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Welcome!

CS 71.11 is designed for the beginning student who wants to learn how to use the popular digital drawing program Adobe Illustrator CS5 (or CS5.5, they are the same.) This class will be taught bi-platform - Mac OS one week and Windows the next - and will focus on learning how to use the software, not on artistic design.

In the first weeks of the class you will learn basic Illustrator skills - how to use the toolbox, the panels, and the menus; how to create simple shapes, work with objects, use layers, work with type, modify paths, and use special effects. The remaining elements of the Illustrator toolbox are covered later in the class, including the pen tool, the mesh tool, the blend tool, and, of course, the brand new perspective tool. Skills are developed to customize brushes, patterns, and styles. This class explores desktop publishing techniques to combine vector and raster graphics with type and also focuses on the creation of web graphics.

To be successful in this class, you must have previous computer experience, but it makes no difference if you are a Mac or PC user. You should be comfortable using a computer, including file management principles, use of the clipboard, and Internet experience. Familiarity with a simple graphics program is helpful.

For those of you enrolled in the online section, to see if you are really ready to take an online class, please visit this page. Most of our communication will be via email. You should get in the habit of checking your email regularly if you want to succeed in this class. Online classes demand more regular attention from students than face-to-face classes.

Instructor Contact Information:

Instructor:
Carolyn Massell
cmassell@santarosa.edu (best way to contact me)
Santa Rosa, Maggini 2941, 707-527-4835

Office Hours:
Tuesday: 2:30-4:30 pm, Maggini 2941
Wednesday: 7:00-9:00 pm, Online

Text and Materials:

Lecture Notes: Weekly lecture notes are linked to from the Assignment Calendar. They should be printed and brought to lecture each week to save you from having to take copious notes.

In order to view the lecture notes, the weekly assignments, and other materials in PDF format, you may need to download and install the latest version of Adobe Reader at http://get.adobe.com/reader/. This software is free.

"Text": You will sign up for online teaching modules at lynda.com. For those of you who are not familiar with this company, lynda.com publishes textbooks, DVDs, and online tutorials that teach a wide variety of computer applications. Hundreds of titles are available online for a monthly subscription of $25 per month, but students in large class like ours will be eligible to subscribe to 5 specific titles at a discounted rate of $10 per month. We will manage the registration process at the first class meeting.

Most students are very pleased with these tutorials, as they are of excellent quality and can take you far beyond what we have time to cover in class. The one downside is that if you have a dial-up connection from home, you may not be happy with the wait to download these very large files. They are available only as streaming content (you can't download them at school and then play them at home), so you may want to access these materials at a computer with a high-speed connection. I would expect that you'll spend a minimum of two hours a week with the tutorials, so, if you want to work at school, just build that time into your schedule.

Software: Adobe is going to release a new version of it's Creative Suite software sometime within the next 6 months - they won't confirm a date. This puts any student who does not already have the Illustrator software in a real dilemma. Do you purchase software that will be "old" soon, or do you try and get along somehow by downloading a free 30-day trial version and then figuring out some other approach?

Oh, wow! I just discovered a solution that may work for you! Adobe now has a subscription plan - go to http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/cssubscription.edu.html for the details. Essentially you can sign up for a year for $29/month or sign up on a month-to-month basis for $45/month. The month-to-month plan combined with a free 30-day trial version might get you through the class less expensively until the new software is officially announced. At that time, you could purchase the entire Creative Suite 6 for a hugely discounted price - see below for details.

You can purchase Adobe Illustrator CS5.5 (or CS5 - they are the same.) An educational version can be purchased from Adobe for $199 at http://www.adobe.com/education/purchasing/education_pricing.html.

A much better deal is available, however, at the SRJC bookstore. You can purchase the Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Design Premium set of software for $369. The student price for this software is normally $599, but we get a volume discount here at the college. This suite includes InDesign, Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Flash Professional, Flash Catalyst, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Bridge, Device Central, and Acrobat Professional. You can also get this discounted price online by going to The Foundation for California Community Colleges.

The software is also available to you in the SRJC labs. If you want to work at school, you should purchase a USB flash drive to store your files.

