MA VISUAL IDENTITY COURSE | SYLLABUS | FIRST ROUGH DRAFT

Tomi Vollauschek (FL@33 / Stereohype) | Design Teaching: MA Visual Identity course
ECV Lille – Year 5 / M 2

VISUAL IDENTITY | Mastère 2 Design
(14 students)
Friday 9am-1pm,
22 September – 3 November 2023

COURSE INTRODUCTION
Definitions of key areas within identity design (corporate design, traditional visual identity vs contemporary visual identity / responsive identity / flexible systems, branding / 360º, corporate identity vs corporate image / tone of voice, artificial intelligence and computer-generated content / variants.
___ About the importance of deep understanding and analysis of the client's actual needs, potential future needs, audience(s) and communication channels. Finding 'the edge' – the special / unique aspects – coherent, sophisticated, appropriate, witty and/or funny.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Bauhaus, Swiss Typography, some key international figures, anecdotes and examples and if and how they are still relevant today.

ELEMENTS WE DISCUSS
Logo, logotype, typography / typeface considerations, grid, layout, illustration style, symbol / mascot, icons, animation style, photography, user interfaces / web / app design and the overall coherent aesthetic representation of the 'brand' – visually and tone of voice. Apart from the PDF material and video links listed below, many additional online resources, examples were provided and discussed throughout the course.

PRACTICAL BRIEF
(overview – in depth to follow) – to be confirmed (TBC) and in NO particular order:
___ Across six classes we will step by step (re-)design a logo for your favourite musician / band – or for yourself – (if you have a logo already, think again, how you could improve, renew and/or extend it. Let's avoid too iconic logos like John Pasche's Rolling Stones tongue – or do not – but you have been warned... An indie newcomer would be a more appropriate candidate – and who knows – you might be able to present it to them as a viable option...
___ Develop a flexible identity system and apply it.
___ Consider full or partial animation for digital channels. You want to add an idea for sensory aspects: tactile considerations, smell or indeed sound? Please do feel free to discuss and explore.

ADDITIONAL ASPECTS WE DISCUSS WILL COVER
___ Visual communication in a globalised world. Difference in languages, colour associations, different sense of aesthetic sensibilities.
___ The logo as the most – or indeed the least – important element of a visual identity.

PEDAGOGICAL AIMS
Students will learn to consider a whole range of skills and how best to combine and apply them.
___ Conceptual thinking, analysis, strategy and of course visual design elements from typographic choices to shapes, from lines, rhythm and grids to patterns and colours – potentially also illustration, photography and a bit of animation.
___ They will learn to really consider all the details and also the entire identity system that they will develop. Historical and contemporary examples will feed their conceptual design thinking and process. 
___ The course will provide a step by step approach and learning speed can be adjusted individually. 
___ I am planning to provide opportunities for the group to share their work in progress and learn from each other.
___ It's serious play – or fun hard work.

JUDGING CRITERIA
Students will be judged by how deeply considered and coherent their developed identity is.
___ The presentation must be convincing and showcase their superb top-quality project.
___ Conceptual inconsistencies will of course be flagged before for a chance to fix and adjust – but if still present, they will also be criticised and flagged and will inevitably affect their marks.
___ Different techniques, mediums and formats in scale and material must obviously feature in this final presentation.

DAY 1
___ Band recognition (Logo variants and roots: Einstürzende Neubauten, Kiss, Nirvana, Rolling Stones, The Cure, ...)
___ JMB Grid Systems / Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design
___ BRand recognition (Chupa Chups / Dali, Deutsche Bank / Anton Stankowski, Heinz Ketchup, Nike, Peace, Recycling, The Story of Emoji, Walls Langnese Frigo,...)
___ Food for thoughts (Popular Lies About Graphic Design, The Extreme Self, ...)
___ Text slides (A–F) below:

DAY 1 A | Definitions of key areas of identity design
___ Corporate Design
___ Traditional Visual Identity vs Contemporary Visual Identity  (Responsive Identity / Flexible Systems, 'Branding', 360º)
___ Corporate Identity vs Corporate Image (Tone of Voice)
___ Artificial Intelligence / Computer-generated Content (Variants)

DAY 1 B | Importance of deep understanding and analysis
___ Find and define the client's actual needs, potential future needs, audience(s) and communication channels.
___ Finding 'the edge' | Discover and extract the special / unique aspects, coherent, sophisticated, appropriate, witty and/or funny.

