Syllabus

ILLUSTRATION | { T & TH 1:30-3:20 }

Professor Rachell Sumpter

 “Do whatever, just make it beautiful” – Art Director

This class is designed to develop your professional portfolio. You may complete the assignments using any media you choose. We will tackle three different illustration assignments, spending a concentrated period of time on each project while continuing to refine the completed ones. The assignments will be based upon real life experience as a professional illustrator. There will be a ideation phase, sketch phase and a final execution. 

“A good illustrator understands how to use the following elements: Concept, Composition, Color usage, Craftsmanship, Contemporary Style, Consistency, Commitment and Confidence – it sounds like a corporate mantra but its true. If you exercise a strong work ethic, which includes truly following your voice, consistently getting you work out there, and making no excuses, opportunities will present themselves.” 

 -The Education of an Illustrator

One other aspect of this course is to keep an 8 x10 sketchbook. I will give you these in class. You will be expected to fill ten pages a week for a total of one hundred pages (or a full sketchbook) by the end of the semester. I will check these each week, if there are ten complete pages you get your points, if there are less you get a zero. Your sketchbook is a place to play and for working on projects. It is a place to wander in and get lost. If you are excited and confident in your personal drawings this will translate into your client based work. Draw, draw, draw.

Grading System

SKETCHBOOK  [ 20 points ]

RESEARCH / INTERVIEW PAPER [ 10 points ]

PARTICIPATION [ 10 points ]

FINAL PRESENTATION OF WORK [ 10 points ]

FINAL PRESENTATION OF RESEARCH PROJECT [ 10 points ]

OP-ED Assignment [ 10 points ]

POSTER Assignment [ 20 points ]

BOOK COVER Assignment [ 10 points ]

TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE : 100

A : 92-100, A- : 92-90, B+ : 89-86, B : 86-84, B- : 83-80, C+ : 79-76, C : 75-72, C- :  71

Grading Policy and Attendance

You are allowed 3 absences per quarter. For each succeeding absence, one quarter of a grade point, or 2.5 will be deducted from you final grade. Three lates equal one absence. This is art department policy. Please do not use the computers or your personal electronic devices in class unless it is what we are doing as a class. If you need to text etc. please go outside the classroom.

Required Materials

A NEW 8x10 or larger sketchbook

Recommended Reading

Pricing and Ethical Guidelines by the Graphic Artist Guild

The Business of Illustration by Steven Heller and Theresa Fernandez

Understanding Comics; the Invisible Art by Scott McCloud

Graphic Style: From Victorian to Post-Modern by Stephen Heller and Seymour Chwast

Class Schedule ( s u b j e c t  t o  c h a n g e )

WEDNESDAY APRIL 2  1:30 – 3:20

1) Project 1 : OPED ILLUSTRATION / DESIGN

The oped section has a long history of trying out new designers and illustrators. The turn around times are quick and the artwork is typically black and white. The sizing and format can vary widely as well as the subject matter.
2) Listen to the Art Directors of the OPED section http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/post/33372802761/your-dreams-my-nightmares-episode-031-an
3) Video: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/09/25/opinion/opedat40-illustration.html? _R=0

MONDAY APRIL 7
1) Bring in your NEW YORK TIMES OP-ED article and six refined sketches. Be prepared to quickly summarize the article and your ideas to the class. Your final piece will be due next class. Group critique.

2) Complete 10 sketchbook pages [3 points]

3) Listen to the Sunday Times Editor http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/post/10821115043/your-dreams-my-nightmares-episode-003-an

WEDNESDAY 9

1) OP-ED Due [10 points]
The oped piece should be presented the size you would intend it to be printed at- at least an 8.5 x 11 printout. You should consider it the file you're sending to the lovely people at the New York Times as your final piece. It should not be mounted(though if it is that is okay). If you need to include text as it would be part of the layout then do so. If you think 8.5 x 11 is to small then make it bigger. Do what you need to do to make it look good.

2) Listen to Caldecott award winner Jon Klassen http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/post/47415506444/your-dreams-my-nightmares-episode-051-an
3) Have an idea of what book you would like to illustrate.

MONDAY APRIL 14

1) Bring in six sketches for a book cover of your choice. The final will be 7"W x9T"

Choose a book you know and love well.

2) Complete 10 sketchbook pages [3 points]

3) Listen to designer/illustrator Jessica Hische http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/post/33975004894/your-dreams-my-nightmares-episode-032-an

WEDNESDAY APRIL 16

1) Bring in further refinements of the book cover – as close to a finish as possible

2) Listen to Book Cover Illustrator Chris Silas http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/post/11996813221/your-dreams-my-nightmares-episode-006-an

MONDAY APRIL 21

1) Book Cover Due [10 points] 7x9" final
2) Complete 10 sketchbook pages [5 points]

3) Listen to an outstanding recent illustration grad Ping Zhu http://yourdreamsmynightmares.com/post/69338050603/your-dreams-my-nightmares-episode-072-an

WEDNESDAY APRIL 23 NO CLASS

MONDAY APRIL 28  

1) RESEARCH / INTERVIEW PAPER IS DUE  [10 points]

2) Complete 10 sketchbook pages [3 points]

3) Bring in ideas for a 17 x 22 poster – Subject matter of your choosing! Individual meetings.

4) Bring in further refinements of OPED and book cover if needed

WEDNESDAY APRIL 30

1) Refine poster sketch – group crit

MONDAY MAY 26 NO CLASS

WEDNESDAY MAY 28

1) Bring in small-scale version of poster close to finish

2) Complete 10 sketchbook pages [ 3 points ]

3) OPED and book cover refinements

MONDAY JUNE 2

1) Bring in large-scale version of poster tiled together. Group crit

WEDNESDAY JUNE 4

1) Poster Due [ 20 points ]

2) Complete 10 sketchbook pages [ 3 points ]

Final Presentations

Tuesday 6/10 1-3 p.m.

Five-minute presentation to share your research on a professional designer, illustrator or artist of your choosing. They must be living and someone you do not know already. [ 10 points ]

Bring in all three assignment’s and sketchbook for final grading. [ 10 points ]