MODERN UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS & SCIENCES

GRAPHIC DESIGN DEPARTMENT

-GD-

Course Handbook
GRA 201 Fundamentals of Design I
Spring Semester 2023 -24

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Table of Contents

I. Important things to remember. .........................................................................................................................2

II. Course Outline..................................................................................................................................................3
III. Student Contribution ........................................................................................................................................7
IV. Assessment Criteria ..........................................................................................................................................8

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I. Important things to remember.

 Make Up Exam Policy: Students missing an exam, a quiz or any graded assignment,
comprising over 10% of the final grade, must submit a petition to Students Affairs Office (SAO)
within (7) working days for review. Note that make up activities are subject to 10%-20% penalty
depending on the nature of the excuse. Please email the petition to the respective campus using the
following emails: Beirutpetition@mubs.edu.lb
Aleypetition@mubs.edu.lb
Damourpetition@mubs.edu.lb

 Attendance & Tardiness Policy: Attendance is mandatory for all classes and constitutes 5%-10%
of the students’ final grade. Students arriving more than (10) minutes late will be allowed to join the
lecture, but no attendance will be awarded.

 Course Materials & UMS: A course handbook, which includes a course outline, detailing all
aspects of each course will be posted to UMS. If such file does not exist, please email the
corresponding Chair of the Department.
Chair's email: rammar@mubs.edu.lb

 Students’ Expectations: Students are expected to have a drawing set plus a cutting mat, a sketch
book and a laptop where applicable. In addition, students should adhere to the code of conduct set
forth by the MUBS administration in the classroom and during examination.
 Events Participation: Depending on the nature of the course, students may be required to
participate in certain related events. Active participation in these events may affect the students’
final grades positively.

 Communication with the GD department: As a GD student you can at any time email the GD
management for any suggestions, complains, comments, problems, etc. … at: rammar@mubs.edu.lb

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II. Course Outline

Course: GRA 201 Fundamentals of Design I

Session: T-TH Tu Th 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Textbook: Architecture: Space, Form, and Order
Instructor: Arch. Nohad AlQadi
Email: nqadi@mubs.edu.lb
Supplementary Text: to be given as handouts and external readings.

Course Description:

Fundamentals of Design as a course, introduces students to the theory and practice of general 2-
dimensional art. In this course, the elements of art (line, color, shape/form, space, value, and texture)
and the principles of art (balance, harmony, unity, emphasis, repetition, rhythm, contrast, and
composition) are discussed and demonstrated through the incorporation of famous works of art as well
as with the use of interactive graphics and activities.
Students are introduced to the concept of the picture plane, figure/ground relationships, scale and
proportional transformation, patterning, composition, value, color, methods for conveying time, and
spatial illusion.

Course Objectives:
Regular slide lectures and critiques are structured informally to encourage dialog and to provide the
students with an opportunity to translate visual evidence into words. Beyond the concepts and skills
essential to good design practice, the course will open a window towards self-expression and general
design awareness and strength as a tool of communication.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

 Define and identify examples of each of the principles of art (balance, harmony, unity, emphasis,
repetition, rhythm, contrast, and composition).
 Use placement and orientation to create meaning and expressive contents within a given format.
 Rearrange elements to change meaning and expressive content.

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 Organize compositions using directional lines and basic geometric shapes to convey/change
meaning.
 Apply the concept of positive and negative space to black and white designs.
 Employ a value scale in creating compositions.
 Demonstrate competence with tools, materials, and concepts.
 to convey a kinetic feeling of a composition using the elements and principles of design
(repetition, rhythm)
 define and identify the difference between positive/negative and figure /ground and applying
examples.
 Define the diverse details that make up a consistent composition.
 Recreate personal additions to revitalize a design.
 Use the library/internet and resource material to research and enrich designs.
 Discuss and employ the concepts of individual and group critiques to bring work to a successful
conclusion.

Grade Allocation :

Attendance & Participation =10 %

Project 1 =30%
Project 2 =30%

Project 3 =30%
Grading Scale:

97% - 100% = A+ 93% - 96% = A 90% - 92% = A-

87% - 89% = B+ 83% - 86% = B 80% - 82% = B-

77% - 79% = C+ 73% - 76% = C 70% - 72% = C-

67% - 69% = D+ 63% - 66% = D 60% - 62% = D-

59% & below = F

Materials:

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 Heavy Weight sketch pad ‘medium’ size A3/220g – Winsor & Newton.
 Metallic straight edge ruler 30 cm.
 Ex-acto knife and blades.
 Graphite pencils (B, 2B and 2H, 4H minimum).
 Prisma color pencils.
 Acrylic colors Pencil sharpener.
 Erasers.
 Technical ink pen sizes 0.1-0.2 -0.3 -0.5. Disposable pens are fine.
 Masking tape.
 Protractor with clear degrees.
 Watercolor brushes (synthetic white sable with different sizes and forms).
 Rounds: #5.
 Flats: 1/2".
 White palette or mixing tray.
 Tracing paper (roll).
 Water containers- No glass please (plastic cups are a preference).
 Portfolio for carrying 2-D work.
 Glue stick.

