fnar 332 visual communication iii: syllabus

fall 2017 loyola university chicago

kelli evans instructor
kevans8@luc.edu

Design is a way of life, a point of view. It involves the whole complex of visual communications:
talent, creative ability, manual skill, and technical knowledge. Aesthetics and economics, technology and
psychology are intrinsically related to process. — paul rand
Design is easy. All you do is stare at the screen until drops of blood form on your forehead.
— marty neumeier
There is no design without discipline. There is no discipline without intelligence — massimo vignelli
Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. — t. s. eliot

description Giving you the best possible preparation for the graphic design profession is the
purpose of this course. Building a successful career requires not only creative talent
and a great portfolio, but an understanding of best practices and the standards
governing the constantly changing business of graphic design. This course is intended
to help you prepare to enter the job market confidently, with the knowledge that you
are presenting yourself and your work both creatively and professionally. How you
present yourself and your work is as important as what you present.

course goals Recognizing the primacy of concept over production.

Improvement of conceptualization skills and further development of creative capacities
Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view.

final exam Friday 15 December 9–11 am

Attendance is mandatory.
The final exam takes the form of a critique on the final project.
Missing the final critique will automatically result in a failing grade.

required text Graphic Design: A User’s Manual; Adrian Shaughnessy

ISBN-13: 978-1856695916
ISBN-10: 1856695913
There will be additional readings provided digitally.

schedule Access the schedule and other related materials on Sakai.

This syllabus © 2017 Kelli Evans. No public reproduction or circulation permitted wihtou the consent of the author.
fnar 332 visual communication iii: syllabus

required supplies A sketchbook

Sketching tools of choice
Bring these and your textbook to every class.

X-acto knife & #11 blades

USB flash drive or other storage system for backing up projects
Funded ID card for numerous printouts in the lab. $10 minimum.
Additional supplies as needed per project

student responsibilities Attendance and participation is mandatory for all class sessions. Be in class on
& course policies time and be prepared to work in class with all the necessary materials.
This is a highly rigorous course that will require work both inside and outside of
the class.
Class time will be spent working on and critiquing projects (in a group or in
individual meetings), and on presentations, discussions and exercises. You are
expected to remain in class working during the entire class session. Students who
do not come to class with the necessary supplies will have their participation grades
adversely affected.
Please set cell phones to light up or vibrate only. No active cell phones, no texting,
no web surfing, and no completing homework during class lectures or critiques.
Computers should be put to sleep during lectures and critiques, the only exception
being if you are recording them for your review. Violating these policies will result
in your being asked to leave the classroom and you will be marked as absent for
that day.
Every time I see you using a mobile device for anything other than course work, I will
deduct 5 points from your Attendance & Participation grade. I will not say anything
to you, but will mark the violation. If you fear that I may misconstrue anything you
are doing, err on the side of caution and don’t do it.
Different phases of different projects may run concurrently. For example, research
for one project may overlap with the design phase of another.
If you are struggling with class assignments see me as early as possible in order to
get help. You may seek me out during my office hours or at another convenient time
to clarify any design issues which you may have. A sign-up sheet is posted on my
office door at MC 918 for appointments. Do not expect lengthy responses to design
questions via e-mail.
No sleeping (or resting with eyes closed) in class.
Work is due at start of class and is considered late after that.
Keep in mind that any computer work you send out for output or print in the lab
needs time. There may be problems with your file and you may have to resubmit it to
the service bureau, or our equipment in the lab may not be working properly.

file naming conventions Throughout the semester you will be submitting digital files for the projects and
exercises. In order to receive credit for the work, you must use the following file
naming conventions:
Lastname_Firstname_Filename
Points will be deducted from projects that do not follow this directive.
This syllabus © 2017 Kelli Evans. No public reproduction or circulation permitted wihtou the consent of the author.

