Thursday 10 September
Class & semester introductions
Lecture: A Z–A of Typography
Intro Project 1: Stasis & Flux (4 weeks)
The first of three main semester modules: working with a subject you care about, development of static typographic compositions in various formats, then animating & looping them, before finally building them up into a 150-second piece at urban scale.
In-class exercise project kickoff: Static Compositions
Brief 1-on-1 intro meetings while you work
Gathering for last hour: show work in progress
Thursday 17 September
1:10pm All-Sections Zoom: Typography III Faculty & TA intros
All-Sections Lecture James Goggin: Typography & Practice
Project 1: Stasis & Flux
Share Static Compositions: adjust formats in class
Start Compositions in Flux: test animating & looping your compositions (sketching, storyboarding, prototyping)
JG Brief intro to lo-fi animation methods
1-on-1 student meetings as you work in class
Thursday 24 September
Project 1: Stasis & Flux
Compositions in Flux: Expand animations into a longer-form piece
4:00pm All-Sections Workshop Typography & Motion TAs Laura de Baldeon, Will Mianecki, Romik Bose Mitra
Thursday 1 October
All-Sections Lecture 1:10pm Minkyoung Kim: Typography & Screen
Project 1: Stasis & Flux
Compositions in Flux Final Review
Intro Project 2: Paper & Pixels (5 weeks)
The second semester module: working with a long-form text of your choice, design a readable, engaging, navigable typographic interpretation across mobile, desktop, and print, with each version maintaining consistency for the multi-platform reader, but also each making the most of each medium and its affordances and virtues.
For next week
Research and select long-form complex text content for paper & screen-based publication. Work mobile first. Gather & analyse mobile, desktop, print examples as reference & inspiration for sharing in class next week
Thursday 8 October
All-Sections Lecture 1:10pm Nancy Skolos & Ramón Tejada: Typography & Image
Project 2: Paper & Pixels
Share selected long-form complex texts, share reference sites & publications, analyse & discuss typeface selections. Webflow or Cargo testing on mobile devices
Tutorial: Webflow
Thursday 15 October
All-Sections Lecture 1:10pm Jacek Mrowczyk: Typography & Space
Project 2: Paper & Pixels
Review works in progress, working in class
Thursday 22 October
Project 2: Paper & Pixels
Review works in progress, working in class
Further prototyping, comparisons & analysis across each medium
Thursday 29 October
Project 2: Paper & Pixels
Review works in progress, further refinements, working in class in preparation for final review next week
Thursday 5 November
Project 2 Paper & Pixels: Final Review
Silent critique, project readings, analysis, Slack commenting for each project
Intro Project 3: Bits & Pieces (5 weeks)
The final semester module: develop a typographic system for a major campaign in service of a particular cause, event, or thing you care about, with a variety of modular applications across a range of mediums and scales: from Instagram square to digital expressway billboard, from mobile web page to urban flyposting.
In-Class Lecture Typography & Identity
For next week
Research examples of typography-driven campaign & identity systems, typography at scale (both tiny and massive), and typography in motion (as in motion graphics, but also other interpretations, both literal and conceptual, relating to moving type) that inspire you, both contemporary, historical, by designers, artists, and non-designers alike. You will all present your research as 5 minute presentations in class next week
Come to next week’s class with a selected project case study (choose a campaign to develop) and define project scope (media, environments, formats, processes) and initial typographic ideas and directions already in progress
Thursday 12 November
Project 3 Bits & Pieces
Share & discuss selected inspirational and critical project case studies and your defined project ideas and scope. Work & discussion in class
For next week
Aim to establish naming, potential logo or wordmark, and typographic system (which typeface(s), any multilingual typeface relationships if you’re working in multiple languages, etc.) for this week. Establish context, history, name, location, audience, etc. for your project. Work with sketching, lettering, typeface testing, and how the typographic approach will connect with and define the overall system: colour, art direction of images, modes of prototyping and mockups. Define your identity concept and principles as they relate to your chosen case study. Bring sketches and designs in progress showing how the system will flow across your various applications from digital to print to environment.
This is the last in-class review of your project before the final project review in two weeks’ time (since we have no class next Thursday for Thanksgiving).
Thursday 19 November
Project 3 Bits & Pieces
Work-in-progress designs for review
No class next week, Thanksgiving on Thurs 26 Nov
For the next two weeks
Work towards having concrete designs for each of your system applications and submit in your Slack channel by Thurs 26 Nov (ideally before then, so you can hopefully take the day off!) I’ll provide feedback on the same day—Thanksgiving—so you have final advice and guidance from me before the final project review next week. From Thanksgiving through to to Thurs 3 Dec, fine-tune your system and spend time working on solid mockups and prototypes (e.g. well-chosen urban photographs with posters placed in context, motion posters in subway environment, graphic backdrops at festival, etc.)
Thursday 26 November
Thanksgiving Break: No Class
Thursday 3 December
Project 3 Bits & Pieces
Final project review with guest critics Mary Yang (RISD MFA alum, Assistant Professor Boston University, founder of Open Rehearsal) and Cem Eskinazi (RISD MFA alum, RISD adjunct faculty, independent graphic designer, type designer at Occupant Fonts)
For next week
Establish any other project refinements from this semester for all-sections final semester review
Thursday 10 December
Final Semester Review