Art 49598 4KN Senior Thesis (BFA
only)
Advanced design seminar in which students develop
a sustained individual project in a major area of concentration (print,
Internet, multimedia). This semester-long project is designed to encourage
extended development and the synthesis of communication skills and related
design disciplines. Additionally, collateral promotion and presentation
materials will be created to support the project. The final requirement
for graduation, the thesis project will be presented in an exhibition.
Prerequisite: completion of all major requirements for the BFA. 6 cr./6
hr.
Course Content
The Thesis should represent a significant body of independent creative
work. It can take many different forms or combinations of forms: print,
publication, Web, interactive multimedia, or animation. The specifics
will vary greatly from project to project.
Possible
Project Areas
Print projects:
Corporate Identity or Advertising:
at least 12 different completed designs—ads
or collateral material. Poster design projects should include at least
8 design components. materials mounted to matte black presentation boards.
Book or magazine design, at least 15
pages of content. Projects must be fully printed and bound.
Imaging or Digital Photography, a portfolio
or installation of 12-15 images, appropriately printed and presented
in book, installation or other format.
Screen-based projects:
Web projects, incorporate a range of
different media (images, animation, sound, scripting, interactivity),
over at least 12 pages or screens. Web projects must be fully functional
on-line, either through our web server, or from an outside web site
provider.
Interactive multimedia projects: for
interactive projects, include a range of media (as for Web projects),
extending over at least 15 screens. If the project is a game or other
entertainment application, then the scope and function should be of
a significantly advanced level.
Interactive multimedia projects must
be presented on CD-ROM and be fully tested and functional. They must
include cover graphics and user instructions and must be cross-platform,
i.e. work on both Mac and PC.
Animation and digital video projects, 3D:
for motion graphics or animation projects, develop at least 3-5 minutes
of original video material.
For 3D projects: sketches of models, storyboard, script/storyline, examples
of painted textures, sound, prints of rendered frames, 1 minute animation
with titles. Presented either on VHS, CD-ROM/DVD, or as streaming video.
All screen-based projects should include collateral materials:
CD cover graphics, poster, screen prints, labels, accompanying brochure
or other items TBA.
Documentation
of project materials:
All projects must include documentation of the entire process, including
proposals and briefs, sketches, page or screen templates, and final
pieces. Documentation will be in book form AND on CD
.
Design
a document template that will include your name, date of item, version/revision
number.
Use .5 margins, develop a placement grid, using fonts and design elements
consistent with your overall style. Keep the name/date info unobtrusive.
This format constitutes the ‘identity system’ for your thesis.
Process
Pre-Thesis planning:
Planning begins the semester before
the Thesis semester when the student proposes a project. It’s
essential that the student start the Thesis semester with a clearly
defined concept. Your 100-word project abstract must be approved befor
the start of the Thesis semester.
Thesis Brief:
The project brief will expand upon the 100 word abstract to a 2-page
brief and more fully describe the project.
It should include:
• development of the abstract into a fully detailed description
of the project.
• outline of the proposed research, reference/source material
and reading list or URLs
• examples of the ideas informing and methods of achieving your
proposed research
• description of media, materials and technical processes involved
• outcomes envisioned: what are the final production pieces?
• images, diagrams, or other supporting materials
CLEARLY describe your concept, possible
design styles and alternate approaches.
Research: In
the research stage, the student collects material that is relevant to
the project; this includes both content research and design research.
Research material can be drawn from books, magazines, web sites, videos,
films, CD-ROMs, exhibition documentation, etc. Keep notes and document
the research process; this documentation will become part of your archive.
Students
should consider the historical and current design context of their proposed
project.
Formatting and documentation:
• students will develop a designed
visual template for both text and sketch documents, so that all materials
have a consistent appearance.
• Students are expected to document all stages of the Thesis project;
i.e. to format at presentation quality, sketches, notes, research elements,
concept descriptions for later inclusion in the Thesis book.
• All notes, sketches, templates etc. should have your name, the
date and a version number.
Design
The design stage occurs in conjunction with the above research. The
student makes sketches and drafts that explore different facets of the
design project
Students are expected to present multiple alternative
solutions and be prepared for extensive revision.
10th Week Review At the 10th
week of the semester, students’ work-to-date will be reviewed.This
marks the end of the research and design phase of the project.
At this stage, any student who has not made significant progress on
their Thesis project will be dropped.
Planning for the BFA exhibition will begin at this point.
Production After completing the
mid-Thesis review, the student moves to the production phase of the
project. This will include executing the approved designs, dealing with
technical and integration issues, and beginning the final assembly of
the Thesis materials.
Final Presentation
The Thesis project is completed, and final portfolio is submitted on
the 15th week. Thesis projects will also be exhibited in installation
in a student-organized BFA exhibition at the end of Spring semester.
The Writing Component
Thesis has an extensive writing component, including
the Brief, a case study, and text for website, animations or other production
pieces. All text must be clearly written,
grammatical and be free of proofreading errors.
Students having difficulty with logic or organization will be referred
to the Writing Center. If you are referred, must go and seek help with
your written work.
