Welcome to Intro to Graphic Design

Sorry I can’t be there with you all today, having a bit of car trouble and I’m stranded. Thanks to the amazing technology Google has provided us with free of charge, that will not stop us!  In fact, my not being there may make some of you quite happy, as we get to avoid that awful bit of standing up and telling everyone your name and why your here... Since we don’t have to do that lets move on to the next part.

As for me, I am your Professor, Chad Adelhardt. My graphic arts history in a nutshell: I have been in this field since 1987, and teaching it since 1998. I started as a sign painter, then to pasteup and Illustration, (yes, real paint and brushes and stuff). In the early to mid 90s moved to digital, and began doing web design, Then in the late 90s I expanded into printmaking and photography. 

The syllabus, class plan/calendar can all be found over there >>>> in the various links as described. Please read them all carefully at your own time. We will be reviewing them soon.

What it is and what isn't

Ok, lets start with what this class is and is not. First the not part, this is not a software class. Many people sign up for this class thinking that they are going to learn Photoshop, or Illustrator or some other cool computer things. That’s not what we are about here... well, ya, we will learn a bit about both those things, but what we are ABOUT is DESIGN! 

So what is that? 

‘That’ is a, pronoun, adjective, adverb, or conjunction. When used as a pronoun... 

(crickets, blank stairs from the audience, silence...)

Oh! Sorry! You want to know what ‘design’ is –  not ‘that’. Actually ‘that’ is much easier to describe than design, but lets give it a shot. For our purposes, basically design is studying and understanding how things fit together or how we can better fit things together to capture peoples attention, be interesting, and most importantly communicate an idea (we will be calling ideas, concepts from now on). As the name of the class implies, that is what the class is all about, so we will probably be talking about this in more detail soon. 

We will be using all kinds of material to achieve this lofty goal, including computers, and the software mentioned above, but we will also be using paper, pencils, ink, brushes, scissors, exacto knives, markers, and lots of other things. 

Check out, read, and watch this page from the American Institute of Graphic Design, to get a little better understanding of WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN? 

So, lets get on to what we need to do. 

• 1. Set up a Gmail Account, and send me an email from it. adelhardt.ddm@gmail.com. The class Intro to Graphic Design, is to be the subject, and Your full name is to in the body (the part you type your email in). Fill in ALL of the alternate email phone number etc options so if and or when you forget you password it can be retrieved easily. Click the ‘Tech’ link to over there >>>>>

FAQ 1 : HUUUUUUU... can I use my email? No

FAQ 2 : HUUUUUUU... can I use Yahoo? No

FAQ: HUUUUUUU... can I use? No, it must be Gmail. Gmail is much more than just email. we will be using the tools provided by Google for a lot of the class. 

DON’T forget to send me an email after you get your account set up instructed above. Its the easies A you will ever get.

• 2. Get some materials: (You can go to the syllabus and collect all of the materials listed, but these are the ones we will be using this week. (The best place to get all of this is in one stop, and where they will know what your asking for in Gallup is Buttler’s  next to Albertsons.)

You will need this for the second assignment on Tuesday. (first assignment is sending the gmail)

a. Some BLACK Sharpie Marker, Try to get at least 2 or 3 thicknesses. 

b. One tablet of Tracing paper. (Don’t listen to the students who have taken the class before, you will be using it more than they did.)

c. Pencil 

d. 1 or 2 full page advertisements from a magazine (no spreads, ads that extend across 2 or more pages). 

If you want a minimum list of materials that we will be using over the next couple of weeks, here ya go...

• Exacto knife
• 24 in steel ruler
• Scissors
• Rubber Cement
• A tablet of Bristol Board or a few sheets of card stock 

3. If you really want to get started on the computer side of things, after you set up your email you can set up your blog. We will be using this soon. Instructions also in the tech link over there >>>>

Again, Sorry I couldn’t be with you today, hope your semester is getting off to a great start. See you soon. If you have any question please don’t hesitate to email, and don’t forget to send me an email as your assignment above describes. 

Did I mention that the email is actually your first assignment? And you will be getting 100 points just for sending it before our next class meeting?

OK, Have a GREAT day, and see you soon!

ADDITIONAL: There is a new link in the 'Links' section over there >>>>
Check it out. It has some general how to videos that are useful to all DDM classes