ART 650 graphic design for the world wide web

Syllabus

ART 650 graphic design for the world wide web
section #3382

SPRING 2006

Instructor: Larissa Bank

Meeting Time: Thursday, 5:40pm-9:55pm

Room: ART 3304

class Site: http://www.larabank.com/class

Office Hours: by appointment

Description: An introduction to web site design and production, with an emphasis on specific production languages: HTML and JavaScript, and software: Dreamweaver. This course will give the student a working knowledge of these tools and methods to produce sites that are both functional and well thought out, in terms of usability and design.

The student will learn how sites are built from flowcharts to functioning prototypes to fully designed projects. Evaluation will be based on the realisation of a website. This will involve self-motivation and problem solving. It will be necessary to keep up with all phases of the class to fully succeed.

Participation in discussions and critiques is mandatory. We will be presenting and critiquing work and evaluating the current state and discourse of web economy. This is meant to engage and give a sense of purpose to the production of web based work. The student must be prepared to discuss and present their work on specific due dates.

Course Prerequisites: Art 604 graphic design 1

Required Texts:

HTML For the World Wide Web w/XHTML and CSS (Visual QuickStart Guide), 5th edition, Elizabeth Castro, Peach Pit Press. $19.99

Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 for Windows and Macintosh, J.Tarin Towers, Peach Pit Press. $21.99

Optional Texts:

The Art and Science of Web Design, Jeffrey Veen, New Riders, 2000. $45.00

Materials and Supplies:

•USB flash drive: 64mb-256mb: recommended: 128mb (can be bought at Target, Fry’s, etc. for around $20-30. Target has some for $19.99)
•external hard drive
•CD’s to burn every class (permitting that the computer you are on has a burner)

Course Goals:

Knowledge of basic technology/web terms
A thorough understanding of HTML and Dreamweaver
A working knowledge of JavaScript and some Flash
Web site development: planning and implementation
An awareness of site usability, interactivity, navigation, and the breadth of design applied to the web.
Critical analysis of web content and functionality
The completion of one portfolio project site and weekly assignments

Process for Evaluation:

You will produce 1 large projects built upon the skills gained by the weekly lessons and assignments. So save all in class assignments, you can use them to build the final project. Emphasis will be placed on planning, organization, and deadlines. The more prepared to work and participate in class you are, the more successful you will be.

Initial Proposal

Mid-Project Evaluations-

Layout/Design Package

flow-chart/storyboard (on paper or digital file)
Photoshop mock-up of home page.
zip disk with folder containing: graphics (jpgs, gifs). Also completed files of other media types to be added to site (ex. Quicktime movies, Director files, Flash files, animated gif files,etc.)

Final Project-Website (at least 7 pages or more)

The Site Must have:

•text

•links

•images

•frames or tables

•functioning email link

optional:

•1 functioning pop-up window

•1 animated sequence or a quicktime file.

• 1 roll over animation

Estimated Homework Time Commitment: Please budget 3-6 hours per week to review the materials and to work on your assignments and projects.

Policy:

Attendance will be recorded and is mandatory. Two absences are excusable if you speak with me before hand. Three absences will lead to an automatic fail (unless your absence is excused due to illness or emergency in which case, you should see me. The first absence does not alter your grade. The second absence will result in a 20% reduction of your attendance grade.
Lateness or leaving early is considered will be calculated and tallied up to equal absences based on amount of time in class missed.
No late assignments
Revisions are an important part of the learning process and occur in the working world as well. If you meet the class deadlines for the assignments, you can improve your grades through revisions.
Projects are graded on planning and organization, quality of work, attention to detail, and thoughtful use of concepts introduced in class. Creative design and use of the tools (HTML, Dreamweaver, etc) will be considered as well.
Project proposals are an important part of the process. These may include textual and visual descriptions of the project. A missing or poorly executed proposal will automatically drop the final grade one letter grade.
Grade challenges: it is the student’s responsibility to keep all work (projects & tutorials) and grade sheets to challenge a grade.
If you disrupt class you will be given one warning only, further incidences will result in being sent to the Dean of Students and possible removal from the class. Interpretation of what is considered "disruptive" is at the discretion of the instructor, basically this entails any behavior that interferes with the educational process of the students.

Grading:

Assignments: Mid-Project (30%), and Final Project (60%)
In class Assignments (2%)
Attendance (8%)

Grading Scale:

A=100-93, A-=92-90, B+=89-87, B=86-83, B-=82-80, C+=79-77, C=76-73, C-=72-70, D+=69-67, D=66-65, F=64-below (F is the only failing grade).

Semester Deadlines---last day to:

LAST DAY TO PRE-REGISTER IN SPRING 2006 CLASSES---February 2
LAST DAY TO ADD CLASSES--- February 16
LAST DAY TO DROP OR CHANGE CLASSES WITHOUT INCURRING FEES*--- February 21
LAST DAY TO DROP CLASSES WITHOUT A GRADE OF "W"*--- February 21
LAST DAY TO DROP CLASSES*---May 7
(Students who drop classes between March 6 and May 7 will have a “W” recorded on their permanent record)

Final Exam Week: May 30-June 5

HOLIDAYS - NO CLASSES

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, college closed---January 16
President’s Birthdays, college closed—February 17-20
Cesar Chavez Day, college closed ---March 31
Spring Break, college closed ---April 10-16
Memorial Day, college closed ---May 29

I am available to meet with you to discuss class work, policies, or other questions and concerns you may have.

I reserve the right to change the syllabus and projects/assignments.