Assignment-Project: Field Book
Grade: 100 Points (see rubric below)
Due:

This is the assignment as given to "Elements of Visual Language" class at New York University Interactive
Telecommunications Program (altered for our purposes):

Here are some field guide notes:

• A field guide is about the small differences between similar things
• A field guide is based on the visual differences
• One thing that design can do well is to render these visual differences clearly
• A collection should be homogeneous so that small differences can be read
• A field guide is based on direct, in the field, observation
• You should use things readily found in downtown SB or on the SBCC campus

Design a Field Guide

1. Find a set of seven to fifteen similar things readily available in downtown Santa Barbara or SBCC campus.
   
   
2. Record them using photographs, drawings or other methods.
   Your style depends on what you wish to communicate.
   
   
3. Make "a pictorial key using obvious similarities and differences of form and structure."
   
   
4. Your field guide can be any finished size, but must fold down to a size that someone could take with
   them and use in the field [city].
   
   
5. The completed Field Guide should be designed and folded to visually communicate the subleties of your chosen object must include:
   - title page of some kind
   - pictorial key
   - images (photos, drawings, other)
   - text
   

PROCESS:

1. List a minimum of 10 different things/objects you find either on the SBCC campus or in downtown Santa Barbara that you feel would be interesting topics for your field guide and are duplicated in other areas of the city or on campus.
   
   
2. Choose 3 that you find particularly interesting and create a brainstorming list of their
   attributes (characteristics).
   The following is a suggested list to get you started thinking about the object and what/how it is made of.
   - parts that make up the object
   - materials the object is made from
   - colors found in the object
   - size of object
   
   
3. Create a Word document for #1 and 2 to upload.
   
   
4. Choose one of the objects and take photos of the 7-15 similar objects.
   Take several different close ups and shots that might include it's surroundings.
   
   
5. Experiment with at least three different layouts.
   These thumbnails should be done manually and will be scanned and saved as jpgs to upload.
   
   
6. Consider how the finished guide will fold:
   - How does the fold affect the content?
   - Does the fold and size of the guide communicate the information clearly?
   
   
7. Choose your best design and layout after the class critique.
   
   
8. Complete the layout in Indesign.
   
   
9. Print and assemble to hand in.
   
   
10. Fill out Showcase submission form and upload PDF file to Xythos (link to be announced).
    
    
11. Class Presentation Exam week.