GİT101

School of Architecture and Design \ Visual Communication Design

4

8

Compulsory

Turkish

yok

Visual Communication Design

The Basic Design I course includes both theoretical knowledge and practical projects to improve students’ visual thinking and expression skills. The course covers an in-depth analysis of design elements and principles, ensuring that students can utilize them effectively. Through weekly projects and assignments, students create compositions using fundamental components such as point, line, shape, form, texture, and color. Throughout this process, students explore different aspects of visual language by working on both black-and-white and colored designs. Additionally, through their projects, they develop creative thinking, analytical evaluation, and aesthetic sensibility.

1. Wucius Wong – Principles of Two-Dimensional Design
2. David A. Lauer & Stephen Pentak – Design Basics
3. Wassily Kandinsky – Point and Line to Plane
4. Johannes Itten – The Art of Color
5. Ellen Lupton & Jennifer Cole Phillips – Graphic Design: The New Basics
6. Rudolf Arnheim – Art and Visual Perception
7. Josef Albers – Interaction of Color
8. Kimberly Elam – Geometry of Design
9. Paul Klee – Pedagogical Sketchbook
10. Bruno Munari – Design as Art

The Basic Design I course is structured to help students understand the fundamental components of visual communication design. Students learn how to effectively combine design elements such as point, line, shape, color, and texture to create compelling compositions. This course aims to provide hands-on experience with design principles, including balance, emphasis, unity, contrast, and rhythm. While developing their basic design skills, students also have the opportunity to enhance their creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. By the end of the course, students are expected to have attained a foundational level of design skills that they can apply to professional work.

1. Defines basic design elements such as point, line, shape, form, texture, and color, as well as the theoretical principles of visual language.
2. Uses the basic tools, methods, and techniques of visual communication design in applied projects to produce black-and-white and color compositions.
3. Transforms basic components into innovative, creative, and original visual compositions by using analytical evaluation skills.
4. Visualizes visual thinking ideas as concrete designs through weekly projects while considering aesthetic concerns.

*The following weekly plan and topics may vary depending on the year and semester of the course:

Week 1: Presentation
Presentation on the elements and principles of basic design.

Week 2: Point
Project 1: Black-and-white tonal transition / gradient study
Gradient studies on 35 × 50 cm paper: point-based, standard, and textured.
Assignment 1: 10 photographs of points.

Week 3: Point
Presentation: 1 selected point photograph and a 35 × 50 cm composition using points.
Project 2: Conceptual compositions using points, to be created in the sketchbook by applying design principles.
Assignment 2: Large conceptual composition using points.
Assignment 3: 10 photographs of lines.

Week 4: Line
Presentation: 1 selected line photograph and a 35 × 50 cm composition using lines.
Project 3: Conceptual compositions using lines: grid-based.
Assignment 4: One-page conceptual composition using lines.
Assignment 5: 10 photographs of triangles.

Week 5: Triangle
Presentation: 1 selected triangle photograph and a 35 × 50 cm composition using triangles.
Project 4: Conceptual compositions using triangles: grid-based.
Assignment 6: Large conceptual composition using triangles.
Assignment 7: 10 photographs of squares.

Week 6: Square — Midterm Presentation 1
Presentation: 1 selected square photograph and a 35 × 50 cm composition using squares.
Project 5: Conceptual compositions using squares: grid-based.
Assignment 8: Large conceptual composition using squares.
Assignment 9: 10 photographs of amorphous forms.

Week 7: Amorphous Form
Presentation: 1 selected amorphous-form photograph and a 35 × 50 cm composition using amorphous forms.
Project 6: Creating an amorphous composition using colored cardboard.
Assignment 10: 10 photographs of silhouettes.

Week 8: Silhouette
Presentation: 1 selected silhouette photograph.
Project 7: 10 silhouette drawings in different sizes.
Assignment 11: 10 photographs of texture.
Assignment 12: 10 photographs of pattern.

Week 9: Texture and Pattern — Midterm Presentation 2
Presentation: 1 selected texture photograph and 1 selected pattern photograph.
Project 8-A: Pattern module study: drawing modules in the sketchbook and using a grid.
Project 8-B: Creating a 35 × 50 cm pattern using the selected modules.
Assignment 14: 10 photographs of composition.

Week 10: Composition
Presentation: 1 selected composition photograph and the 35 × 50 cm pattern project.
Project 9: Creating a conceptual composition using basic design elements.
Assignment 15: 1 new 35 × 50 cm composition.
Assignment 16: Photographing 1 organic/living object and 1 inorganic/non-living object and taking black-and-white printouts.

Week 11: Abstraction
Presentation: Acetate paper containing reference lines over 1 composition drawing, and object photographs.
Project 10: Abstract drawings of 1 organic and 1 inorganic object using different techniques:
Standard: pencil
Point-based
Tonal

Week 12: Completion of Projects
Completion and submission of missing projects.