A group of SAIC students gather around a professor at a table.

Tony Favarula

Visual Communication Design

Undergraduate Overview

Visual Communication Design Undergraduate Overview

The Visual Communication Design department's undergraduate curriculum is structured to encourage the development of both generalized and specialized activities, as well as hybrids of both. Students acquire a thorough intellectual understanding of the implications, strategies, and roles of visual messages as well as the visual abilities necessary for conceptualization and creation and the technical tools and business skills required in professional practice.    

Focus Areas

The major areas of focus are physical media (print, objects, and environments) and virtual media (interactive and time-based media) and include:

  • Artists’ books
  • Bookbinding
  • Coding/programming/scripting
  • Data visualization/diagrams/maps
  • Design issues
  • Digital/screen-based production
  • Environmental/experience design
  • Exhibitions/kiosks
  • Identity/information systems
  • Illustration/image making
  • Installation/wayfinding
  • Interface/interaction design
  • Image/text narrative
  • Letterpress printing
  • Motion graphics/title design
  • Packaging
  • Posters
  • Print production/digital and offset
  • Publication/self-publishing
  • Social design
  • Strategy/methodology
  • Sustainable design
  • Symbols/icons/language
  • Typography
  • Visual/sequential narrative
  • Website/cross-platform design
  • Video

Portfolio Review

Students must pass a Visual Communication Design department portfolio review in order to enroll in intermediate courses in the department. The following Visual Communication Design courses are required in order to submit a portfolio to the department Portfolio Review.

  • VCD 1001 Introduction to Visual Communication
  • VCD 1002 Illustration Technologies Lab  
  • VCD 2011 Beginning Typography
  • VCD 2012 Type Technologies Lab
  • VCD 2001 Beginning Graphic Design
  • VCD 2002 Image Studio

Visual Communication Design Undergraduate Curriculum [PDF]

AIGA

The department has an active AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) student chapter. Led by a faculty member, the chapter holds regular meetings, hosts the department’s noon hour lectures in which professionals from the city and faculty from the department present their work, conducts tours of Chicago studios, holds an annual Town Hall AIGA event at the school, and oversees a biannual portfolio preparation seminar for all students preparing their work for submission to the department portfolio review.

Admissions Requirements and Curriculum

  • To apply to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), you must fill out an application and submit your transcripts, artist's statement, and letters of recommendation. And most importantly, we require a portfolio of your best and most recent work—work that will give us a sense of you, your interests, and your willingness to explore, experiment, and think beyond technical art, design, and writing skills.

    To apply, please submit the following items:  

    Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Portfolio:

    Submit 10–15 pieces of your best and most recent work. We will review your portfolio and application materials for merit scholarship once you have been admitted to SAIC.

    When compiling a portfolio, you may concentrate your work in a single discipline or show work in a breadth of media. The portfolio may include drawings, prints, photographs, paintings, film, video, audio recordings, sculpture, ceramics, fashion designs, graphic design, furniture, objects, architectural designs, websites, video games, sketchbooks, scripts, storyboards, screenplays, zines, or any combination of the above.

    Learn more about applying to SAIC's Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio, or view our portfolio preparation guide for more information.

  • Studio69
    • CP 1010 Core Studio Practice I (3)
    • CP 1011 Core Studio Practice II (3)
    • CP 1020 Research Studio I (3)
    • CP 1022 Research Studio II (3)
    • SOPHSEM 2900 (3)
    • PROFPRAC 39XX (3)
    • CAPSTONE 49XX (3)
    • Studio Electives (48)
    		 
    Art History15
    • ARTHI 1001 World Cultures/Civilizations: Pre-History—19th Century Art and Architecture (3)
    • Additional Art History Course at 1000-level (e.g., ARTHI 1002) (3)
    • Art History Electives at 2000-, 3000-, or 4000-level (9)
    		 
    Liberal Arts30
    • ENGLISH 1001 First Year Seminar I (3)
    • ENGLISH 1005 First Year Seminar II (3)
    • Natural Science (6)
    • Social Science (6)
    • Humanities (6)
    • Liberal Arts Electives (6)
      • Any of the above Liberal Arts or certain AAP or EIS
    		 
    General Electives6
    • Studio, Art History, Liberal Arts, AAP, or EIS
    		 
    Total Credit Hours120

    * BFA students must complete at least two classes designated as "off campus study." These classes can also fulfill any of the requirements listed above and be from any of the divisions (Art History, Studio, Liberal Arts, or General Electives).

    Total credits required for minimum residency66
    Minimum Studio Credit42

Course Listing

Title Catalog Instructor Schedule

Description

This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.

Class Number

1813

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1117

Description

This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.

Class Number

1815

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1114

Description

This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.

Class Number

1846

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1114

Description

This research, discussion, and critique course develops a visual and verbal vocabulary by examining relationships between form and content, word and image. Study includes symbolic association and the problem of effective communication in a highly complex culture.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1002.

Class Number

1849

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1114

Description

Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program.

Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures.

Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1847

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Online

Description

Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program.

Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures.

Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1816

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Online

Description

Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program.

Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures.

Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1841

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1108

Description

Digital visualization is essential to all contemporary creative communication. This class will familiarize students with the syntax, tools and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforce analogies to traditional methods of image-making covered in the First Year Program.

Students will begin with an introduction to the computer as a graphic design tool: the relationship of vector to raster graphics and the peripherals. The focus on building proficiency with industry-standard Adobe Illustrator software will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures.

Students apply technical competencies to formal design problems during the second half of this course and in Beginning Graphic Design class.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1850

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1108

Description

In this course students explore the principles of visual communication by creating two-dimensional printed comprehensive layouts, and three-dimensional mock-ups. Stress is placed on process and development of solutions to problems; idea and form exploration; research; image and text development; compositional structure and hierarchy; verbal, technical, and hand skills. The course also covers the technical aspects of graphic design such as printing methods, papers, and binding.

Students will produce 3-4 finished pieces exploring the use of image and type in both single page format, multi-page format, and possibly three-dimensional format. These projects are to be included in the VCD department's obligatory portfolio review for advancement into the VCD intermediate courses.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 and 2011

Class Number

1818

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1214

Description

In this course students explore the principles of visual communication by creating two-dimensional printed comprehensive layouts, and three-dimensional mock-ups. Stress is placed on process and development of solutions to problems; idea and form exploration; research; image and text development; compositional structure and hierarchy; verbal, technical, and hand skills. The course also covers the technical aspects of graphic design such as printing methods, papers, and binding.

Students will produce 3-4 finished pieces exploring the use of image and type in both single page format, multi-page format, and possibly three-dimensional format. These projects are to be included in the VCD department's obligatory portfolio review for advancement into the VCD intermediate courses.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 and 2011

Class Number

1819

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1214

Description

In this course students explore the principles of visual communication by creating two-dimensional printed comprehensive layouts, and three-dimensional mock-ups. Stress is placed on process and development of solutions to problems; idea and form exploration; research; image and text development; compositional structure and hierarchy; verbal, technical, and hand skills. The course also covers the technical aspects of graphic design such as printing methods, papers, and binding.

Students will produce 3-4 finished pieces exploring the use of image and type in both single page format, multi-page format, and possibly three-dimensional format. These projects are to be included in the VCD department's obligatory portfolio review for advancement into the VCD intermediate courses.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 and 2011

Class Number

1839

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1214

Description

Image Studio is a course that challenges students to interpret, critically read text, conceptualize, and assess project parameters to implement design solutions. The creative process is a core focus throughout the assignments. The goal of this course is to explore the process of creating original imagery and visual information.

We utilize digital and analog means to create design solutions to projects that also require fundamental explorations with typography. We explore a diverse means of image construction from paper collage to photography and Photoshop manipulation.

Form studies examine design basics such as juxtaposition, repetition, and progression as well as the use of metaphor, analogy, and semiotics. The introduction of design context, audience awareness, and sequential narrative is also addressed.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1821

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1213

Description

Image Studio is a course that challenges students to interpret, critically read text, conceptualize, and assess project parameters to implement design solutions. The creative process is a core focus throughout the assignments. The goal of this course is to explore the process of creating original imagery and visual information.

We utilize digital and analog means to create design solutions to projects that also require fundamental explorations with typography. We explore a diverse means of image construction from paper collage to photography and Photoshop manipulation.

Form studies examine design basics such as juxtaposition, repetition, and progression as well as the use of metaphor, analogy, and semiotics. The introduction of design context, audience awareness, and sequential narrative is also addressed.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1820

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1213

Description

Image Studio is a course that challenges students to interpret, critically read text, conceptualize, and assess project parameters to implement design solutions. The creative process is a core focus throughout the assignments. The goal of this course is to explore the process of creating original imagery and visual information.

We utilize digital and analog means to create design solutions to projects that also require fundamental explorations with typography. We explore a diverse means of image construction from paper collage to photography and Photoshop manipulation.

Form studies examine design basics such as juxtaposition, repetition, and progression as well as the use of metaphor, analogy, and semiotics. The introduction of design context, audience awareness, and sequential narrative is also addressed.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101.

Class Number

1842

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1213

Description

This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review.

The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type.

Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.

Class Number

1822

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1213

Description

This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review.

The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type.

Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.

Class Number

1824

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1117

Description

This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review.

The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type.

Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.

Class Number

1823

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1117

Description

This studio course explores typography's impact on language to create meaning, organization and tone. Students experiment in typographic composition and page structure with special regard to the flow and rupture of different text types and reading scenarios. Students learn the technical aspects of typography (specification and copyfitting), methods for composing dynamic multipage formats (combining digital and analog), and contexts (both historical and structural) for understanding the vast repository of typefaces. This course is a core requirement for the Visual Communication Design portfolio review.

The framing text for this class is Ellen Lupton's Thinking with Type. But students will be introduced to numerous examples from the history of (predominantly Western) letterforms and concretized language. Understanding these historical forms in their contexts will reveal the logic behind the modern classification of digital type.

