ARGD 3050 - Illustration
BASIC PREMISE:
Drawing for My Class:
Basically, you are here in art school to learn to express your individual point of view. You are design students because you are interested in doing work that has an impact on the world we live in. This class deals with illustration: how to use it and when to use it.
There is a common misunderstanding about what illustration is. It is generally not the illustrators primary job to render things; to make facsimiles of people or objects. There are cameras, copiers and video for that. Illustrators, like writers, musicians or dancers interpret. To do that your tools need to be an automatic extension of your mind and body. You need to practice just like an athlete. You need to master your craft before you can achieve artistry. You need skills.
Sadly, this development phase is often rushed through or overlooked in the rush to finish. That’s a pity because that is when we are working most freely, intuitively, creatively. That is when the spark of personality essential to all art enters the work. Making lots of sketches is the best method I know for learning to draw and think more clearly and selectively. Start with very simple thumbnails and then more carefully detailed sketches until you’ve solved on paper all your conceptual, design and composition problems. What kind of line and tone treatment will work the best for this idea? What sort of lighting and color will give the mood you need? What medium will best produce the line, tone, lighting and color you’ve decided you want? Good technique won’t hide a bad idea or weak design. Doing lots of sketches is the best way to develop the technique and a sense of design you need. So this class is about... yup, sketching.
WHAT’S THE PLAN:
This class will be a more focused extension of the way we worked in 3010. We are going to build on some of the lessons learned in order to get you closer to recognizing your strengths and preferences as designers dealing with illustration content. Strategies for developing effective image solutions to a variety of problems will be the focus of this course.
So... for the purposes of this course lets imagine I am the chief creative director at Lamar Dodd International Design Works and it’s your job as interns here to produce creative proposals for a variety of clients and media applications. The idea is to do develop a project a week: assigned Monday and due Friday for critique. Next Monday you will be responsible for turning in a folder with your development sketches, final adjusted comps, and a list of three illustrators along with examples of their work and reasons why you like them for each particular project.
After we do the development work for 10 projects you will select what we feel are your best 5 pieces and finish them for your final portfolio. As always I want you to take each assignment and make it your own.
1. “LDIDW” logo for LamarDodd Industrial Design Works. Business card.
2. “The House of Tomorrow Today”... an imaginative magazine cover illustration.
3. “Making Friends, or Dr .Frankenstein’s Guide to Plastic Surgery”... a children’s activity book cover.
4. “Super Crops & Genetic Engineering”... Good or not so good? Full page magazine.
5. “Inbreeding for Success”.... are dogs any different than the Royal Family? 4 spot images of inbred dogs.
6. “Good & Evil” ... 2 shoe designs for a Prada advertising campaign.
7. “Halloween Soda Flavors & Can Image”... think of a name and an image to go with it. Pruduct.
8. “Never Too Late to Call ORKIN”... an image of an extreme insect for use across media. Changed to "Infestation"
9. “TV Test Pattern” ... design one on a theme appropriate for a broadcaster... News, Comedy? Changed to "Licensed Product"
10. “Promotional T Shirt” for a Texas snake roundup. Updated to general "Round-up"
YOUR JOURNAL:
You will be expected to turn in a journal in which you pick two illustrators a week, one you like and one you don’t. You will paste in examples of their work and explain your choices. This will receive a project grade.
Your Report on an Illustrator:
Professional illustration is engaged in by people just like yourselves, but with wider experience. So, you will select a working illustrator, based on an interview you will conduct, and prepare a typed report of at least one page, single spaced, on his or her work. You will present it along with examples of their illustration throughout the second half of the semester. Since part of your report will include an analysis of their work in relation to your own, you should select an artist with whom you empathize.
Additional Assignment from Ms. Dulemba:
You must spend 30 minutes a week in either the computer room or resource library researching online illustrator sites. I have several links on this blog which you can use as starting points. You may also use this homework time to select an illustrator you would hire for each of your drawing assignments. Bring in 2 to 3 printed art samples of the illustrator you've chosen to present during our critiques each week.
Extra Credit:
The is similar to the assignment in 3010 - we'll call them "Color Boards." Start collecting swatches, fabric, buttons, whatever, to create 2 to 3 collages of colors you are drawn to. Each page should be about one color. We're trying to define your personal color palettes.
Also do a page of eyes that you have drawn - cartoon, realistic, doodled, cut out and collage. We're trying to find a pattern in how you draw eyes, but it will take a lot of drawings for your style to percolate to the surface.
Credit for the assignment is thus... If I would assign your effort a B+ or above - it will up your overall grade one notch (i.e. a "B-" will become a "B"). That said, you'll need to wow my socks off with your effort.
This will be presented in conjunction with your final project at the end of the semester.
Grading Policy:
Since this is a MWF class you are allowed three absences per quarter. For each succeeding absence one half of a letter grade will be deducted from your final grade. Three lates equal one absence. If you finish the semester with a total of five absences you will drop a full grade; from A to B, from B to C, etc. If you miss ten days of class you will receive an WF.
All students in the Lamar Dodd School of Art will evaluate their teachers via the Internet. Teacher evaluations are extremely important to assist in both improving instruction and rewarding excellence.
A simple online form will be available during the final week of class.
Please follow these five simple steps to completing your course evaluation.
1. Visit http://eval.franklin.uga.edu
You will be redirected to the secure course evaluation web site. A link to the site is also available via the School of Art website at www.art.uga.edu under the “Student Resources” link.
Reading List:
“Pricing and Ethical Guidelines” (PEG’s) Graphic Artist Guild
