The following is this semester’s syllabus. This is a ‘living syllabus’, which means if I make edits, I will update this blog post and note the changes here. [Last updated: Jan 30th]
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Object Sketching: Ideation/Illustration
Architecture/Interior Arch/Designed Objects 1006 Spring 2011 Monday/Wednesday, 6pm-9pm
Instructor: Craighton Berman Email: cberman at gmail.com (do not use my SAIC email address) Phone: 773.255.8594 Web: http://objectsketch.tumblr.com (you’re here)
Official course description:
Design ideas and evolving concepts such as an object’s form, function, volume, components, assembly and materiality are introduced to beginning level design students. Instruction focuses on a variety of 2D media (black/white and colored) but also includes basic instruction on using digital drawing software (Illustrator and Photoshop). Specific methods introduced in this class include freehand sketching for ideation, shaded and colored rendering, orthographic projection (plans, elevations and sections), one- and two-point perspective, and measured technical drawing. This course is most valuable when taken prior to DES OB 2006 Object Communication.
Additional thoughts:
Sketching is the most important and powerful tool you will posses as a designer.
Whether your goals are to develop commercial products or one-off editions, you will always need to use drawing to capture an idea for yourself, describe a detail to someone, or quickly present an idea. Sketching is a powerful tool for communication to clients or manufacturers. Sketching is an essential tool for thinking through the design of an object or space. Sketching is an iterative tool for understanding and working through details of your designs.
Beyond all of its functional uses, sketching is also an expressive form of visualization that can evoke emotions in both the viewer as well as yourself.
Goals:
To instill passion for the medium of sketching, and the unique role it plays in the design process
To make you confident in their ability to capture, embody, and communicate your ideas in sketch form
To enable you to be prolific in your output, clear in communication, and comfortable with techniques
To introduce a diverse selection of styles of sketching, and start you down the road of exploring and discovering your style and point-of-view. Your goal is to eventually discover the technique and style that fits your process of creation.
To introduce you to the concept of visual thinking and the use of sketching in a broader context
Class framework:
Sketching for design is a balance of three goals: ideation (thinking), shaping (understanding), and communication (transferring).
During ideation, you want to generate as many ideas as possible. More is better— with a balance between speed and communication.
During shaping, you are refining an idea. You are using drawing to think. Drawing becomes a tool for gaining a better understanding of form, details, construction, and use—you’re refining the concept. This process is iterative—you may draw and redraw something dozens of times before it’s properly resolved.
During communication, you are transferring your ideas and refinements to somebody else, therefore it’s important to understand your audience, and select an appropriate medium and presentation technique. It’s important to communicate clearly with an appropriate level of detail and refinement. The goal is to clearly and completely express your design intent.
Remember: Sketching is a medium to form and communicate ideas. Therefore each sketch is not precious— it’s a means to an end.
Students will be required to keep a personal sketchbook, and will share with the class periodically
Students will also be required to maintain a Tumblr account, which will be used as a for collecting inspiration images as well as assignments later in the semester.
Generally larger homework assignments will be assigned on Wednesdays, smaller ones on Mondays
There will be multiple small projects and two to three larger projects; both will require working outside of class
Standard Moleskine (or other bound sketchbook) This must be small enough to carry with you at all times, but not pocket sized.
Tracing paper (Bienfang or other inexpensive brand)
OPTIONAL: Marker Paper (Bienfang Graphics 360)
8.5x11 printer paper (provided in class, you’ll need your own out of class)
DRAWING TOOLS
Prismacolor Blue Pencils (Verithin [hard lead] & standard [soft lead])
Prismacolor Black & White Pencils (standard [soft lead])
Ballpoint pens (cheap Bic pens are fine)
Felt tipped pens (Pilot Fineliner, Pilot Razorpoint, Sharpies-thin & thick)
Roller ball pens (Uniball, etc)
RENDER TOOLS
Markers (Prismacolor, Copic, Tria, etc) - At a minimum: 2 each Cool Grey 20%, 40%, 60%, Black. (+ a few accent colors in 2 tones [eg Dark blue, Med blue])
Laptop with Adobe Photoshop (OPTIONAL: Wacom tablet + Autodesk Sketchbook)
ALSO
Small portable pencil sharpener
Zippered pencil case - so you’ll always have your tools with you.
Coroflot - Design portfolio site. A great way to look at other students’ and professionals’ portfolios for sketching. Run by Core77.
Other websites and links will stream through this blog all semester, stay linked in!
Policies:
Enthusiasm and responsibility for the development of ones own work is the main criteria for the successful semester.
Each project will have a set of intermediate deadlines and reviews in order to properly pace and monitor the work of the class.
A “grade” of either SATISFACTORY or UNSATISFACTORY will be assigned after each of the exercises. In order to receive credit for the class, students must receive 4 satisfactory marks. Every effort will be given to allow students to work toward successful completion, even after the class has moved on to the next assignment.
SAIC policy on class attendance applies: Class begins at 6:00 PM; tardiness, absences, and leaving early will not be tolerated. 4 late arrivals will result in no credit and 3 absences will also result in no credit. If you are going to be late or miss a class it is your responsibility to email me or tell me in person.
Being that this is a studio class, please feel free to bring headphones and music to listen to during work sessions, however please be conscious of what’s happening around you, and stop the music if we start a critique or public discussion.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
If you have a disability for which you seek an accommodation, please contact SAIC’s Disability and Learning Resource Center (DLRC). DLRC can be contacted by phone at 312.499.4278 or by e-mailing dlrc@saic.edu. Staff at the Disability and Learning Resource Center will review your disability documentation and work with you to determine appropriate accommodations. DLRC will then provide you with a letter outlining approved accommodations. This letter must be presented to me before any accommodations can be implemented; please contact DLRC as early in the semester as possible.
The following is this semester’s syllabus. This is subject to change, but if I make edits, I will update this post and note the changes here. [Updated: Sept 1st]
———
Object Sketching: Ideation/Illustration
Architecture/Interior Arch/Designed Objects 1006 Fall 2010 Monday/Wednesday, 6pm-9pm
Instructor: Craighton Berman Email: cberman at gmail.com (do not use my SAIC email address) Phone: 773.255.8594 Web: http://objectsketch.tumblr.com (you’re here)
Official course description:
Design ideas and evolving concepts such as an object’s form, function, volume, components, assembly and materiality are introduced to beginning level design students. Instruction focuses on a variety of 2D media (black/white and colored) but also includes basic instruction on using digital drawing software (Illustrator and Photoshop). Specific methods introduced in this class include freehand sketching for ideation, shaded and colored rendering, orthographic projection (plans, elevations and sections), one- and two-point perspective, and measured technical drawing. This course is most valuable when taken prior to DES OB 2006 Object Communication.
Additional thoughts:
Sketching is the most important and powerful tool you will posses as a designer.
Whether your goals are to develop commercial products or one-off editions, you will always need to use drawing to capture an idea for yourself, describe a detail to someone, or quickly present an idea. Sketching is a powerful tool for communication to clients or manufacturers. Sketching is an essential tool for thinking through the design of an object or space. Sketching is an iterative tool for understanding and working through details of your designs.
Beyond all of its functional uses, sketching is also an expressive form of visualization that can evoke emotions in both the viewer as well as yourself.
Goals:
To instill passion for the medium of sketching, and the unique role it plays in the design process
To make each student confident in their ability to capture, embody, and communicate their ideas in sketch form
To enable each student to be prolific in their output, clear in communication, and comfortable with techniques
To introduce a diverse selection of styles of sketching, and start students down the road of exploring and discovering their style and point-of-view. Your goal is to eventually discover the technique and style that fits your process of creation.
To introduce students to the concept of visual thinking and the use of sketching in a broader context
Class framework:
Sketching for design is a balance of three goals: ideation (thinking), visualization (understanding), and communication (transferring).
During ideation, you want to generate as many ideas as possible. More is better— with a balance between speed and communication.
During visualization, you are refining an idea. You are better understanding the form, the details, and the concept. This process is iterative— you may have to draw and redraw something dozens of times before it’s properly resolved.
During communication, you are transferring your ideas and refinements to somebody else, therefore it’s important to understand your audience, and select an appropriate medium and presentation technique. It’s important to communicate clearly with an appropriate level of detail and refinement.
Remember: Sketching is a medium to form and communicate ideas. Therefore each sketch is not precious— it’s a means to an end.
Students will be required to keep a personal sketchbook, and will share with the class periodically
Students will also be required to maintain a Tumblr account, which will be used as a for collecting inspiration images as well as assignments later in the semester.
Generally larger homework assignments will be assigned on Wednesdays, smaller ones on Mondays
There will be multiple small projects and two to three larger projects; both will require working outside of class
Standard Moleskine (or other bound sketchbook) This must be small enough to carry with you at all times, but not pocket sized.
Tracing paper (Bienfang or other inexpensive brand)
Marker Paper (Bienfang Graphics 360)
8.5x11 printer paper (provided in class, you’ll need your own out of class)
DRAWING TOOLS
Prismacolor Blue Pencils (Verithin [hard lead] & standard [soft lead])
Prismacolor Black & White Pencils (standard [soft lead])
Ballpoint pens (cheap Bic pens)
Felt tipped pens (Pilot Fineliner, Pilot Razorpoint, Sharpies-thin & thick)
Roller ball pens (Uniball, etc)
RENDER TOOLS
Markers (Prismacolor, Copic, Tria, etc) - At a minimum: 2 each Cool Grey 20%, 40%, 60%, Black. (+ a few accent colors in 2 tones [eg Dark blue, Med blue])
Prismacolor Colored Pencils - Basic set of 12 colors
Laptop with Adobe Photoshop (optional: Wacom tablet + Autodesk Sketchbook)
ALSO
Small portable pencil sharpener
Zippered pencil case - so you’ll always have your tools with you.
Coroflot - Design portfolio site. A great way to look at other students’ and professionals’ portfolios for sketching. Run by Core77.
Other websites and links will stream through this blog all semester, stay linked in!
Policies:
Enthusiasm and responsibility for the development of ones own work is the main criteria for the successful semester.
Each project will have a set of intermediate deadlines and reviews in order to properly pace and monitor the work of the class.
A “grade” of either SATISFACTORY or UNSATISFACTORY will be assigned after each of the exercises. In order to receive credit for the class, students must receive 4 satisfactory marks. Every effort will be given to allow students to work toward successful completion, even after the class has moved on to the next assignment.
SAIC policy on class attendance applies: Class begins at 6:00 PM; tardiness, absences, and leaving early will not be tolerated. 4 late arrivals will result in no credit and 3 absences will also result in no credit. If you are going to be late or miss a class it is your responsibility to email me or tell me in person.
Being that this is a studio class, please feel free to bring headphones and music to listen to during work sessions, however please be conscious of what’s happening around you, and stop the music if we start a critique or public discussion.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
If you have a disability for which you seek an accommodation, please contact SAIC’s Disability and Learning Resource Center (DLRC). DLRC can be contacted by phone at 312.499.4278 or by e-mailing dlrc@saic.edu. Staff at the Disability and Learning Resource Center will review your disability documentation and work with you to determine appropriate accommodations. DLRC will then provide you with a letter outlining approved accommodations. This letter must be presented to me before any accommodations can be implemented; please contact DLRC as early in the semester as possible.
