Project 1 Gestalt Principles and Course Schedule Overview

Course Materials and Katie Platform

  • The course schedule is hosted on the Katie site via a direct link at the top of the page, formatted as a mini project-by-project schedule.

  • The platform provides a snapshot of course operations, detailing:

    • Nightly homework assignments.

    • In-class activities.

    • Exact project due dates.

Project 1: Gestalt Principles Overview and Timeline

  • Total Duration: Project 1 spans approximately 1.5 weeks from introduction to final submission.

  • Day 1 (Introductory Session):

    • General overview of Project 1 and introduction to the Katie platform.

    • Homework assigned for Day 1:

      • Watch the assigned Gestalt lecture video on Katie (video playback speed can be increased up to 2x if desired).

      • Obtain a sketchbook prior to Friday's class.

  • Friday Class Session:

    • In-class discussion of Gestalt principles.

    • Review of student questions regarding principles that feel unclear or overly similar.

    • Sharing of real-world examples: Students must bring in a photo or screen capture of an everyday object that demonstrates a Gestalt principle.

    • In-class sketching session (sketchbooks required).

  • Friday Homework Assignment:

    • Complete 10 thumbnail sketches for each selected Gestalt principle (50 total sketches due Monday).

  • Monday Class Session:

    • Submission of 50 thumbnail sketches.

    • Instruction on translating physical thumbnail sketches into digital visual formats using Adobe Illustrator.

  • Wednesday Class Session:

    • Continued digital production and project refinement in Adobe Illustrator.

  • Final Submission (Next Friday):

    • Project 1 is due at the beginning of class, after which the class transitions directly to the next project.

Principle Selection and Sketching Requirements

  • Gestalt Principle Selection:

    • The complete framework consists of 6 total Gestalt principles.

    • Students must select 5 of the 6 principles to execute for the project and drop 1 principle.

    • One principle is substantially more difficult than the other 5 and is typically dropped by students.

  • Thumbnail Sketch Specifications:

    • Quantity: 10 sketches per principle across 5 selected principles, yielding exactly 50 total thumbnail sketches (10×5=5010 \times 5 = 50).

    • Style: Rapid, non-complex thumbnail sketches designed to quickly explore visual concepts.