Art-201_Design Software and Process (6535)

Classroom: Ophelia Parrish (OP) 1210
Instructor:  Ping Xu
Office:  Ophelia Parrish (OP) 1231
Phone:  234-5558
Email: pingxu@truman.edu

Class Meets: TR / 1:30 pm – 4:20 pm

Date Range: Aug 22 – Dec 13, 2013
Classroom: OP-1210
Credits: 3 Credit Hours

Office hours:
MWF: 3:20 pm – 5:20 pm ;
TR: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm ;
TR: 4:20 pm – 5:20 pm ;
Other times by appointment

Course Description
A-201 Design Software and Process is an entry-level visual communications course introducing design software process (design production pre-press) utilized by graphic designers. This course is oriented solely toward the technical aspects utilized in visual communication. 

Course Objective

Students have 5 weeks of introduction and exercise to Illustrator CS6; 4 weeks of introduction and practice to Photoshop CS6; 3 weeks of introduction and practice to InDesign CS6; 3 weeks of introduction and practice to HTML5 and Dreamweaver CS6;

1 week of introduction and practice to Flash Professional CS6. The course gives a broad view of design software, design process, and design disciplines. Using the software techniques, concept imaginations, professional attitude, and self-motivation for artistic and personal growth, students are expected to follow the primary expectations:

• Learn new program skill sets to complete all course projects
• Learn design principles and apply them to design projects
• Come up with critical and original thinking
• Make sense a conceptual clarity
• Create an awareness of contemporary themes
• Attend class and stay on top of assignments

The lectures will focus on the following software and related aspects: 

Adobe Illustrator CS6: Vector graphic creation

1. Pen tool
2. Selection tools: select and direct select tool
3. Modifying paths – add/subtractm modify nodes
4. Gradient Mesh
5. Pathfinder
6. Raster/Vector Color modes – RGB/CMYK
7. Layer Management
8. Exporting for use in print or web (file formats: tiff, eps, gif, jpg)
9. Printing processes
   – CMYK printing
   – Spot color
   

Adobe Photoshop CS6: Raster graphic creation – image manipulation

1. Raster resolution for print/web
2. Photography retouching
3. Collage/montage
4. Layers
5. Channels
6. Masking techniques
7. Selection techniques
8. Vector tools
9. Raster/Vector Color modes – RGB/CMYK
10. Clipping paths
11. Exporting for use in print or web (file formats)
12. Printing processes
    – CMYK printing
    – Spot color

Adobe InDesign CS6:

1. Layout and content management – print design
2. Typesetting: text flow, text wrap, tabs, character/paragraph styles, kerning, tracking, leading, serif/sans serif
3. Placing/Importing graphics
   – Raster/Vector Color modes – CMYK
   – File format: tiff, eps…
   – Linking files
4. Page/document setup
   – Multiple page management
   – Bleeds
   – Column grids
   – Margins
   – Facing pages
5. Document management
   – Packaging files: links and fonts
6. Printing processes
   – CMYK printing
   – Spot color
7. Interactive PDF

Adobe Acrobat: Proofing/Print management

HTML

1. HTML introduction
2. XHTML introduction
3. HTML5 tags and attributes
4. HTML5 audio and video
5. Basic HTML page
6. HTML validation

Adobe Dreamweaver CS6:

1. Layout and content management – web design
2. Site management
3. File management
4. Connecting to servers
5. Uploading files
6. Placing/Inserting graphics
7. Raster/Vector Color modes – RGB
8. File format: jpg, gif, png, swf, svg…

Adobe Flash CS6:

1. Vector based motion graphics/animation
2. Frame based animations
3. Vector tools
4. Publishing

Course Calendar: http://pxstudio.us/blog/?p=9944

• Please download the course syllabus, print it out, and file it into your process book.