Students produce weekly type projects which are critiqued and handed in as three project sets. The first set analyses letterforms, structurally and then programmatically. The next project set covers text setting and typographic compositions of increasing semantic and syntactic complexity. The last project is a multilingual, illustrated book layout where students engage the fundamental concept of 'structured variety' over a series of pages.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1001 or VISCOM 1101. Corequisite: VISCOM 2012.

Class Number

1851

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1117

Description

This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.

Class Number

1825

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.

Class Number

1826

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.

Class Number

1827

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

This class is a co-requisite with Beginning Typography and closely couples with the activities of this particular studio course. The lab components will introduce students to page layout software (namely Adobe InDesign), its terminology and its specific functions, its relationship to other software packages, techniques for composing and outputting digitally, and the technical aspects of digital typography. This information will be reinforced via tutorials and short design exercises which target specific topics and techniques covered during lectures. As the semester progresses, this class also functions as a working lab for the Beginning Typography studio class, allowing students to work on the same project across both classes and receive technology assistance from the instructor. This crossover reinforces the links between digital and non-digital composing and terminologies.

Prerequisites

Corequisite: VISCOM 2011 or VISCOM 1102.

Class Number

1852

Credits

1.5

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

2041 - Type + Image in Motion is a studio based introduction to the design of motion graphics. We will examine the methodologies, theories, visual and auditory principles, technical issues of motion design with an emphasis on the interplay of movement, time, imagery, typography and sound within the digital environment. The course focuses on the role motion plays in creating expressive and communicative experiences.

Students will critically analyze and create a range of motion studies, and investigate the visual grammar and creative strategies of the time-based communication and motion graphics utilizing storyboarding and two-dimensional animation,

Readings, screenings and discussions will provide students with a historical overview of motion design and time-based media. We will examine the work of various influential motion designers both past and present. Readings and lectures cover the theoretical foundations of the field, and assignments provide hands-on, project-based experience with production.

Weekly in-class tutorials will be provided by the instructor and the student will be required to develop a working knowledge of software appropriate to concepts of time-based media.

Students should expect to develop comprehensive storyboards and produce three short digital videos. The completed motion design studies and visual investigations will be presented in group and individual critiques during the course of the semester.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 1002 or VISCOM 2941.

Class Number

1828

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Digital Imaging, Animation

Location

Online

Description

What are the concerns that drive one's creative practice? How does one set the terms for its future development? Sophomore Seminar offers strategies for students to explore, reflect upon, and connect common themes and interests in the development of an emerging creative practice that will serve as the basis of their ongoing studies at SAIC and beyond. Students will examine historical and contemporary influences and contextualize their work in relation to the diverse art-worlds of the 21st Century. Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary each semester. Presentations by visiting artists and guest speakers will provide the opportunity for students to hear unique perspectives on sustaining a creative practice. One-on-one meetings with faculty will provide students with individualized mentorship throughout the semester. During interdisciplinary critiques, students will explore a variety of formats and tools to analyze work and provide peer feedback. The class mid-term project asks students to imagine a plan for their creative life and devise a self-directed course of study for their time at school. The course concludes with an assignment asking students to develop and document a project or body of work demonstrating how the interplay of ideas, technical skills, and formal concerns evolve through iteration, experimentation and revision.

Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.

Class Number

1785

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Sharp 1108

Description

What are the concerns that drive one's creative practice? How does one set the terms for its future development? Sophomore Seminar offers strategies for students to explore, reflect upon, and connect common themes and interests in the development of an emerging creative practice that will serve as the basis of their ongoing studies at SAIC and beyond. Students will examine historical and contemporary influences and contextualize their work in relation to the diverse art-worlds of the 21st Century. Readings, screenings, and field trips will vary each semester. Presentations by visiting artists and guest speakers will provide the opportunity for students to hear unique perspectives on sustaining a creative practice. One-on-one meetings with faculty will provide students with individualized mentorship throughout the semester. During interdisciplinary critiques, students will explore a variety of formats and tools to analyze work and provide peer feedback. The class mid-term project asks students to imagine a plan for their creative life and devise a self-directed course of study for their time at school. The course concludes with an assignment asking students to develop and document a project or body of work demonstrating how the interplay of ideas, technical skills, and formal concerns evolve through iteration, experimentation and revision.

Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Must be a sophomore to enroll.

Class Number

1786

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Sharp 1108

Description

Experiments in visual communication challenge the student to further refine visual thinking and integrate basic studies through applied problems. The importance of flexibility of approach is stressed at this level. Through experimentation, the problem is defined and organized; imagery and message are manipulated; awareness of potential solutions is increased. A student's portfolio must be pre-approved by the visual communication department for enrollment in this course.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews

Class Number

1830

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1116

Description

Experiments in visual communication challenge the student to further refine visual thinking and integrate basic studies through applied problems. The importance of flexibility of approach is stressed at this level. Through experimentation, the problem is defined and organized; imagery and message are manipulated; awareness of potential solutions is increased. A student's portfolio must be pre-approved by the visual communication department for enrollment in this course.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews

Class Number

1829

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1214

Description

This course explores the power and beauty of typography as a delivery mechanism for information, narrative structures and alternate forms of expression. Working with form, space and meaning, students can expect to learn how to organize complex verbal information into cohesive typographic systems and hierarchical configurations; how to create sophisticated grid systems and enhance functionality through navigation and structural consistency within a multiple page/screen environment; how to work with intertextuality, non-linearity, dramatic pacing and experimental typography as an emotive voice.

Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include Thinking With Type (Lupton, 2010), Letter Fountain (Pohlen, 2015), The Elements of Typographic Style (Bringhurst, 2004), The Complete Manual of Typography (Felici, 2012), Typographic Design: Form and Communication (Carter, Day, Meggs, 2012). In addition, students will examine the application and effects of typographic design in historical and modern-day contexts with a primary focus on print media.

Students will work on assignments of varying complexity and duration. Assignments are structured to build skills, understanding and confidence in typographic manipulation, and are designed to yield valuable components of the student?s portfolio.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews

Class Number

1832

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

This course explores the power and beauty of typography as a delivery mechanism for information, narrative structures and alternate forms of expression. Working with form, space and meaning, students can expect to learn how to organize complex verbal information into cohesive typographic systems and hierarchical configurations; how to create sophisticated grid systems and enhance functionality through navigation and structural consistency within a multiple page/screen environment; how to work with intertextuality, non-linearity, dramatic pacing and experimental typography as an emotive voice.

Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include Thinking With Type (Lupton, 2010), Letter Fountain (Pohlen, 2015), The Elements of Typographic Style (Bringhurst, 2004), The Complete Manual of Typography (Felici, 2012), Typographic Design: Form and Communication (Carter, Day, Meggs, 2012). In addition, students will examine the application and effects of typographic design in historical and modern-day contexts with a primary focus on print media.

Students will work on assignments of varying complexity and duration. Assignments are structured to build skills, understanding and confidence in typographic manipulation, and are designed to yield valuable components of the student?s portfolio.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: Student must pass VISCOM Portfolio Review, please message VISCOM for more details on portfolio reviews

Class Number

1831

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1116

Description

HTML defines the structure of a web page, while CSS lends style by controlling the presentation of elements. This online course caters to students with little or no prior coding experience. Through hands-on coding modules, students will use a text editing program to acquire proficiency in standards-compliant HTML and CSS. A strong emphasis on redundancy will ensure that coding concepts are fully understood and best practices reinforced. Students will undertake research, design, and coding tasks to create a fully functional, responsive website. With a solid understanding of HTML and CSS, students will explore opportunities to develop dynamic web pages that adapt seamlessly to different devices and screen sizes. Additionally, students will investigate interface possibilities, evaluate site navigation opportunities, and analyze the effectiveness of various page structures in communicating information effectively and efficiently. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Class Number

1840

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Social Media and the Web

Location

Sharp 1108

Description

Students in this course will design and produce visual communication via the letterpress method, with emphasis upon the integration of materials, structure, and content. Instruction encourages an interdisciplinary approach with a thrust toward expanding the medium's boundaries.

Lectures and video documentaries provide an historical and cultural context for type design and the printing revolution. A field trip will provide exposure to the expanding applicability of letterpress in contemporary design, as well as exemplars from the past six centuries. Demonstrations will acquaint students with both classical and current approaches to using the tactile voice of letterpress.

Students should expect to work with single sheet formats, traditional books, artist's books, and 3-D sculptural multiples, to be presented in group critiques. This course may be repeated for credit, with students creating letterpress bookworks through self-initiated projects.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 2011 or permission of instructor.

Class Number

1834

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1308

Description

Students in this course will design and produce visual communication via the letterpress method, with emphasis upon the integration of materials, structure, and content. Instruction encourages an interdisciplinary approach with a thrust toward expanding the medium's boundaries.

Lectures and video documentaries provide an historical and cultural context for type design and the printing revolution. A field trip will provide exposure to the expanding applicability of letterpress in contemporary design, as well as exemplars from the past six centuries. Demonstrations will acquaint students with both classical and current approaches to using the tactile voice of letterpress.

Students should expect to work with single sheet formats, traditional books, artist's books, and 3-D sculptural multiples, to be presented in group critiques. This course may be repeated for credit, with students creating letterpress bookworks through self-initiated projects.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 2011 or permission of instructor.

Class Number

1833

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1308

Description

Students produce simple and complex three-dimensional studies. Principles of abstraction combined with packaging construction techniques serve as the basis for developing solutions. A variety of assignments are given that explore the integration of typography, image, and form.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 2001 and VISCOM 2011.

Class Number

1835

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Product Design

Location

Sharp 1116

Description

The poster (broadside) has a rich heritage in culture, design, and art. Some of the forms that will be explored in this course are political and social justice posters, advertising window cards, public notices, music posters, magician's joke cards, and the work of contemporary letterpress printers.

Students will be exposed to the history, layout structures, and graphic vocabularies of the poster format via lectures, handouts, video documentaries, and visits to local collections such as the Newberry Library. Through instructor demonstrations and student practice in the well-equipped SAIC letterpress studio, students will explore the relationship between form and content in design, become familiar with the names and parts of type, learn how to set type correctly, how to print well, and more.

