Design Studio 21: Mini Press

The adoption of Web 2.0 in the late 2000s transformed publishing from a niche, exclusive, practice to a perpetual state of being. Social media networks, and asynchronous web browsing, enabled individuals to publish status updates, locations, food reviews, and a plethora of other information with great ease. However, this type of publishing is heavily mediated and limited in its expression, adhering to rules set by large tech companies, internet service providers, and computer hardware.

Despite these conditions, or perhaps in response, independent art and design publishing and distribution is thriving. Small physical and digital presses are creating spaces for marginalized groups who don’t fit the mold of online social networks to share and grow. Accessible tools have enabled experimental and performative practices that reflect on these conditions in new and exciting ways.

This class will explore why we publish today and what our current technological and social conditions encourage. We will consider how we represent ourselves online and through are graphic expression, the importance of an audience, and the ethics of making public (publishing). Through graphic production, the class will engage in a series of projects engaging with these topics, with the goal to ultimately create a “mini press” within the SNU Design Department.

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Learning Outcomes

  • Examine the dynamics of publishing today
  • Research new distribution and production methods
  • Enable personal, graphic, expression through graphic publication design
  • Get experience circulating our ideas in a variety of contexts
  • Linking personal research to a variety of formal and experimental outcomes
  • Tags: Graphic Design, Publication Design, Visual Communication, Editing, Collaboration,Transdisciplinary, Relational Design

Requirements

Students should be comfortable using design software and producing graphic outcomes (these can range from digital outcomes like webpages or videos, to physical materials such as books, posters, textiles, etc.)

  • Personal Laptop
  • Phone, digital camera, scanner, screen capture etc.
  • Access to printers and other means of production

Readings

  • There will be routine readings with discussions taking place in class and occassionally online. All students will be required to pose one question and respond to another students question about each reading.

Class Activities

The following activities will take place in-person and online via a number of platforms:

  • Reading discussion
  • Topic lecture/discussion
  • Project critique/discussion
  • Group exercises
  • A Weekend Workshop
  • One-on-one meetings
  • Group meetings

Grading

  • 60% ... Projects (There will be 2 individual projects and a group project this semester: individual projects = 40%; group project = 20%)
  • 10% ... Assignments (Exercises, readings, etc.)
  • 10% ... Workshop (Weekend workshop)
  • 20% ... Attendance + Participation/Attitude (Being present and active in class via discussion, and preparation)

Letter grades represent the following:

A = excellent;
B = good;
C = satisfactory;
D = unsatisfactory;
F = failure.

Grading Criteria

Individual project grades and final course grade takes into consideration:

  • Participation (attendance, engagement in critique, pro-active involvement through the demonstration of discussion and inquiry)
  • Process (exploration, iteration, research)
  • Concept (thought, originality, creativity, and criticality)
  • Design (does the work function as intended, does it communicate, is there clarity of information and intent)
  • Presentation (quality of craft, attention to detail, professionalism)

Attendance

Students who are absent for over 1/3 of the class will receive a grade of 'F' or 'U' for the course. (Exceptions can be made when the cause of absence is deemed unavoidable by the course instructor.)

Plagiarism

Students are expected to generate their own work and ideas. Since, this class focuses on a range of ideas including appropriation, there can be some gray area about originality in this context. If you are concerned about the authorship of your work, please discuss with chris.

Submitting your work and Class Archive

As a final deliverable, please send a .zip file with documentation of your work over the semester and send to chris via wetransfer by Weds June 21.

Credits

This website runs on Kirby and was adapted from a site developed by Laurel Schwulst.

Design Studio 21
Mini Press

Seoul National University
College of Fine Arts, Department of Design

Spring 2023
Mar 3 → June 9

Friday
2:00 pm → 5:50pm
Building 49
Room B-101

Instructor
Chris Hamamoto
chamamoto@snu.ac.kr

Office hours
Wed 10am – 2pm
building 49 room 207 by appointment

TA
Dasol Kim
dasolkim@snu.ac.kr

Note: This class is class is funded by the program and students will participate in community service by creating a temporary library with open access to the local community at the end of the semester.

Note: Students will be expected to attend one workshop with design studio and publisher Corners that takes place outside of normal class time. The specific dates are TBD and will take into account everyone’s schedules as best as possible.