Graphic Design Specialization
Make Compelling Design. Learn and apply the principles of graphic design towards a comprehensive branding project.
Graphic Design Specialization
5 coursesCalifornia Institute of the Arts
Graphic Design is all around us! Words and pictures—the building blocks of graphic design—are the elements that carry the majority of the content in both the digital world and the printed world. As graphic design becomes more visible and prevalent in our lives, graphic design as a practice becomes more important in our culture.
Through visual examples, this course will teach you the fundamental principles of graphic design: imagemaking, typography, composition, working with color and shape... foundational skills that are common in all areas of graphic design practice. I don't just want you to watch a video of someone talking about design, I want you to MAKE design! If you want to be a designer you have to be a maker and a communicator, so this course will offer you lots of opportunities to get your hands dirty with exercises and with more practical projects.
At the end of this course you will have learned how to explore and investigate visual representation through a range of image-making techniques; understand basic principles of working with shape, color and pattern; been exposed to the language and skills of typography; and understand and have applied the principles of composition and visual contrast. If you complete the course, along with its optional (but highly recommended) briefs, you will have a core set of graphic design skills that you can apply to your own projects, or to more deeply investigate a specialized area of graphic design.
To succeed in this course you will need access to a computer. You can complete this course without one but it will be tougher. Access to, and a beginner's level knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite programs, such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign will help you, especially if you want to complete the optional briefs.
O que você vai aprender
- Implement the fundamentals of color: visual, rhythm, and pattern in design
- Learn the techniques of image making and create your own series of images
- Typeset text and experiment with letter forms
- Use scale, weight, direction, texture, and space in a composition
Habilidades que você terá
Color TheoryCreativityAdobe PhotoshopAdobe Illustrator
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1
Section
Week 1: Fundamentals of Imagemaking
This week we are going to look at how images function in terms of conveying denotative and connotative messages, I'll show you a range of analog and digital imagemaking techniques and discuss how they work. In the first peer review assignment you'll create your own series of images, experimenting with formal techniques. Later, you'll have the opportunity to rework those images to enhance their ability to communicate an idea through connotation in an optional assignment: give it a try, it'll help you develop your communication skills as well as your formal skills!
13 videos (Total 57 min), 4 readings, 2 quizzes
13 videos
Introduction to Imagemaking2m
Denotative Imagemaking 14m
Denotative Imagemaking 22m
Techniques of Imagemaking 12m
Techniques of Imagemaking 22m
Techniques of Imagemaking 34m
Process, Generation, Iteration4m
Imagemaking Demo 1: Printing with an Object8m
Imagemaking Demo 2: Duct Tape Prints5m
Imagemaking Demo 3: Improvised "Light Table"4m
Connotative Imagemaking 15m
Connotative Imagemaking 24m
4 readings
Why study graphic design?6m
About this course10m
About the assignments10m
Course Tools10m
2
Section
Week 2: Fundamentals of Typography
This week we are going to look at typographic terminology and the basic rules for creating typography. I'll show you a range of tips and techniques for working with type, in both a functional and expressive manner, and you'll find out about the process involved in making and controlling typography. This week you'll complete a quiz to make sure you understand the language of typography–this is required. I also highly recommend you complete the two optional peer review assignments. In the first assignment you'll create your own typographic monogram, and you'll use that as a central element in designing a typographic business card in the second assignment. Give them a try, they are the place where you can demonstrate and apply your formal skills, and the place where you get to play with type!
12 videos (Total 53 min), 3 quizzes
12 videos
The Anatomy of Letters2m
Words and Spacing2m
Type Size: The Point System3m
Typesetting Text4m
Typefaces, Fonts and Type Families4m
Typeface Categories4m
Denotation in Type6m
Connotation in Type9m
Looking at Letterforms4m
Experimenting with Letterforms5m
Typographic Composition4m
1 practice exercises
Typography20m
3
Section
Week 3: Fundamentals of Shape and Color
This week we are going to look at how designers work with shape and color as their fundamental building blocks. You'll learn about visual contrast, color, rhythm and pattern in design. I'll be showing you the process involved in making an abstract design from shapes, and how to use that element to create a repeating pattern design. You'll be completing a quiz (required!) to make sure you understand how visual contrast and color work, and I also highly recommend you complete the two optional peer review assignments. In the first assignment you'll create your own simple and complex design motifs, and you'll use them as the central elements in designing a repeating pattern in the second assignment. The assignments are optional, but they are the place where you get to demonstrate and apply your formal skills, so well worth taking the extra time to complete!
10 videos (Total 52 min), 3 quizzes
10 videos
Graphic Shapes2m
Visual Contrast5m
Marks, Icons, and Symbols3m
Negative/Positive, Figure/Ground8m
Working with Color5m
The Color Wheel4m
Mixing Color: Paint, Print and Screen6m
Rhythm and Pattern 14m
Rhythm and Pattern 28m
1 practice exercises
Shape and Color20m
4
Section
Week 4: Fundamentals of Composition
This week we are going to look at how designers work with visual contrasts, cropping, hierarchy and direction in single images and complex compositions. You'll find out how to control and use scale, weight, direction, texture, and space in a composition, and how to compose work that ranges from the complex to the minimal. In the first peer review assignment you'll create your own abstract compositions that demonstrate your knowledge and control of visual contrast. In the final optional assignment, you can use all your skills from the entire course to create experimental compositions in the form of a poster for a mythical band. This last project is optional, but I strongly suggest you try it out, it'll let you grow and apply your design knowledge and really enjoy and express yourself in your design work!
11 videos (Total 70 min), 6 readings, 3 quizzes
11 videos
Principles of Composition7m
Visual Contrasts6m
Single Contrasts2m
Multiple Contrasts9m
Type Contrasts4m
Image Contrasts6m
Composition in a Single Image5m
Cropping and Hierarchy9m
Composition in Context14m
Conclusion1m
6 readings
What's next?5m
About this section3m
Choosing a design program6m
Building your portfolio4m
Design portfolio tips4m
Writing your artist statement3m
4.7
50%
83%
Top Reviews
By AR•Apr 18th 2016
very good introductory course. i enjoyed the assignments, they are not overwhelming, easy to start, and the optional ones offer great opportunity to dig little deeper into graphic design fundamentals.
By CS•May 10th 2018
An ok course for beginners. A bit too basic for someone who has already had experience in design, but is great anyway cause it breaks things back down to the simplest parts to help you remember roots.
Instructor
Michael Worthington
Faculty, Program in Graphic DesignAbout California Institute of the Arts
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I pay for this course?
If you pay for this course, you will have access to all of the features and content you need to earn a Course Certificate. If you complete the course successfully, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. Note that the Course Certificate does not represent official academic credit from the partner institution offering the course.
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