Type exercise: watch and discuss Helvetica reading: Character Characteristics |
4
|
T |
9-8 |
lecture: Type Anatomy project: Type Anatomy Diagram |
5
|
R |
9-10 |
work: Type Anatomy Diagram reading: Type Identification and Classification |
6
|
T |
9-15 |
due: Type Anatomy Diagram lecture: Not All Fonts are Created Equal project: 27th Letter |
7
|
R |
9-17 |
work: 27th Letter reading: Setting Text Type |
8
|
T |
9-22 |
due: 27th Letter |
9
|
R |
9-24 |
lecture: Setting Type exercise: The Medium is the Message reading: Selecting and Combining Type Creatively |
10
|
T |
9-29 |
due: The Medium is the Message lecture: Fonts as Friends project: Wordplay |
11
|
R |
10-1 |
work: Wordplay reading: Organizing Typographic Compositions” |
12
|
T |
10-6 |
due: Wordplay |
13
|
R |
10-8 |
prepare: mid-term review
|
14
|
T |
10-13 |
test: mid-term
|
x
|
R |
10-15 |
Holiday: Fall Break |
15
|
T |
10-20 |
watch: Helvetica |
16
|
R |
10-22 |
watch: Helvetica project: Type as Image / Image as Type |
17
|
T |
10-27 |
process: 10 sketches and concepts for each |
18
|
R |
10-29 |
process: 3 roughs for each |
19
|
T |
11-3 |
process: 1 final comp for each w/ presentation reading: Ch. 1 - Ancient Writing Systems exercise: Creating a Rebus |
20
|
R |
11-5 |
lecture: Ancient Writing Systems exercise: Rebus (present) read: Ch. 2 - Lettering During the Roman Empire and Middle Ages |
21
|
T |
11-10 |
lecture: Thesis Work read: Ch. 3 - Renaissance project: Typographic Union |
22
|
R |
11-12 |
lecture: Roman Empire and Middle Ages // Renaissance Typography reading: Ch. 4 - Industrialization |
23
|
T |
11-17 |
lecture: industrialization reading: Ch. 5 - 20th Century |
24
|
R |
11-19 |
lecture: 20th Century reading: Ch. 6 & 7 project: Typographic Union (due w/ presentation) |
25
|
T |
11-24 |
demo: Type in InDesign project: Book of Proverbs |
x
|
R |
11-26 |
Holiday: Thanksgiving |
26
|
T |
12-1 |
work: Book of Proverbs |
27
|
R |
12-3 |
work: Book of Proverbs |
28
|
T |
12-8 |
project: Book of Proverbs (due w/ presentation) |
29
|
R |
12-10 |
Review for Final |
finals
|
Wednesday, December 16th 10:15 am - 12:15 pm |