GD 1000 - Typography

Credits: 3

This freshman-level course is an in-depth examination of the elements and principles of typography via hand-assembled and digital studio projects. Reader and audience demographics are also thoroughly covered. Upon successful completion of this course, students demonstrate conceptual and technical proficiencies with letterform structures, legibility, readability, text manipulation, typographic space, and communication hierarchies as well as an introduction to page layout applications.

Prerequisites: FD 1020 - 2D Design: Elements + Principles

Course Learning Outcomes:

Explain the anatomy and aesthetics of typography.
Compose type using fundamental aesthetic principles and skills.
Communicate visually using letters, words and paragraphs.
Discuss the history, theory and ideas behind typography.
Implement the fundamentals of page layout and basic grid systems.
Illustrate the importance of hierarchy and emphasis within typography.
Describe typographic personality, and its use in appealing to a defined target market.
Compare relationships between typography and effective communication.
Identify line and letter spacing, readability and legibility.
Apply knowledge of classifications, type families, fonts and pairing type.

Required Textbooks:
ON-CAMPUS: Typographic Design: Form + Communication (7th Edition) - ISBN: 9781119312567

ON-CAMPUS: The Complete Manual of Typography - ISBN: 9780321127303

ONLINE:Typographic Design: Form + Communication (7th Edition) - ISBN: 9781119312567
Course Materials:

Laptop
External Hard Drive (1 TB+)
Tracing Paper Pad and/or Drafting Film
Sketchbook
Colored pencil or color fine tip marker
18” cork backed ruler
Exacto Knife & Blades (or Utility Knife) #11 blades
Small 45º or 60/30º Triangle
Artist’s Tac
Masking or artist’s tape
Foam Core board
Grafix Aritst-Tac or spray adhesive

**Materials may vary depending on the instructor, make sure to check with your professor before purchasing.