Design Studio (Pre-College)

Course Description

If you are interested in learning more about the world of design or are planning to apply to an art and design school, Design Studio is for you. The criteria for admission to many of today’s most competitive art and design schools are changing. Students are now expected to display their work along with careful documentation of the entire design process. It is no longer enough to present a beautiful finished work of art; you must demonstrate how you formulate ideas, make decisions, and solve problems. This course introduces students to Parsons’ design methodology, including research, concept development, sketching and prototyping, iterative project development, and written reflection. Students then apply this process to projects in which they explore disciplines including fashion, product, and graphic design. Students are also introduced to the fundamentals of drawing and are encouraged to experiment with sketching and illustration techniques, using digital tools in Adobe Creative Suite, digital photography, and 3D materials and processes. Project work is supplemented by weekly guest lectures by high-profile New York City designers and recent Parsons graduates and by visits to relevant exhibitions and events in the city. 

NOTE: This course requires students to bring a modern computer laptop to class to complete course assignments. The New School provides all degree and credit-seeking students (enrolled in the current term) with subscriptions for the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications.

Learner Outcomes

• Demonstrate an understanding of the design iteration process from conception to completion, including: idea generation and sketching, research and documentation, material exploration, prototyping, execution across multiple art and design applications, user-testing, questioning and editing, realization of the final product and professional presentation to the public.
• Develop a vocabulary of design terminology that is used in critiques, class discussions, project presentations and reflective writing of the studio practice.
• Develop a meaningful connection to design history through the works of artists and designers introduced and researched in the course curriculum, including historic context, creative contributions/inventions and cultural impact on society.
• Demonstrate an understanding of perceptual, figurative and analytical drawing methods through the application of traditional materials and digital tools.
• Demonstrate an understanding of two-dimensional design principles, including: value, color, composition and gestalt principles, through the use of traditional and digital media.
• Demonstrate an understanding of three-dimensional design principles, including: texture, volume, and mass through the exploration of materials, construction methods, and the relationship between ergonomics and form.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of digital software and tools included in Adobe Creative Suite and their methods of integration with hand-made objects through digital photography, scanning, printing, hypermedia publishing, and/or desktop publishing.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the design process through the use of a Sketchbook and creation of a Parsons Learning Portfolio. The Learning Portfolio combines the documentation of the iteration process with reflective and critical writing that addresses personal approaches to problem solving.

Additional Information

This course is one offering from our Parsons Summer Intensive Studies program. For more information on schedule, registration, and refund policies, see program details.