Themes for Exploration
Graphic Design + Social Responsibility
Food + System
Feeding the Future
Sustainability / Viability
Conservation / Preservation
Designer as Witness / Documentarian
Designer as Journalist

Course Materials

Course Syllabus

Course Structure + Schedule / TBD

Student Work / Projects + Exercises + Assignments


Required Texts

Assigned Essays - Shared Google Doc

Visual Research, (Second Edition): An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design, by Ian Noble and Russell Bestley

Suggested Text
Just Design: Socially Conscious Design for Critical Causes
by Christopher Simmons 

Google Docs for the course

UNL DropBox

Gates Foundation Uses Art to Encourage Vaccination

The Art of Saving a Life

 

Objectives / Learning Outcomes

1. Develop abilities in design production and problem solving while engaging in advanced design practices
   
   
2. Develop a methodology for a design process driven by research.
   
   
3. Engage in collaboration with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and other disciplines. Consult with field experts to understand visual communication design as having the ability to provide knowledge and social capital.
   
   
4. Study the complexities of visual information as it relates to form, structure and context in order to gain a better understanding of how meanings are constructed.
   
   
5. Gain awareness to the variances in the way information can be “read” and understood through the visualization of form and content.
   
   
6. Explore innovation in technologies, problem solving strategies and questions of content through rigorous study using a variety of tools and media.
   
   
7. Consider the role of the graphic designer in creating social change or designing for the social good. [Design as service.]
   
   
8. Projects will be design-research based and will be a result of a systems-oriented approach.
   
   
9. Students will map, chart, diagram, illustrate, and visualize information about the prevention of disease and the promotion of healthcare in Tanzania, Africa.
   
   
10. Abstract and perceptual concepts will be addressed as a means of expanding the student’s critical thinking and visual communication skills.
    

Design Research
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Science with a Purpose
We prepare students for careers in everything from animals to plants, soil to climate, golf to business, mechanization to leadership, and food to forensic science. Students are prepared for successful careers and a lifetime of informed decisions through the development of food, fuel,water, and landscape systems as models for formal and informal science education.

Audience
Students will be designing a collection of diagrams, maps, schematics and visual displays of information based on their research about healthcare in Tanzania, Africa.

How can graphic design communicate more specifically to an audience that is unfamiliar?

Various methods of design production will be considered.

Students are expected to explore a wide variety of media and processes.

How can the visual presentations be of public service?

 

Graphic Design + Social Responsibility

First Things First Manifesto, 2000

“There are pursuits more worthy of our problem-solving skills. Unprecedented environmental, social and cultural crises demand our attention. Many cultural interventions, social marketing campaigns, books, magazines, exhibitions, educational tools, television programs, films, charitable causes and other information design projects urgently require our expertise and help.”

System
Twelve urban systems are common to societies.

1. water
2. information
3. mobility
4. wellness
5. nourishment
6. shelter
7. entertainment
8. waste
9. energy
10. commerce
11. governance
12. security

These systems are highly interconnected, and can be characterized by the flow of physical resources and related services into, out of, and within the bounds of the society. Projects, exercises and assignments produced during the course will create conditions to thoroughly examine and then visualize the intersection of food and each the above urban systems. More specifically, consider how water is related to food production, distribution, processing, manufacturing, disposal etc.

Terms

• Landscape (all possible meanings)

• Nature

• Culture
  
  

Additional Resources

Google Docs for the course

Feed the Future

Eric Fischer’s Map Imagery

Course Deliverables
4 EXERCISES [25 pts. each] - 100 pts.

4 ASSIGNMENTS [50 pts. each] - 200 pts.

3 PROJECTS [100 pts. each] - 300 pts.

1 PROCESS BOOK BINDER [100 pts. each] - 100 pts.

4 Process Reviews - [25 pts. each] - 100 pts.

Course Total = 800 pts.