Optional Book: Many of you may be more comfortable if you have a reference book also, and I can recommend (but will not require) several:

Real World Illustrator CS5, Mordy Golding, Peachpit Press, July 21, 2010 , ISBN-10: 0-321-71306-0 or ISBN-13: 978-0-321-71306-3 (nice choice because Mordy is one of our lynda.com authors)

Illustrator CS5 Bible, Ted Alspach, Wiley Publishing, July 2010, ISBN: 978-0-470-58475-0

The Adobe Illustrator CS5 Wow! Book, Sharon Steuer, Peachpit Press, August 2010, ISBN-10: 0-321-71244-7 or ISBN-13: 978-0-321-71244-8

Needless to say, the most authoritative reference is the Illustrator CS5 (or CS5.5) User Guide. Unfortunately, this is no longer available in printed format, but it ships with the Illustrator software in PDF format. If you would like to print it out, it's only 493 pages! Clearly, it will be best to learn how to navigate the Help system electronically whenever possible.

Getting Help:

Starting last spring, many of the Computer Studies classes changed from a 2-hour lecture, 2-hour (optional) lab format to a 3-hour lecture format. Teachers are implementing this change in various ways, and I have been fortunate to able to secure a hands-on lab for my face-to-face class. We will be weaving hands-on activities into the class over the course of the three hours, and I am hopeful that this format will give you the opportunity to practice what you are taught and work out the kinks before you leave class.

In the online section, I will also hold approximately 3 hours of lecture/practice each week. These sessions can be attended live (10:00 am on Wednesday mornings) and will be recorded, so that online students may participate at their convenience.

Working in the lab at school is another way to get some help. The lab assistants will frequently be able to answer simple questions, but you may not be able to get all your problems resolved.

Yet another option is to visit with me during my weekly office hours. See the Instructor Contact Information section above for specific information.

If you get stuck outside class and office hours, email is an effective way to ask a question. I check my email several times a day, so you can count on hearing back from me in short order. For best results, include the word HELP! in the subject line.

Homework and Tests:

Class notes, online tutorials, and lab projects will be assigned each week. Each lab will be graded on a 10-point system:

9.5-10	Reflects highest level of performance. Exceeds lab objectives for Illustrator skills/features used or presentation of Illustrator objects.
8-9	Reflects mastery of performance. All lab objectives are met.
7-7.5	Reflects movement toward mastery. Most lab objectives are met but details need attention.
5.5-6.5	Reflects a beginning level of performance. Major elements of lab are missing.
1-5	Unacceptable. More work needed.

Late Policy: You will learn and retain more if you keep current with your assignments. All lab assignments are due according to the dates posted in the Assignment Calendar - normally every two weeks. I strongly encourage you to get started on your work as soon as you can so that you can get help if you need it before the due date.

If your work is late, I will grade your work normally and then take off an extra 20% (2 points). If your work is more than one due date late, I will not accept it. I will usually grant an extension (no points off) for illness or a family emergency, but you must contact me ASAP if you want your situation to be considered.

Tests: There will be a mid-term exam and a final exam.

Grading Policy:

I use a standard grading scale: 90% for an "A", 80% for a "B", 70% for a "C", and 60% for a "D".

The class may be taken Pass/No Pass for those who don't need the grade or don't want the pressure, but you must sign up for this option by the date indicated below. Pass is awarded for work that would have earned a grade of C or better and counts toward a certificate.

You will be graded on the following work:	Maximum points
15 lab assignments (10 points each)	150 points
2 tests, mid-term and final	80 points
other extra credit assignments	up to 20 points

Important Dates:

	Classroom	Online
Date Class Begins	1/17/2012	1/17/2012
Date Class Ends	5/15/2012	5/18/2012
Last Day Add w/o add code	1/22/2012	1/22/2012
Last Day Add with add code	2/5/2012	2/5/2012
Last Day Drop for Refund	1/29/2012	1/29/2012
Last Day for P/NP option	2/26/2012	2/26/2012
Last Day Drop w/o W	2/12/2012	2/12/2012
Last Day Drop with W	4/29/2012	4/29/2012
Final Exam	5/22/2012	5/18/2012

Student Conduct:

Students will adhere to the rules and regulations regarding Academic Integrity.

Smoking is prohibited, not only on the college's property, but also within 20 feet of all District property, including all sidewalks and a portion of the city streets adjacent to college property.

Cells phones must be turned off or to vibrate only in the classroom and when you are using the SRJC computer labs. (I enforce the "brownie rule" - if your cell phone rings in class, you feed everyone the next week.)

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