Syllabus (Fall ’24)

Course Information
Graphic Design Ⅰ
DSD-2020-A

September 9–December 16, 2024
Monday 12:10pm–3:00pm
209 E 23 St. Room 303 Studio

Instructor
Philip DiBello
Partner, No Ideas
philip@noideas.biz


Course Description
This course is an introduction to various aspects of visual communication. We will cover form, typography, layout and general design techniques. Much of our first semester will be spent honing your craft and introducing you to the fundamentals of graphic design. It’s important for you to develop a vocabulary in which you can use to speak about design. Our assignments are rigorous by nature. Through repetition these concepts will become habit.

“The attention to details requires discipline. 
There is no room for sloppiness, for carelessness, for procrastination. Every detail is important because the end result is the sum of all the details involved in the creative process no matter what we are doing. There are no hierarchies when it comes to quality. Quality is there or is not there, and if is not there we have lost our time. It is a commitment and a continuously painstaking effort of the creative process to which we should abide. That is Discipline and without it there is no good design, regardless of its style. Discipline is a set of self imposed rules, parameters within which we operate. It is a bag of tools that allows us to design in a consistent manner from beginning to end. Discipline is also an attitude that provides us with the capacity of controlling our creative work so that it has continuity of intent throughout rather than fragmentation. Design without discipline is anarchy, an exercise of irresponsibility.”
MASSIMO VIGNELLI, The Vignelli Canon


Student Expectations
You're expected to complete each assignment in the time permitted. Know there will be general costs required for materials such as paper, foam core and color prints as well as hand tools like knives, blades and rulers. Craft is a critical component to your assignments, understand that frayed, crumpled, ripped and uneven work is not acceptable.
    Attendance is critically important to your the success of your assignments and your letter grade. You’re required to be in class at it’s start time. If work will be shown, it should be up on the wall once you walk in. Take pride in your work and display it properly. Hang it with clear thumbtacks and make sure it’s straight and orderly.
    Attention during class is mandatory. You’re expected to engage in critique, both by giving and receiving feedback. Listen and participate during critiques even if what’s being discussed is not your work. Be respectful. If someone is speaking, give them your undivided attention. Expect this from your peers. Stay off your devices, be present, be here to learn and engage in the world around you.


Class Schedule
We have a strict schedule that we should maintain throughout the semester to make the most of our time. It is a collective responsability to try and keep aware and on track with our timelines.

12:10-12:20
Attendance. Hang, display or upload your work

12:20-12:30
review assignment Next Steps

12:30-3:00
Critique and project review


Critique
Critique’s are our way of helping you improve your work. It is an exercise in explaining your ideas and understanding how others react to what you’ve made. Critique’s are only successful if you are willing to participate. The point of critique is to create a dialogue with myself and your peers. We want to investigate the work without preconceived notions of “right” or “wrong” answers. Ask questions of us all, take notes, engage critically. Even if your work is well received, it is still a starting point. There is always something to improve (the blessing and curse of a graphic designer). If you are struggling with critique, revisit the following explanation. Thank you Mitch Goldstein, Lauren McCarthy, Sasha Portis and Sophie Auger for influencing this style of critiques.


Attendance Policy
At SVA the individual faculty member determines the number of acceptable absences, if any. My policy is as follows: You’re given one absence without repercussion. After this one absence, your grade will drop one letter for each subsequent missed class. If you miss three classes you will be withdrawn from the course, no exceptions. Tardiness will not be tolerated. Class starts promptly at 12:10, and the classroom door will be closed at 12:20. If the door is closed you are not permitted to enter and your tardiness will be counted as an absence.


Grading Breakdown
Grades are a combination of the quality of your work, class participation and progress. Simply showing up will not make you pass the course. You must be prepared for the days lesson, completing any homework or readings assigned and ready to discuss. Completing all assigments and readings awards you a C. Your course grade includes attendance and participation (50%), and assignments (50%). Participation considers critiques and the ability to speak to your work. Assignment completion considers you delivering a final project, and my review of how successful the project was from a formal, conceptual and technical (digital / physical craft) standpoint.

Work
3: Your work is of exceptional quality and reflects mastery of the material covered in class. Your craft is impeccable and you find ways to push design and materiality. You consistently add something new to every project or push your capabilities. Your work steadily improved throughout the semester.
2: Your work is very good and satisfies the goals of the course. Continue to refine your craft, and find those moments to take initiative in any given project and push it beyond it’s boundaries.
1: Your work meets the standards of the course. Be willing to take more chances with craft and production. You turn in assignments and did not miss more than one class.
0: Your work did not meet the requirements for this class. You did not complete all projects or missed 3 classes. You will receive no credit.