 

Collaborative Tools
Students in small groups meet weekly with check-ins using mural.ly? sharing resources, ideas, files.
• Zotero: for documentation of research. Can include websites, PDFs, images, books, citations, etc. Can be shared via online library
◦ Course Zotero Library
• Box: For sharing files such as art. Can review images/PDFs with comment threads. Can assign tasks (basic.)
• Google Video Chats / Hangouts
• Google Docs for the course
• UNL DropBox

COURSE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, January 13

Introduce Course / Syllabus / Projects

Review course contents + outcomes

In-Class Activity - 45 minutes
Design three merit badges that represent yourself.
Create icons that represent variations of activities that you enjoy. Choose to illustrate areas of study, belief systems, subjects that are of interest to you.
Use the template provided to make initial studies and final solutions.
Present your badges to the class.

“Prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetime by instilling in them values.... Program allows young people to examine subjects and determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or vocation...”

Assign Exercise 01
Tanzania! Research Tanzania, Africa and teach something of interest back to the class in 7 minutes. Presentations will be on Thursday, 01.15

Assign Reading:
How do you design?
Pages 1 - 60

Read and develop understanding of the following definitions:

• Landscape (all possible meanings)

• Nature

• Culture
  

Thursday, January 15

Review Syllabus + Student Commitment Sheets

Discussion of Readings

Review of Exercise 01 - Merit Badges

Assign Project 01

Assign Readings

The Beholding Eye

Introductory Assignment
Mapping Information / Initial Research to prepare for client meeting
Initial research to make ready for client presentation

 

Tuesday, January 20

Presentation / Introduction to Collaborators / Tanzania, Africa

Christopher Gustafson, ASST PROFESSOR, AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

Elizabeth VanWormer, FACULTY, SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES

 

Suggested Projects
A list of potential projects for students to research and develop

Thursday, January 22

Review presentation and student interests in projects
Suggested Projects

Review maps of readings of the “Beholding Eye, Ten Versions of the Same Scene”, by D.W. Meinig.

Prepare for a discussion of the landscape as:
Nature
Habitat
Artifact
System
Problem
Wealth
Ideology
History
Ideology
Place
Aesthetic

How do these themes relate to the landscape of Tanzania?

How do you begin to develop a concept?

Once you have ideas, how do you learn to distill the information into an accessible format?

What story do you want to tell?

How much structure is necessary?

What do you perceive and see?

How do you go about designing a concept or thesis?

Assigned Reading:
Visual Research, (Second Edition): An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design, by Ian Noble and Russell Bestley
pages 007 - 022

How do you design?

Determining Content / Designing a Strategy

Develop an outline of proposed activities.

Define audience.

Create an “Inspiration Board” that illustrates direction and interests in the project.

Conceptualize and draw a mind map of your concept.

Design a presentation of your initial concept and direction for research.

Illustrate key areas that you need to investigate further.

Identify what questions you have.

Prepare presentation for Tuesday, January 27

Data Visualization Symbols

Tuesday, January 27

Meant to Keep Malaria Out, Mosquito
Nets Are Used to Haul Fish In

Phase 01 Presentations / Introduction of Concepts / Tanzania, Africa
Liz from CASNR will be attending to discuss some developments and to provide feedback on how to go forward.

Process Review / Printed and Pinned by 11:00 a.m.

Assign next phase of research. Where do you go from here?
Who do you need to contact? Determine production schedules,
approximate budgets, key concepts, thesis, problems to solve, obstacles to overcome, benefits of project, potential downfalls of project.

Refine presentation to CASNR / Liz and Chris. One or both will attend to help us with our research and direction on Tuesday, February 03
Your presentation must be clearly understood, and be a comprehensive overview of what you intend to do and explains your design strategy.

What is a design brief?

1. How To Write An Effective Design Brief and Get The Design You Want
2. What is a Creative Brief

 

Thursday, January 29

Studio time to work on presentations.
Seek outside counsel and make appointments with experts in the field.

Assignment 02 [50 pts]: Finalize presentations. Make ready for formal, professional presentation to clients and to your design colleagues.

