Here is the final semester wrap up and course completion information in advance:
Please read this information carefully and mark your calendars accordingly.
Please reach out with any questions here – rseslow@bmcc.cuny.edu
***Follow the information for your class section / day only.
1. Wednesday Section 5:30pm December 11th & Thursday Section 10am December 12th will be our last regular class / lab working sessions. As promised we will use this class session to discuss and share a demonstration on how you can create a final portfolio with Adobe Illustrator (saved as a single file PDF) the portfolio will display and organize all of your completed works. (the final portfolio is not mandatory)- however, I recommend it as the skill that can be applied to other courses and projects. I will also show you how to organize your google drive assignment folders (as a review) as well.
2. Wednesday section @12/18 5:30pm & Thursday section 12/19 @10am (final exams week) is our last and final meeting for the semester – It is not mandatory to attend – but highly encouraged as we will present our favorite / strongest work from our final portfolios of completed work – please join us! You can choose to show your work on the big screen!
****All students will need to have all completed work added to their folders in our google drive folder no later than Friday 12/20 at 6pm.
3. Submitting your completed assignments – I know I have mentioned this many many times through out the semester, but all student work needs to be submitted via our shared Google Drive Folder – the link to the shared folder is located on Brightspace – You must share all production files that include the adobe photoshop files – .psd and all illustrator files – .ai – you can also share your illustrator work as a PDF.
Please reach out with any questions here – rseslow@bmcc.cuny.edu
This post will reflect week’s 12 – 13 covering all parts of assignment #4 !
Assignment #3 & Assignment #4 are now in full effect. We are becoming versed in Adobe Illustrator – and will continue to do so.
***Don’t forget to add your works in progress to our shared google drive folder.
Discussion – Continued class exercises :: Adobe Illustrator. Creating shapes with the pen tool, the pathfinder tools and the shape builder tool.
Simplifying and reducing shapes and forms, working with color, locating color books, pantone colors, making patterns, repetition as a design element and more!
This project contributes to “flat design” which is a popular application and style used in the daily UX / UI interfaces and experiences we have each and everyday. What happens when we click on that link above?
We will begin project #4 by experimenting with creating shapes and forms – composition, as well as building “things” with those basic forms that we make. What are the potentials of working with the seemingly simple shapes and forms that you create?
*The class tutorials will place an emphasis on various digital art & design making techniques with illustrator. The techniques will support all 3 parts of assignment #4 (and beyond!)
Lab Tutorial – This week we will take another tour of Adobe Illustrator and practice creating new documents and setting up our art boards for production. Tonight’ class demonstrations we be recorded and placed on the assignment #4 page.
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Color Theory Continued!
Adobes awesome Color Wheel Simulator (must see) – If you sign into your Adobe ID on the color picker website you can use the web application and save your discoveries directly to your adobe Library – this will allow you to apply those things into the adobe software that you are working with. (illustrator for this project)
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 shared, 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.
During weeks #8-11 we will take another class tour of Adobe Illustrator and get talking about Assignment #3
Let’s jump back in and start with some NYC Design History!!
Behold, the NYC Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual. See below
The link above will you take you to a page with an active full PDF version of the manual. If you wish, 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
(Read More on this at the bottom of the post)
Some Questions to ponder and react to:
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?
Imagine being offered the opportunity to visually solve, design and illustrate the entire NYC transit system!? And then organize it into a concise application procedure? What goes into this process and research? How much does the designer charge for a project of such scale? Let’s discuss.
Designer Inspiration :: You need to know Paul Rand
The NYC Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual, designed by Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda of Unimark International in 1970, is a groundbreaking work of design that revolutionized how transit systems communicate with the public. This manual established the comprehensive visual identity for the New York City Subway, setting a new standard for graphic design in public spaces.
Key Features of the Manual:
Helvetica Typeface: The manual specified Helvetica, a modern, clean, and legible typeface, as the official font for all subway signage. Its neutral design ensured clarity and consistency.
