DES 203: DIGITAL DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS BREANNA BROWNING-WILSON SPRING 2026, USC ROSKI
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Class Materials


Week 15: Tuesday, April 21

Project 03/Final Presentation due next week! (4/28)

Homework:

    Part 1: Complete Project 03. 
    • Refer to the Project 03 Brief with questions on deliverables.
    • Note: you do NOT need to print this time. We will present your work DIGITALLY in a slideshow presentation. 
    • If you would like to print your work and/or bring previous prints, feel free. 

    Part 2: Complete your final presentation. 
    • Be prepared to verbally present in 4 minutes or less. 

    Submit all of your work to this Google Drive in a folder titled “Lastname_Firstname.” You’ll need to be signed in to your USC email account to access the folder.


    Week 14: Tuesday, April 14


    In-Class:

    • Tutorial: Photoshop 2 (Compositing: Blend modes, adjustment layers, filters, generative fill, etc)

    Homework (due 4/21):

      Part 1: Continue working on Project 03.
      • Bring 1–2 compositions to near-final using today's techniques 
      • Decide which composition is your final
      • Keep working non-destructively. Save versions.
      • Refer to the Project 03 Brief with questions on deliverables.

      Part 2: Work on your final presentation. 
      • At the final review (on 4/28) you will present the culmination of your semester’s work, including all 3 projects. 
      • You will present your work digitally in a slideshow format. You may choose the presentation format, but should be prepared to present in 4 minutes max. 
      • You should include all of your final projects, as well as any relevant research, sketches, etc. 
      • Be prepared to discuss what you will present (visual and verbal) next week. 



      Week 13: Tuesday, April 7


      In-Class:





      Homework (due 4/14):

        Start your assemblage in Photoshop
        • Set up your Photoshop document at your proposed final print size, 300 ppi
        • Build out your layer group structure for the four source types 
        • Import your material archive into the appropriate groups
        • Begin masking and compositing. Use the techniques from today's tutorial (selections, Select and Mask, layer masks, brush refinement). You can begin roughly combining your source material into new compositions.
        • Develop 1–2 compositions in progress. 

        Notes on workflow: 
        • Work non-destructively. 
        • Keep your sources on their own layers, use masks instead of erasing, and save versions (project03_v01.psd, project03_v02.psd, etc.) so you can roll back.
        • If you need more raw material as your premise sharpens, generate more. Your archive isn't “complete” or “locked.” 




        Week 12: Tuesday, March  31


        In-Class:









        Homework (due 4/7):

          Part 1: Develop your speculative premise (ideate)
          • Look back at your Project 2 taxonomy. What did it reveal? What surprised you? What question did it raise but not answer?
          • Write 2-3 sentences describing your "what if." It doesn't need to be fully resolved- a direction is enough.
          • Come to class ready to say it out loud in one sentence.

            Part 2: Generate your first round of raw material 
            • Using the tools from today's tutorial (any you’d like), generate a minimum of 20 images as raw material for your assemblage 
            • These do not need to be final: they are ingredients, not finished pieces 
            • Save everything, including outputs you don't like 
            • Come to class with your images organized in a folder




                Week 11: Tuesday, March  24


                In-Class:

                Project 03 Brief

                Homework (due 3/31):

                Part 1: Complete Project 03 readings
                • Refer to the Resources page for Week 11 required readings (pdfs).
                • Write one paragraph responding to each reading. 
                • Be prepared to discuss in class next week.

                  Part 2: Brainstorm for Project 03
                  • Based on the Project 03 brief, your previous work, and the readings for this week, begin brainstorming for your project.
                  • Come to class next week with 1-2 initial ideas/starting points. 



                  Week 9: Tuesday, March  10


                  Homework:
                  Project 02 due 3/24

                  Complete Project 02.
                  • For questions about deliverables, refer to the Project 02 Brief.
                  • Consider the feedback you recieved today in class as you finalize your work.

                    Submission: 
                    • Submit your digital work here (Google Drive) in a folder titled “Lastname_Firstname). You will need to be logged in to your USC email account to access the folder. 
                    • Be prepared to present your work in 3 minutes or less. We will have a class critique of your projects. 



                    Week 8: Tuesday, March 3


                    In-Class:
                    ⚙️Tutorial: Grids and Type in Illustrator

                    Lecture: Systems of Organization



                    Homework (due 3/10):

                    Part 1: Poster ideation / mock-up
                    • Determine your organizational system for your taxonomy poster.
                    • Begin sketching and drafting your layout. 
                    • Dimensions are up to the student, but should be large format (ie- at least 18” x 24”, ideally bigger) 
                    • Experiment with different techniques and directions. Your poster should be a designed framework that makes your categories, relationships, and organizational logic visible.
                    • Consider collecting relevant visual references to bring to class next week. 

                    Part 2: Continue your translation sequences

                    You should have significant progress by next week. Be prepared to discuss your work with your instructor and/or your classmates.


