Spring 2022 Design Courses

This course explores user-centered interface design for screen-based, interactive experiences. Applying information design principles and programming design strategies, students will create advanced functional prototypes while practicing the UX/UI process, including research, content architecture, wireframing, usability testing, visual design and iterative development. Students will deliver responsive websites and mobile applications, investigate the unique possibilities of mobile devices, and consider alternate digital canvases. The course will emphasize clear organization and communication, typographic refinement and visual execution. Studio work will be supported by lectures and readings. Prerequisites: Visual Principles for the Screen, Word & Image I, or interaction foundations or instructor

Course number: F20 ART 440T
Faculty: Amy Auman

Typeface design deals with language, culture, technology, visual perception, and systems design. Students will explore these areas in addition to the basics of typeface design. They will define clear purposes and outcomes for their work including research, designing letterforms and spacing, and creating functional fonts with professional software. The course introduces concepts, technologies, and current issues in the field. We will focus on text and display typefaces for the Latin script; however, we will introduce a range of historical models and explore the cultural impacts typefaces can have. Software used is Mac only, lab computers will be available if student does not have access to a Mac laptop. Prerequisites: Digital Studio and Type 1

Course number: F10 ART 336R
Faculty: Ben Kiel

This course emphasizes immersive and multisensory user experiences in complex structural applications for a range of devices and contexts. Students will creatively apply advanced concepts in html, css, and javascript in the development of delightful and adaptable user experiences. Through studio projects, critiques, readings, discussions, and lectures, students will build on foundational knowledge in creative coding. They will explore new tools, languages, and processes as well as enhanced forms of user research, usability testing, and experience architecture.

Course number: F10 ART 336B
Faculty: Jonathan Hanahan

The demand for graphic literacy in contemporary culture is only increasing, redefining our need to understand how design functions and why. How can products and communication be crafted with the user in mind? How can design facilitate seamless, intuitive digital experiences? This studio course will address considerations for web, mobile, and other screen-based applications, addressing hierarchy, typography, iconography, layout, color, and image. This course is ideal for students seeking to learn fundamental graphic design and messaging principles, and produce robust, researched website and mobile application prototypes. Studio work will be supplemented by supporting lectures and readings. Lab optional.

Course number: F20 ART 338S
Faculty: Becca Leffell Koren
Faculty: Eric Nunez

This course traces the history of graphic design from the origins of ancient writing systems to the turn of this century, with content that is organized both chronologically and thematically. We will examine the work and methodologies of design movements and participants, and we will critically consider the reciprocal relationship with cultural shifts, sociopolitical factors, and technologies. Focus will lie heavily upon Western European tradition in the 20th century. This course counts toward the degree program as an Art History/Visual Culture elective, and and it also counts toward the design minor.

Course number: F20 ART 326J
Faculty: Tyler Stallings

In this course, students will create images appropriate for surface design application to products. Students will work toward developing icons and motifs using shape-based illustration, design, composition, hierarchy and thoughtfully considered color. Exploration will include visual content, artists, audiences, and trends in a fluid marketplace. Projects for this course will be in the applied context of gift and home decor markets, fabric design, stationery products, and toys. All skill levels of drawing and digital proficiency are welcome. This course is appropriate for art students whose work focuses on images/packages, design minors, and non-Sam Fox students interested in developing visual products.

Course number: F20 ART 338B
Faculty: Christine Bosch

This course explores traditional and experimental 3D animation in a short film format. Beginning students will learn polygon and NURBS modeling, texturing, lighting, rigging props, and characters in Maya. A storyboard, animatic and final rendered short will be developed for two major projects. Advanced skill sets include development, character design, 3D modeling, rigging, visual effects, sound, and rendering. No prerequisites or previous experience required. This course can be taken multiple times at either the beginner or advanced level, and it is open to students of all levels across the university. Graduate and advanced students can build independent projects with permission of the instructor.

Course number: F20 ART 336L
Faculty: Jonathan Navy

This multidisciplinary seminar course will cover historical and contemporary contexts of socially engaged work within art and design disciplines. Students will explore various processes that artists and designers use to address, influence, and inspire change around systemic social issues. In addition, through in-class collaborative workshops, students will apply a “systems thinking approach” to a select number of real-world social issues in order to gain a better understanding of how these issues are shaped by policies and individual experiences. This course will also include a final group project completed in partnership with a local community-based organization in which students will apply creative-problem solving processes such as human-centered design, equity-centered design, , design activism, and social justice to arrive at collective impact. Models of social change from other disciplines such as social entrepreneurship and innovation, non-profit models, and public-interest design will be featured through guest lectures, field trips to community-based organizations, case studies, readings and written reflections.

Course number: F20 ART 336L
Faculty: Penina Acayo Laker

Through a blend of presentations from practitioners, classroom lectures, readings, discussion and hands-on exercises, this class will engage principles and methods of interaction design within the context of health challenges. Broadly defined, interaction design is the practice of designing products, environments, systems, and services with a focus on behavior and user experience. We will take on an in-depth challenge in the area of health and well-being and work in cross-disciplinary design teams with an external partner organization. Students will gain experience in planning and executing a human centered design process featuring research, ideation, synthesis, concept development, prototypes and a final presentation, which may include visual design, animation, and sound. Students will work in teams to develop several intermediate project deliverables, such as prototypes and sketches. No prior coursework is necessary though experience with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign are helpful.

Course number: F20 ART 336A
Faculty: Annemarie Spitz

Fashion styling, marketing, and public relations techniques are engaged to develop and execute a promotion and exhibition plan for fashion products. Empasis is on creativity and innovation, particularly by harnessing technology, to enhance contemporary fashion promotion and exhibition. Students plan and execute the annual Fashion Design Show, highlighting the fashion design Senior Capstone collections. In-class discussions, lectures, guest speakers, and active planning are accompanied by readings, video analyses, and on-site production work.

Course number: F20 ART 324J
Faculty: Mary Ruppert-Stroescu

This course introduces students to an experimental and conceptual approach to textile and fashion design. Students will explore a variety of media for expressive communication of surface and structural design. The course addresses the relationship, crossover and theories of fashion design and art. Studio work will be informed through research, experimentation and prototype development.

Course number: F20 ART 336L
Faculty: Claire Thomas-Morgan