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fnar 332 visual communication iii: syllabus

grades Grading is based on the aesthetic quality and craft of the work, as evidenced in the
finished pieces; the quality of research and exploration done to achieve the finished
pieces, as evidenced by your body of work; attendance and class participation.
Grading is not done on a curve, but is based on individual effort and results.
An ‘A’ is given for work of consistently exceptional quality and craft, along with the
demonstrated quality of research and investigation which produced those solutions,
as evidenced through the work book, class participation and attendance.
A ‘B’ is given for work of overall good quality and craft, along with class participation
and attendance demonstrative of a consistent understanding and application of the
concepts being presented.
A ‘C’ is given for work of average quality and craft, and the minimum amount of
research done to complete the projects and/or an inconsistent demonstration of
your understanding of the concepts being presented and/or poor attendance.
A ‘D’ will be given for work that is of poor quality and craft and where the projects
are incomplete or missing and/or consistently poor attendance.
Missing the final critique will automatically result in a failing grade.
No grade of incomplete (I) will be given, except for the most catastrophic
of circumstances.
Final grades are never changed.

project grades
Projects are due on time on the designated date. Work that is not ready at the start
of class will be considered late and will be graded as such. If you are present but your
work isn’t, that is considered a half absence.
Grades will be lowered one letter grade for each day a project is late.
Projects will not be accepted more than one week after the due date.
See the following page for how projects are evaluated.

participation & attendance

Class participation and attendance are considered during grading. Absences are
scored as follows: 0–3=A/A-, 3–4.5=B+/B-, 5–6.5=C+/C-, 7=D. 7.5+=F
You are expected to stay and work in the classroom for the entire class time.

Arriving to class more than 10 minutes late, or leaving class early, will count as
a tardy. Two tardies are equivalent to one absence. Demonstrations and
presentations will not be repeated if you are late or absent. You are responsible
for obtaining material distributed during class.

final grade weight

90% Projects & exercises
10% Participation & attendance

academic calendar Here is the link to the official Academic Calendar: www.luc.edu/academics/
schedules.

This syllabus © 2017 Kelli Evans. No public reproduction or circulation permitted wihtou the consent of the author.

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fnar 332 visual communication iii: syllabus

accommodations Loyola University Chicago is committed to equal opportunities for students with
for students with disabilities and full compliance with relevant disability laws. New students are strongly
disabilities encouraged to contact Services for Students with Diabilites (sswd) at least four
weeks before the first semester they attend classes at Loyola. Current students are
strongly encouraged to make an appointment or contact sswd within the first two
weeks of classes to set up accommodations for that semester
Detailed information may be found here: http://www.luc.edu/sswd/index.shtml.
For more information or to set up an appointment, please call: 773.508.3700 or
email SSWD@luc.edu

copyright and Copyright law was designed to give rights to the creators of written and artistic
intellectual property work, computer programs and other creative materials. The Copyright Act requires
that people who use or reference the work of others must follow a set of guidelines
designed to protect authors’ rights. Unfortunately, copyright law is complex and too
often incomprehensible; that does not, however, excuse users from the following
rules. The safest practice is to remember (1) to refrain from distributing works used
in class (whether distributed by the professor or used for research) that are copyright
protected and (2) that any research or creative work should be cited according to the
conventions of your discipline. For LUC’s copyright resources check online:
http://www.luc.edu/copyright
All lectures, notes, digital files, and other instructional materials in this course are
the intellectual property of the professor. As a result, they may not be distributed or
shared in any manner, either on paper or virtually, without my written permission.
Lectures may not be recorded without my written consent; if consent is given, those
recordings may be used for review only and may not be distributed. ​

This syllabus © 2017 Kelli Evans. No public reproduction or circulation permitted wihtou the consent of the author.

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fnar 332 visual communication iii: syllabus

project evaluation  rojects are assessed based upon on their conceptual content, development, design
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and progress as demonstrated through sketches, preliminary and final designs,
and presentations. Your progress will be evaluated throughout the entirety of each
project. You will be evaluated on the following criteria:

preparedness
Be prepared to work in class with all the necessary materials and with all work due.
Partially completed work will not be critiqued.

effort
You must demonstrate willingness to do the best job within your abilities and
talent and the drive to thoroughly develop your work both inside and outside of
class. To be successful in this class you must display a curiosity and openness to
new concepts and a willingness to share ideas. Your work should demonstrate
progress each time it is reviewed in class.