Project 01 will be turned in as one comprehensive publication [.pdf] that includes the following:

Concept Pitch - 1 paragraph
Creative Brief
Presentation to Client
Bio / Designer statement
List of key contacts
Directory of resources


Tuesday, February 03

Phase 02 Presentations / Introduction of Concepts / Tanzania, Africa

Assign Readings:
Making the Invisible Visible, by Stuart McKee

Resources / Examples

Activity 02:
Find 10 examples of graphics that are directional, explain how to do something that are NOT on the internet. You must encounter it in the "real" world. For example: graphics explaining how to use a hand dryer in a public restroom.

Make a .pdf of your examples to share with the class.

Resources and Production:

Lord of War - 17. “Plane Time Lapse”

The film was officially endorsed by the human rights group Amnesty International for highlighting the arms trafficking by the international arms industry.

Thursday, February 05

Review Activity 02

Discussion of presentations and direction

Review readings and incorporate concepts into your own statement and creative brief. What is research? How is it applicable to the design process?

Dropbox for “Infographic Typology”

Move forward with design research.

Example of solid presentation or "deck"

Tuesday, February 10

Prepare for final presentations and turning in formal proposal for the project.

 

Thursday, February 12
Project 01 due - Design Research Strategy defined

Pitches / Project 01 Deliverables

Turn in Project 01 Presentations for evaluation
Richards Hall, 2nd Floor crit. space

Documentation from Review

Begin Project 02 - Designing the deliverables.

 

Tuesday, February 17

Review initial studies for Project 02

Assignment 03 - Designing a timetable / production schedule for Project 02

Review Documentation and add images to the group / shared folder

 

Thursday, February 19

Continue to work on Project 02

Project 02 - Due Date is Thursday, March 19

Design a timeline of your production schedule. Be specific and realisting. Design this to be a road map toward the completion of your project / deliverable.

Include significant deadlines from other classes so it will help you budget your time and make ready for all phases of production.

Tuesday, February 24

Relational Drawing Exercise - In Class Activity

Have various colored markers ready for a drawing / representation / mark making

Review timelines, grades, attendence.
Individual meetings. Progress towards objectives.

Thursday, February 26

Tour UNL Printing Services / 2:30–4:30
Prepare for Process Review on March 05


Tuesday, March 03
Prepare for Process Review on March 05
Desk Reviews

Visiting Candidate for GD faculty / Data Visualization presentation:
Yoon Chung Han
Richards Hall, Room 15 / 4:00 p.m.
Yoon Chung Han Portfolio

Thursday, March 05

Project 02 / Designing the Deliverable
Process Review
WAB 105

Project 01 Presentations

The Noun Project / Resource for icons and symbols

Tuesday, March 10

Visiting Artist to review your work, provide insight into how you are using representation to tell your stories
Andrea Dezsö
Animals, Mythologies, Representation, Narrative

Attend Andrea's Lecture~
5:30-6:30 Lecture RH 15
Required Attendence

Andrea Dezsö is a visual artist who works across a broad range of media including drawing, painting, artist's books, embroidery, cut paper, animation, sculpture, site-specific installation and public art. Dezsö's permanent public art has been installed in two New York City subway stations, at the United States Embassy in Bucharest, Romania and at CUNY BMCC Fiterman Hall in Lower Manhattan. Community Garden, Dezsö's mosaic in the New York City subway was recognized as Best American Public Art in 2007 by Americans for the Arts. 

Thursday, March 12

AAUP Book, Jacket, and Journal Show exhibit will be on display in the lobby of the Center for Great Plains Studies March 10-13. We will visit the display as a group and discuss book design / typography for books and cover design concepts.

Prepare for final review of Project 02 / Designing the Deliverable

Review progress, inspiration and initial studies for Atlas Publication

Ten Commandments of Typography



Eyvind Earle (US, 1916-2000). Gorgeous magical landscapes, animals in their enviroments. See also the background art from the Disney “Sleeping beauty” movie

Glossary of terms related to Water Footprint

Tuesday, March 17
Prepare for final review of Project 02 / Designing the Deliverable

Grading Rubric for the Project [from the syllabus]

Visualizing Healthcare in Tanzania / Transdisciplinary research at UNL

Collect 1 image and short statement about each project

GD Faculty / Data Visualization Candidate Presentation:
Milena Radzikowska
Richards Hall, Room 15
4:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 19
Final review of Project 02 / Designing the Deliverable
Woods Art Building, 2:15 - 4:00 p.m.

