Assignment 01
Essay Response Zine

Read Michael Rock’s essay Fuck Content. Re-read Michael Rock’s essay Designer as author. Write a 500 word summary and comparison of the two essays by Michael Rock. Then, using your response as content, make a 16 page zine (4 standard 8.5×11 letter pages printed on both sides, folded to 5.5×8.5 and saddle-stitched).
*H/T to Harry Gassel for this assignment

Deliverables
1Final zine
16pages folded to 5.5×8.5 and saddle-stitched

Background

2×4 is a design consultancy located in New York as well as across the globe. Michael Rock is one of three founders of the studio. He is a leader in design criticism and writing. His essays and thoughts will accompany this semesters assignments.

Designer as Author was written in the mid 1990’s when Graphic Design was questioning what it was as a profession. Rock considers the role of the designer thoroughout his essay.

In Fuck Content, Rock revisits the essay and the apparent “call to arms” his essay rallied from the design community. His latest reflection sees him regarding the designers role and it’s relation to content.