[] readme register schedule participants assignment(s) resource(s) _

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visual design -- guidelines

_ .. / ... / art(s) / game(s) / idea(s) / cycle(s) / _ / .

The goal of the course visual design is to get you familiar with various aspects of design, as detailed in the original proposal.

You may well understand that the Faculty of Exact Sciences is not the natural habitat of such a course, and these guidelines and regulations are provided, not only to give you an idea of what the course will offer but also to counter-act against the potential risks involved.

perspective(s)

In general the course aims at establishing aesthetic awareness, by providing suitable exercises and assignments. In addition, you are supposed to become familiar with the craft of design, which necessarily involves the use of tools and techniques.

track(s) -- perspective:

To accomodate for the various interests and backgrounds of the students following this course, we distinguish between several tracks, as summarized below.

track(s) -- perspective

styling -- concept and presentation
digital content -- material, animation
tech track -- special effects

process:

The process of design is very complex, ranging from conceptual explorations and sketching up to the stage of finalizing delivery.

process

spectrum -- sketch ... finalize
ignore/exploit -- the rethorics of the material

As a rule, try to master the material, and do not let the material master you.

cognitive modes

It is generally recognized that there are different cognitive modes at work when working in different phases of the design.

cognitive modes

reflect -- sketch
experience -- finalize

tools:

Clearly, you need to choose the tools appropriate for the problem you work on.

tools

sketch -- paper & pencil, text editor, simple drawing program
finalize -- photoshop, maya, rendering engine, etcetera

guest speakers:

To assist you in finding your creative path, we will have a number of guest speakers, experts from a variety of disciplines, that will tell about their work from a personal perspective.

guest speakers

game(s) -- concept(s) & realization(s)
art -- to provide (a change of) perspective
concept(s) -- to establish an alternat(iv)e (approach) to reality
visual design -- styling, design, aesthetics, management

These experts will also take part in judging your portfolio.

deliverable(s)

Design results in a number of products. This may, but need not necessarily, include the final product. It must, however, include the earlier stages of concept formation and sketches.

products:

For the final assignment you must, dependent on the track chosen, deliver any one of the following products.

products

web site -- e.g. conference, campain (browse)
2D/3D animation -- promotion/ad (temporal sequence)
virtual space -- game/infotainment (navigate)
ebook -- story (sequential experience)

As indicated between brackets, each of the products favors a particular mode of interaction.

portfolio -- design as a product:

Regardless of which specific assignment you have chosen, the results of the process of design must be collected in a portfolio.

portfolio -- design as a product

concept(s)
sketches & explorations
finalized products
evaluation & reflection

Note, that the portfolio itself must be regarded as a product (of design).

themes and variations:

For the assignments and exercises you should select a theme, which may also determine the range of possible end-products. As themes, we suggest:

themes and variations

design a house style for ...
non-linear visual storytelling
game design -- style, content and effects

game design:

But even within one theme, such as game design, there are several options, dependent on the track your are most comfortable with.

game design

style -- develop concept, plot and visual assets for a game of choice
content -- develop environments, models and animations for a game of choice
effects -- develop models, textures and special effects (shaders) for a game of choice

exercise(s)

To learn any craft, you must generally acquire some basic skills.

assignments -- basic exercises

Although more detailed assignments will be given later, as basic exercises you may think of the following:

assignments -- basic exercises

text-only logo -- 3D text
story plot -- with sketches
visual workshop -- experiment with graphic features

templates:

To assist you in developing a portfolio, you must develop some templates, that serve as a model when creating your portfolio.

templates

portfolio page -- content & layout
visual labs -- text, images, movies
tech lab -- shaders, models, ...

regulation(s)

The first requirement when working in an area such as visual design is that you acquire sufficient self-discipline to find the challenge in the assignments and to complete the tasks involved.

rules:

To ensure that the course runs in an acceptable way, we have to impose some strict rules.

rules

be present -- 2 omissions max.
be in time -- hard deadlines
be online -- have your portfolio available
be creative -- don't steal without a reason/mentioning
be smart -- there is no 2nd chance

At the risk of stating the obvious, please show respect to the guest-speakers. They are experts in their own field, although they may not be as computer-wise as some of you.

remarks:

Design is an interesting field, full of implicit (not always so obvious) wisdom and apparent paradoxes.

remarks

if you cannot make it, fake it
you may (have to) reverse engineer your design
deliver -- silence is lethal
be authentic -- but only if possible

final remarks:

And of course, in a time in which so much information is availbale as in ours, a statement like the following cannot be omitted.

final remarks

... postmodern design is of a highly reflective nature ... appropriating design of the past ... in other words, sampling is allowed but no plagianarism

reflection(s)

When working on your favorite theme, within the track of you choice, it is well worth reflecting on what you are doing, and perhaps ask yourselves why ....

essay topics:

So, do some additional reading and write an essay (up to 5 pages) addressing on of the topics suggested below.

essay topics

2D vs 3D aesthetics
animation -- stills, sequences and stories
elements of style -- diversity and confluence

Or, if you think of a better topic, try to get it approved by your supervisor.

peer review:

You also need to acquire and exercise some critical skills. So you will be invited to perform a peer review, that is a critical assessment of your collegues' work.

peer review

creativity, productivity, quality

You will also be asked for a self-assessment!

recommended literature

David Dabner, Design and Layout: Understanding and Using Graphics, Quarto Publishing Inc.
Simon Danaher, Digital 3D Design, Thomson 2004
David Santiago Creating 3D Effects for Film, TV and Games, Thomson 2005

A. Eliëns (nov 2004)

[] readme register schedule participants assignment(s) resource(s) _

/ .

visual design -- guidelines

_ .. / ... / art(s) / game(s) / idea(s) / cycle(s) / _ / .

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perspective(s)

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track(s) -- perspective:

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process:

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cognitive modes

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tools:

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guest speakers:

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deliverable(s)

products:

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portfolio -- design as a product:

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themes and variations:

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game design:

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exercise(s)

assignments -- basic exercises

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templates:

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regulation(s)

rules:

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remarks:

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final remarks:

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reflection(s)

essay topics:

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peer review:

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recommended literature

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