Please welcome our visitors for the review:

Liz Van Wormer

Chris Gustafson

Dean Deb Hamernik
Deb is an Associate Dean for the Agricultural Research Division, and she is familiar with our pastoralist project in Tanzania. She has an interest in increasing UNL research in Africa.

Professor John Carroll
John is the Director of the School of Natural Resources, and has done extensive research and study abroad work throughout Africa. He’s very excited about the concept of One Health-linking health of humans, animals, and the environment
(Liz’s field), and his research focuses on conservation/ecology of birds and mammals.

GD Faculty / Data Visualization Candidate Presentation:
Michael Stamper
Richards Hall, Room 14
4:00 p.m.


Tuesday, March 24
No Class Spring Break

Thursday, March 26
No Class Spring Break

Beautiful and Ugliness in Type Design

Tuesday, March 31

Project 02 Documentation
Collect Process Books
Thank you note assignment

Building Books Presentation

Project 03 / Building Books

Book Design / Resources

Spin / London Design Firm

 

1. MOUSSE Publishing
“Mousse is publisher of catalogues, essays and curatorial projects, artist books and editions. Mousse Publishing follows a publication from its preliminary conception and design to its promotion and distribution, working in close dialogue with clients that include museums, public and private institutions and galleries across the globe. Mousse Publishing's books are internationally distributed by a network of leading distributors and can be found in 270 specialized bookstores and museum bookshops throughout the world.”
https://moussemagazine.it/

Unit Editions

2. Book Map

Discuss general concept / art direction for your book.

Generate process to review for feedback of general direction for Thursday, April 02

Create an outline of the contents for your book.

Design layout concepts, develop typographic systems, ideation and direction of research for Project 03

1. Read through the following links and design page layout options.
Begin by sketching various options for page layout. Sketch template.

2. Design spreads exploring typeface options and systems: typography, visual hierarchy, grid, margins, image placement etc.

Complete the following studies:
1. Comprehensive Type System Analysis = 6 detailed type studies with
the following 5 levels in the system of hierarchy [title, header, subhead, main body text, caption, pull quote]

Implement 6 studies, one typeface with each study. Explore all the variations in the typeface.

Example:
title / Meta Bold / Uppercase [21/25 pt.]
header / Meta Serif Bold Uppercase [16/20 pt.]
subhead / Meta Bold uc/lc [16/20 pt.]
main body text / Meta Book [10/13 pt.]
caption / Meta Book [ 6 pt.]

2. Show investigation of a minimum of 3 grid systems. [3 column, 5 column etc.]

3. Design 10 spreads for the grid system you decide works best for your content. Investigate type systems, create studies and analysis, consider visual hierarchy, image placement and how these variables work within the layouts

Suggestions for research / ideation

Experiment with the various options using the Fibonacci system handout.

Fibonacci Sequence for hierarchy / type systems handout

Familiarize yourself with the following:

Elements of effective page layout and setting good type

The Secret Law of Page Harmony

25 Rules for Setting Type

Reading Assignment:
"Thinking with Type" by Ellen Lupton

Grid

• Grid
• Golden Section
• Single-Column Grid
• Multicolumn Grid
• Modular Grid
• Project: Modular Grid
  

 

Thursday, April 02

Present sketches and individual layouts for review. A minimum of 10 spreads were to be developed. Print out your top 10 spreads for pin up review.

Decide which layouts options are working best for you.

Continue to work on Project 03. Develop layout options further. Work towards final solution that will contribute to the success of your book design.

Continue to research and gather contents for your books. Consider image resolution and dpi. Experiment with image presentations, style, quality, consistency.

Make certain the images you choose are at the best resolution and optimized for light file export. The publication will be printed and available as an e-book.

Define components of the Process Book.

Design a timeline for production of the Process Book.