DAY 1 C | Definitions | Vocabulary | Areas to consider
___ Logo
___ Logotype
___ Typography
___ Typeface considerations
___ Grid / Layout
___ Illustration style
___ Symbol / Mascot / Icons
___ Animation style
___ Photography
___ User interfaces
___ Web / App design
___ and the overall coherent aesthetic representation of the 'brand' – visually and tone of voice.

DAY 1 D | Brief — Two choices
Across six classes we will step by step (re-)design a logo for your favourite musician / band – or for yourself – (if you have a logo already, think again, how you could improve, renew and/or extend it.
___ Let's avoid too iconic logos like John Pasche's Rolling Stones tongue – or do not – but you have been warned... An indie newcomer would be a more appropriate candidate – and who knows – you might be able to present it to them as a viable option... Or use your own new or redesigned logo for your portfolio or future studio...

DAY 1 E | Brief
___ Develop a flexible identity system and apply it
___ Consider full or partial animation for digital channels. You want to add an idea for sensory aspects: tactile considerations, smell or indeed sound? Please do feel free to discuss and explore.

DAY 1 F | Brief — DAY 1
Work on first ideas by yourselves. I am happy to answer questions asked and answered in front of the group.
___ Please present in front of the group your starting points at 12 o'clock in 4 minutes intervals (you are 14 students). I suggest we proceed alphabetically but backwards – first name Z – A (for a change I suspect).

DAY 2
___ Flexible Visual Systems excerpts
___ Food for thoughts (The Politics of Design, ...)
___ How to start a briefing (key sections, client? product? audience? competitors? new or renew?)
___ Identity Manuals (IBM 8 Bar, Rebus, Manuals 1: Lufthansa, Nasa, Nasa logo old and new)
___ The 12 Column Grid
___Wit & Humour (Creative Titans Herb Lubalin, the Father of Conceptual Typography – Works Design Group, Smile in the Mind)

DAY 3
___ Basics (Emil Ruder Typographie excerpts)
___ Food for thoughts (Logo RIP, ...)
___ More grids, PDFs plus online examples (Experimental Design excerpts, Geometry Makes Me Happy excerpts)
___ Variations Variations Variations (No One Can Fail — Ecrire Son Nom Marion Bataille excerpts)
___ Visual Impact (Photoviz excerpts)

DAY 4
Today is all about you and Vaughan Oliver
___ Designboom interview with graphic designer Vaughan Oliver
___ Libération Vaughan Oliver, graphiste historique du label 4AD
___ The Guardian Lost worlds of sex and magic Vaughan Oliver's album sleeves for 4AD Music
___ Vanity Fair France Hommage à Vaughan Oliver, immense designer
___ Vaughan Oliver 9x Book Excerpts
___ Videos:
___ Expo 4AD à Nantes Fév. 1990 french tv Canal+ 'Rapido' : i/w Vaughan Oliver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfESTG6_IIw
French / subs, 3:41min
___ Vaughan Oliver and my 4AD Records
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVqh35KKiGU
English / English (auto-translation to French) subs available
16:53min
___ Vaughan Oliver Interview, 2016
https://vimeo.com/155217842
English 19:53min
___ Vaughan Oliver – Main Stage – OFFSET 2013
https://vimeo.com/76256343
English, 56:23min

DAY 5
___ 3D Grids (JMB Grid Systems 3D excerpts, Liad Shadmi The Alphabetical Room, ...)
___  Basics, Logos, FVS (Logo, Reference Guide to Symbols and Logotypes, The Layout Book excerpts, Flexible Visuelle Systeme, ...)

DAY 6
Presentation day. See judging criteria in Syllabus.