Color-Coded System: It introduced a color-coded system for subway lines, making navigation easier. Each line was assigned a unique color, a feature still in use today.
Grid System: The manual established a precise grid for the design of signs, ensuring that all information was presented in a systematic and visually harmonious way.
Directional Clarity: The signage was designed to reduce confusion for riders by standardizing terminology and visual cues, such as arrows and placement of text.
Map Design: While the map itself has evolved, the principles outlined in the manual influenced the creation of the iconic 1972 Vignelli subway map. The map prioritized geometric simplicity and abstract representation over geographical accuracy.
Icons and Symbols: The manual included a system of universally recognizable symbols for facilities like restrooms, exits, and ticket counters, which contributed to a more accessible transit environment.
Historical Impact:
Modernist Legacy: The manual is a hallmark of modernist design philosophy, emphasizing function, simplicity, and order.
Global Influence: Its principles inspired other transit systems worldwide to adopt more user-friendly and systematic designs.
Preservation and Revival: In 2014, Jesse Reed and Hamish Smyth, designers at Pentagram, rediscovered the manual and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to reissue it, bringing renewed attention to its historical and practical significance.
Why It Matters:
The NYC Transit Authority Graphics Standards Manual is more than a design document; it’s a blueprint for creating order out of chaos in one of the world’s busiest urban transit systems. Its influence extends beyond transportation, showcasing the power of design to improve daily life in complex environments.
Here is this week’s useful information and class resources:
We will continue working on assignments #1 & assignment #2 – Lots of great stuff to cover this week and next!
OK!
We continue to cover a lot of information as we began to get acclimated with Adobe photoshop, our Photoshop workspace and our first assignment, we also went over our class website structure again. I shared (and recorded) a video tutorial about our first assignment / project here in MMA 100. Did you find the video helpful (its placed on the Assignment #1 page).
**Did you add or submit your work in progress to our google drive folder? Remember, I would really like for you to keep your work in progress there as we can dialog about it together outside of our class time. The google-drive link is located on our brightspace course page (in the google drive folder, create a folder with your first and last name).
I would also like for you to e-mail me when complete each project or assignment. You can add the files to your folder in g-drive and then send me an e-mail to let me know – rseslow@bmcc.cuny.edu – I will then, leave a few comments on your work.
*** In the comments section below, add a few links and or statements about what is currently inspiring you, or what stands out and catches your interest this week! (not just with our class but in life in general!)
The vocabulary of design is an essential aspect of the design process and includes both elements and principles of design. Understanding these terms helps artists and designers to communicate effectively and ensure that their designs accurately deliver their intended message to the audience.
The elements of design refer to the building blocks that define the visual, including form, shape, line, color, texture, typography, and space. These elements can make a design successful when used correctly, and artists must learn the rules of applying them, which are known as the principles of design.
The elements and principles of design are the guidelines and rules that artists and designers use to create visual compositions. They provide a framework for using the elements of design to achieve the desired effect and deliver an intended message.
One aspect of design vocabulary that is often overlooked is typography. Typography includes elements such as ascenders, descenders, and baselines, which refer to the parts of letters that rise above or descend below the main body of the letter. Understanding these terms is crucial for creating effective typographic designs. (We shall cover and discuss soon)
Another aspect of design vocabulary is the Gestalt principles, which refer to the principles of perception that govern how people see and interpret visual elements. The five Gestalt principles are proximity, similarity, continuity, closure, and connectedness, and they help designers to understand how people process and make sense of visual information.
The Elements and Principles of design plays a crucial role in the design process and helps artists and designers to communicate effectively, use the elements of design correctly, and deliver their intended message to the audience. Understanding the elements and principles of design, as well as typography and the Gestalt principles, is essential for creating successful design work.
The link above is super important as that is where all of the course content will be published each week. I’m not a big fan of using blackboard – so only password sensitive things (like the shared google drive folder link) will be placed there. Only the minimum info needed will be placed there mainly as reminders. I will go over this in full during our 1st class.
