COURSE DESCRIPTION:

A study of two-dimensional  (2-D) design with emphasis on the visual communication design process.  Topics include basic terminology and graphic design principles, introduction to the fundamentals of design that lead to the discovery and comprehension of the visual language.  Form, balance, structure, rhythm, and harmony are studied in black and white and in color.  Various media will be used. Foundation laid for advanced courses in design.

Course Rationale

Basic Graphic Design is a foundation course that develops a student’s ability to analyze design using basic principles and theory applicable to all forms of art.  The course is based on the application of the fundamental elements of art. The student is introduce to tools and techniques used in today’s communication industry.  This course lays the foundation for more advanced design courses.

Course Prerequisites: None

Instructional Methodology

In Basic Graphic Design individual assignments are based on the elements and principles of design.  Each assignment focuses on at least two elements.  Students are made aware of their importance relative the each assignment and are quizzed accordingly. The course starts with a very simple black and white assignment and progresses into value, color theory and eventually covers all the elements and principles discussed in the syllabus.  This course is based on the textbook used, David Lauer “Design Basics”  as well as a “real world” approach to projects. 

Major Subjetcs—

Visualization and Communication

Typography

Abstracting and Stylizing

Color and Value

Composition

Required Textbook

Title: “Graphic Design School” (seventh edition)
Author: Dabner-Stewart-Vickress
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Adobe Creative Cloud student membership weblink:
https://www.austincc.edu/adobe-creative-cloud-acc

DESIGN OVERVIEW
    • Basic Elements / White board demo / E.C.P. / Balance-Focal Point-Movement /
        Symmetry-Asymmetry

•  Black Box Exercise
    • Communication Psychology / Illustrator Clipping Mask Demo

• Visualizing Exercise
    • Tips and Tricks  (Pen Tool Demo / Eraser Tool / Pathfinder / …)

• ABC Exercise
        - Overview
        - Suitcase Demo
        - Create Outline Demo
        - Samples

Lecture —TYPOGRAPHY  White Board Lecture / Overview

• PROJECT-1—Typographic ID / Visual Meaning

• Logo Lecture — (White Board) / Intro and Samples

• Abstracting and Stylizing Exercise (Icon)    

• PROJECT-2 — Logo Project
     Intro / Samples, etc / Neg-Pos Samples / Flash Samples / BB site samples / Samples /
     Clients-designers

•  Lecture— COLOR AND VALUE
    White Board-GAT Lecture / SMG File Samples /
    BB Site Diagrams and Examples
    Demo: Color Panel and Pantone System

• Color Exercises (1—7)

Lecture— COLOR PSYCHOLOGY

•  PROJECT-3 — Word Psychology
    Overview
    Color Psych Demos
    Student Samples
    Projector Demo: Bad Design

•  PROJECT-4 — TBA
    
• Lecture—COMPOSITION
    Refresh basics / White Board — Framing demo / Page Demo

• Composition Exercises 1, 2 and 3

• Lecture: Communicating Visually-1 / SMG Samples
    
•  PROJECT-5 — TBA

• Lecture: Communicating Visually-2

•  PROJECT:  Final Project
    
  

Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to 

Familiarize the student with basic principles and fundamentals in visual art and design.

Develop basic skills using tools and theory used in design process.

Understand the creative process, develop techniques and methods of creative problem solving.

Introduce terminology necessary to communicate concepts and theory in art and design.

Create computer-based projects using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator software programs.  

Familiarize students with the basic tools and pallets of Adobe Illustrator.