2/5/2025 12:35:01 PM	GD 20 Course Outline as of Fall 2015	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	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		4 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

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

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
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 professional-level type on the computer.

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. Type terminology

       b. Type classification

3.   Fonts and Families

4.   Font Technology

5.   Type Measurements: Points and Picas

6.   Type Arrangements and Spacing

       a. Tracing, Kerning, Leading, Letter and word spacing

       b. Paragraph space and typographic consistency

       c. Intro to Grid Theory

7.   Design principles

       a. Creating typographic appeal and hierarchy

       b. Page layout principles

       c. Expressive typography

8.   Selecting and Mixing Typefaces

       a. Concord and Contrast

       b. Mixing faces

9.   Readability and Legibility

       a. Designing for maximum effectiveness

       b. Targeting particular audiences.

10.  Fun Type

       a. Initial caps

       b. Text wrap

       c. Dingabts and picture fonts

       d. Special effects

11.  Successful Advertising

12.  Typographic details

       a. Headlines and subheads

       b. Body copy, hyphenation, and line breaks

       c. Pull quotes and captions

       d. Web typography

13.  Typographic Refinements

       a. Small caps and old style numerals

       b. Ligatures and OpenType alternates

       c. Punctuation style and refinements

14.  Proofreading and PrePress

15.  PrePress and preparing files for Print

16.  Creating professional quality designs from concept to completion, avoiding amateur pitfalls.

17. Trends in Type

Assignments:

1.  Create self-portrait completed using only letterforms.

2.  Create 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.  Web banner utilizing expressive type and specialty effects.

4.  Create a font card series (4 cards in 3 colors).

5.  Ad resdesign in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) and Grayscale.

6.  Concept portfolio with thumbnails, roughs, tight comps and final for each project.

7.  Design journal showing examples of logos, letter marks, and type in use.

8.  Read 15-20 pass per week.

9.  Midterm and final exam.

10. 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, font cards
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 40%
Midterm and final exam.
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 10%
Attendance and participation in in-class critiques.

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

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

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