Design and Visual Communication

Code:

CC014

Acronym:

DCVIS

Instance: 2011/2012 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Communication Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CC	143	Plano Oficial a partir de 2008/2009	1	-	5	52	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Introduction to design processes. Study the graphic language and its elements. Define methodologies, exploration and analysis of design, development and implementation of project ideas. Understand the role of design in the graphic record of information and in the formal organisation of the elements of thought. Understand the visual communication design as an intended purpose. Reflect on the key functions of design in its didactic, communicational and artistic component.

Program

1. Introduction to Visual Communication Design. Defining the concept. Elements of the semiotics of image. Gestalt theory or the theory of form. Basic elements of visual communication (image building). Visual communication techniques. 2. Visual communication design. The century of printing and the book. The centuries of transition and standardisation. The Industrial Revolution. The modern era. Post-modern design. Graphic design in the global village. 3. Printing. Defining the concept. Anatomy of type. The word image. The letter as a visual element of phonetic representation and as graphism, independent from its textual function. 4. The image. Defining the concept. The meaning of images. The language of image. Illustration and infography. Photography, the new communication tool. The relation between the word and the image. 5. Colour. Defining the concept. The theory of colour. The meanings of colour. Attributes of colour. Standardised colour systems. Applying colour to visual communication. 6. The graphic process. Editing. Layout. Size and format. Grid and margins. Layout styles. Selecting images. Photography vs. illustration. Production. Printing means. Correction of colour prints. Electronic production. Designing various graphic, newspaper, magazine, book and other products.

Mandatory literature

Meggs, Philip; A History of Graphic Design, Wiley & Sons, 1998
Arheim, Rudolf; Arte & Percepção Visual, Pioneira, 1988
Munari, Bruno; Design e Comunicação Visual, Ed. 70, 1991
Munari, Bruno; Artista e designer, Ed. 70
Satué, Enric; El Diseño Gráfico-Desde los orígenes hasta nuestros dias, Alianza Editorial, 1990

Complementary Bibliography

Meggs, Philip; Type as Image: The language of Graphic design, Wiley & Sons
Ambrose, Harris; Image, Ava. Acadenis, 2005
Itten, Johannes; The art of color: The experience and Objective Rationale of Color, Wiley & Sons
Barthes, Roland; Elementos de Semiologia, Ed. 70, 1989
Tufte, Edward R.; Beautiful evidence, 2006
Tufte, Edward R.; The visual display of quantitative information, 2006
Tufte, Edward R.; Visual explanations : images and quantitatives, evidence and narrative, 1997
Tufte, Edward R.; Envisioning information, 2006

Teaching methods and learning activities

Expository theoretical classes on programme contents, along with projections and comments using audiovisual aids. Supervision, discussion and analysis of assignments done by students on the topics of the subject.

Software

Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Macromedia Freehand

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	52,00
	Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	57,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
	Estudo autónomo	26
	Total:	26,00

Eligibility for exams

Mandatory attendance of 75% of classes, unless established otherwise by general law and in the FLUP Assessment Regulations.

Calculation formula of final grade

Continuous assessment (100%)

Examinations or Special Assignments

Failure to attend 75% of classes, in the cases established by law, may require an oral discussion of the assessment items presented, to be indicated by the lecturer by the end of the respective semester, and a new written test on the subject contents.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

As provided in the FLUP Assessment Regulations.

Classification improvement

As provided in the FLUP Assessment Regulations.

Observations

Proposals for continuous assessment work whose contents have not been discussed and supervised by the lecturer will not be accepted. Classes will be scheduled for the submission of assignments.
Except in cases provided by the regulations, failure to meet the deadlines for submitting course work given by the lecturer will professor, will affect the assessment. All assignments must be submitted in digital format and be properly identified.