Visual Arts - Illustration 210
Spring Semester 2011
Instructor: Jake Parker
Cell Phone: 469.426.6919
Email: Jake@agent44.com
Course Information
Course Learning Outcomes
Students introduced to computer as a tool through various in-class exercises and assignments
Students develop an understanding of ethics in visual arts through class discussions and lecture
Students become familiar with creation of raster and vector images through a variety of projects, instruction and in-class exercises
With ingenuity and imagination students should be able to produce creative visuals
Students work on producing quality projects for their portfolios through teacher and peer/class critiques
Students will be expected to understand and apply professional processes to the design and rendering of their images
Students will learn procedures of creating marketable illustrations; concept, rough sketches, color comps, and finished art. Emphasis will be placed on effectively communicating story concept
Students will demonstrate proficiency in at least one of the illustration mediums studied.
Students will analyze and develop visual images based on conceptual (symbolic) illustration solutions.
Students will analyze and develop visual images based on narrative (literal) illustration solutions.
Students will develop a deep theoretical and practical understanding of design.
Grading Scale
A 375-400 B 350-375 C 325-350 D 300-325 E 299 and lower
Grading Policies
In preparation for BFA review, and ultimately a profession, it is of primary importance that your work be as good as possible. That being said, any project that has been submitted on time COMPLETED may be redone for a better grade at any point in the term. It may be improved or solved
in an entirely different manner as long as it still fulfills the
assignment. A late project may be redone but the final grade will be no
more than 70%. If redos are done poorly, the grade received will count.
Projects should be reworked based on the critique comments until they
are as strong as possible. Doing this is a very important way to improve
your skills, focus your creativity, and resolve visual problems. It is
also the reality of the creative industry.
When grading projects, my personal experience and aesthetic preferences influence my response.
When I review students projects, I consider the following:
Creativity
Ordinary solutions are not only dull, but they are not competitive. They do not challenge nor improve the students skill. Solutions should be exciting, innovative and interesting.
Design/Composition
Regardless of your discipline, skillful and creative use of design principles and elements are essential to communication with an audience, remember we are visual communicators. While most viewers cannot identify what may be right or wrong with an image, they sense when something isn’t communicating well due to poor design. Design is important as content in the process of communication.
Craftsmanship
Skill with media is necessary to success. A good idea fails to communicate if worked poorly. I realize most of you have limited media experience, and I will take that into account. Work that we do in class is designed to develop some degree of comfort with the medium.
Appropriateness
All projects have goals and specifications that need to be accomplished and followed. It is expected that these will be met through your solutions. The industry requires this, as will I.
Attendance Expectations
Most of the work will be done in class and our time is extremely limited. So attendance during the semester is critical and required. Attendance and promptness is also an essential professional attribute. After three absences I feel it will be impossible to “catch up” the lost time and you will fail the course.
Deadlines
Projects
will be due at a specific date and time. Work will be presented and
critiqued during class whether completed or not. Late projects will
automatically lose 30% of the total points. Late projects not in by the beginning of the next class period will not be accepted. A late project is anything presented to myself or the class 10 min. or later on the date due in class.
Course Materials
Jump drive
Any
size is fine, but make sure that you backup your assignments in several
places. Jump drives are notorious for crashing and losing everything,
even brand new ones.
Assignments
Assignment Point Breakdown
Assignments Points
Total Points 400
Assignment 1 50
Assignment 2 50
Assignment 3 50
Assignment 4 50
In-class Assignments 60
Attendance 140
University Policies
BYU Honor Code
In
keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are
expected to be honest in all of their academic work. Academic honesty
means, most fundamentally, that any work you present as your own must in
fact be your own work and not that of another. Violations of this
principle may result in a failing grade in the course and additional
disciplinary action by the university. Students are also expected to
adhere to the Dress and Grooming Standards. Adherence demonstrates
respect for yourself and others and ensures an effective learning and
working environment. It is the university's expectation, and my own
expectation in class, that each student will abide by all Honor Code
standards. Please call the Honor Code Office at 422-2847 if you have
questions about those standards.
Preventing Sexual Discrimination and Harassment
Title
IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination
against any participant in an educational program or activity that
receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex
discrimination in education. Title IX covers discrimination in programs,
admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU's
policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the
university, but to students as well. If you encounter unlawful sexual
harassment or gender-based discrimination, please talk to your
professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895 or 367-5689
(24-hours); or contact the Honor Code Office at 422- 2847.
Students with Disabilities
Brigham
Young University is committed to providing a working and learning
atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with
disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability
to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for
Students with Disabilities Office (422-2767). Reasonable academic
accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified,
documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and
instructor by the SSD Office. If you need assistance or if you feel you
have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability,
you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and
procedures by contacting the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-285
ASB.
Academic Honesty Policy
The
first injunction of the BYU Honor Code is the call to be honest.
Students come to the university not only to improve their minds, gain
knowledge, and develop skills that will assist them in their life's
work, but also to build character. President David O. McKay taught that
'character is the highest aim of education' (The Aims of a BYU
Education, p. 6). It is the purpose of the BYU Academic Honesty Policy
to assist in fulfilling that aim. BYU students should seek to be totally
honest in their dealings with others. They should complete their own
work and be evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid academic
dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to
plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic
misconduct.
Course Schedule
Date Topics Assignments
4-26 Introduction In-class