Course Title: Produce typographic design solutions
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2021
Course Code: GRAP6345C
Course Title: Produce typographic design solutions
School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context
Campus: Brunswick Campus
Program: C5359 - Diploma of Graphic Design
Course Contact: Ruth Wellington
Course Contact Phone: +61 9925 9988
Course Contact Email: Ruth.Wellington@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Andrew Phillips
Wayne Smith
Nominal Hours: 60
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None required
Course Description
In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to produce professional typography for a wide range of communication needs. These outcomes may include logotypes, posters, charts, infographics and mass text applications. You will use a broad range of print and digital applications for different graphic design industry contexts.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
CUAGRD503 Produce typographic design solutions |
Element: |
1 Research type as visual communication |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1 Research the history, theory and practice of typography and its application to design practice 1.2 Evaluate the ways that fashions in typography have affected commercial design practice 1.3 Evaluate current typography trends and their implications for professional practice |
Element: |
2 Analyse design needs |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Confirm communication objectives based on the design brief and consultation with relevant people as required 2.2 Evaluate design brief specifications 2.3 Source and evaluate other information pertinent to design brief |
Element: |
3 Develop ideas for typographic solutions |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1 Assess typographic options in the context of the brief 3.2 Identify and access sources of information and ideas about type to inform work 3.3 Experiment with different type fonts, faces and styles to determine suitability 3.4 Explore the creation of type through hand drawing and a range of media based on the needs of the brief 3.5 Consider the impact of the delivery platform and any production issues on type selection 3.6 Evaluate and select typographic approaches for their potential to meet the communication need 3.7 Produce and present visual representations of design ideas and confirm as required |
Element: |
4 Manipulate and integrate type |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Apply a detailed knowledge of type fundamentals to explore options for type design 4.2 Use advanced technical features of software with skill and confidence to manipulate and arrange type 4.3 Explore different ways of integrating type within the design 4.4 Identify and resolve technical problems based on developing expertise |
Element: |
5 Integrate type within the overall design |
Performance Criteria: |
5.1 Realise the design solution by working with the fundamental elements and principles of design 5.2 Integrate other visual design components into layouts 5.3 Explore ways of integrating all elements of the design 5.4 Realise a final design where the approach to type supports key communication objectives 5.5 Establish and follow protocols for saving, exporting and storing work |
Element: |
6 Evaluate typographic design solutions |
Performance Criteria: |
6.1 Evaluate typography from both a functional and aesthetic perspective in the context of the overall design 6.2 Evaluate the chosen solution and its potential to inform future work |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
Learning activities will be delivered remotely using industry standard tools and resources. You will complete exercises and industry style projects. You will also be required to undertake independent study.
In session activities may include:
- class exercises
- tutorials
- practical demonstrations
- workshops
- group discussion
- review and revision
- peer learning
- peer teaching and class presentations
- teacher directed group activities/projects
- workshopping of student projects including peer/lecturer feedback
Out of class activities may include:
- independent research
- independent project based work
- studio practice
- online tutorials and activities
- review and revision
Teaching Schedule
| Week 1 | Terminology During this session you will be introduced to InDesign and Font Book, discuss typeface classification, different kinds of fonts and type anatomy. Over the following weeks you will complete a series of learning activities which you will upload to Canvas for assessment. For weeks 8–16 you will work on two projects for assessment which you will be briefed on in class | |
| Week 2 | Type classifications Learning activity 1: Type Classifications. This exercise introduces the basics of using InDesign and typographic classifications. Make and submit a PDF. We will go into more detail on the anatomy of typography – the bits and pieces that make up the characteristics of type, and impact on how these letterforms communicate meaning and feelings when used as part of graphic design. | |
| Week 3 | Type anatomy Learning activity 2: Type Anatomy. Each letter (glyph) is made up of parts – its anatomy. Each of these parts have their own characteristics that contribute to the personality of the typeface. The different personalities of typefaces help to visually communicate different things. Knowing their anatomy and characteristics helps when making choices for appropriate typefaces. | LA1 |
