Week 1

Jan 9 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • ​Introduction: course policies and procedures, expectations, syllabus, announcements, portfolio review, introduction to your peers, class website, etc
  • Housekeeping: Set-up Blogger accounts
  • Design: What is computer graphics?

​HOMEWORK / BLOG - Due weekly before class; no late blogs will be accepted.
  • Email the professor from your SXU email to [email protected]. Answer the interview question "tell me more about yourself" - be sure to include your major, link to your art if you have any online, share links to your favorite designers / artists, include a photo of yourself or I will take one of you (this will be used in my grade book to learn your names), etc.
  • Post
    • Research - 1. What is vector illustration? and 2. What is an idiom?
Jan 11 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Bring your supplies to every class.
  • Presentation: The Design Process
  • Project 1: An introduction - Illustrate an Idiom
  • ​Training: Adobe Illustrator: introduction, interface, artboards, tools, shape tools, pen tool, pathfinder.

​HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Training: Illustrator practice - create your name out of basic shapes.
  • Post
    • What is vector Illustration?
    • Your Illustrator practice - drawing your name.
    • Research idioms and post a list of your 10 favorites.

Week 2

Jan 15 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday: no classes
Jan 19, 3p - DUE Art & Design Portfolios / Scholarships
Jan 16 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Presentation: "Seeing" not just looking and Introduction to Principles / Elements of Design
  • Training: Adobe Illustrator

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Continue sketching concepts for Project 1
Jan 18 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Presentation: Principles / Elements of Design in use.
  • Training: Adobe Illustrator

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Project 1​: Complete the outlines - remember use all closed paths.
  • Post your progress.

Week 3

Jan 23 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Presentation: Color Fundamentals
  • Training: How to print in classroom (remember to save as a PDF)
  • Peer-to-Peer Critique: Project 1 (on-screen)
  • Studio time

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Post your project progress.
  • Create 3 color variations for your design  based off of the color schemes we learned about in class; Use an artboards for each design
Jan 25 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Project 1 Critique: on color variations. Bring a color print of your 3 favorite color variations for feedback.
  • Studio time

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Post your project progress including color variations

Week 4

Jan 29 Final day to change a class from audit to credit
Jan 30 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Discussion: Your questions answered
  • Lecture: How to access SXU Server to submit Project 1
  • Studio time

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Post the final version of Project 1 with artist statement by Feb 1
Feb 1 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Project 1 Critique: Bring a print of your final project to class for discussion.
  • Project 2a: Brief Introduction

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Find or take 5 interesting images of yourself. These images SHOULD SHOWCASE YOUR PERSONALITY; They SHOULD BE interesting, quirky, funny, strange, eerie, unique, edgy, etc. They SHOULD NOT BE a "super model pose", sexy, a driver's license or passport photo, etc.
  • Post
    • What is the difference between a Selfie and a Self-Portrait?
    • Post 5 artists that specialize in self-portrait, show several of their self-portraits and write a short paragraph about what they were trying to do, why were they so interested in self-portraits?

Week 5

Feb 6 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Discussion: What is the difference between a Selfie and a Self-Portrait, Seeing value,
  • Presentation: Vector self-portraits, illustration styles, etc.
  • Project 2a: Details - project goals and process
  • Studio time: Illustrator practice, 1-on-1 with professor - help in choosing an appropriate image, begin tracing your image (highlights, mid-tones, shadows).

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Project 2: Find an appropriate image and begin tracings.
Feb 8 - Thursday
​IN-CLASS
  • Project 2a: Continuation - file set-up, hand-tracing, scanning, begin vector illustration
  • Training: How to use a scanner
  • Studio time: Vector illustration for Project 2a

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Complete the outlines of your face
  • Create at least 5 color swatch groups you think will work for the concept of this project
Post
  • Your progress

Week 6

Feb 13 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Discussion: Your questions answered - repeat demos - how to create color swatch groups, using Adobe Color, creating closed paths using the least amount of anchor points, pathfinder
  • Studio time: Project 2a - implement color variations
  • Project 2b: Introduction

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Start conceptualizing Project 2b. Make 8 rough sketches and bring to next class.
Feb 15 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Project 2b: Have our ideas ready. Begin creation.

HOMEWORK / BLOG
Post
  • ​Your color variations, discuss your concepts and progress

Week 7

Feb 20 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Peer-toPeer Critique: Project 2a
  • Studio time: 1-on-1 with professor - Project 2b discussion.

