Project Three :: Schedule

Wed 9.30/Fri: 10.2

• in class Flash demos
• homework: revise sequences and image integration pieces, make demos exercises!
  

Monday 10.5

• in class: Flash masking demo, shape tweens
• homework: start final animation

Wed 10.7/Fri 10.9:

• in class: Work in studio on final animation
• homework: finalize animation, mount static art
  

Monday 10.12: Final Presentation of animation, static sequence, and static image integrations

Project Three :: Flash Demo Exercises

For Monday Oct 5th, make 3 short Flash files to reiterate what we looked at during the demo. Try to recreate my examples (linked to the red text below). Each file should be 600 x 600 pixels with a frame rate of 24 (under "modify>document").

1. Crossfade: make a 400 pixel circle and a 360 pixel square with the Flash drawing tools. Turn them into symbols. Put the circle on the stage on one layer, and the square on another layer. Fade the circle out while fading in the square.

2. Motion tweens: move circles at 3 different velocities across the screen in one direction while 3 squares move in the opposite direction.

3. Stop motion: Rotate a square at a rate of 180 degrees per second (there's a trick in this one!). The timeline should have a keyframe in each frame of your Flash file.
Hint for sequential rotation: (Modify>Transform>Scale and Rotate)

Project Three :: Part Two, Sequencing

Now it's time to magically transform one of your letters into the other. Using the same techniques we explored cropping, create 8 sequential compositions which appear as if one letter moves around or through the frame and changes it's form into your second typeface.

3 Sequences
Bring 3 composition sequences to our next class. Try very different types of sequences, rotating, arcing, bouncing, sliding, walking(?), etc.
Reduce these 50%, or, 1.5" inch squares. Print them out on 11" x 17" paper, follow the guide below. Do not mount them.

Project Three :: Add Content to Crop Comps

Pick the best comps
Decide in class which of your forms from each series is the best.
Parameters are:

-dynamic use of positive and negative space
-balance of positive and negative space
-letterform legibility

Add content to your compositions
Take your chosen content words and add that content to your compositions. You will create a series of compositions placing your found images into the positive and negative parts of your comps. Based on our in-class demo, break your compositions into separate elements (with the Pathfinder tools) and integrate your images, patterns or textures by masking in Illustrator.

Make the compositions 9" x 9" (300%).
Make 4 variations of each composition. Print each on a black and white sheet of 11 x 17 paper.

Project Three :: Presenting the crop comps

Pick the best 8 cropped compositions from each typeface set for a total of 16. Put each group of compositions on separate 11" x 17" sheets of paper for next class period. Follow my guide below for placement.

Click image to enlarge.

Project Three :: A Narrative in Letterform

A Narrative in Letterform

description
Further explore the beauty and differences of letterforms through a sequence of cropping and sequencing exercises. Apply image, animation, and sound to your formal exercises to create a deeper narrative.

objectives

• Begin to notice typography and its many forms
• Learn letterform anatomy
• Learn to appreciate the architecture of letterforms
• Apply knowledge of positive and negative space to create interesting, readable, compositions
• Learn to infer movement through sequence
• Explore the combination of type and image
• Explore how movement and sound support narrative

Project Three :: Part One, Cropping

Pick a lowercase letter from the following:
a b c d e f g h k m n p q r s t u v w

Then, pick two typefaces from our font list. The typefaces should have different formal characteristics but be close in stroke thickness (weight). Construct two L-shaped masks from black or white paper or board. The angles should be cleanly cut and 90°.

Crop your letter 15 different ways, making drawings of each cropping, making sure they are square. As you crop in different ways, your square will alter its size, so scale your finished crops with the photocopier to achieve a consistent size of 3 inches for all compositions. Draw with pencil first, then carefully fill in with sharpie or black ink. Attempt compelling, dynamic compositions that exemplify the potential of the form and counterform (positive/negative) inherent in the letter. Begin by creating an even balance of positive and negative space, while maintaining legibility. Each letter will present unique challenges. Your solutions should be precisely drawn and trimmed down to perfect squares.

