Weeks #6 & 7 – Info & Resources

Hey Hey, Welcome back to MMA100 Weeks #6 & 7!

Here is this week’s useful information and class resources: Please keep in mind, there is a lot to see here below, take your time through out each week to explore what is below, if you have any questions or reactions please add them to the comments section. The comments section is helpful for extending our in class dialogs and gaining clarity by organizing your thoughts in a written format.

*Did you miss the post from Weeks #4 &5 – go Here!

The Zoom recording for class on  10/13 is below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/s1xeQb8kCF27a3YeJX3dDhIx50-Ifhz3rzdB3EVhKpQOB8pM9JEaGU-rOWYv8nZh.tzV5txQ21PctyHxt

Passcode: 5X5?&q3B

Zoom Recording from class on 10/20 – Intro to Adobe Illustrator & assignment #3

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/AtiOWrz5usNBXawn0vKIUUWszsVoIFUKtovpLeOydU7SbehrjtDJTc8M8xs6rWbZ.-972ZwNE-qqU1HOM

Passcode: *7z^JPnj

Lets jump back in and start with some NYC Design History!! Behold, the NYC Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual. See below

Inspiration – The NYC Transit Authority Graphics Standard Manual

The link above will you take you to a page with an active full PDF version of the manual. I would like for EVERYONE to please leave a comment at the bottom of this page after exploring the manual and answering the questions below (you can work on this outside of class over this week or next)

Designed by Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda, Unimark, 1970

I would love to hear your reactions and feedback in the comments section below!

**after you “post” your comment I will have to manually approve it – you may not see it show up right away. No need to post the comment twice 🙂

Some Questions to ponder and react to:

  1. What is your general feedback on the manual? Do you like it? Dislike it? Please Explain. Do you find it to be well designed, illustrated and clear in its application?

2. The manual was published in 1970. Does it still hold up for today’s world? Why or Why not?

3. What is missing or should be added for today’s world to help and expand the NYC Transit System?

4. What additional questions are you left with?

Video – Micheal Beruit from Pentagram Design discusses the manual here – Link to the video above – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg03z1H6cfA

Imagine being offered the opportunity to visually solve, design and illustrate the entire NYC transit system!? What goes into this process and research? Do you know who is responsible for this? How much does the designer charge for a project of such scale? Lets dig in and discuss.

Last week we continued talking about Assignment #2  – The Post Card project ! Lets look at student work and talk about your progress and the potentials of the project. There is a lot of room for image manipulation and creating aesthetics with your work. Students will share their work via Zoom. Discussions about presentation methods and why presentation is so important. Please navigate to the assignment #2 page to view the assignment details with me again.

Tonight’s Video tutorial will cover some image manipulation techniques and applications.

Photoshop Video Tutorials

  1. Creating Layer Masks / Photo Composites – The video below is great example – click here or the image below to view it.

2. Double Expose Technique – Click here or the image below to get started

The Zoom recording for 10/13 is below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/s1xeQb8kCF27a3YeJX3dDhIx50-Ifhz3rzdB3EVhKpQOB8pM9JEaGU-rOWYv8nZh.tzV5txQ21PctyHxt

Passcode: 5X5?&q3B

<———{ week 6 transmission snip }———–>

Color Theory!

Adobe’s awesome Color Wheel Simulator (must see)

GO HERE to Experiment

Several up and coming assignments will surely benefit from the use of understanding Color Theory and the Adobe Color Wheel!

*Above – Color Theory Continued -> GREAT RESOURCE – Must Read

*Above – Color Theory Continued -II >https://99designs.com/blog/tips/the-7-step-guide-to-understanding-color-theory/


Let’s Talk about Adobe Illustrator! 

During week #7 we will take a class tour of Adobe Illustrator and get talking about Assignment #3

You can also take an additional tour with Adobe Wizard – Terry White

10 Things Beginners Want To Know How To Do with Adobe Illustrator (subscribe to Terry’s Channel!)

Adobe has a great series of videos on their channel on YouTube: 

Check this series with a focus on Illustrator

https://www.youtube.com/c/AdobeCreativeCloud/search?query=illustrator

Designer Inspiration :: You need to know Paul Rand

Week #2 – Information / Resources

Welcome to MMA100 Week #2!!

We’re BACK!

Here is this week’s useful information and class resources:

Do you need a recap of  Week #1 – Go Here <–

**Advanced note – There are no classes on Wednesday 9/8 & Wednesday 9/15 – CUNY classes are not in session. We do not meet in Zoom on those dates. The CUNY BMCC academic calendar can be found here

***Here is tonight’s class photoshop demonstration with Assignment #1 (Tutorial) placed below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/IklS51owe-mPGydNrgQYva65t6WLLwTYOwApVbjL1mh2iKLQFy7_NiLW2cvHTxQC.ERaRyH044pw0wzKt

Video Passcode: P^FUh#k6

**Accessing Adobe / Software / Remote Access from home** 

Student Adobe Account Access ::

If you need to gain access to the Adobe apps / software for this semester you can follow the instructions on this link below:

https://servicedesk.bmcc.cuny.edu/TDClient/33/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=1070

(Let me know if you have any issues.)

also:

The Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) has a limited number of devices available to lend to students who do not have a personal device at home. For fall 2021, the process for a student to pick up a device has changed. No appointments are necessary and students don’t need to be referred to Student Affairs. Students can pick up devices on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 199 Chambers Street. Students will make a left after entering the building and will not go through the turnstiles. They must bring a photo ID and wear a mask. We are closed on holidays.