Participation
3: Your class participation is outstanding, you frequently speak your mind and provide feedback on others work. You are willing to provide insight into your design decisions and receive feedback. You come to class on time, prepared with craft intact and immediately hang your work at the beginning of class. When we discuss readings, you share thoughts and highlights.
2: You could speak up or engage more often during class discussion. You’re willing to speak your mind when called on. You are brief in your project description and could provide more insight to the group. Consider writing this down beforehand so you are’nt put on the spot. You infrequently share thoughts on readings, if at all.
1: You do not participate in class discussion. You spend most of the critique unengaged unless we’re talking about your work. You’re often the last to hang your work, or late. You do not discuss readings.
0: You missed two or three classes and will receive no credit.

Total
6 = A+
5 = A
4 = B+
3 = B
2 = C+
1 = C
0 = F


Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will not be tolerated. Students found to have committed an act of academic dishonesty will fail the assignment for which an infraction is suspected and substantiated. More serious violations will be handled through the process enumerated in the SVA Handbook. Put simply, make sure your work is your own.


Students with Disabilities
SVA is committed to providing students with access to their academic programs and courses. If you are a student with a disability and require accommodations, you must register with Disability Resources by visiting sva.edu/disabilityresources and completing an online accommodation request. To be eligible for accommodations in this course, students must provide the instructor with a letter of accommodation from Disability Resources. For questions or assistance, please call Disability Resources at 212-592-2396, or visit the office: 340 East 24th Street, New York, NY 10010, or email disabilityservices@sva.edu


Pronouns and Chosen Names
Students may indicate their pronouns and preferred/chosen first name through MyServices; this information will then appear on class rosters (go to "Edit Personal Identity").
Please let me know the preferred name and pronouns by which you would like to be referred, if that information does not already appear on the roster. A student’s chosen name and pronouns should be respected at all times.


AI Position and Policy
SVA has a position on AI which you can read below. In this class AI can be used freely as a tool, to build and concept with. At no point should you pass AI work as your own. But as a designer, you have the ability to use AI as a very powerful starting point. Please make sure your work is your own thoughts and ideas that you may express freely.
Artificial intelligence image and text generators are poised to significantly impact all creative industries. As design and advertising educators, it is our goal to provide students with the knowledge, strategies, and skills necessary to compete and excel in their chosen fields today and in the future. In this spirit, the BFA Design and BFA Advertising department has outlined its first AI policy which recognizes that AI will be an important and ever-evolving tool for students and professionals alike while also reinforcing the importance of transparency, accountability, and creativity.
This policy is an ongoing and evolving document and will be updated and revised regularly in response to changes in technologies, culture, and art. All work generated by AI in a student capacity—at any stage of the process—must include specific software accreditation. This is true across the life of the project from in-class critique, portfolio, and student award competitions. Students are responsible for presenting all work truthfully and honestly. AI is informationally imperfect. It reflects cultural biases and prejudices, can potentially fabricate (hallucinate) informational falsehoods, and cannot be considered either “neutral” or always “true.” Caution should be taken when using AI as a research tool as students are responsible for the accuracy of their work. Students should be able and willing to present the full creative process of any project in order to defend against accusations of improper and/or dishonest AI usage. SVA may employ AI detectors for any/all student projects. SVA students are strongly encouraged to bring the highest levels of conceptual thinking, strategy, and originality across all projects.


Suggested Books
Typographie: A Manual of Design by Emil Ruder
The New Typography by Jan Tschichold
Grid Systems / Raster Systeme by Josef Müller-Brockmann
The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
Detail In Typography by Jost Hochuli
The Typographic Desk Reference By Theo Rosendorf
Designing Type by Karen Cheng
Design as Art by Bruno Munari

Typography References
ITC
Monotype
Linotype
Font Shop
URW++
Commercial Type
Klim Type Foundry (Kris Sowersby)
Tobias Frere-Jones
Grilli Type
Colophon Foundry
Lineto
Dinamo
Open Foundry


Students with Disabilities
In order to receive academic accommodations due to a disability, a student must first register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Students approved for accommodations will be given an ODS Accommodation Letter to submit to their instructors. If a student does not provide an ODS Accommodation Letter to their instructor, they will not be eligible to receive accommodations in that course. All instructors are required to adhere to SVA’s policies regarding accommodations for students with disabilities. Students who have a need for academic accommodations, or suspect they may have a disability, should contact the ODS via telephone: 212-592-2396, or visit the office: 340 East 24th Street, 1st Floor, New York, NY 10010, or email: disabilityservices@sva.edu.

PAUL SAHRE, Two Dimensional Man (excerpt)