Post course material:
___ About Face_Type Rules Book Recommendation
___ Adrian Frutiger Complete Works excerpts
___ Adrian Frutiger Der Mensch Und Seine Zeichen excerpts
___ Alan Fletcher The Art Of Looking Sideways excerpts
___ Exploring Typography excerpts
___ Eye Magazine 94 MuirMcNeill 1of8000 unique Covers
___ Herb Lubalin Unit Monograph excerpts
___ Karl Gerstner Konstruktive Bilder excerpt
___ Karl Gerstner Rückblick 5x10 Jahre excerpts
___ Lance Wyman The Monograph excerpts
___ Shape Grammars excerpts
___ TD Total Design 63-73 excerpts

Tomi Vollauschek (FL@33 / Stereohype) | Design Teaching: MA Visual Identity course
ECV Lille – Year 5 / M 2

ESSENTIALS: Graphic Design / Typography

Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design,
Josef Müller-Brockmann

Typographie / Typography,
Emil Ruder

Adrian Frutiger Typefaces. The Complete Works.
Heidrun Osterer, Philipp Stamm

Der Geist der Farbe – Karl Gerstner und Seine Kunst,
DVA


ESSENTIALS: Logos, Symbols, Logotype

Logo – The Reference Guide to Symbols and Logotypes (revised edition),
Michael Evamy

Symbol – The Reference Guide to Abstract and Figurative Trademarks,
Angus Hyland & Steven Bateman

Logotype – The Reference Guide to Logotypes, Monograms and Text-based Marks,
Michael Evamy

Der Mensch und seine Zeichen – Schriften, Symbole, Signete, Signale,
Adrian Frutiger


ESSENTIALS: Grids and Flexible Visual Systems, Information Design

Grid Systems,
Josef Müller-Brockmann

Flexible Visual Systems – The Design Manual for Contemporary Visual Identities,
Martin Lorenz

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information,
Edward Tufte


More: Grids and Flexible Visual Systems, Information Design

Geometry Makes Me Happy,
Index Book, various

Grids – Creative Solutions for Graphic Designers,
RotoVision / contributors


ESSENTIALS: Think Globally (Act Locally)

The Politics of Design – A (Not So) Global Manual for Visual Communication,
Ruben Pater et al


ESSENTIALS: Food for thoughts

The Extreme Self,
Shumon Basar, Douglas Coupland, Hans Ulrich Obrist

Popular Lies* About Graphic Design,
Craig Ward

A Smile in the mind – Witty thinking in Graphic Design,
Beryl McAlhone & David Stuart

The Art of Looking Sideways,
Alan Fletcher

How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul,
Adrian Shaugnessy


ESSENTIALS: Visual identities and Manuals

Manuals 1 – Design & Identity Guidelines,
Unit Editions / various contributors

Designers’ Identities,
Liz Farrelly


MORE: Logos, Symbols, Logotype

Logo R.I.P. – A Commemoration of Dead Logotypes,
The Stone Twins

Art Marks,
Counter Print

Logo Modernism,
Taschen

No One Can Fail – Écrire son nom, Unidentified Object No 3,
Marion Bataille

The Story of Emoji,
Gavin Lucas (and designed by FL@33)


MORE: Typography

The Visual History of Type,
Paul McNeil

About Face – Reviving the Rules of Typography,
David Jury

Exploring Typography, An In-Depth Guide to the Art & techniques of Contemporary Typography,
Tova Rabinowitz

The 3D Type Book,
FL@33 (Yours truly)

Lettering & Type,
Bruce Willen, Nolen Strals

Shape Grammars,
Janina Maroscheck


More: Graphic Designer Monographs and Showcase Books

Rational Simplicity – Rudolph de Harak Graphic Designer,
Richard Poulin

TD 63–73, Total Design and its Pioneering Role in Graphic Design,
Ben Bos

Lance Wyman: The Monograph,
Adrian Shaugnessy, Tony Brook

The Graphic Language of Neville Brody 3,
Brody & team

The Art of Work,
Milton Glaser

Designed By,
Peter Saville

V.O. Archive,
Vaughan Oliver

Lubalin – Herb Lubalin, American Graphic Designer 1918–81,
Adrian Shaugnessy

Ladislav Sutnar, Prague, New York, Design in Action,
Museum of Decorative Arts, Prague

Restart – New Systems in Graphic Design,
Christian Küsters & Emily King

(Andreas Uebele) Material – Monograph Volume 3, 2003 – 2016,
Andreas Uebele

Graphics Alive,
Victionary, various
...