12/26/2024 7:31:59 AM	GD 20 Course Outline as of Summer 2011	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  GD 20	Title:  INTRO TO TYPOGRAPHY
Full Title:  Introduction to Typography and Letterforms
Last Reviewed:10/8/2018

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.50		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	43.75
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	1.50		4 min.	Lab Scheduled	26.25
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	4.00			Contact Total	70.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  87.50

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

Development of practical and visual skills for using type in effective graphic communication. Includes terminology, survey of typefaces, design basics, advanced typography skills and computer production techniques.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Course Completion of CS 72.11A ( or CIS 73.41A)

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Development of practical and visual skills for using type in effective graphic communication. Includes terminology, survey of typefaces, design basics, advanced typography skills and computer production techniques.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Course Completion of CS 72.11A ( or CIS 73.41A)
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2009	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2009	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

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

1. Produce type on the desktop.

2. Recognize and use 24 popular typefaces.

3. Utilize typographic terminology and measurements.

4. Apply the principles of readability/legibility to produce effective design projects.

5. Design and produce effective typography layouts.

6. Generate typographic design projects from concept to completion.

Topics and Scope

1.   History of type and printing

2.   Anatomy of letterforms

     a.  Fonts and families

     b.  Type

3.   Desktop publishing on the Mac and PC using font technology

4.   Type measurements:  points and picas

5.   Type arrangements and terminology

     a.  Type spacing: tracking, kerning, line spacing, letter spacing, word spacing

     b.  Refinements: widows, orphans, rivers, type color

6.   Design principles, layout techniques

     a.  Designing for text and headlines

     b.  Condensed, expanded and display type

7.   Selecting type:  creating concord and contrast

8.   Readability and legibility

     a.  Designing for maximum effectiveness

     b.  Targeting particular audiences

9.   Concept to completion: putting together a graphics project

10. Typographical details

     a.  Headlines and subheads

     b.  Pull quotes

     c.  Captions

     d.  Line breaks and hyphenation

     e.  Grid theory

11. Introduction to basic advertising design from the desktop to the market

12. Preparing files for high quality output

13. Typographical refinements

     a.  Small caps

     b.  Old style figures

     c.  Ligatures

     d.  Open type

14. Punctuation

     a.  Correct usage

     b.  Hanging punctuation

     c.  Punctuation style and refinements

15. Special effects

      a.  Alternative characters

     b.  Initial caps

     c.  Ornaments

     d.  Dingbats and picture fonts

16. Proofreading and correcting copy

17. Quality and avoiding the pitfalls of amateur publishing

18. Trends in type

Assignments:

1.    Class project of illustrations done with letter forms.

2.    Three versions of the same totally typographic ad: one font, one size; one font, different sizes and faces; two fonts, different sizes and faces.

3.    Create a typographic headline for a publication.

4.    Three two-color totally typographic ads (including rules and dingbats).

5.    Font cards series.

6.    Typebook: collected digital images that represent the alphabet.

7.    Concept portfolio of nine thumbnails for each assignment, rough sketches, workflow/budget, and time sheet.

8.    Design journal showing examples of lettermarks, logos, and type in use.

9.    Read 15 to 20 pages per week.

10.  Midterm and final exam.

11. In class critiques.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 0%
None
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because problem solving assessments and skill demonstrations are more appropriate for this course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 40%
Class project, concept portfolio, design journal
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 60%
Typographic ads, Typographic headline, font cards, typebook
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 40%
Midterm; Final Exam: Matching items, completion
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 10%
Attendance and participation in class critiques.

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

The Non-Designer's Type Book, Robin Williams, Addison-Wesley, 2008.

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