Web Type

Web Type Syllabus 2021

Course Information

Course Description

This course explores typography within the browser, considering the web as a medium. We will design an develop typography that activates the capacities and conditions of websites. Projects will respond to our local browser conditions and different device environments, then expand to working with the remote network as source material. Critique and discussions will examine how publishing on the internet entails a distinct form of engagement and experience. Technical instruction includes basic web languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as type design technology such as variable fonts. Background in coding is recommended but not required.

This course is purposely named with shortened, less precise versions the words “web” and “type” to broaden our perspective on our explorations.

Web could refer to websites, but also to the web infrastructure, to the technology and culture of the world wide web; the protocols that compose the fabric of our internet; the act of weaving a web.

Type could refer to typography — the arrangement of letterforms — but also typefaces themselves, the quality of letterforms; or to type, the act of typing, or writing, or coding.

Both are fundamental for communication: one a medium for its distribution, the other its foundational visual form. As designers, it is essential that we can critically create work that thrives at their intersection.

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Web

Type

Prerequisites

Material Requirements

Course Structure

Projects

Exercises

Technical exercises, both in and outside of class, will strengthen our coding skills to build robust web pages and enhance our expressive capacity on the web.

Critiques

During our crits, we will review your project based on the evaluation criteria outlined below. Projects should be live and working on the web with no missing assets — you should try accessing the URL from a different computer / device prior to the class. Be prepared to describe your design process. While we can raise technical questions here, critique time should not be used for troubleshooting; these should be addressed prior to the crit either by consulting your classmates or via office hours.

Readings

Readings will be dispersed throughout the semester to inform and contextualize our work with each project. Be prepared to respond, raise questions, and discuss the text during class.

Discussion

In addition to reading discussions and class critiques, we will have a weekly show & tell to share an interesting website or two we’ve each come across over the past week.

Each student is also responsible for preparing a presentation on a designer / artist using the browser as an expressive medium. View this list to start.

 

Course Schedule

Week 1: Hello World

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Introductions / Overview of syllabus, class website, resources HTML and CSS Basics / Coding environment setup Project 1 Laurel Schwulst: My website is a shifting house next to a river of knowledge. What could yours be? / Frank Chimero: the Web’s Grain Shay Howe: HTML & CSS / Codecademy Learn HTML / Codecademy Learn CSS

Week 2: Responsive typography

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell / Reading Project 1 progress, small groups Layout and structure / Responsive typography / Print “markup” exercise Complete Project 1 Loretta Staples: Typography & the Screen / Nick Sherman: Variable Fonts for Responsive Design Learn Layout / Flexbox Froggy / CSS Grid

Week 3: Axes of variation

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell Project 1 final crit Demo: Glyphs and type design basics / Introducing variable fonts Project 2 Typotheque: Typeface as Programme / Christoph Knoth: Computed Type Design Glyphs: Creating a Variable Font, Review A Variable Fonts Primer

Week 4: Medium as message

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Reading Project 2 progress, individual meetings Change over time (CSS transitions & animations) / Introduction to JavaScript & jQuery Finalize Project 2, begin Project 3 Keller Easterling: Medium Design (Excerpt) / Mindy Seu: The Poetry of Tools Codecademy JavaScript / Codecademy jQuery / Eloquent Javascript

Week 5: Dynamic type

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Reading Project 2 final & Project 3 progress, small group meetings Demo: jQuery and JSON Complete Project 3 Weiyi Li: Function as Narrative / Alexander Galloway: Jodi’s Infrastructure Continue Codecademy JavaScript / Codecademy jQuery / Eloquent Javascript

Week 6: Web publishing

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell Project 3 final crit Editorial design on the web Project 4 Robin Rendle: A New Web Typography / Paul Soulellis: Publishing as practice as resistance CMS Prototype

Spring Break



Week 7: Structure and Systems

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Reading Project 4 progress, individual meetings Demo: Content Management Systems Continue Project 4 Dan Michaelson as interviewed by Jeff Balkin: Sometimes it looks like a duck, sometimes it looks like a rabbit Continue CMS Exercise

Week 8: Public Process

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell / Reading Project 4 progress, small groups Web & sustainability Continue Project 4 Interview: Luna Maurer on being a designer Continue CMS Exercise

Week 9: Words and the Server

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell Project 4 progress, small groups Demo: Deploying and maintaining websites / Technical Review Continue Project 4 Metahaven: Captives of the Cloud API Playground

