Discover What you Can Learn

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TOPICS: Format, line, shape, and value; balance, symmetry and asymmetry; alignment, division, proximity, repetition; relative size; visual weight, direction, and motion; fonts, typography, the hidden message of type; the language of color; project planning and thumbnails; intro to digital media if applications are available. 

PROJECTS: sketches and thumbnails; cut-paper exercises; research and analysis; drawing and tracing exercises; typography; presentations and discussions. 

TOOLS: Traditional media and design tools—white and black paper, cardstock, tracing paper, pencils, thin and thick black markers; opaque color paint, ruler, scissors, x-acto knife, cutting surface, gluesticks. Students supply most, or pay lab fee; and contribute magazines, web pages, and other examples. 

TOPICS: Planning and thumbnails; choosing the correct color mode and resolution; Photoshop tools and image structure; a brief history of raster applications; photography, acquiring images and basic rules of copyright; basic correction, cropping and editing; retouching, compositing and painting; filters; making and saving brushes; color modes, bitmap file formats and preparing for print, web, or digital display. 

PROJECTS: Landscape; still life from model; 3 covers for a book trilogy with complete information, or 3-part event poster campaign with complete information.

TOOLS: Photoshop, digital camera, pencil, markers, paper, transparent overlays. 

TOPICS: Planning and thumbnails; Illustrator tools and vector image structure; a brief history of vector applications; choosing the right color model; building and saving colors; working with fonts; using filters; building and saving brushes and patterns; drawing, tracing, and editing; acquiring images and basic rules of copyright; vector file formats and preparing for print, web, or digital display. 

PROJECTS: Still life; self-portrait; custom font; one large and two small illustrations for an article or story, in layout.

TOOLS: Illustrator, Font Book. 

 TOPICS: Brief history of printing and publishing. Structure of multi-page and multi-part documents for print and web; project theme, user experience, and user interaction; format, template pages, columns and margins, info boxes and sidebars; typography and information hierarchy; different functions display and body fonts; language of color, reviewed; choosing the right color model; creating and saving spot and global color swatches; using images to support the story (copyright review); importing from Illustrator or Photoshop; designing in Word; table of contents, index, navigation and hyperlinks; preparing for print; translating structure and content to web; saving to Acrobat. 

PROJECTS: Identity system; brochure; informational booklet, newsletter, or product catalog for print and web.

TOOLS: Primarily InDesign. Font Book, Acrobat. 

 TOPICS: logos and identity systems; client interview and project brief; typography; icons, pictograms and symbols; the language of color; concept development; project management, deadlines, and deliverables; drafts and revisions; presentations and critiques; brand application;. 

PROJECTS: Logo and identity system; business card and letterhead; mockups of brand applied to product, merchandise, and web site. 

TOOLS: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Font Book, Acrobat. 

TOPICS: Project brief and planning; branding and identity systems; storytelling and consistent messaging, displays and packaging; formats, folds and finishing; paper stocks and inks; preparing files for commercial printing and upload to web sites; deadlines, deliverables and work orders; presentations and critiques; resources. 

PROJECTS: Containers and related packaging, custom fonts and typographic effects; advertising series or poster campaign, web pages, package insert.

 TOOLS: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign. 

  TOPICS: Concept development and project planning; creating user profiles and determining user interaction; information hierarchy, styles and visual cues; navigation and direction, sequence and pace; abstract representation and quantitative information; metaphor and storytelling; deadlines and deliverables; presentations and critiques; resources and examples. 

PROJECTS: step-by-step instructions; menu or price list; flow chart or storyboard; chart or graph of abstract/numerical information; ethical concerns when presenting information such as demographics, comparisons, etc.; map with directional signage; small booklet with folios, chapters, table of contents and hyperlinks; or small web site with global navigation and site map or index page.

TOOLS: Illustrator, InDesign; plus Word, PowerPoint or WordPress. 

   TOPICS: Freelance vs staff; internal and external client relations; non-profit vs. private sector; selecting your target job market; branding for designers; project brief, scope and management; deadlines and deliverables; resume building—functional, chronological; describing your skills; resume reviews; providing constructive feedback; designer resumes and ATS-friendly resumes; interviewing; resources, job-hunting and networking—membership organizations and job aggregators. 

PROJECTS: the designer’s business name and URL; designer’s brand identity, letterhead, business card and promotional project; designer's resume; current list of target employers  

TOOLS: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Word. Web topics and applications such as WordPress or Dreamweaver assume that students have also taken beginning web design.

  TOPICS: project brief, scope and management; deadlines and deliverables; matching your skills and work to your target audience; how to develop your portfolio projects; presentations and critiques; providing constructive feedback and brainstorming; categories of work and your global navigation; web vs. print portfolios; internet service providers;  interviewing—showing and explaining your work; resources, membership organizations and job aggregators. 

PROJECTS: Previous work redesigned or improved, new portfolio projects; packaging and deploying the portfolio; user-testing; putting it all together; current list of target employers; final presentation  

TOOLS: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Word. Web topics and applications such as WordPress or Dreamweaver assume that students have also taken beginning web design.