| Week 4 | Type spacing: leading and kerning. Looking at the impact of the space between letter pairs and how leading, the space between lines – has on the legibility and creative setting of type. | LA2 |
| Week 5 | Paragraphs, styles and hierarchy Learning activity 3: Type Hierarchy. Hierarchy is about being able to visually and quickly determine what information is most-to-least important, putting blocks of text into meaningful sections and navigating around a page. Using a variety of techniques, you will typeset supplied text and give it a clear hierarchy. You will make a paragraph style for each. | |
| Week 6 | Continuing from the previous week, set paragraphs in a variety of styles. Go back the previous week’s work and refine. We will also look at using Adobe Acrobat to compile PDFs into one document. | LA3 |
| Week 7 | Advanced features of paragraph styles. Learning activity 4: Pull quotes. A pull quote is a short paragraph or part of a paragraph that can give the reader a snapshot of what an article or page is about. Pull‑quotes also add style and interest to page layout. Submit before the start of class the following week for peer review. | |
| Week 8 | AT1: Research historic type. Peer review of LA4. Type research: historic. Information on examples: write a sentence or two on what each piece was for, the year it was made or anything interesting/important about it. Sketch ideas for a pangram. | LA4 |
| Week 9 | AT1: Research contemporary type. Type research: contemporary. Collect information on each example (a sentence or two). Sketch ideas for a pangram. Check references and all referencing information is available. | |
| Week 10 | AT1: Historic pangram. Scan sketches and place in documentation. Test ideas: keep all drafts and experiments. Produce a pangram. Present your ideas for the pangram graphics (2 x sketches for the historical designer, and 2 x sketches for the contemporary designer) to your teacher and answer the following questions when presenting your work: Q1 How will you translate your sketch into digital art? Q2 What program tools will you use to manage letter spacing? Q3 Give an example of when you should convert text to outlines in Illustrator. | |
| Week 11 | AT1: Contemporary pangram. Test ideas: keep all drafts and experiments. Documentation: Collate sketches and pangrams. Pangram. For each pangram, explain the design choices made and how they connect to the research and designers. | |
| Week 12 | Editorial layout: Set document and text. Using GREP to find and fix. Test, evaluate, select different type weights and styles to evaluate and select approaches for the presentation of body text and other typographical elements within the layouts. | AT1 |
| Week 13 | Editorial layout: Explore and integrate. Pull quotes and strap. Images. Finalise image and type choices for layouts. | |
| Week 14 | Editorial layout: Produce final layouts. Peer review of layouts. Check spelling, grammar, references, hierarchy and design. Use InDesign preflight function. | |
| Week 15 | Editorial layout: Submit and reflect. Complete and submit documentation for AT2. Reflect on use of elements and principles of design in typography. Evaluate influences. | AT2 |
| Week 16 | Assessment week appointments. No formal session, but take this opportunity to back-up your work from the semester and check that all work has been submitted and assessed (or is in the process of being assessed). There will be appointments with individual students, and this may need to happen outside of the timetabled course hours, or contact may be made via Canvas or email. |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
You are advised to look at the Learning Hub at myRMIT site and the reading List on Canvas for ongoing updated information. A range of learning resources and references are provided throughout the semester. Additional information relating to this will be provided on an ongoing basis. Further information regarding access to this is provided during orientation.
You will require a personal storage device and tools as outlined in tool kit list.
Amongst the library’s electronic resources is the ability to access LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) for online tutorials and lessons. You may be given these tutorials (and other resources) to supplement your classroom learning.
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems and access to specialised facilities and relevant software. You will also have access of the library resources.
The University Library has extensive resources for design students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies. http://rmit.libguides.com/graphicartanddesign
The Library provides guides on academic referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/referencing and subject specialist help via your Liaison Librarian http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/librarians/dsc
Overview of Assessment
Assessment is on-going throughout the course. Assessment tasks will require you demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills through practical projects and/or exercises. The assessment tasks are:
Learning exercises
Major layout projects
An assessment charter summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Assessment Tasks
Tasks in this course are either formative or summative. Feedback throughout the course may be written, verbal or a combination of both.