Andrea Dell'Anna

Continue to work on Project 03

Tuesday, April 07

Discuss cover design concept
In-class exercises for ideation and to generate iterations with type and image, page sequencing and book development

"Perfect Binding a Prototype" Demonstrations
Watch these DIY demos before class.They are much more involved in the process I will demonstrate in class but it will give you an idea of how you skillful you can perfect bind a book on your own.

I will also demonstrate a similar process in class. [simpler version]

For Thursday, April 09 print a draft of your book, as booklets in signatures of 16 pages, 11 X 17 inch paper, fold carefully in half, saddle stitch with stapler. Have these prepared to practice your own book binding following class demo.

Understanding and Working with Print Signatures
As a print designer, understanding and designing with signatures will offer you endless design possibilities. Simply put, a signature is a group of pages that are printed on both sides of a single sheet of paper that once folded, trimmed, bound and cut, become a specific number of pages depending on the page size and the size of the press sheet.

Printing Signatures Check List

 

This site is designed for the commercial book publisher but it has some excellent advise on book design and production

Review Readings:
“Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton

Thursday, April 09

Work on Project 03

Demonstration of perfect binding
Bring with you to class ready to assemble your prototype.

1. Printed and saddle stitched / stapled signatures that you have prepared.
Page count is divisible by 4

2. Cover art trimmed folded and scored.

3. A box of binding clip, share a box with a colleague?

4. Tools: bone folder, x-acto, straight edge, cutting board.
[I will provide the glue and binding tape / mesh]

Tuesday, April 14
Work on Project 03


Thursday, April 16

Work on Project 03

Assignment 02 - 50 pts.
II. Present Book Design Process Comps

INCLUDE:
Design a lock up for your title.

Make a presenation of your page layout: margins, gutters, columns, GRID system.
1. Present your system and "template."
Print a page that illustrates all of these components. Include measurements.

Typographic system, Visual Hierarchy
Print a page indicating what typeface and type variations you are using, point size, leading, kerning [on lock up]

Populate your template page layout / system with 5 - 6 spreads of your process, and work. Including the photo documentation of Project 01 / 02 and your research.

All of the above mentioned MUST be presented as printed pages, exported as an interactive .pdf and placed in course dropbox.

Include:

1. Lock up by itself
2. Lock up in context of the cover of the book
3. Cover / Title Page [with your lock up] of Process Book / Portfolio
Illustrate your Page Layout / Type System
4. 5 - 6 spreads
One spread must include the photo documentation of Project 02

Work on Project 03
Outcomes for the Course

Assignment 03 - 50 pts.
Build a mock up for your Project 03. This will inform you of the size of the spine and how the pagination and sequencing is functioning.

Tuesday, April 21
Work on Project 03

Assignment 04 - 50 pts.
Build Dummy / Mock up / Iteration 02
Present printing budget and final countdown production schedule

Thursday, April 23
Work on Project 03

 

Tuesday, April 28
Present Project 03

Formal Review in Woods Hall / 105


Thursday, April 30
Typo Talks
Last day of classes

Turn in Project 03 / Books for final grades

 

What will you design, make, produce?
What are you interested in?
What are you curious about?
Consider the audience....what kind of story do you want to tell?
What kind of designer do you want to be?
Designer as Witness / Documentarian / Designer as Journalist
Ethnography
Infographics / Visualizing Information

 

Resources

Glossary of terms related to Water Footprint

How Products Are Made

What is a Design Brief?
How is this useful in design research?

Branding Revisited

Branding & Culture

Image Type Relationships

Celebrate Graphic Design

Graphic Design History

Graphic Design Ephemera

Design and Violence

Writing the Creative Brief

Assign Creative Brief Writing Activity

Assign collection of booklet publications. Find examples of small booklets, catalogues, magazines that you find to be good design.

Books on Reserve
The Power of Maps, Denis Wood with John Fels, The Guilford Press, New York, London, 1992

Everything Sings: Maps for a Narrative Atlas, Denis Wood, With and Introduction by Ira Glass, Siglio, Los Angeles, 2012

Visual Complexity: Mapping Patterns of Information, Manuel Lima, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 2011

Food + System

Mindmeister.com