Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

GD 53 Design Techniques In Illustrator
Course Syllabus

Get the WOW 2nd ed Book, it's awesome!

Enjoy the last bit of summer!

Course Description

An intensive course designed to teach students how to create effective logos, type treatments, illustrations and informational graphics for professional visual communications projects using Adobe Illustrator.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Create effective logos, type treatments, illustrations and informational graphics for professional visual communications using the tools and features in Adobe Illustrator.
  • Modify digitized images and type using Adobe Illustrator tools.
  • Use various resources: Internet, Pinterest board or similar web inspiration sharing site, books, journals, scrap files, nature, other design and art disciplines for research for use in design projects.
  • Apply design elements:  line, shape, space, tone, value, color, and texture effectively to design projects.
  • Use graphic design vocabulary, terminology, methodology, and tools correctly.

Course outline of record, which includes SLOs: https://portal.santarosa.edu/SRWeb/SR_CourseOutlines.aspx?Semester=20177&CVID=25202

Class Meetings

GD 53 is entirely online! Class will be held asynchronously with recorded instructor videos, links to tutorials, articles, and more.

Students will use the Canvas course web site for all of our course materials. This will include links to videos, tutorials, submitting Labs (aka SOS assignments), Project Overviews and resources, course reminders, Discussions and so much more! Show Off Sessions (SOS), Quizzes, Grades, Canvas holds the key to our course! And on your part: Self discipline to make the time to drop in, tune in, and illustrate away.

Getting started with your online classes at SRJC

An overview video on how to access your online courses as well as advice and tips for online learning:

Instructor Contact

Emily Hansen

Email: ehansen@santarosa.edu 

Zoom (virtual) Office Hour: Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00 pm
Anytime by appointment.

I respond to emails within 24 hours. Weekends may take 2 days. Feel free to email me again if you do not get a response as quick as you'd like. Please include GD 53 in the subject line and your name in the email (email addresses don't always give enough info as to your identity).

Textbook, Software, Tutorials

REQUIRED TEXT: 2nd edition: The Adobe Illustrator WOW book for CC and CS6, Sharon Steuer, Peachpit Press, updated for CC 2019

Hard Copy

SRJC Bookstore: $39 to Rent, $60 Buy (backordered) direct link
WOW book to buy/rent JC Bookstore
There's the $32 digital version available.

From the corporate publisher: Pearson ($60 free shipping)
Amazon hard copy ($43), also on Kindle for $35

Ebook

From the main publisher: Peachpit Press, e-book $38.39
Available through Google Play, eBook $37.67

REQUIRED SOFTWARE

Adobe Illustrator CC, the latest CC version preferred.

Options:

More Recommended books!

(That means optional, you are not required to purchase these)

Vector Basic Training 2nd edition  (PDF version, $25; Amazon $38 eBook). Important book for anyone wanting to be a professional illustrator.

Beginners or for refreshing the basics:
Visual Quickstart Guide for Adobe Illustrator CC (rent $14; kindle $20;  used $20 and up)

Robin Williams Design Book, Robin Williams and John Tollet, Peachpit Press. A bit dated but still useful and chock full of good info and design: Amazon used $5 and up.

If you are new to design concepts, enjoy The Non-Designer's Design Book, or go the whole way with The Non-Designer's Design & Type Book, you will get a great education in design and meet one of our great minds, and former JC instructor and GD program coordinator. Learn about Robin Williams, Scholar

Awesome review and intro to the Design Book video review

The Non-Designer's Illustrator Book, available used ($8 and up)

The Complete Drawing Course, the Sterling Group, used from $5 and up

Important Dates

Date Class Begins: 8/15/2022
Date Class Ends: 12/10/2022
Date Final Exam: 12/12/2022
Last Day Add w/o add code: 8/21/2022
Last Day Add with add code: 9/4/2022
Last Day Drop for Refund: 8/28/2022
Last Day for P/NP option: 12/06/2022
Last Day Drop w/o W: 9/4/2022
Last Day Drop with W: 11/13/2022

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it. In theory, a student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one Lab/assignment in a row that you contact me so we are on the same page per your intent in our class. 

Attendance

Students who fail to check in by the end of the first week of class may lose their seat to a student on the waiting list, and/or be dropped by the instructor. Please notify the instructor ahead of time to assure you remain on the roster.