Formative tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered essential building blocks for the more substantial summative assessment tasks and you should engage in all formative tasks.
This course has four learning activities and two assessment tasks.
Learning Activities
LA1: Type Classifications
This exercise introduces the basics of using InDesign and typographic classifications. More info on type classifications will be provided in the first session. Due week 3.
LA2: Type Anatomy
Each letter (glyph) is made up of parts – its anatomy. Each of these parts have their own characteristics that contribute to the personality of the typeface. The different personalities of typefaces help to visually communicate different things. Knowing their anatomy and characteristics helps when making choices for appropriate typefaces. Due week 4.
LA3: Type Hierarchy
Hierarchy is about being able to visually and quickly determine what information is most-to-least important, putting blocks of text into meaningful sections and navigating around a page. This exercise is also about using text frames effectively, and more advanced features of paragraph styles like hyphenation, keep options and span columns. We will also look at ways to quickly apply paragraph styles. Due week 6.
LA4: Pull quotes
This exercise is about setting pull-quotes, but it's also about adding more style and personality to page layouts. A pull quote is a short paragraph or part of a paragraph that can give the reader a snapshot of what an article or page is about. Pull quotes also add style and interest to page layout. This exercise is really about controlling the settings of text frames and using paragraph styles to keep the text flowing (running). Due week 8 (upload before beginning of class).
Assessment Tasks
To demonstrate competency in this course you need to complete each one of the following pieces of assessment to a satisfactory standard.
AT1: Research & Pangram Graphics
This assessment task is the first of two assessment tasks students need to complete satisfactorily, in order to be deemed competent for this unit. To complete this task, you will need to demonstrate you can identify and use typographic solutions in your work.
Part A – Research. Your tutor may give you two typeface designers to research – or provide you with options to select from. You must source written information about these two designers, the time periods in which they worked, examples of their work including the year it was created, and images to use in a feature article (Task 2).
Part B – Pangram Graphics x 2. Scan all four sketches. Create each chosen pangram graphic in Illustrator from the selected sketches; and within the size of a single magazine page - decide if you need to include a bleed area.Include the portrait photograph of the typeface designer meaningfully in the graphic layoutSave the artwork as an .AI file and then export as a graphic file as instructed by your teacher.
Due week 12.
AT2: Editorial Layouts
To complete this task, you will need to demonstrate you can identify and use typographic solutions in your work.
Design two (2) double page spreads (DPS) for the editorial layout of a 4-page article according to an established style. Each of the two (2) DPS layouts will consist of your research from Task 1.
Due week 15.
This course is assessed for competency. At the completion of the course, you will be deemed competent or not yet competent
Grades which apply to competency-based assessment are:
CA Competency Achieved
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for Assessment
Assessment Matrix
The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency. These are available from the course contact person (stated above)
Other Information
Attendance
The major learning experience involves session based exercises, demonstration and production. It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.
Feedback - You will receive verbal and written feedback by teacher on your work. This feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.
Student feedback at RMIT
Student Progress
Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential. Student progress policy
Special Consideration Policy, Late Submission & Extensions
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level.
If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension.
Pick the following link for details on applying forSpecial
Any student seeking an extension, should aim at doing so a minimum of 2 days before the deadline. Work submitted late and without an extension at any point will incur late penalties in accordance with university policy.
If you require an extension you must complete an extension form with evidence supporting your application and hand this to your instructor. Further links - Application for extension of time
On Time Submission and Impact of Late Submission
On time submission is an important factor in your assessment. Employability skills are embedded in all courses and these include Planning & Organising and Self-management. For this reason, late work impacts on your competency assessment.
Submissions that are assessed as Not Satisfactory can be re-submitted once and this is only permitted during the period that the competency is scheduled.
Cover Sheet for Submissions
You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work. This signed sheet acknowledges that you are aware of the plagiarism implications. Submission cover sheet
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism - RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy go to Academic Integrity
Course Overview: Access Course Overview