Week 10: Poetic Computation

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell / Reading Project 4 progress, small groups Creative Coding / Technical Review Complete Project 4 Annalee Newitz: A Better Internet Is Waiting for Us Continue API Playground

Week 11: Review

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Student Presentations / Show & Tell / Review class documentation requirements Project 4 final with Guest Critic Technical Review Compile Documentation

Week 12: A Better Internet

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Submit work and documentation / Setup online gallery / Class wrap up, submit reviews Collection final TBD Update final documentation and refine projects per feedback

Week 13: Reading Period (no class)

Discussion Crit Lecture Assignment Reading Exercises
Due: any updates to final work and documentation, submitted via index website


Policies

Attendance

You are expected attend every class, on time and prepared. If you must miss a class, please notify me as soon as possible. If you miss a class, you are responsible to make up for any missed material by working with classmates and/or attending office hours. Three or more absences will result in a failing grade. Three arrivals later than 15 minutes is equivalent to an absence. and are responsible for making up any missed assignments by the next class. See also: RISD’s Attendance Policy

Grading

  • 70% Execution of projects and supporting exercises
  • 20% Participation in critiques, class discussions, readings, and shares
  • 10% Student presentation

Evaluation Critera

Grade Description
A
  • Always present
  • Frequently participates in critiques and class discussion
  • All work completed on time
  • Demonstrates technical competency and understanding of web technology
  • Develops original, considered concepts
  • Elegantly translates ideas into typographic form
  • Showcases risk-taking and technical exploration outside of class
  • Creatively problem-solves with the tools available
  • Demonstrates excellent attention to detail and craft
  • Demonstrates depth in research
  • Effectively articulates intent and process
B
  • Solid work, all work completed on time
  • Good participation
  • Generally could use improvement on items noted on the A list above, especially risk-taking, participation, and attention to detail
C
  • Average work
  • Completes assignments as required but in an untimely fashion
  • Little effort to incorporate class and instructor feedback
  • Lacking in technical craft and understanding
D
  • Frequently late to class
  • Limited effort
  • Incomplete work
  • Does not respond to feedback
  • Insufficient technical understanding
  • Minimal participation
F / No Credit
  • Severe attendance issues
  • Incomplete and / or frequently late work
  • Little to no technical understanding
  • No effort to improve performance
  • No participation

All projects are not necessarily final on the designated crit day; it can be redone or improved until the end of the semester, when you submit all of your final work. Such improvements in the final documentation will be considered for the evaluation.

Classroom Etiquette

Please put away your cell phones while you are in the classroom, and actively engage in the classroom. Projects must be uploaded with a live url (with no missing fonts or images) before the start of class.

Diversity

It’s important to me that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives are well-served by this course, that your learning needs are addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity students bring to this class are viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. I will strive to present materials and activities that challenge accepted canons and are respectful and representative of diversity: gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and other background characteristics. Your suggestions about how to improve the value of diversity in this course are always encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know how I might improve the effectiveness of the course for you, or for other students or student groups. See also: RISD’s non-discrimination policies on titleix.risd.edu

Learning needs

RISD is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students. If you are a student with a disability or condition that may require accommodations to complete the requirements of this class, I encourage you to discuss your learning needs with me during the first week of the term. Once an approval letter from the Office of Disability Support Services is submitted, accommodations will be provided as needed. For more information on how to receive accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services at 401 709-8460 or by emailing disabilitysupportservices@risd.edu.

Code of Conduct

All work is built upon other work; whether explicitly or not. You will find that a lot of the technical problems you come across have already been solved online, and learning code is a process that involves learning from these solutions. However, you will also find that in order to apply these to build original work, you will need to apply your own thinking and logic to properly incorporate it and make it work. Use of standard functions and common features are often acceptable to re-use; appropriating entire websites and their functionality are not.

Throughout the class, you will experience a range of opportunities to be inspired and influenced by other designers, artists, engineers, or other online sources. While plagiarism with the goal of deception will not be tolerated, it is normal to explore the work of others in new and original ways, and to express that influence through a variety of techniques — including homage, parody, style, derivation, and appropriation. As a general rule of thumb, if you see something you are excited about (in class or outside), understand the context in which it was made. What was the design responding to, communicating, and to whom. A deeper understanding of other people’s work generally produces additional ideas. We expect all GD students and faculty to maintain an open perspective towards these concepts, and to use this class as a safe testing ground for exploring influence, with the guidance of faculty. See also: John Caserta’s It’s probably not plagiarism, RISD’s Academic Code of Conduct