Students will develop their own contemporary interpretations of the poster form by writing, designing, revising, and printing broadsides via letterpress. A convergence of old and new technologies - wood and metal type, relief matrices, and the reproductive capabilities of digitally-based photopolymer - will be used.

Class Number

1843

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1308

Description

Critical pedagogy seeks to transform consciousness, to provide students with ways of knowing that enable them to know themselves better and live in the world more fully. In this course, we are committed to making a difference. We explore how design can be used to develop real-world projects that address issues rooted in social impact. Our classroom operates as an exploratory lab immersed in liberatory practices and participatory design techniques to craft solutions grounded in the principles of equity, empowerment, dignity, and justice. Projects are centered around collaborative community engagement from critiques, discussions, you will be challenged to create projects that interrogate art, design, and digital spaces, fostering inclusivity, and empowering communities. Challenging you to reimagine community engagement, asking, 'What If.' By the end of the course, you will have developed projects that embody the principles of social impact design. More importantly, advancing your understanding of liberatory and participatory practices, empowering you to make real-world differences as artists, designers, and changemakers.

Class Number

1845

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Economic Inequality & Class, Graphic Design, Art/Design and Politics

Location

Sharp 1217

Description

Typeface design is a specialized sub-category of typography. Not every graphic designer designs type, every designer must be proficient in the more general topic of typography for their profession.
Type design differs from typography because it involves the design and production of letterforms, which are a part of typography, but does not involve the details and setting of type in a format that conveys a particular message.
This course is for students who want to learn the technical skills necessary to design a font that can be used in a professional setting, and with the software tools used by graphic designers. Students will learn about the history of type design, and explore various methods of letterform drawing, learning the minute details and characteristics required for legibility. This will be used as a basis for experimenting with different styles of letterforms to create their own font, and learn how to use the necessary software to publish their font for commercial use.
Readings by type designers will be included: 'Designing Type' by Karen Cheng, and 'House Industries Lettering Manual' by Ken Barber are two of the books which readings will be taken from. 'Sign Painters: The Movie' is one of the movies that will be shown. Guest speakers from the Chicago area will be brought in.
Students will be expected to produce one complete font design by the end of the semester. Before starting their font, smaller assignments will be given which involve different lettering techniques, researching and drawing a historical style of lettering, and semi-weekly readings.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 2011 or a Graduate Student

Class Number

2482

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1116

Description

This class will begin with a demonstration on traditional drawing techniques used to illustrate scientific material. Students will develop pencil and ink renderings as well as watercolor illustrations of animal, plant and insect species. Work will also include relevant habitat and scale information.

Each Class will include a lecture and /or visit behind the scenes to a lab at the Field Museum. Working scientists will expose the students to common collection methods as well as specimen preparation such as bird and mammal taxidermy.

Course work will be described at the beginning of each class. Midterm critiques, small groups of 5, will determine and promote individual projects to be presented in the Final Critiques.

Class Number

1836

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Illustration, Art and Science

Location

Field Museum Basement

Description

This class will begin with a demonstration on traditional drawing techniques used to illustrate scientific material. Students will develop pencil and ink renderings as well as watercolor illustrations of animal, plant and insect species. Work will also include relevant habitat and scale information.

Each Class will include a lecture and /or visit behind the scenes to a lab at the Field Museum. Working scientists will expose the students to common collection methods as well as specimen preparation such as bird and mammal taxidermy.

Course work will be described at the beginning of each class. Midterm critiques, small groups of 5, will determine and promote individual projects to be presented in the Final Critiques.

Class Number

1836

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Illustration, Art and Science

Location

Field Museum Basement

Description

This course deals with painting plants, birds, reptiles and mammals. Botanical structure and basic anatomy are covered, as well as specific morphological information on textures, scales, feathers, and fur. Classes are held at the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Chicago Botanic Garden (Fall Semester only) and the Field Museum of Natural History. We tour and work with specimens in the Field Museum research areas as well as work in the public collections. The most difficult part of this class is drawing a moving creature. Tackling this issue at the zoo enables the student to understand structure in the light of behavior and physical action. The importance of seeing and drawing live animals cannot be underestimated. Watercolor and gouache are used, so basic painting methods, color mixing, color layering and spatial dynamics are emphasized. This is an excellent class in which to improve observational skills.

A point of departure for the course will be historical scientific illustrators such as Maria Sybilla Meriam, John James Audubon, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, as well as contemporary artists and illustrators like Walton Ford and Alexis Rockman.

There is a new assignment each class, with many examples on an assignment sheet provided for guidance. There is a group critique every week, with discussion of how each student solved problems of accurate representation. Students are expected to have 10 excellent pieces by the end of the semester, to be presented at the final critique.

