Visual Communications I

COMD-201-08

Sophomore All Students

In the Visual Communication I & II courses you will explore the creative process of making images that can move ideas and information to the minds of others. 

The general principles studied and practiced in these courses are the foundation of creative thinking and successful solutions for graphic design, illustration, and advertising art direction communication problems. These are not courses in mere page layout, media techniques or making beautiful pictures.

Understanding how we respond to imagery is the key to creating pictures and words that communicate a message. Responses can be varied and complex, but basically can be described as conceptual and/or perceptual.

A perceptual response deals primarily with the aesthetic qualities of an image such as the abstract pattern of form, the color, and the beauty of execution.

Conceptual response concerns the significance of imagery. In order for us to respond conceptually, it is not enough for the image to be simply appropriate or beautiful-the picture elements must stand for something, and they must be presented in a new or invented relationship. If they are merely a representation of life as it exists, we not only don't need to ideate, but respond with "I've seen it before."

Since we are already somewhat familiar with perceptual forms of art and design, these courses stress conceptual solutions to assignments. If such an emphasis isn't made, solutions tend to be pretty but mindless, with the major emphasis on technique.

Each assignment covers a different aspect of the creative communication process and generally presents visual problems that can be solved in any media-from painting to photography to computer graphics. Most assignments are three weeks in duration: (1) roughs, (2) revised sketches, and (3) finished comps. There will be four to five assignments each semester.

Class time is devoted to lectures and critiques where students are asked to critique their classmates' displayed work. Such evaluations are very important in the development of self-analytical judgment.