If necessary, a student may be asked to postpone thesis and take a semester
of writing to correct the problem.
Originality
Thesis projects are expected to show a high
degree of originality. Students are strongly encouraged to shoot their
own photographs and entirely create the graphic elements of their projects.
Books
Required
One Step Ahead Editing and Revising Text,
Jo Billingham, Oxford Press, 2002
Problem Solved, Michael Johnson,
Phaidon, 2001. (print)
Design Research, Brenda Laurel, MIT Press,
2003.
Recommended
Logo Design That Works: Secrets for Successful Magazine Design,
Lisa Silver, Rockport Publishers. (print)
Magazine Design That Works: Secrets for Successful Magazine Design,
Stacey King, Rockport Publishers.
Identity Design That Works: Secrets
for Successful Identity Design, Cheryl Dangel Cullen, Rockport
Publishers. (print) to be published in April.
Web Redesign: Workflow That Works, Kelly
Goto, Emily Cotler, New Riders. (screen)
Type in Motion, Innovations in Digital Graphics, Jeff Bellantoni,
Matt Woolman, Rizzoli. (screen
3D Graphics and Animation, Mark Giambruno, New Riders.
(screen)
New Masters of Flash,
Yugo Nakamura, Friends of Ed, 2000.
Pause and Effect: the Art of Interactive
Narrative, Mark Meadows, Pearson Education, 2002.
Other
Resources
Publications
Metropolis, I.D. Magazine, Step-by-Step Graphics, HOW Magazine,
Communication Arts, Graphis Magazine, Adbusters.
Books
Looking Closer, Critical Writings on Graphic Design (theory),
Bierut, Drenttel, Heller, Diamond ed., Allworth Press and AIGA, 1994.
Graphic Style, Victorian to Post-Modern (design reference), Heller
& Chwast, Abrams, 2000.
Image sources
Picture Collection, New York Public Library
Royalty-free image collections
Materials
:
presentation materials will be assigned as needed
Web Resources on Color, Design and Typography
http://www.colorsystem.com/
The virtual color museum
http://www.colormatters.com/entercolormatters.html
Color Matters: guide to color use
http://www.rsub.com/typographic/
Typography resorce: history, definitions, examples, links
http://www.commarts.com
Communication Arts Magazine
http://www.adobe.com/learnexplore.html
Adobe Software resources
http://www.deezin.com
Graphic design resources
http://www.howdesign.com/links/
HOW magazine graphic design links
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General Requirements
2 unexcused absences only before a grade reductionthree latenesses=1 absence
minimum 3 hours of lab time weekly
purchase textbooks and bring to class by week 2
Incompletes are only granted for medical or legal reasons and must be
requested before the final review date
Incompletes can only be changed by the Academic Standards Committee.
Grading
A or B grades are passing;
C is a failure in Thesis.
The grading criteria for Thesis is more rigorous than for regular courses
Grades are given based on:
• creativity of concept
• originality of source materials
• understanding the design process: providing multiple concepts,
making revisions, showing development in later versions.
• ability to work independently
• clarity of written support
• process documentation of work stages
• quality of execution
• quality of presentation
It’s essential that
students make back-ups of their work files. Lost or missing work will
not receive a grade.
As of FALL02, there is a new GPA policy for Electronic Design. Students’
GPA and averages in the major will be reviewed each semester
Missing the midterm or final reviews will result in a failing grade.
GPA policy [PDF]
Lab Reminders
No food/drink in the Lab
At the end of your work session, clean up the area around your computer
Don’t glue or cut on the tables or counters.
Use a cutting board and either cover the table before gluing or use
Letraset press down mounting tissue.
We will suspend your Lab account for at least a week
if you break these rules!
Report Lab problems in WRITING, using
a copy of the problem report form posted next to Skiter’s office.
Or send an email.
DO NOT try to clean the computer monitors; Windex cleaners will spoil
the anti-glare coating on the screen.
Paper Use:Paper use will be monitored by student accounts; if you waste
paper you will be asked to bring your own paper for printing.
Legitimate paper use is class related; if we find non-class materials
being printed we will suspend your account.
PRINT CENTER [NEW!]
All color printing will be done by lab assistants
in the Print Center
See
the Print Center info for large-format printing.
Please schedule your printing so that you complete assignments and color
prints on time.
Syllabus and Assignments
Syllabus
[PDF]
Weekly
handouts:
Week 1:
September 2 [PDF]
Week 2: September
9 [PDF]
Week 3 :
September
23[PDF]
Week 4:
September
30[PDF]
Week 5:
October
7 [PDF]
Week 6 :
October
14 [PDF]
Week 7:
October
21 PDF]
no
handout
Week 8:
October
28[PDF]
Week 9:
November
4[PDF]
Week 10:
November
11 [PDF]
Week 11 :
November
16 [PDF]
Week 12: November
18 [PDF]
Week 13:
December
2 [PDF]
Week 14: December
9 [PDF]
Final Review Checklist
General
course information
Get
Adobe Acrobat Reader
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