We’ve wrapped up our week on visual storytelling and photography, and this week we’re diving into design. You’ll spend some time this week thinking about the way the world around you is designed, as well as creating some of your own design projects.

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Design

What is design? It is everywhere you look- anything we create or manufacture has key design elements.

Concept Review and “Design Safari”

Review this assignment document and spend some time reviewing the design concepts and the linked resources. The goal here is for you to develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the basic elements of design. For our purposes, we’ve identified the following major design elements for further investigation this week:

• color
• typography
• metaphors/symbols
• minimalism & use of space
• form/function/message
• balance
• rhythm
• proportion
• dominance
• unity

After reading and reviewing the assignment document, you should be able to provide a basic explanation of each of these concepts.

To reinforce your understanding, we want you to understake a “Design Safari:” Carry your camera with you this week and take photos of objects, ads, signs, etc. that illustrate one of these concepts. At a minimum, provide examples of four of the concepts. Share all your photos on Flickr and tag them designblitz.

In addition, add a link to your Flickr photos by editing the assignment document within the proper concept areas, under the heading “Found Examples.” Make sure you identify yourself by name or twitter handle!

When you have completed your Safari, write a blog post that includes (THAT MEANS EMBED!) the photos and your analysis of the design elements and what makes them effective or not. (You can do this in one single post if you like, or in several.)

(PRO TIP: Sometimes we can learn just as much from badly designed things as we can from well-designed things! so feel free to include bad elements as examples to avoid.)

Design Assignments (from the Assignment Repository)

This week, you’ll be completing 15 stars worth of design assignments from the Assignment Repository.

One of the assignments you must complete is to design your ds106 Poster/Bumper Sticker/T-Shirt. This will be used to promote and brand your shows.

As you are working on your radio shows right now, these should reflect the theme of the show you are working on! Every team member should do a design (it is okay to share elements like icons)  The rest of your points may be made up from any assignments you wish in the design category.

Daily Creates

This week, complete four daily creates. It will make your instructors rather happy to see you describe visual and design elements in your work. Hint.

UPDATE: Radio Show Continuation

You should be continuing to work on your group radio shows this week, as well. By Sunday, you need to write a blog post outlining what your individual contribution will be to the show.

Weekly Summary

At the end of the week, write up a summary of your work for the week. Be sure to reflect upon

• the Design Safari;
• your Four Daily Creates;
• the continued work on your radio show and
• the process of creating and sharing your 15 points of design assignments *** some of you are still not including all of the criteria for writing up assignments ***

As you write up your work this week, think about the design elements you reviewed and explored in the Design Safari- be sure to talk about these works in the thinking about and creation of your work this week.

Remember, UMW students MUST complete summaries by midnight on Sunday (10/7) and submit the link on Canvas!