Students can borrow an iPad or Chromebook, while supplies last. We also have a limited number of internet hotspots for students who do not have access to reliable internet at home.

Students can email help@bmcc-cuny.libanswers.com with general questions about borrowing a device. After receiving the device, they can email servicedesk@bmcc.cuny.edu with technology questions.

Lets be patient with our ourselves and ease in..

We will begin tonight’s class by recapping week #1’s introductions to the course as well as jumping into assignment #1 – our first assignment! The first assignment has 3 parts and I will be sharing a series of tutorials during our Zoom time. I will give a demonstration on how to prepare your design layout, place and resize images, apply layers and also preparing your final designs for output on the web and in print.

Remember, each assignment will have its own page with all of the specifications needed to work on, complete and submit the assignment. Assignment #1 can be found here.

** a Video tutorial from week #2’s Zoom class of assignment #1 – part 1 will also be posted on the assignment #1 page after our class**

Becoming familiar with terms and items like: “design briefs, project sheets and project specifications” are essential to the design industry. We will be come familiar with this process and following a simulation like experience 🙂

We will discuss the progress and submissions process of your finished assignments and how to send and share them via google drive. We will discuss the maintaining of your files and data and how to keep it safe and easy to access.

Assignment Submission guidelines:

When your assignment / assignments have been completed please add them to our class google drive shared folder (link is on blackboard).

Please create a folder for yourself with your first and last name. And, please name your files with your name, assignment# & assignment status – here are a few Example file names – they may looks like this:

Ryan_Seslow_Assignment#2_progress.JPG 

Ryan_Seslow_Assignment#2_FInal.JPG

Tutorials – Getting further acquainted with Photoshop – (Terry White is one of my favorite Adobe evangelists!)

Adobe’s youtube channel is here – (so much good stuff!) https://www.youtube.com/c/AdobeCreativeCloud

For those using Photoshop on i-pad – Check this –  https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/cloud-documents-ipad.html?trackingid=CD922LTR&mv=email#

Inspiration / Resources: Graphic Design Trends from 2020 –

What kind of design do you like? What inspires you and makes you want to learn more? Do you resonate with the “trends” in the examples below? Share your thoughts and links in the comments section below!

::Vocabulary::

The Elements of Design:

Color – typically known as hue. This word represents a specific color or light wavelength found in the color spectrum, ranging circularly from red to yellow, green, blue and back to red.

Line – is a line just a series of points? Or is it the best way to get from point “A” to point “B”? As a geometric conception, a line is a point in motion, with only one dimension – length. Line has both a position and a direction in space. The variables of line are: size, shape, position, direction, number, interval and density. Points create lines, lines create shapes or planes and volume.

Mass – Here, mass is interchangeable with volume. A mass is a solid body or a grouping of visual elements (line, color, texture, etc.) that compose a solid form. Volume is a three-dimensional form comprising length, width, and depth. Three-dimensional forms contain points (vertices), lines (edges), and planes (surfaces). A mass is the two-dimensional appearance of a three-dimensional form.

Movement – Also known as motion. This element portrays the act or process of changing place or direction, orientation, and/or position through the visual illustration of starting or stopping points, blurring of action, etc. This is not animation, although animation is an end product of movement, as well as other elements of design.

Space – A two-or three-dimensional element defined by other elements of design.

Texture – A technique used in two-dimensional design to replicate three-dimensional surfaces through various drawing and media techniques. On three-dimensional surfaces, it is experienced by touch or by visual experience.

Type – Also known as typography, and it is considered an element in graphic design. Although it consists of elements of design, it is – in itself – often an element in the form of visual communication.

Value – Another word for the lightness or darkness of an area. Brightness measured in relationship to a graded scale from white to black.

The Principles of Design:

The principles of design are applicable to all design disciplines including – but not exclusive to – architecture, art, graphics, fashion, industrial design, poetry, writing, and web design.

The principles of design are tools used to format the elements of design.

Balance – The elements of design converge to create a design or arrangement of parts that appear to be a whole with equilibrium.

Contrast – The “automatic principle.” Whenever an element is placed within a format, contrast is created in the various elements. Can be emphasized with contrast in size, shape, color,

Direction – Utilizing movement to create the visual illusion of displacement.

Economy – A principle operating on the “slim.” Especially important when dealing with clients, where their product or service is more important than the elaboration of design elements. Can also be considered “precise,” or “simplistic.” Or, it can be considered great design.

Emphasis – Also known as dominance. This condition exists when an element or elements within a visual format contain a hierarchy of visual importance.

Proportion – A two- or three-dimensional element defined by other elements of design.

Rhythm – A recurrence or repetition of one or more elements within a visual format, creating harmony.

Unity – Oneness, Harmony, The condition of completeness with the use of all visual elements within a format.