Graphic Design professionals combine skills in visual design, writing, strategic planning and branding to develop integrated marketing materials in a wide range of media to reach and influence specific target audiences.
  • Key Competency: Students will communicate verbally and in writing on topics related to Advertising Design with appropriate use of technical language.

PROJECT BASED LEARNING
  • Project-based learning is an instructional model that involves students in investigations of compelling problems that culminate in authentic product.
  • We use these strategies to help students apply their technical skills and creativity to solving real world communication problems by means of many hands-on collaborative projects.

TECHNICAL SKILLS
  • Design visual composition and stylistic treatments to meet client objectives utilizing the design process (thumbnails)
  • Effectively use industry standard techniques, equipment and software
  • Page Layouts that attract attention through creative use of design elements and principles
  • Color schemes that support the communications objectives of the project
  • Acquire and prepare appropriate imagery or graphics that enhance the message
  • Select and use typography that is both functional (readability) and expressive in a style which meets design goals
  • Digital output files correctly prepared for publishing to print
  • Web site pages formatted using correctly functioning HTML with Cascading Style Sheets

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
  • Plan, interview, write, edit and layout a print journalistic feature article spread combing text with images using page layout elements and principles.
  • Create a professional marketing campaign for a given product or service to include a written client brief (planning document) and a series of coordinated advertising materials.
  • Plan, design and publish a multi-page professional web site with body copy and captions. (self-promotional portfolio site, learning journal, blog site, etc.)
  • Write and present an article summary on an advertising or design related topic. (cite professional trade related journal sources)

GRAPHIC DESIGN course outline

CORE KNOWLEDGE
G011 INTRO TO GRAPHIC DESIGN
  • Introduction to Graphic Design
  • Careers in Graphic Design
  • G015 Graphic Design Portfolio
  • G013 Professional Resources
  • G016 Graphic Design History & Movements
G015 PROJECT MANAGEMENT & DESIGN PROCESS
G019 DRAWING TECHNIQUES
G021 ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES
  • G021 Design Elements
  • G022 Design Principles
G023 COLOR
  • G030 Introduction to Color
  • G031 Color Psychology & Symbolism
  • G032 Color Systems
  • G033 Color Wheel Relationships
  • G034 HSV Hue, Saturation & Value
  • G035 Choosing Color Schemes
  • G036 Color Printing
G025 TYPOGRAPHY
  • G051 Type Anatomy
  • G052 Type Classification
  • G053 Readability & Legibility
  • G054 Choosing Appropriate Type
  • G055 Type Effects
G031 VISUALIZATION THRU IMAGERY
  • Signs, Symbols & Icons
  • Using Stock Imagery
  • Manipulating Images
G033 BRANDING & LOGO DESIGN
  • G062 Branding
  • G063 Corporate Identity
  • G064 Pictograms
  • Logo Design Principles
  • Logo Design Techniques
G035 ADVERTISING PRINCIPLES
G041 PAGE LAYOUT & COMPOSITION​
  • G071 Page Layout Principles (C.R.A.P.)
  • G072 Page Anatomy
  • G073 Printing Paper Stocks
  • G075 Printing Services
DESIGN PRODUCTION SKILLS​ (project based learning)
  • PRESENTATION DESIGN
  • VISUAL IDENTITY & SIGNAGE
  • POSTER DESIGN 
  • COVER DESIGN
  • ADVERTISING MATERIALS
  • PRODUCT PACKAGING
  • PUBLICATION DESIGN
  • GRAPHIC APPAREL DESIGN
  • WEB PAGE DESIGN
TECHNICAL SKILLS
S22 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR