HAND LETTTERS / IL254
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a study of letter forms in hand drawn form. Students will learn the basic descriptions of letters, learn to create letters that are legible, illegible, abstractions, expressive forms, descriptive of a theme or mood, formally correct, patterns, textures and experimental. Everything starts with hand drawn forms, but will also employ manipulation. Historical roots of handlettering will be covered and examples of contemporary hand lettering will be shown.
SKETCHBOOKS
You are required to bring a dedicated sketchbook to every class, critique and meeting. One with a wiro binding is easiest to make photocopies from. Each week you are required to draw one alphabet in your sketchbook. Pin up a photocopy of your alphabet at the start of each class. This will count as 25% of your grade. Spend about 1 hr on your sketchbook alphabet in addition to your assignment. As an alternate, you can also take photos of letterforms you find in the world. You would need 10 images printed on one sheet of 8.5x11” to act as a substitute for a full alphabet sketch.
PROJECTS – CLASS BLOG
You will be given a project sheets that will detail your assignments and the assignments will be posted on the class blog at www.handletters.blogspot.com. Pls make sure you check this each week.
GRADES
Consult the Academic Bulletin for information on grading letters and what you need to earn each. Work ethic, homework, crit participation, quality of work, creativity/originality and attendance are all important factors in your grade. Your general progress is noted during the semester. Pay attention to crits and make changes accordingly. One grade is given at the end of the term.
ABSENCES
Two absences lowers your grade one letter, three absences lowers by 1.5 letters, 4 absences equals course failure. Lateness after class begins, or on returning from lunch or break equals ½ absence. Excused absences for medical reasons require a note from your doctor.
HOMEWORK
Budget approximately 3 hours for your homework. Keep up with your assignments, pin them up at the start of the class when they are due. Make your pin-up presentation looks well planned.
SUGGESTED SUPPLIES
Sketchbook approx 8x10 wiro-bound
Tracing paper
Pencil
Sharpener
Eraser
Pen such as a Sharpie, rollerball, brushtip marker, etc.
Small steel ruler
Tape [any kind]
Glue stick
Scissors
#8 round tip brush [approx. 5/8” [one good for waterbased media]
India Ink, black tempera or other black liquid paint
9x12 pad of Layout Paper, stack of copier paper and/or small sketchbook
Digital camera [stand-alone or cell camera]
IMPORTANT
Earbuds are out unless we are working in class. Turn cellphones on vibrate or mute.
MIDTERMS
Midterm assessments will be on Tues Mar 8th. Come prepared to show all work done to date.
FINAL CRITS
Final class is on Tues May 3rd. Attendance at the final crit is mandatory. No exceptions.
ADA COMPLIANCE
Learning Resource Center ADA Compliance Statement Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss specific needs. Please contact the Learning Resource Center at 410-225-2416, in Bunting 458, to establish eligibility and coordinate reasonable accommodations. For additional information please refer to: http://www.mica.edu/LRC
HEALTH & SAFETY COMPLIANCE
From the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)
It is the responsibility of faculty and students to practice health and safety guidelines relevant to their individual activities, processes, and to review MICA's Emergency Action Plan and attend EHS training. It is each faculty member's responsibility to coordinate with the EHS Office to ensure that all risks associated with their class activities are identified and to assure that their respective classroom procedures mirror the EHS and Academic Department guidelines. Each of these policies and procedures must be followed by all students and faculty. Most importantly, faculty are to act in accordance with all safety compliance, state and federal, as employees of this college and are expected to act as examples of how to create art in a way to minimize risk, and reduce harm to themselves and the environment. Faculty must identify, within each art making process, and require personal protection equipment use, by each student for each class, when applicable. Students are required to purchase personal protection equipment appropriate to their major. Those students who do not have the proper personal protection equipment will not be permitted to attend class until safe measures and personal protection is in place.
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Projects 01 & 02
IN-CLASS Project 01: Blog Banner – Develop the handlettered artwork for the class blog www.handletters.blogspot.com. Requirement: 660x193 pixels [W x H] in 72dpi, color. Needs to say: HandLetters Class Blog. Finish in class and bring 72dpi file in to post next week. We will choose one to use.
HOMEWORK : Project 01: Calisthenics Exercises – Letter/Word/Text
Exercise One: Letter
Take a few slices of bread, wreck it, mold it, squeeze or pull it to make a set of letters. Use the scraps, remainders and slabs of the bread. Do this again, and take risks with how the letter is formed. The rule is we MUST know what the letter is without you telling us. When you have a good one, scanner or photo copy it. Try to not be precious with the shapes! Scan or photocopy these same size at 300dpi.
Exercise Two: Word
Choose 4 short words, write then in block uppercase letterform, stare at them memorizing their shapes. Place a pad of paper on your lap, close your eyes and draw the words starting with the inside forms [counters], then the outside of the forms on top. Try to do this freely! Cover several sheets of paper with your words. Things can overlap and not line up. Scan or photocopy these at 300dpi.
Exercise Three: Text
At arms length, use a dark marking took [brush and ink, marker, charcoal] to write a paragraph [your choice of words]. Do this with your arm as far from your body as possible! Your letterforms can be imperfect but try to make the words somewhat legible. Scan or photocopy these at 300dpi.
Finals: Make 9 interesting 5x7” compositions using your Letter / Word / Text exercises selectively combining the elements you created. These are due next week. Use Photoshop to make compositions. Save files as 300dpi and as 72dpi for the blog.
Name your files FirstNameLastName_P1a-300_HandLetters11.jpg [use lowercase letter b for the second composition, letter c for the third and so on]
Output Size: 5x7” VERTICAL.
Medium: digital printout trimmed to size – no borders.
Finals: Make the presentation look good, pin up at start of class. I’ll learn a lot about how you think
and work from this project.
Bring your 72dpi finals on a drive to class to be posted on the blog.
Essential Qualities: Abstraction, pattern, dynamic composition. See the letters each for their unique
form, respond to the marks and texture of the hand drawn mark.
Reading Assignment : Read the sections on LETTER and TEXT at this site http://www.thinkingwithtype.com/
Video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajjg3faIQ5A&feature=fvw