The Class Structure – MMA100 will be taught in person synchronously.
There are 2 sections of this class that I will be teaching.
Section 1 meets on Wednesdays at 5:30pm – 9:10pm in room 706 (Fiterman building)
Section 2 meets on Thursdays at 10am – 1:40pm in room 706 (Fiterman building)
As per the CUNY academic calendar (please be aware of the cuny calendar for this semester)
Please attend the section that you are registered in only.
I am here to help you be the best that you can be in our course. And we are all here to do the same for each other. A big part of our class is learning new skills, being experimental with design and seeing how it forms a relationship with “how” you solve problems and revise them. We will cover the many tools that are available to us. (Adobe and beyond) We do quite a bit of the fun and creative work from our own personal work spaces as we integrate the class work into our lives.
Please know, I will screen record each and every class sessions “how-tos” and “assignment tutorials” for all assignments and share those videos here on our class website. (I said that twice, haha, just want you to know again) 🙂
The Class Website – Our class website takes place here on the BMCC OpenLab! You will soon discover that the OpenLab is a huge resource and regular source of inspiration!
If you have questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to me here – rseslow@bmcc.cuny.edu
Everything that we cover this semester will be posted and published to this website as a weekly blog post (much like this one) and as individual pages that host specific content (like assignments and their details). You will be asked to visit this website each week. At the bottom of each page and post there is a section for comments, please feel free to use it to ask any questions that you may have.
What is Graphic Design? Design Solutions: Strategy, Concept, Design, Execution & Production Exploring the Design Process.
Software skillsthis semester will focus on– Adobe Photoshop & Adobe Illustrator as well as a few other apps and non-conventional methods of image-making.
Logos by Paul Rand
What is Graphic Design?
“Graphic design, also known as communication design, is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. The form it takes can be physical or virtual and can include images, words, or graphics. The experience can take place in an instant or over a long period of time. The work can happen at any scale, from the design of a single postage stamp to a national postal signage system. It can be intended for a small number of people, such as a one-off or limited-edition book or exhibition design, or can be seen by millions, as with the interlinked digital and physical content of an international news organization. It can also be for any purpose, whether commercial, educational, cultural, or political.” (Via – Juliette Cezzar)
The History of Graphic Design – We will be exploring and referencing Design history in our class. Lets explore these two references below over the course of this week.
Lets talk a bit about assignments – Most assignments are broken down into 2-3 parts. For example, assignment #1 has 3 parts. For each assignment, I will be sharing a series of video tutorials during our class time. Each assignment has its own page with all of the details and specifications needed to work on, complete and submit the assignment. The Assignments page is here
Starting next class we are going to ease into assignment #1 with just a few easy tasks. Let’s check out the assignments page for that here.
Becoming familiar with terms and items like: “design briefs, project sheets and project specifications” are essential to the design industry. We will become 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 (the google drive link is located on Brightspace)
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.psd
Ryan_Seslow_Assignment#2_FInal.JPG
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Tutorials – I will always share a few video tutorials each week that coincide with our assignments. This one below is about getting further acquainted with Photoshop – (Terry White is one of my favorite Adobe evangelists!)
I’ll also share Designer Inspiration each week? Let’s be inspired and see Who’s Who in the field? There are so many great designers out there to follow these days! Each week, let’s showcase one and talk about how their work functions.
Who is Aaron Draplin? Surely by now you have heard of Aaron Draplin?
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Assignment #1 will introduce you to Adobe Photoshop, working with and finding images, and the Elements & Principles of Design, (vocabulary), thats the language of design.
(please note, there are several variations of these definitions that can be found across the web and through out the design world, its ok to mix and mingle variations from other sources to help expand your knowledge)
The Elements & Principles of Design are the governing vocabulary that define, illustrate and communicate how Graphic Design functions all around us. These terms are of great value and importance and should be understood and applied by designers.