Instructor Announcements

Please check our course's Canvas home page regularly. The instructor will post announcements on the “Announcements” page and the most recent will show at the top of our Home page. Canvas also notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences (under your account settings), please be sure Announcements are emailed to you as well (they are by default).

Late Policy

All assignments are due by 11:59pm PST on the due date. This will usually be Sunnday nights as this is a "Monday start" class. All lab assignments are due one week after assigned, unless otherwise instructed. Projects are due as noted on their project assignment pages.

A late submission will receive a 3% penalty per day unless you have prior approval from instructor. Asking permission goes much further than begging forgiveness.

Exam

There will be a final exam. The material comes from the textbook, instructor demos, and supplemental materials. It is a 2-part final: multiple choice and skills-based. It is comparable to a project in the amount it affects your grade.

Grading Policy

Click the “Grades” link in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade labs as soon as time allows, I grade projects before the next project is due, and I post grades and comments in the Canvas gradebook as often as possible. Please note grading is time-consuming. Do not panic if your grades are not up to date, but do check that once I post grades you have received credit for work done. Please save all your labs and projects in case I misplace a grade—or accidentally enter it in the wrong row or column in the Gradebook. Thank you!

Your grade is based on the points you earn in the class. The total points available will be around 650 (labs/homework are worth 20 points, projects are worth 50 points each). Extra credit assignments will be available.

A

90%

615 points or more

B

80%

550 to 614 points

C

70%

480 to 549 points

D

60%

410 to 479 points

Distribution of assignments
Syllabus Quiz (linked in Week 0 module)
12 Labs 20 pts each; 4 projects 50-100 pts each;  Group Project: 50 pts
6 Quiz/Discussions 5 pts each (extra points possible); Final Exam 50 pts
Extra credit opportunities
Completing additional AI illustrations/design work (from tutorials, the Wow book, your own freelance work...)
Posting video tutorial links, including preferably your exciting illustration per what was taught in the video, and/or a well thought out explanation relaying the tutorial's worth, in the Q&A/Tutorials & Resource Discussion area.

Late work will be accepted but may lose 10% of its total value. In the Comments box of the Submission area, please let me know why your work is late.

Illustrious Presenters

Illustrious illustrators share their expertise and experiences with us this semester. Some presenters agree to a live follow up session for students who would like to ask questions in real time. I will let know you times for this as I make the arrangements. Let's fill the zoom room y'all, being virtual with talented experts is like the old days of being in the classroom.  

Standards of Conduct

Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's policy on Academic Integrity

Resources for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Other Important Policies and Practices

Avoid Plagiarism Like the, er, Plague

Although most students have likely heard about plagiarism during their years of schooling, it still is prevalent-even in higher education.

The video below reviews what plagiarism is and how not to do it.

Plagiarism: How to avoid it

Netiquette, or Why Is It Harder to Be Polite Online?

Netiquette refers to using common courtesy in online communication. All members of the class are expected to follow netiquette in all course communications. Use these guidelines:

  • Use capital letters sparingly. THEY LOOK LIKE SHOUTING.
  • Forward emails only with a writer's permission.
  • Be considerate of others' feelings and use language carefully.
  • Cite all quotations, references, and sources (otherwise, it is plagiarism).
  • Use humor carefully. It is hard to "read" tone; sometimes humor can be misread as criticism or personal attack. Feel free to use emoticons like :) for a smiley face to let others know you are being humorous.
  • Use complete sentences and standard English grammar to compose posts. Write in proper paragraphs. Review work before submitting it.
  • Text speak, such as "ur" for "your" or "ru" for "are you" etc., is only acceptable when texting.

Syllabus Changes and Errors

The instructor may make changes and updates to the course syllabus and schedule as needed. Students will be notified of any changes. If you find any broken links, outdated information, or other content that just seems "off" somehow, please let me know so I can fix it. I really do appreciate students helping me find and fix mistakes or confusing wording in my materials (and I even give extra credit for this assistance throughout the semester!)

List of assignments below: not definitive as is

Note to students: The list of assignments shown below is last year's list of assignments.  Our 2022 assignments/projects may vary and assignment names /dates will update over the course of the semester. Thank you!

Course Summary:

Date Details Due