ART 321 Viscom II

Midterm portfolio

Three weeks until mid-term break. Yippee! In preparation for midterm, start thinking and prepping to assemble your midterm portfolio - yes, the first of two grading opportunities you have for the semester.

Everything I have assigned up to and including the National Forest Service ad series are candidates for the midterm portfolio - total of 13 assignments with all their various components. From the 13 assignments, select 8 "approved" assignments - selecting just over 60% of what you have worked on to include in this portfolio. You make the selection - not me. Don't ask. Again, if I approved it, I can at least guarantee you a C. Your problem is getting at least 8 approved assignments.

Portfolio requirements

• 8 assignments with all the range of components (Print, webpages, web banners, animated banners)
• Post all 8 midterm submissions on your blog and title the post(s) in some manner that I can tell it is your midterm portfolio
• In your post, I want to see a budget analysis of what was budgeted verses what you actually spent to get an approval on everything. I have all the time sheets you have turned in so far, so if you need to review and tally up what you spent on each assignment - see me and I'll let you grab your timesheets to tally your time.
• Also, in your posts. I want a brief blurb of self-reflection. Give me something interesting to read.
• If you haven't been good at blogging all of your assignments (all 13) so far, then do so. I want to see all your efforts and attempts to complete all 13 assignments - approved or not. I will only grade the 8, but want to see all 13 assignments - check your blog to make sure something has been posted for each one.
• Select one assignment (print portion only) to turn in to me (live InDesign packaged files) in my public folder, so I can check your production art. This is a pass/fail portion of the midterm. Your production is either right or wrong. So don't do all the bad things that student designers tend to do in production art. Do you know what they are? Ask, and I can go over the bad, bad things.
• I want two assignments (print only), printed out and mounted on black foamcore with a 1 inch border. I want to put these up on the walls over midterm - proof that you have actually accomplished something this semester. If it is a brochure/pamphlet/newsletter, then I want it duplex printed and folded to the fold size specified. Magazine spreads should be printed on one sheet of paper at 100% (printed with "spreads" turned on in Print dialog box) and mounted as specified above. I will help you to decide what to print out if you like. I really don't want those nasty newsletters printed - but, if it is one of your best...

Anyway, start thinking about your midterm. I know there are a lot of the web components that haven't yet been approved. So get busy on them and push for 8. 8 is the magic number, yes it is.

I want your midterm portfolio done by the last class before midterm break (March 2).

Midterm Portfolio

Midterm is coming real soon - early March. What I'm wanting you to have ready on March 4th is a portfolio of your best designs to date. Any design included in the portfolo has to have been "approved" by me. If you want to use an unapproved design or even modify an already approved design, I need to see it and approve it before you include it in your midterm portfolio. (remember, I consider approving a desgin at minimum a C). So nobody should get a bad grade at midterm, right?

Portfolio Requirements

• 5 different designs in your portfolio
• 1 single, multiple-page pdf - print quality samples of your designs - turn in to my public folder/ART321 Viscom 2/Midterm Portfolio. Make sure your name is on the .pdf
• Post each design on your blog with your reflections of the design, anylizing process and total time spent on the design for final approval. Include what you would do to be more efficient and/or more creative. What have you learned?
• Select one design for me to check production. (Package the live files and fonts). The more complex the project to submit, the better. I'm looking at inclusion of the live file (indd), fonts and linked files (eps and tiffs in CMYK color mode and raster images at at least 150 ppi). Make sure your files do not have broken or modified links. Turn in to Midterm production files folder.
• Actual size inkjet printouts of two of the five designs, mounted (1 inch border) on black foamcore for midterm display. Choose what you consider your best two of the five. If a multiple-page design... print (inkjet) and assemble (fold, staple etc...)

This is all due on March 4th. Last class before Midterm break.

Midterm portfolio

Have your portfolio examples and your blog thoughts and production information about each layout posted on Wednesday 14th.

Midterm portfolio

I went through and counted up the exercises and projects and I agree that having 10 designs in the midterm portfolio is too many. Start looking through everything we have designed so far and pick your six best layouts. The six can be exercises and projects. You can rework anything that is being submitted to make them better. If you want another art direction session, I can do that to. Pick your strongest work. We can begin looking at your choices next week.