Homework
Create 15 more sketches using the same letter in the a second typeface. At least four of the new sketches should have the same placement as the first series of croppings. This will allow you to compare differences in the design of each letterform.

Project Three :: Word Lists & Pairs, Images

Creating Content
Make a list of at least twenty objects (can also include colors, textures, and patterns) that begin with your letter. While making your list, try to pair up words that present an affinity for each other, or tell a story when combined.

Collect images, textures and patterns that represent some of your most interesting object ideas. Brainstorm on how to incorporate those into the positive and negative spaces in your composition, i.e. will the images fill the positive space of the letter, or the negative space of the composition, can you incorporate color into either the positive or negative spaces?

Publish both your word lists and word pairs to your blog this week, also include the most interesting images from your preferred word pair choices.

Project Two :: Materials for Final Book

The 9 final typographic compositions will be copied onto transparencies on the large Konica printer and then bound together with your dot compositions.

So you will need to get:

Transparency film for Color Laser Printers

This is quite expensive and should be purchased in GROUPS. The example below contains 50 sheets which cost 40 dollars.

Section 1 has 13 students and Section 2 has 11, 24 total.
5 boxes will give you 250 sheets

Divided evenly, each student could pay $8.33 , get 10 sheets each, with 10 left over in case of emergency. I will leave it up to you to organize this amongst yourselves.

Project Two :: Deliverables for Monday 9/14

Bring 2-3 compositions for each of your 9 words on Monday. Make copies of them and trim down to size. Do not hang them up, we will divide into groups to crit.

Project Two :: Word Composition

Word as Design Element:
aka: how design enhances & influences meaning
aka: how typographic composition enhances & influences meaning

description
Design a sequence of 9 typographic compositions based around 1 theme. Each composition is made up of one word which can be repeated and altered.

objectives

• utilize type as elements or units of composition
  
• impact, distort, mirror or enhance meaning through composition
• combine type and image to create more meaningful composition
• explore serendipity and "mash-ups" in composition

task
Using your 9 chosen words from VisCom project 1, you will be creating typographic compositions that should reflect or enhance the meaning of those words.

for example:













format and technique

You will be composing within a 9 in x 6 in (horizontal orientation, see below) frame. Create separate compositions for each of your 9 words. Start by drawing out your frame on a sheet of paper and then make copies of that sheet (or print out the frame from Illustrator or InDesign). Use ONLY the word as a design element. Do not use shapes, lines or any other graphic element in your compositions. Using the word sheets created in class, compose by cutting and pasting individual words. You can scale your words up or down using the copy machine. You can letterspace by cutting and moving individual letters.

format:












fonts

For these compositions pick either Adobe Monotype Grotesk or Adobe Jenson Pro. Choose just ONE of the two fonts for your series of compositions, do not mix typefaces for this project.

Project Two :: Wed & Fri Update

For Wed and Fri set up your InDesign files as shown in the demo but DON'T bring printouts of the file to class. Set up the word sheets in InDesign using just 1 of these 2 typefaces from our font folio:

Grotesque MT Standard (set in both "Regular" & "Bold")
or
Adobe Jenson Pro (set in both "Regular" & "Semibold")













Set your words in the following point sizes: 9pt / 15pt / 24pt
Each page should contain one word, set both in both uppercase and lowercase, in one typeface, and in one style. That means 2 pages per word.

The only printout I do want you to bring to class is 1 page with your 9 words on it, large enough to read when hung on the wall. You can set the words in one of the above typefaces.

Project One :: Schedule Wed & Fri

in class

• reading quiz
• critique letter paintings
• InDesign mini demo
• work in studio refining both big drawings and perfect letters

homework

• read pages 34-47, thinking with type
• bring printouts of your viscomm words set in InDesign ready to use in class (more requirements in a coming post)