                    Week 7: Tuesday, February 24


                    In-Class:
                    ⚙️Adobe Illustrator Tutorial 3

                    Homework (due 3/3):

                    Part 1: Collect and Scan
                    • Finalize your collection of 10+ physical items
                    • Scan at least 5 items 
                    • Experiment with creative scanning techniques

                    Part 2: Begin Vector Translations
                    • Create vector versions of at least 3 scanned items using Illustrator
                    • Try different Image Trace presets and manual pen tool tracing



                    Week 6: Tuesday, February 17

                     In-Class:
                    • Project 02 Brief

                    Homework (due 2/24):

                    Part 1: 
                    • Choose your theme/line of inquiry for Project 02. Refer to the project brief for guidance and examples.
                    • Collect your 10(+) physical artifacts. Bring them to the next class. 
                    • Note: expensive or impressive doesn't mean better. Found objects, everyday items, and things you already own may make the most interesting material.

                    Part 2: 
                    • Complete the required reading for this week (refer to the Resources page to download the pdf). 
                    • Write one paragraph (informal) responding to the reading. You might consider: What is Benjamin arguing happens when an object gets reproduced? Do you agree? 
                    • Come prepared to discuss in class.

                    Week 5: Tuesday, February 10


                    Homework:
                    Project 01 due next week 2/17

                    Complete Project 01. For your final compositions, you may use any or all of the variables we’ve covered so far to transform your line, square, and rectangle compositions. This includes: scale, duplication, pathfinder, color, and transparency.

                    You should spend time iterating on your work - this is not a one-pass assignment. Select your strongest composition and be prepared to present it during our critique next week. Your final work should reflect everything you’ve learned so far about the foundational principles of digital design (composition, hierarchy, balance, contrast, etc.).

                    For questions about project expectations, refer to the Project 01 Brief.  

                    Be sure to submit the following: 

                    • PDF (12” x 18”) containing: high quality scans of your original paper compositions, all 10-15 black and white digital variations, your 5-10 experiments with color, iterations on your final composition, and your final composition. 
                    • Printed final composition: A high quality print (12” x 18”) of your final composition. Bring this to class. 

                    Submit your PDF in this Google Drive folder, titled “Lastname_Firstname.” You must be logged in to your USC email account to access the folder. 


                    Week 4: Tuesday, February 3

                    In-Class:
                    Foundational Principles of Design 2 (Color)



                    ⚙️                    Adobe Illustrator Tutorial 2

                    Homework (due 2/10):

                    Start by selecting one of your strongest compositions from last week (a black-and-white Illustrator study that used a single manipulated variable). You will use this composition as the base for a series of new explorations. The goal of this assignment is to push the same composition further by systematically introducing additional variables and color, while maintaining clarity, intention, and strong visual organization.

                    Requirements:

                    • Create 5–10 new variations based on your original composition.
                    • Use scale, duplication, and/or pathfinder in your variations. You may use one variable at a time or combine them, but the changes should be clear and purposeful.
                    • Introduce color by choosing one color relationship to use across all variations: monochromatic, analogous, or complementary.
                    • You do not need to limit yourself to primary or secondary colors, but your use of color should be restrained and intentional.

                     Save as one .ai file with multiple artboards (one per variation). Please print your most successful composition  (12 x 18”) and bing it to class next week. 


                    Week 3: Tuesday, January 27

                    In-Class:

                    ⚙️                    Intro to Adobe Illustrator Tutorial

                    Homework (due 2/3):

                     Using Adobe Illustrator, recreate your strongest analog composition from last week with absolute fidelity (exact measurements). Once you've achieved an accurate digital translation, create 10-15 variations (each on their own artboard) by systematically manipulating ONE of the following variables:

                    • Scale (scale any/all of your elements)
                    • Duplication / Repetition (duplicate any/all of your elements)
                    • Pathfinder operations (use unite, minus front, intersect, or exclude to manipulate yor elements) 

                    All variations should remain black and white.  Save as one .ai file with multiple artboards (one per variation). 


                    Week 2: Tuesday, January 20

                    In-Class:
                    Elements of Art and Basic Principles of Design lecture




                    Line, Square, Rectangle specifications:


                    Homework (due 1/27):

                    Part 1: Complete analog compositions
                    • Complete your 10(+) analog compositions 
                    • Bring them to class next week 

                    Part 2: Install Adobe Illustrator 2026
                    • Roski students should have free access, please let me know if you need help with this 


                    Week 1: Tuesday, January 13 

                    In-Class:

                    Homework (due 1/20):

                    Part 1: Materials Collection + Preparation  
                    • Bring the materials from this list next week. We will be using them during class!  

                    Part 2: Reading + Response
                    • Read the Introduction (pdf pgs 1-63 only)  of Graphesis: Visual Forms of Knowledge Production by Johanna Drucker. The pdf is linked on the Resources page. 
                    • Write a 1-2 paragraph response.
                    • Please read the passage and respond in your own words. No use of AI is permitted on this assignment. 
                    • PS - I know this is a lot. Do your best to hit the main ideas :) Don’t stress about it too much. 







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