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C. Jobson - Typography & Letterforms: Intermediate P2

Course Description Course Preequisites Course Organization
This course examines type design within the contextual structure of historical development, beginning with the invention of movable type and progressing up and through the first part of the 20th century. Students will examine the interrelationship between tech-nology, type design, legibility and philosophies as they developed over the centuries.
This course was designed to fill a void the faculty recognized within the students educational development. Although students are required to take a History of Communication Design course, their second year in the program, many students failed to integrate this information into their own work. It became apparent that many students saw little relevancy of antiquity to their own work. This studio course has sought to have the students develop work influenced by several historical designer's work. By working with the type faces and formats of previous masters, students could see first hand, and appreciate, the aesthetic and craft involved. By duplicating and then extrapolating designs, students now begin to have a more in depth appreciation of individual design philosophies.
This course also seeks to heighten the literary skills of the students by having students generate copy for projects. We have sought through writing to expand the appreciation of the literary as well as increase their verbal skills, thereby establishing a stronger link between content and form, semantics and syntax. (I am in debt to Marlene Lipinski and George Thompson in the development of the syllabus bibliography.)

22-1101 History of Art I:
Stone Age to Gothic
22-1102 History of Art II Renaissance to  Modern
22-1210 Drawing I
22-1220 Fundamentals of 2-D Design
22-1310
Beginning Typography
22-1320 Design Lab
22-2170
History of Communications Design
22-2330 Intro. to Graphic Design

Course Objectives

1. To instill an awareness and appreciation for the historical development of letterforms, type design and typographic page design.
2. To examine different philosophies in the design of type, letterforms and the page.
3. To establish a relationship between type/design and technology from a historical basis.
4. To develop skills in working with type, specifically the fitting, setting, indicating and crafting of type.
5. To examine the relationship between legibility, communi-cation, type design, page design, text material and the humanities.
 
1. Logo & Logotype Design
The class will brainstorm the names for a publishing firm and each designer will design a typographic logo and logotype for his or her book.

2. Writing
You will write two incisive reports on historically significant typographic topics. Each paper should include:
a. The typographer and his/her national origins and historic context.
b. Identification of a significant visual communications problem that was resolved by the identified typographer.
c. Visual examples of the typographer's work.

3-5. 72-Page Book Design
The class will collectively write, but you will individually design, illustrate, print out, bind and case in a 72 page book.

6. Dust Jacket Cover Design
You will market your finished book with a full-color, slip cover that reflects the content of the book.

7. Quizzes
There will be four quizzes and an open-book final exam at the end of the semester.