Students are encouraged to dedicate at least 5 hours per week to work on their projects at home.
Additional Assignments will be given in the class before each project.
Student must submit their project mounted on a black cardboard.

Session Topics

1 Introduction to the course, syllabus

2 Elements of design: line, shape, color, texture …

3 Project 1: Lines

Students will learn how to depict an object using lines; line thickness, line weight, line type
(dotted, dashed, double dashed, etc.), (straight line, curvilinear, organic, etc.)

Students are asked to select an animal, draw the silhouette and deal with the foreground and
background. The same animal has to be represented in three different line styles, each
representing a psychological state or mood. The project is divided into two phases:

Phase 1.1

The animal is drawn three times, black ink on white background. Each uses different line
composition to represent a mood while the background is left blank.

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Phase 1.2

The animal silhouette is drawn three times and left blank while the background is composed
of different lines representing a mood.

4 Project 2: Shapes

After the students learn how to deal with lines and how to create a composition;
foreground and background, they will now learn how to create compositions using
basic geometric shapes. They learn first the principles (harmony, symmetry, relation
of shapes, weak points, etc.) In addition to composition, they will learn in this
project who to deal with shades of grey and colors. The project is divided into two
phases:

Phase 2.1

Composition with 90 degrees shapes based on grid (1 or more grids) the shapes are
to be colored with pencils using different shades.

Phase 2.2

Composition with non-90 degrees shapes and not based on a grid, random
quadrangles. Thea shapes are to be colored with crayons. (A brief introduction of
color theory is presented to the students, so they learn how to create a composition
from random geometric shapes using colors based on harmony)

5 Project 3 : Abstraction

Students are asked to print their faces on A3 papers scale 1 to 1. They are then asked
to trace geometric shapes on butter paper. The result they generate is an abstraction
of their faces using geometric shapes. They have to do 1 profile and 1 portrait. After
they trace their faces on butter paper, they are asked to copy the composition on A3
Canson paper and finalize it with ink.

6 Project 4: Letters

This project presents the latest trend in car design. Students are first asked to do
brief research on car design focusing mostly on spoiler kits and lights. After they
understand the language and style, they are asked to design the initial letters of the
name and family name using the language and style on latest car design trends.

7 Project 5: Abstract Art

This project is purely experimental. The purpose of this project is to open the imagination of
student on how far abstract art can go. Students are asked to create an abstract background on
A3 Canson and then they burn the edges to create an antique style ready for a foreground to

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be added. The foreground is generated based on literary theory called stream of

consciousness. This project is not graded.

Presentation requirements:

- All presented work should be mounted on black cardboard with a 2cm boarder and covered with
tracing paper. Label your work on the bottom right with the following:
- Course number, title
- Project name
- Date
- Your ID and name
- All projects are expected to be clean, finished, not messy and presented on due date.

III. Student Contribution

Student contribution to this course is to:
 Attend all lectures.
 Participate in lecture/seminar discussion and activities.
 Work individually or in group on case analysis requested by the module leader(s)
 Follow-up on sessions by identifying key concepts in appropriate reference literature and reading
more about them.
 Review tasks/hand-outs by completing further examples not covered in class.

The University regulations on plagiarism and unfair practice must be observed. Your attention is
drawn in particular to the need to acknowledge all sources of information by clearly referencing all
material using the Harvard Convention.
The GD reserves the right to ask for further proof of the nature and source of material used, and you
are advised to keep complete records of such sources.

Project Submission:
Any failure to deliver the project will lead to failing the project and giving the grade upon the reached
process for each student.

Project Grading:
Composition 30 %

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Communication (message conveyed) 30%

Creativity 20%
Craft 20%

Academic Honesty:
Academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. All exercises, projects and exams are to be
completed individually. Online resources can be used to make you understand the material, but copying
online design is grounds for course failure. Any student may be subject to repeat IN class a specific
part of his/her project.

IV. Assessment Criteria

Project Criteria:
Communication—Graphic design is, in essence, visual communication. If a piece doesn't communicate,
then the primary objective has been missed. The work must speak clearly, in the appropriate medium, to
the intended audience.
Composition and layout—Designers must be able to manipulate and control the principles and
elements of design to create and visually communicate meaning. The elements of design make up a
visual vocabulary while the principles of design provide the organizational framework.
Creativity—this separates the good from the great. It's fairly easy to create something that
communicates. But can it break through the clutter to communicate creatively? A concept is the big idea
that gives a message its cohesiveness; it adds meaning and memorability that aid in cognition.
Craft—Craft in graphic design refers to a keen attention to detail. Common pitfalls include shoddy
mock-ups, spelling errors, or poor mounting. The final comp (comprehensive) should be an accurate
depiction of the final product.
Process—Students are in some cases required to turn in documentation of their design process either
in bound format or preferably as a digital PDF. Grades will be taken intermittently during project
benchmarks.

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