N201 Midterm Project/Exam/Paper
Due date: November 7, 2007, 1:30 p.m.

For the midterm you will need to create a series of related supplementary advertising material for the client you have been partnered with in lecture.

1. In consultation with your client you will need to create 1 printed poster and 1 home page website (none functional) promoting your client. Specifications for these items can be found at the end of this assignment sheet.
2. You and your client will need to create and sign a memo of understanding that outlines the project and each person’s responsibilities and expectations for this project. Both of you will need to sign and date the MOU and present a copy to your attorney (Beth) for filing within one week of receiving this assignment sheet.(Oct. 10, 2007)
3. You will need to fill out a strategic plan and have it approved by the client within 2 weeks of receiving this assignment sheet. Both of you will need to sign and date the strategic plan and present a copy to your attorney (Beth) for filing within 2 weeks of receiving this assignment sheet. (Oct. 17, 2007)
4. You will need to provide your client with a minimum of 2 designs for each project (poster and website) from which one can be chosen for completion for each aspect of the project(poster and website). These designs need to be printer’s proofs (print outs) and must be initialed by the client showing approval of your design. You must consult with your client on all design decisions and changes and have written approval from the client on each step to continue with the design. This includes any design changes requested by the client or thought of by the designer. Copies of the signed and dated proofs will need to be included in your project bible which you will supply to your attorney (Beth) for filing at the end of the project.
5. Any disputes between the designer and the client that cannot be resolved in-house can be taken to the attorney (Beth) for a fee of 2 points off of the total score this assignment for the person who contacts the attorney. (i.e.: If you go to the attorney to resolve a dispute once and would have gotten 500 points for the project, you will get a 498.) Questions about the project are not subject to this rule and no point deduction will be taken. The fee is only incurred when the attorney has to resolve a dispute.
6. The client will assess the designer and pay for his/her services at the end of the project. The pay scale is:

   A = $500
   B = $400
   C = $300
   D = $200
   F = $100 or less

7. The designer will assess the client with a recommendation:

   A = Would work for again, even if I had to turn someone else away
   B = Would work for again but in the general workflow
   C = Would work for again if no other clients are available
   D = Would not work for again but would refer to someone else
   F = Would not work for again and would not return calls or e-mails

8. Write a paper outlining your experience with this project. In the paper you will need to:
1. State the name of your client and give your recommendation as listed above.
2. State the name of your designer and pay them as listed above.
3. Describe the differences you encountered between being a designer and being a client. Which did you prefer and why?
4. Defend your design choices or decisions. Discuss the choices and decisions you made as a designer and also as a client. Cite sources from the book as to what your design choices were. Cite from the book(s) what color schemes you tried and how your client reacted to them. (i.e.: I used a blue monochromatic color scheme (Hashimoto, p.233) for a calming quality (Eiseman, p. 35) but the client thought it was too boring, so I tried a an analogous (Hashimoto, p.233) scheme of blues and greens to bring more variety to the palette while still maintaining the overall calm mood of the design and the client liked it.) Do the same with your design elements (if you used diagonal lines to create excitement and harmony through repetition, cite in your book(s) where you learned those techniques. Be sure to also explain why you made the choices you did with your designer while you were acting as client.
5. Describe how this experience may or may not impact your career in new media.
6. As a result of this exercise are you more likely or less likely to try freelancing on your own? Why?
7. Do you feel prepared to freelance against people who take 4+ years of nothing but design classes?
8. Can you envision yourself using the skills you learned from this exercise in areas outside of design? Why or how?
9. Compile everything you have used on this project and present it in a project bible to your attorney (Beth) for filing no later than 1:30 p.m. November 7, 2007. Make sure your name is on the project bible. Include a CD containing all electronic files used in this project as described below. Make sure your name is clearly printed in permanent marker on the CD (or DVD) itself, not the case.

The poster needs to meet the following criteria:

• advertise for an upcoming live concert
• appropriate for the target audience
• include the following textual content (not necessarily in the following order, but everything must be present on the poster):
• name of the artist
• name of the concert or concert series (Emerging Artists)
• date and time of the performance
• venue name
• venue location
• brief description (you must include the following text:)
• Join us for the thrill of a lifetime as _________ (insert the name of the artist here) takes the stage for a limited engagement. Under 21 not permitted; ID required at the door. Proper attire is required. We reserve the right to refuse admittance. No outside food or drink permitted. No cameras or recording devices permitted. We are not responsible for holding your equipment. Cover charge $8. Cash bar and unique food available.
• CMYK format
• 300 DPI
• 11 x 17 inches (full bleed optional, but if not full bleed that must be evident in the design)
• evidence of a well thought color scheme drawing from your studies of color theory (i.e.: complementary color scheme, accent color, monochromatic, analogous colors, etc.)
• use of appropriate design principles and elements as discussed in lecture and reading (i.e.: asymmetrical composition, shape, line, negative space, symmetrical composition, harmony, contrast, value, etc.)
• integration of typography and related typographic treatments
• information hierarchy and “chunking”
• legibility and readability pf appropriate content
• appropriate imagery (i.e.: photography, graphics, drawings, etc.)
• a cohesive design that forces the viewers’ eye to flow through the image in a way that you intend
• design relationship to the other advertising materials you will produce
• the ability to communicate the information in an interesting and eye-catching way
• create an emotional response in the viewer
• delivered both as a hard copy printout and a layered PSD file (or other program used, such as Illustrator or Indesign) included on the CD
• a JPG of the file uploaded to Oncourse

The website design for the home page needs to meet the following criteria:

• general promotional website for the artist
• appropriate for the target audience
• include the following textual content (not necessarily in the following order, but everything must be present on the page):
• name of the artist
• navigation for:
• bio
• store
• contact
• discography
• performance schedule
• fun stuff
• copyright statement
• recording label info
• logo
• advertising (either self promotional or sponsor)
• RGB format
• 72 DPI
• minimum dimensions of 800 x 600 pixels
• evidence of a well thought color scheme drawing from your studies of color theory (i.e.: complementary color scheme, accent color, monochromatic, analogous colors, etc.)
• use of appropriate design principles and elements as discussed in lecture and reading (i.e.: asymmetrical composition, shape, line, negative space, symmetrical composition, harmony, contrast, value, etc.)
• integration of typography and related typographic treatments
• information hierarchy and “chunking”
• legibility and readability pf appropriate content
• appropriate imagery (i.e.: photography, graphics, drawings, etc.)
• a cohesive design that forces the viewers’ eye to flow through the page in a way that you intend
• design relationship to the other advertising materials you will produce
• the ability to communicate the information in an interesting and eye-catching way
• create an emotional response in the viewer
• web-appropriate content and visuals that set this site apart from other websites
• a JPG of the file uploaded to Oncourse