Courses

ART 195: Topics In Illustration for the Graphic Designer

Instructor: Elizabeth (Lisa) Hill
Phone: 703.933.3958
Email: ehill@nvcc.edu

Course Description:
Exploration of topical areas of interest to or needed by students. May be used also for special honors courses. May be repeated for credit. Variable hours.

This class explores critical thinking, process development, creativity, and communication. These goals are accomplished through a series of lectures, hands-on demonstrations, exercises, discussions, research, and projects. Emphasis in the course is on design, color, composition, and techniques as well as the development of the student’s conceptual and visualization capabilities for creating illustrations.

At the end of the course, students will understand and be able to:

  • use the creative process to develop conceptual solutions for producing digital and traditional illustrations
  • use research in several exercises and projects
  • utilize creative and visual problem-solving skills
  • explore different expressions of creativity through thumbnail and rough notation techniques, as well as in class and group discussions.
  •  produce illustrations applying various techniques
  • illustrate simple to complex subjects

Topics in Illustration for Graphic Designers strongly suggests that the following courses be taken before ART 195:

  •  Introduction to Graphic Skills (ART 140) pre or co-requisite

The following courses are helpful but not necessary:

  • Design I (ART 131)
  • Drawing I (ART 121)

The topics covered in ART 195 Topics In: Illustration for the Graphic Designer are grouped into three levels of understanding.
Basic Level:

  • Problem-solving
  • Evolutionary process in regard to conceptual development
  • Design and illustration development
  • Color relationships and implications
  • How we perceive others’ illustrations and ideas
  • “Hitting the creative wall” and how to break through to rediscovery, imagination and infinite creativity
  • Using research, association, word lists, word webs, image webs as elements of process

Technical Level:

  • Further skills in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop
  • Refine sketching along with rough and comprehensive techniques
  • Problem-solving to determine what traditional and/or digital techniques to use when creating an illustration
  • Refine hand skills involving, collage, painting, and sketching
  • Learn methods and materials for combining digital and traditional illustration techniques
  • Color systems and techniques for print and screen based media

Professional Level:

  • Professional conduct for presenting ideas
  • Meeting strict deadlines that are based on “ real-world” parameters

8 Week Schedule
It is a requirement of this hybrid course that you must access Blackboard at least two times a week.

Face-to Face meetings 55%
Hybrid teaching 45%

Week 1
Class 1: Thursday, January 12th –  In class meeting
Introduction, orientation, and the recipe book
Class 2: Hybrid Reading Research Assignment via Blackboard (Bb)
Recipe, reference, documentation,

Week 2
Class 3: Thursday, January 19th –  In class meeting
Uncommon materials, assemblage and collage
Class 4: Hybrid Reading/Research Assignment via Bb
Uncommon materials research, reference, documentation and contemporary illustrator research

Week 3
Class 5: Thursday, January 26th – In class meeting
Deadlines, clip, stock or public domain art — making it yours
Class 6: Hybrid Reading/Research Assignment via Bb
Clip, stock or public domain art research, reference, documentation

Week 4
Class 7: Thursday, February 2nd – In class meeting
Editorial illustration, Art and Activism
Class 8: Hybrid Reading/Research Assignment via Bb
Editorial and activism illustration research, reference, documentation

Week 5
Class 9: Thursday, February 9th – In class meeting
Portraits, caricatures, humor and satire
Class 10: Hybrid Reading/Research Assignment via Bb
Portraits, caricatures, humor and satire research, reference, documentation

Week 6
Class 11: Thursday February 16th – In class meeting
Anthropomorphism of an animal, plant or object
Class 12: Hybrid Reading/Research Assignment via Bb
Anthropomorphism research, reference, documentation

Week 7
Class 13: Hybrid Reading/Research Assignment via Bb
Final project research, reference, and documentation
Schedule an in-person meeting with the instructor for a review of your final project concept and process before Thursday, February 23
Class 14:  Thursday, February 23rd – In class meeting
Professional practice tips

Week 8
Class 15:  Arrange meeting with instructor for in-person review session to go over final project in progress
Class 16: Thursday, March 1st – In class meeting
Critique of final project