Sketchbook

Design 2330: Visualization Principles

Assignment 1: Sketchbook

Description

In this project you will explore how narratives play a role in helping designers communicate. Ideas are communicated and supported with a variety of visual (and non-visual) strategies, methods, and styles. This often begins with the practice of mapping out our ideas in a “simple” sketchbook.  

For our assignment purposes, a sketchbook is a “book” of or for drawing or literary sketches. It provides a space to work-out and hold ideas. We will revisit this traditional book form by constructing our own sketchbooks for use throughout the term. We encourage you to use it to visualize the stories behind the ideas you are creating for class and in creative explorations.

Objectives

Upon completion of this assignment, you will be able to:

  • Organize and communicate creative process information, techniques, and ideas in a personal and professional format. 
  • Effectively and creatively apply material construction techniques to create a durable and usable repository for design processes and ideas.  
  • Research art & design histories and identify how other artists and designers communicate ideas in forms like sketchbooks. 
  • Evaluate and apply elements & principles of visual style recording to support a narrative that focuses on developing creative identities 
  • Apply drawing techniques to communicate and express content in different visual styles and methods. 
  • Confidently express ideas and learned vocabularies through participation in class discussion, critiques, and creative collaborations.  

Process

  1. Read and Note: 

The Pleasure in Drawing, Jean-Luc Nancy.
Sketching as Design Thinking, Hoffman. 

Listen to:
https://www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown_doodlers_unite?language=en 

further listening: 

2. Exercise 1: Mini Sketchbook!  

Design and construct a mini sketchbook (or mini zine).
You will be using the concept of a mind map to illustrate your mini book

3. Collect materials: Scrap drawing paper (reuse, renew, recycle!)- left-overs from autumn term plus additional collected papers, front and back cover materials, and stitching materials (see materials list). 

4. Construct sketchbook (refer to demo and tutorials). 

  • Design and create a vector (or raster image) for your sketchbook cover and back in Illustrator. 
  • Cut and etch. 
  • Design page layout and/or signatures- consider requirements such as hidden or surprise element! 
  • Practice binding techniques
  • Bind book
  • Begin sketching

5. Your sketchbook submission will be focused on the completion of the book form and a set of initial inputs (drawings, notes, ideas) and organizational elements that get you started with establishing the narrative outline or structures of your sketchbook. Because keeping a sketchbook can be a deeply personal process, there is an optional 2nd submission to purposefully use your sketchbook. You will submit 3-5 detailed images per submission to help us focus on content and techniques.

Requirements

  • Size: Minimum- 5” x 7”, Maximum- 9” x 12” 
  • Minimum page (leaf) count: 30 
  • Your sketchbook must be bound (recommended method: spiral bound or Coptic) 
  • Your sketchbook cover design: Must utilize laser cutter process. 
  • Your sketchbook back design: Must include your name, course, year. 
  • Materials for your sketchbook can vary but… we highly encourage you to recycle found and collected materials. 
  • Your sketchbook must include text and drawings. 
  • Your sketchbook must include a surprise or hidden element. 
  • Your sketchbook must include a minimum of three different media. 
  • You are encouraged you to use your sketchbook throughout the entire term. If/when you fill this sketchbook, you may make more! If you make more, you are required to create a “branding” element or quality to the design (all sketchbooks are branded to you!)

Advancements for optional 2nd submission April 14th

Option 1- Use your sketchbook for assignment ideation techniques, information gathering and reflections. Sketching, mind-mapping, etc. exploring visual communication techniques.

Option 2- Focused and extensive practice with drawing techniques explored in both terms with special attention to perspective drawing, orthographic and isometric drawing techniques.

Option 3- 100 objects! Observe and visually record found objects with a variety of drawing techniques and drawing tools.

 

Deliverables

Submission due dates:

  • February 3rd – sketchbook design 
  • April 14th – optional submission of advancements

Physical submission: Designed and Constructed Sketchbook 

A single PDF: Format: Identify- your name, class, term. Organize pages by providing headings and labels to your images:  upload to Carmen assignment. 

Include: 

    • 3 labeled images of the sketchbook: book closed, book open, detail 
    • 1-3 labeled images of contents
    • Please use this format for creating your file name: Sketchbook_YourName_SP23Vis.pdf 

2. A link to your Process: sketchbook process journal in the Carmen comment box 

  • See posts here for more information on creating blog posts. 
  • Contents of your process post 
    • Research  
    • Exercise 1 with concise supportive process images 
    • Iterations 
    • Construction 
    • Final images 

Rubric

Submission 1: 90 pts 

Optional Submission 2: 10 pts 

Criteria Pts
Process
Process

General process work: Active testing/research, technical practice compositing details through iteration and tool and material exploration

Requirements met and instructions followed

 10 pts
Process

Process Post: Quality of documented process including exercises, readings, and composition iterations.

 10pts
Participation / Professionalism

Participation in discussions and critique; Attendance and preparedness to work; Meeting checkpoints and deadlines.

 10 pts
Submission 1- Sketchbook design

 

20pts: intentionally crafted- material/media requirements and opportunities (recycling), functional, durable

 

20pts: intentionally and creatively composed/organized

 

10pts: thorough and creative use of sketchbook

  

 

 

Final
Outcome

 50 pts
Exercise 1: Mini Sketchbook 10pts
Submission 2: 10pts

 

Dynamic use of Sketchbook for assignments, techniques, and ideas: documentation of multiple moments in progress, research, iteration

 

 10pts
Total Points: 100.0

Assignment Calendar

This calendar is a basic guideline for topic exploration and is subject to change as we work together toward the final outcome. 

1/11 Course introduction
Assignment 1 introductionHomework: Collect materials
1/13 Exercise 1: Mini-Sketchbook design
1/18 Exercise 1: Mini-Sketchbook design
1/20 Sketchbook construction
1/25 Sketchbook construction
1/27 Sketchbook construction
2/1 Sketchbook construction
2/3 Sketchbook Submission 1 due upload PDF to Carmen assignments and link to completed assignment blog.
4/14 Optional Sketchbook Submission 2 due