three—seven—one

Project 1

What Are Your Tools?

Prompt: As a designer, you need to have a perspective on the visual culture, your own style, and what kind of problems you want design to address. For this project, I'd like you to first analyze your visual references. What do you gravitate towards? What is your style? We will build a "nest of this style. Then, I'd like you to construct a typeface using a tool of your choice. Aim towards expression, but allow for legibility. Finally, you will compose a "manifesto" that frames your personal stance relative to design’s current and future impact. You will then use your typeface to make a Big Message in our building.

Design Outcome: Nest / Typeface / Big Message
Project Timeline: August 18th — September 10th

Open project →

Project 2

What is your Form?

Prompt: Using your matrix, you will do some rapid making each week. The final results will fill out a 12 page spread (all at a provided size). Your manifesto will introduce each zine. One catch: you must use a template for your cover and you must keep your spreads black and white. These spreads will be the basis for a compilation publication for the course that I will print for you.

Design Outcome: Nest Matrix / Class Publication
Project Timeline: September 15th — October 1st

Open project →

Project 3

Where Are You Going?

Prompt: Way-finding is offers graphic designers expressive opportunities that far beyond simple directions. We will visit Lakeshore park, where I'd like you to document opportunities for "experimental" intervention, one that directs someone (either literally or abstractly). This can be as straightforwards or as a circuitous as you'd like — it must either complement, intervene, or interrupt the location. You will create a Design Tender and I will manufacture at least one piece of physical way-finding. The design tender must explain how the other elements of your way-finding could be built. It will be installed with your final projects at the end of semester exhibition.

Design Outcome: Way-Finding Design Tender / Way-Finding Sculpture
Project Timeline: October 1st — October 22nd

Open project →

Project 4

What is your Research?

Prompt: For this project, you will choose a design subject (one that has a visual component, so please avoid abstraction) and then make a collection of animated, printed, and physical graphics which help you understand it. You will then prepare a 9-minute presentation to be delivered in class collating your design research. This presentation should explain what your formal experiments and interventions "answered" for you. This constitutes the documentation of your design research project. We will have guest reviewers to provide feedback on this final presentation.

Design Outcome: Presentation of Design Research
Project Timeline: October 27th — Final Exhibition

Open project →

Resources