Class Number

1837

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Illustration, Art and Science

Location

Field Museum Basement

Description

This course includes guidance on the preparation and design of a resume and business card; the planning, development and design of an online portfolio; interview strategies and techniques; professional connections with practicing designers; and resources and advice for locating and contacting various types of design employers. This course is ideal for visual communication students preparing for internships or seniors preparing for entrance into the design profession. This course may be repeated.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and 3011 and a sophomore seminar course

Class Number

1856

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1108

Description

This course includes guidance on the preparation and design of a resume and business card; the planning, development and design of an online portfolio; interview strategies and techniques; professional connections with practicing designers; and resources and advice for locating and contacting various types of design employers. This course is ideal for visual communication students preparing for internships or seniors preparing for entrance into the design profession. This course may be repeated.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and 3011 and a sophomore seminar course

Class Number

1857

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

Students are challenged on multiple levels in this advanced design course as they explore both practical and experimental solutions to visualizing language and communicating through typography. Building on skills acquired at the intermediate level, complex possibilities are thoughtfully examined and thoroughly investigated through intensive coursework. Students develop a heightened awareness of the nuanced role typography plays in communication, leaving them with a greater understanding of the visual impact ¿ and multidimensional aspects ¿ of language. Work is assessed on a weekly basis in group reviews, one-on-one discussions with instructor, and through individual analysis.

Students should expect to engage in additional research and/or specific readings as needed or requested by the instructor. Work is developed through extensive iteration around a variety of topics where content may be supplied and/or self-directed.

Students complete 3¿4 type-driven projects that emphasize the importance of process in the development and refinement of typography, as well as the ability to verbally present ideas and discuss developing work.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 3011 or a Graduate Student

Class Number

2384

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

This course explores boardgame design as an expression of data visualization and user interface (UI) within a play environment. Teams of students will develop their chosen research areas into fun, strategic, well-crafted integrations of theme, game mechanics and world order. Resource management will provide a framework for developing mechanics, while playtesting and prototyping will drive teams¿ iterative process.
The only way to truly understand how boardgames work is to play boardgames and analyze the play experience. To this end, much of our in-class time will be spent 1.) playing existing games that highlight certain game mechanics and levels of difficulty, and 2.) repeatedly play-testing each others' evolving games. How does each game immerse us? Do their themes come forth and flow through the game mechanics? Are they fun, unpredictable, balanced? How does each one situate its players in a point of view? How does graphic design facilitate immersion and theme and an understanding of structures and actions. Lectures, team presentations, and individual team meetings with teachers will supplement game play.
The course will begin with one-week studio exercises focused on theming, game mechanics and visualization techniques for boardgames. Over the semester, teams of students will research, design and prototype a Eurostyle boardgame of their choosing. The final will include a prototype of the game, rulebook, and overview teach video.

Prerequisites

Student must have completed one of VISCOM 3002/3045/4535/4590, or be a graduate student.

Class Number

1864

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Sharp 1117

Description

This course explores boardgame design as an expression of data visualization and user interface (UI) within a play environment. Teams of students will develop their chosen research areas into fun, strategic, well-crafted integrations of theme, game mechanics and world order. Resource management will provide a framework for developing mechanics, while playtesting and prototyping will drive teams¿ iterative process.
The only way to truly understand how boardgames work is to play boardgames and analyze the play experience. To this end, much of our in-class time will be spent 1.) playing existing games that highlight certain game mechanics and levels of difficulty, and 2.) repeatedly play-testing each others' evolving games. How does each game immerse us? Do their themes come forth and flow through the game mechanics? Are they fun, unpredictable, balanced? How does each one situate its players in a point of view? How does graphic design facilitate immersion and theme and an understanding of structures and actions. Lectures, team presentations, and individual team meetings with teachers will supplement game play.
The course will begin with one-week studio exercises focused on theming, game mechanics and visualization techniques for boardgames. Over the semester, teams of students will research, design and prototype a Eurostyle boardgame of their choosing. The final will include a prototype of the game, rulebook, and overview teach video.

Prerequisites

Student must have completed one of VISCOM 3002/3045/4535/4590, or be a graduate student.

Class Number

1864

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Sharp 1117

Description

What are the factors that drive a product designer's practice, and how do user empathy, Design Thinking, and human-centered design create effective, navigable experiences? In this course, students will analyze atomic theory, research design systems, and design digital products. A critical examination of interaction trends, from service design to multi-channel narratives, will uncover the complexities of architecture, journey mapping, microinteractions, and animation. Readings and screenings typically include Brad Frost, author of Atomic Design, as the primary point of departure. The class will also examine works, tutorials, and interviews with Nicholas Felton from Apple and Dylan Field at Figma. Resources for students will include access to Mobbin.com as well as Apple's Human Interaction Guidelines (HIG) and Google's Material 3. Coursework will vary but typically includes weekly tutorial exercises, creation of digital artifacts like journey maps, an individual midterm project, and an individual final project. Critiques will be screen-based on a variety of devices, including projector, desktop and/or handset.

Prerequisites

Must have completed VISCOM 3001 or be a VISCOM PBACC/MFA Student

Class Number

2173

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Sharp 1116

Description

This is an advanced studio course focusing on developing the methodology and skill sets required to shape a comprehensive visual identity system for commercial application. Students explore various practical facets of identity development: research, communication strategy, visual form, graphic standards, and implementation, with particular emphasis on mark-making, testing and refinement. Multiple approaches to identity design are examined and explored, including static, iterative, dynamic and kinetic systems.