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Project 2a: If your image was approved begin design; Or continue work on your concepts for approval in next class.
Feb 22 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Training: Illustrator
  • Studio time: 1-on-1 with professor - Project 2b discussion.

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Complete Project 2a and 2b
  • Post your progress for Project 2a and 2b. 

Week 8

Feb 27 - Tuesday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 2 Critique: Bring a print of part a and b.

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Post your final project with artist statement describing both parts of Project 2. 
Mar 1 - Thursday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 2 Submission: Bring your files ready to submit.

HOMEWORK / BLOG 

Week 9

Mar 15 Deadline to file for 2018 Summer / Winter Graduation
Mar 17 Final Day to change a class from credit to audit or pass/fail
Mar 13 - Tuesday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 3: Introduction
  • Presentation: Type - basic history and elements
  • Training: Using create outlines and manipulating type

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Research on your hat. Look at history, meaning, time created, who created it, what was its main purpose, does it have more than one name, etc.
  • Post images of your hat from multiple angles. Look for images with good contrast, visible volume, easy to see lights, mid-tones, and darks tones.
Mar 15 - Thursday - CLASS IS CANCELLED

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Finish your research on your hat
  • Work on your project. We will have an in-progress critique on Tuesday!
  • Check out the tutorials page for new tutorials on type manipulation and envelope distort.
  • Typographic poster samples - write a few lines about what you find interesting or uninteresting about these designs.

Week 10

Mar 20 Grad Fest 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mar 21 Mission Heritage Day
Mar 20 - Tuesday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 3: Peer-to-peer in-Progress critique and Begin poster design
  • Presentation: Posters, history, relevance, etc.
  • Training: Illustrator 

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Continue work on project
  • Project 3 progress
Mar 22 - Thursday

IN-CLASS
  • Studio Day

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Project 3 progress
  • Start looking at artists portfolios

Week 11

Mar 29-Apr 1 Easter Holiday
Mar 27 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Project 3: Critique
  • Presentation: Layout design and the artist portfolio

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Post samples of artist portfolios - write a sentence or two about what you found interesting or uninteresting about the designs.
  • Work on your portfolio cover design.
Mar 29 - Thursday - NO CLASS

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Project 3: Continue Work

Week 12

Apr 3 - Tuesday
IN-CLASS
  • Project 3: Critique; Work on Background
  • Project 4: Introduction Portfolio & Cover Design
  • Presentation: Spreads
  • Training: Adobe InDesign

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Work on your project
  • Post about Art Portfolios
Apr 5 - Thursday
IN-CLASS
  • Project 3: Submit
  • Project 4: Cover and First 2-page spread
  • Discussion: Portfolios
  • Studio Time

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Project 4: Design 5, 2-page spreads and Post your progress

Week 13

Apr 10 - Tuesday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 4: Bring print of Cover and 6, 2-page spreads for critique
  • Project 4: Finish last 2-page spreads

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Project 4: Design and Post your progress
Apr 12 - Thursday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 4: Critique; Prepare for Print

HOMEWORK / BLOG 
  • Project 4: Finish Design and Post your progress

​Project 4: Send to Printer (Lulu.com)
  • Print Settings
    ​Product Line:     Premium Paperback
    Binding: Perfect Bound Paperback
    Product Size: US Letter
    Interior Color: Full-color
    Paper Quality: 80#
    Cover Finish: Gloss
    Shipping Origin: Global
  • ​Mail to: C/O Chris Matusek, Art & Design-VAC, Saint Xavier University, 3700 W. 103rd Street, Chicago, Il 60655
  • To receive extra credit print your book before Apr 16 at midnight. You get 1 point for early printing. And you do not have to come to class - you still receive your attendance point for the day. So that is 2 total points.

Week 14

Apr 17 - Tuesday

IN-CLASS
  • Project 4: Send to Printer - if you wait to print this day you must choose faster shipping to be sure your portfolio arrives by critique day.
Apr 19 - Thursday

IN-CLASS
  • Organize project files for archives
  • Elevator speech

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Finish elevator speech and post

Week 15

Apr 30–5 Final Exam
Apr 24 - Tuesday

IN-CLASS
  • Submit files for archive

HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Post
Apr 26 - Thursday

IN-CLASS
​
HOMEWORK / BLOG
  • Post

Week 16 - FINAL EXAM

May 1 - Tuesday 10-11:50a

Attendance is Mandatory
Schedule Notes

  • Purple denotes SXU important dates
  • *Schedule subject to Change; You will be notified
Chris Matusek | Copyright © 2025