Design Foundations II
Course Objectives

Art 260 / Greg Clayton

Below are several ways of describing what we're aiming for.

General purpose and application

To extend and deepen understanding and application of visual design principles and processes.
To provide the student an opportunity to thoroughly understand and apply color to any branch of art or design.

Course Outcomes

Demonstrate a working knowledge of color perception, harmony strategies, color specification, color mixing and application, and color history through quiz content, exam content, class discussion, creative projects, color exercises, and through written critiques.

Demonstrate general visual design and composition principles, terms and practice through successful creative visual designs, through verbal critiques and discussions of form, through quiz and exam content and through written critiques.

Demonstrate an understanding of basic graphic production skills using the mat cutter, utility knife, spray adhesive and presentation of projects.

Demonstrate an understanding of creative process, including graphic and content concept development in response to assigned challenges.

The successful Design Foundations II student will discuss and write a 50-100 word statement identifying and describing contextual connections between his/her creative work and the history of art and design. (ULO3)(ULO7)(ULO8)*

The successful Design Foundations II student will demonstrate an engagement with their profession by membership in art and/or design organizations, and/or visits to galleries, museums, studios and/or participating in competitions, public exhibits or conference events. (ULO 3, ULO 6)*  

*These Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are tied to the indicated Undergraduate University Learning Outcomes.

Topics

1. The essential traits of color.
2. Practicable strategies for selecting color palettes and concept-driven color harmonies using principles, theories and systems of color design and experience..
3. Skill in color mixing and fine color-discernment.
4. Be familiar with contemporary color specification systems such as Pantone (PMS), RGB, CMYK, CIE.
5. Become familiar with the history of human exploration of and use of color.
6. Know in principle the physics of color (light), the chemistry of color (pigment), and the impact of color (psychology).
7. Know, understand, and be able to apply the system of color charting that is used in this class, based primarily upon the theories of Albert Munsell and Richard Ellinger.
8. Be aware of artists and designers who are, or were, remarkable for their use of color.
9. Be familiar with basic issues and techniques involved in color management. 
10. Be familiar with basic digital image editing techniques.  (scanning & basic color correction/editing)
11. Refine ability to identify the design problem; discern pertinent project needs and goals by reading project description and by questioning the instructor and active listening during project presentation and discussions.
12. Extend practice of applying visual design principles to concept development and design analysis.
13. Communicate clearly your design concepts/goals via concise, written concept statements. 
14. Select successful concept-driven color solutions and apply design principles in projects.
15. Be able to justify design choices/solutions relative to client/project’s posed problem and your concept statement.
16. Practice and extend creative problem-solving skills by exploring, presenting and evaluating a multiplicity of ideas for each concept.
17. Practice and develop illustrative sketching and rapid visualization techniques in development sketches, concept presentations and in-process project discussions/crits.
18. Practice and extend ability to think visually, to develop visual concepts and to communicate visual solutions.
19. Practice and develop rendering and presentation techniques in design presentations.
20. Express understanding of color design issues in oral presentations, class discussions and critiques.
21. Recognize the relationship between human behavior and designed environment, graphics and objects.
22. Recognize the relationship between lighting, surface and perception.

Core Questions:

Many of us simply don’t plan our lives in terms of overt, stated objectives.  Some of us just keep on searching…asking, seeking and knocking.
Here are seven questions that we will repeatedly ask and explore, directly and indirectly throughout our time together.

1. What is the nature of  color…what are its “parts” and traits
2. How can I control, select and see those distinctive traits in the designs and forms around me?
3. How can I select color schemes and arrange color that works well?
4. How can color be presented and communicated to clients and to design professionals?
5. Who has used color well…and what did they do?
6. How is color involved with viewers’ perceptions, preferences and experiences?
7. How can I devise, explore, refine and implement really effective color designs?  (creative-process, concept statements, software, web resources)