Title: Computing in Interactive Digital Art and Design Subtitle: Digital Media Design module vision Date: 2020/09/23 Template: slidy Status: draft

Digital Media Design module: vision and outline

Design and IT — Colm O’Neill

Computing Dept.

23/09/2020

Presentation structure:

1. Introduction & context
2. Vision
3. Learning by doing
4. Example projects
5. Foundational content
6. Schedule and weekly calendar

1. Introduction

2. Vision

Digital media design

• Many relevant digital medias/mediums to the learners on this course
• Module aim: guide the learners to be proficient with these mediums, using a design lead approach.

2.1: A design lead approach

Learning media with these approaches:

• Research lead
• Cross discipline / discipline agnostic
• Contextual
• Based in practice
• Iterative
• Curious

3. Learning by doing

• Briefing first, theory, content, case studies and lessons in context of the briefing.
• Direct application and clear scope of the course material.

4. Example projects

3 to 5 different projects through the year, ensuring the students always have a place to test and apply their learning.

4.1: Example project 1

Learners develop the visual assets to support a new local cultural ‘agenda’ website.

→ establishing common (transversal) aesthetics in images and graphic design content that not only supports the new cultural agenda, but makes it recognisable too.

→ producing posters, digital banners, illustrations (digitised hand drawings or vector images) that go along with a provided visual identity.

→ goals: practice graphic design, observe and distil key elements of a visual identity, demonstrate awareness of design principles

4.2: Example project 2

Video essay production

→ converting research material on a graphic, installation or media artist into a short, narrated video essay.

→ short 4 to 6 minute video

→ goals: practice audio visual media production, demonstrate good ability to capture video, audio and use editing software, demonstrate ability to research and reflect on findings

4.3: Example project 3

Website redesign

→ starting from an existing but outdated looking website, the learner will produce a new design with a specific focus on the interface, usability and accessibility of the content.

→ goals: further develop graphic design skills in combination with learning from interface design / development modules, demonstrate ability to understand a content structure, demonstrate ability to design for accessibility

5. Foundational content

The learning by doing will be supported by weekly hour long foundational content lecture. These subjects will include:

5. Foundational content / supporting course material:

• Theory:

  • composition basics (framing, scaling, viewing angles)
  • colour theory
  • typography
  • accessibility design
  • vector vs bitmap digital images
  • scanning images, photography
  • …

• Case studies: example projects, portfolio reviews, historical artworks, …

• Key readings:

  • “As we may think”
  • “The mismanaged heart”
  • “The medium and the massage”
  • “Web Design is 95% Typography”
  • “Accessibility for everyone” — A book apart
  • …

6. Weekly structure + COVID planning:

6. Schedule and weekly calendar

Semester 1