Suggested readings and screenings vary and may include excerpts from Graphic Design, Now in Production (Blauvelt, 2011), Designing Brand Identity (Wheeler, 2013), Marks of Excellence (Mollerup, 2013), Logo Design Love (Airey, 2015), Signs and Symbols, Their Design and Meaning (Frutiger, 1978), Graphic Design/The New Basics (Lupton, 2015), and Saul Bass?s Bell System Pitch. The identity work of major branding firms, such as Pentagram, Sagmeister, and Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv are examined as well as the work of independent, highly regarded design professionals.

Students will work on a progressive sequence of assignments as a way to build skills, learning and confidence in a didactic manner, culminating in a large-scale identity system, prepared for professional grade presentation.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: VISCOM 3001 and VISCOM 3011.

Class Number

1838

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Sharp 1114

Description

This course will allow students to further explore the immense world of scientific illustration, from the historical to the contemporary, and how it can enhance communication within design structures-including publication, mapping, and other forms of visual narrative-in the museum context. Classes will meet at the Field Museum of Natural History, where both the public and private research collections of Botany, Invertebrate, Mammology, Mycology, Ornithology, and Zoology will be utilized.

As part of our inquiry, we will study and discuss the work of historical scientific illustrators such as Ernst Haeckel, Genevieve Jones, and Maria Sybilla Merian, which will be further complemented with a visit to the Field Museum's Marie Louise Rosenthal Library's Rare Book Room, housing an extensive collection of scientific illustration material dating back to the 15th Century. Furthermore, we will explore contemporary artists working at the intersection of science, illustration, and design, like Mark Dion, Nicholas Feltron, William Kentridge, Zachgari Logan,Greg Oakley, Alice Tangerini, along with other members of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA).

Students can expect to create a comprehensive project illustrating a biological system (eg. Anatomical Function, Metamorphosis, Pollination, etc.) with a focus on observational drawing from museum specimens and inclusion of diagrammatical, narrative, and applied typographic strategies for design communication. Working individually and in teams, projects will be taken from the study stages to polished compositions-creating innovative solutions for design challenges and focusing on legibility and navigability for a specific audience.

Class Number

2501

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Illustration, Digital Imaging, Art and Science, Narrative

Location

Field Museum Basement

Description

This course will allow students to further explore the immense world of scientific illustration, from the historical to the contemporary, and how it can enhance communication within design structures-including publication, mapping, and other forms of visual narrative-in the museum context. Classes will meet at the Field Museum of Natural History, where both the public and private research collections of Botany, Invertebrate, Mammology, Mycology, Ornithology, and Zoology will be utilized.

As part of our inquiry, we will study and discuss the work of historical scientific illustrators such as Ernst Haeckel, Genevieve Jones, and Maria Sybilla Merian, which will be further complemented with a visit to the Field Museum's Marie Louise Rosenthal Library's Rare Book Room, housing an extensive collection of scientific illustration material dating back to the 15th Century. Furthermore, we will explore contemporary artists working at the intersection of science, illustration, and design, like Mark Dion, Nicholas Feltron, William Kentridge, Zachgari Logan,Greg Oakley, Alice Tangerini, along with other members of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA).

Students can expect to create a comprehensive project illustrating a biological system (eg. Anatomical Function, Metamorphosis, Pollination, etc.) with a focus on observational drawing from museum specimens and inclusion of diagrammatical, narrative, and applied typographic strategies for design communication. Working individually and in teams, projects will be taken from the study stages to polished compositions-creating innovative solutions for design challenges and focusing on legibility and navigability for a specific audience.

Class Number

2501

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design, Illustration, Digital Imaging, Art and Science, Narrative

Location

Field Museum Basement

Description

In this course students further develop their ability to undertake complex design problems involving typography and imagery to create meaningful solutions. Emphasized is the development of a point of view through a professional lens. It is the culmination of the beginning graphic design and intermediate graphic design course thread by taking a deeper exploration of visual communication design through the creation of systems, interventions, and speculations.

In this course, students will be exposed to the work of contemporary print and digital designers and studios such as Second Story, Studio A and Appetite Engineers. Readings, lectures and course work will address the role of applicable design theory and methodologies to create, develop and articulate a concept based on extensive research and strategic thinking for clear communication objectives

Coursework will vary as determined by the instructor, but will comprise a minimum of two projects. Basic parameters will be established by the instructor with final outcomes resulting in fully functional digital interactions and/or printed and possibly bound experiences. Assigned projects are user-centered, come with constraints, and have targeted audiences. Outcomes are open-ended physical experiences or digital interactions. Professional practice components are addressed, including making visual audits, writing project briefs, crafting strategies, presenting concepts, and thoroughly developing visual iterations and refinements.

Prerequisites

Student must have completed VISCOM 3001 and 3011, must also have completed a professional practice class or be a graduate student.