participation
Critiques and individual meetings are used to evaluate the evolution and resolution
of the projects. Come to each class prepared to present and talk about a new stage
of progression toward successful completion of your project, as well as describe
how and why you arrived at your solutions. Active participation in class discussions
is required.
It is expected that you will consider the criticism given both to your work and to that
of your classmate’s work during critiques and that you will use that information to
improve your work as the semester progresses.

concept
Each piece should work in a cohesive manner. You should develop ideas that
address and solve the assignment in an appropriate, fresh, thoughtful, and creative
manner within the stated project parameters.

aesthetic quality
The successful aesthetic realization of an assignment should consider the following:
composition of elements, hierarchy, typography, rhythm, tension, balance, negative
space, contrast, color, et cetera.

craft
Each piece should be neatly assembled with a careful technical execution of the
final presentation, including attention to details such as the quality of cutting and
pasting, et cetera.

student artwork The Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Loyola University Chicago has
no specific policy regarding the ownership of student artwork, however, my policy is
the following:
1. Students will retain ownership of their projects as physical objects and as
intellectual property.
2. The instructor will retain digital or photographic archives of student work for
educational use or possible publication in the future.
3. Students will be given credit lines for any work so used.

This syllabus © 2017 Kelli Evans. No public reproduction or circulation permitted wihtou the consent of the author.

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fnar 332 visual communication iii: syllabus : division of fine arts policies

Academic Integrity Courses in the division of Fine Arts adhere to all of the policies enumerated in the
Loyola University Chicago statement on Academic Integrity as found at academic
integrity.1 Students are expected to be familiar with prohibitions against cheating,
plagiarism, copying another student’s work, submitting falsified documents,
submitting assignments completed for the requirements of one course in a different
course. All instances of academic dishonesty are reported to the Chairperson of
the Department of Fine & Performing Arts and to the Dean’s Office of the College
of Arts & Sciences.
The division has adopted a policy with regard to academic dishonesty which
will result in an automatic “F” in the course involved. If it is indicated in the Senior
Exhibit or Senior Paper the student will be refused permission to graduate.

participation Regular class participation and continuous faculty evaluation are crucial elements
of the learning process in the arts. One cannot participate or receive feedback
on one’s work if one is absent. Therefore, the division of Fine Arts has adopted the
policy that class participation will be a factor in determining final course grades.
This component will lower one’s grade in the case of insufficient participation;
consistent and meaningful participation will be rewarded. Individual instructors
determine the specific weight participation will have in the course grade. Refer to
your syllabus for this information.

return of artwork  tudents enrolled in division of Fine Arts studio courses may store class materials in
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lockers and open shelves at their own risk on a first-come, first-served basis for the
duration of the semester they are enrolled in a course. All artwork or supplies left in
a studio after the last examination day of each semester will be disposed of as the
division sees fit.
Student artwork collected by faculty for grading purposes will be held in the
instructor’s office for six weeks following the issuance of semester grades, after
which the instructor may dispose of it.
Student artwork solicited and collected for an exhibition will be held until the end
of the following semester, after which the division may dispose of it as it sees fit.

additional working time All courses in the division of Fine Arts require additional working time outside
of regularly-scheduled class meetings. For courses in studio art and art history
students should expect to have up to two times the number of contact hours
as outside, additional working time to complete course requirements.

e-mail correspondence Students are advised that instructors in Fine Arts will exclusively use the Loyola
University Chicago system (@luc.edu) for all e-mail correspondence with students.
It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of and act upon the content delivered
through the university’s e-mail service. Students using another service provider
should have Loyola e-mail forwarded or access it through the web.

missed tests, grade Permitting a make-up for a missed test is at the sole discretion of the instructor.
of incomplete Granting a grade entry of “Incomplete” is at the sole discretion of the instructor and
is only given in documented cases of serious illness or family tragedy. Requests for
an Incomplete must be made before the last class of the semester using the form
found here: incomplete.

This syllabus © 2017 Kelli Evans. No public reproduction or circulation permitted wihtou the consent of the author.