Th 1301 FUNDAMENTALS OF DESIGN
Tap R. Payne
Office Hours: MWF 9 am. TTh 10 am
Text: Lauer, David A., DESIGN BASICS (Fifth Edition)
To teach the basic principles and elements of design, preparing the student for future work in the theatre, and other fields where an appreciation of good design is appropriate.
1. The class will consist of text readings, lectures, regular student exercises, major projects, and class critiques. There will be weekly major projects and occasional classroom exercises. Major projects are outlined below.
2. Projects may not be made up and will not be accepted late. In the event of unavoidable absences I will accept a project early for a portion of the grade. The reason for this is important:
One of the major learning events of this class is the comparison of your solution for a given design problem to all of the other solutions developed individually by the class. If you don't present your project on time you rob the class of your perspective. Additionally, you would have the unfair advantage of the collective class experience when you do finish your project.
3. Grading will be distributed as follows:
Major Projects 60%
Project Evaluations 10%
Chapter Exams/Outlines 20%
Classroom Exercises 10%
4. The textbook has excellent visual examples accompanying a clear, easy to understand text. It is important that you read this text. To encourage reading, examinations, quizzes and outlines of assigned chapters will be included in this course. (See below for due dates and chapters.) Each student will take the examination when it is scheduled. Students may also outline the readings. The grade assigned will be the higher of the two.
5. You must have the following minimum art supplies available at each class session where we do in-class exercises. It is possible to share some of these articles with another member of the class if you wish:
large drawing pad
set of water colors
charcoal pencil
colored construction paper
conte crayon
scissors
drawing pencil
rubber cement
You should note that these are not the materials I expect you to use to do your major projects. Selecting the materials becomes one of the major design avenues.
6. Note: If you are taking this course for S-N grading, your final grade must equal at least a "C" to receive credit. I do not grade using plus or minus grades.
7. One of the goals of this course is to create an environment which encourages and allows all students to participate in and benefit from class activities. Students with disabilities and/or special needs will be reasonably accommodated in this regard. Any student with a disability or special need should see me as soon as possible to discuss the situation and arrange appropriate accommodations.
MAJOR PROJECTS
A. Design Problem Solving.... design an alphabet, which somehow describes you personally. Complete a design for each letter in your name. The letters must resemble each other in style. Complete a composition with your name done in this alphabet. Due on Sept. 4.
B. Tone...main tones of a "sophisticated" and a "non-sophisticated” color magazine advertisement. Find the advertisements and then reproduce them. You may use only gray (one shade) on black, on white paper. Or, black, and white on gray paper, or white and one shade of gray on black paper. (It is possible to do this project on a computer.) Due on Sept. 9.
C. Collaboration. Design a poster for UMM Theatre production of Dancing at Lughnasa, Sylvia, and the children's show. Design teams will be formed in groups of 4. Due on Sept. 16.
D. Proportion...two parts. Design one composition showing a crowd in a small place. Design the second composition showing a crowd in a large place. Do not place them on the same background. Each composition will be approximately the same size. Due on Sept. 25.
E. Line...design a composition showing white cups on black plates with a white egg. All the objects must be touching. You may use only white and black for the composition. This is an exercise in positive and negative space.
Due on Sept. 30.
F. Rhythm...compose a tessellation using analogous colors. The tessellation will be a quilt pattern. Due on Oct. 7
H. Illusion of Motion...using techniques described in your text, design 3 separate, but related, compositions. Each will use a different technique illustrating the illusion of motion. Do not have then connected in any way. I want to mix them all up and see if you can tell which one goes with which one. Due on Oct 21.
I. Shape…design a mask. Do research. Showing your research will be an element of the presentation. Mask making happens in many different cultures and for many different occasions. This does not have to be a Halloween mask. Due on Oct 28.
J. Light...design a composition using light as its major element or theme. Due on Nov. 4.
K. Concept of Production Presentation. For a production that I will select, you will read the play, develop a "concept of production" and present that concept to the class using visuals that you design. Due on Nov. 11.
L. Costume Design. Design a set of costumes for the theatre production in assignment K. Decide what purpose the costume will serve, how the costumes will support the style and mood of the production as a whole and generate a costume rendering for each character in the play. Due on Nov. 25.
M. Scenic Design. Design a set for he theatre production in assignment K. Decide what purpose the scenery will serve, how the scenery will support the style and mood of the production as a whole and generate a rendering for each place identified in the play. Due on Dec. 9.
Fund. Of Design Reading Assignments
Fall, 2002
READING ASSIGNMENTS
Chapter readings are due on the following Wednesdays. Exams/outlines will be due on those Wednesdays that are indicated.
Ch 1 Design Process, 30 Aug.
Ch 12 Value 6 Sept.
Ch 9 Texture 13 Sept. Exam
Ch 2 Unity 20 Sept.
Ch 4 Scale/Proportion 27 Sept.
Ch 7 Line 4 Oct. Exam
Ch 8 Volume 11 Oct.
Ch 6 Rhythm 18 Oct.
Ch 3 Emphasis/Focal Point 25 Oct. Exam
Ch 5 Balance 1 Nov.
Ch 10 Illusion of Space 8 Nov.
Ch 11 Illusion of Motion 15 Nov.
Ch 13 Color 29 Nov. Exam