Class Number

1860

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Books and Publishing

Location

Sharp 1217

Description

d.STUDIO is a Visual Communication Design department, consent only, advanced Capstone course run in collaboration with SAIC's Marketing & Communications department. Students work with internal SAIC clients in a quasi-professional setting on real-world design projects and apply their skills to an array of print and digital media platforms to meet the messaging requirements of the client.

Students work on two significant projects in a semester, and receive critical feedback on their progress at every stage of the design process via one-on-one, group, and client-led critiques and discussions. Students create professional-looking mood boards, facsimile mockups, and digital presentations to promote their ideas. The client awards the design commission for a project to the student whose concept best aligns with their communication needs. The client then works with the student to help bring the project to a successful conclusion.

Communication possibilities include advertisements, animation, app design, direct mail, identity, invitations, packaging, postcards, posters, publications, and signage.

Prerequisites

Student must have completed VISCOM 3001 and 3011, must also have completed a professional practice class or be a graduate student.

Class Number

1858

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Digital Communication, Graphic Design, Product Design

Location

Sharp 1217

Description

In this team-taught studio course, students have the opportunity to explore a specific design problem in the student's area of concentration and develop it thoroughly and comprehensively as a thesis throughout the semester. Work is carried out independently and discussed once a week in a critique seminar format. Students formally present their work at various points throughout the semester. Final work is presented to an outside panel of industry professionals. Students must submit a proposal to be admitted to Advanced Studio and have the signature of one of the two instructors to register for this course. Open to seniors and post-baccalaureates only.

Readings and research materials for this class are largely directed by each student?s thesis and supplemental material suggested by the course instructors and classmates. Materials are presented to the class alongside work progress for discussion.

Students should expect to produce a body of work consisting of finished pieces during the semester and a presentation detailing their process and trajectory, to be presented in a culminating course critique with an outside panel.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: professional practice course or graduate student

Class Number

1859

Credits

6

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1217

Description

In this team-taught studio course, students have the opportunity to explore a specific design problem in the student's area of concentration and develop it thoroughly and comprehensively as a thesis throughout the semester. Work is carried out independently and discussed once a week in a critique seminar format. Students formally present their work at various points throughout the semester. Final work is presented to an outside panel of industry professionals. Students must submit a proposal to be admitted to Advanced Studio and have the signature of one of the two instructors to register for this course. Open to seniors and post-baccalaureates only.

Readings and research materials for this class are largely directed by each student?s thesis and supplemental material suggested by the course instructors and classmates. Materials are presented to the class alongside work progress for discussion.

Students should expect to produce a body of work consisting of finished pieces during the semester and a presentation detailing their process and trajectory, to be presented in a culminating course critique with an outside panel.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: professional practice course or graduate student

Class Number

1859

Credits

6

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Graphic Design

Location

Sharp 1217

Description

This critique seminar frames the definition and structure of comics through a wide interdisciplinary lens. As a means of visual communication, comics adapts and configures elements of a variety of disciplines to produce a multimodal reading experience. Students will examine how comics are constructed and develop discourse on what constitutes comics through conceptual investigation and comparative studies. By experimenting with comics beyond the page, students will deepen and expand their understanding of comics and its vast possibilities.
We will explore art and design works in relation to comics as points of departure for students¿ research. This may include Lilli Carre¿s animations and artist¿s books; Seth¿s Dominion; the Chicago Imagists¿ paintings and sculptures; Lorna Simpson¿s series of photographs with text; Dadaist posters; 20th-century Japanese woodblock prints; experimental films, such as La Jete; pictographic writing systems, such as Mayan script; comics exhibition design at the MCA; and works in the Joan Flasch Artist¿s Book Collection.
Students can expect to synthesize their research into interdisciplinary approaches to comics generating 3-4 outcomes. The coursework builds skills and methodologies to prepare students for dynamic professional practices.

Class Number

2500

Credits

3

Department

Visual Communication Design

Area of Study

Comics and Graphic Novels, Narrative

Location

Sharp 1115

Description

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Prerequisites

Open to MFA, MFAW and MAVCS students only

Class Number

2335

Credits

3 - 6

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Description

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Prerequisites

Open to MFA, MFAW and MAVCS students only

Class Number

2336

Credits

3 - 6

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Description

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Prerequisites

Open to MFA, MFAW and MAVCS students only

Class Number

2337

Credits

3 - 6

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

Description

Taken every semester, the Graduate Projects courses allow students to focus in private sessions on the development of their work. Students register for 6 hours of Graduate Project credit in each semester of study.

Prerequisites

Open to MFA, MFAW and MAVCS students only

Class Number

2351

Credits

3 - 6

Department

Visual Communication Design

Location

BFA in Studio with Thesis Option (Liberal Arts or Visual Critical Studies)

Students interested in pursuing the BFA in Studio with the Thesis Option (Liberal Arts or Visual Critical Studies) should contact their academic advisor for details about eligibility, program requirements, and the application process.

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Visit the undergraduate admissions website or contact the undergraduate admissions office at 800.232.7242 or ugadmiss@saic.edu.

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