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1. Gain an overview of graphic design theory and the visual
communication processes.
2. Create original graphic designs in various media and formats.
3. Explore the fundamental concepts for visual communication.
4. Develop an understanding of visual design principles.
5. Practice problem solving skils and creative thinking (analytical and
intuitive) related to graphic design.
6. Use a variety of design tools and materials to gain hand skills and
explore their creative/expressive potential.
7. Become familiar with visual resources: books, magazines, and other
publications for the graphic design field.
8. Learn about the World Wide Web/Internet as a graphics and information
resource.
9. Learn to use the computer, laser printer, photocopy machine, light
table, and other equipment for design work.
10. Gain an historical perspective of the important events, individuals
and art/design movements relative to graphic design.
11. Develop the ability to make critical judgments and recognize good
design solutions through participation in class critiques.
12. Become familiar with the vocabulary and terms used by designers.
13. Define health and safety issues that could arise from the use of
artist's tools and materials.
14. Develop projects to build a design portfolio.
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The primary intent of Art 51.1 is to lay the foundation for students
wishing to pursue the study of graphic design while continuing to refine
visual literacy and performance using a wide range of graphic media.
This includes:
1. Develop an understanding of visual communication concepts and problem
solving for graphic design.
2. The ability to develop design work progressively from rough ideas
to more resolved comprehensives.
3. The practice of design principles and visual elements central to art
and graphic design.
4. The ability to make aesthetic decisions and judgements about design
in the development of visual compositions.
5. The ability to perform specific techniques to demonstrate these
elements (controlled freehand line drawings using pencil; mechanical
drawings using pencil and drafting tools; accurate renderings using
technical pen and ink; finished artwork using brush and paint; precisely
assemble presentations using cutting tools, mat board and mounting
adhesives; scale artwork and produce multi-color prints using the
photocopier; produce finished comprehensives using computer, scanner,
and laser printer).
6. The ability to intelligently use and care for the tools of Art 51.1
(pencils, technical pen, T-square, triangle, drawing board, pens,
brushes, x-acto knife, scissors, inks, paints, markers, colored pencils,
adhesives, various boards and art papers.)
7. The ability to integrate new technology into the design process
(computers, scanner, laser printer, photocopier, etc.).
The scope and sequence of the course will be presented as follows:
1. Through lectures concerning the concepts, elements and historical
precedents of art and design.
2. Through lecture/demonstrations of the proper use of materials and
techniques.
3. Through student practice and demonstration of compositional,
expressive, technical, and communication concepts.
4. Through evaluative one-on-one discussions with individual students.
5. Through group critique discussions and presentations of in-class and
homework visual compositions.
Specific areas of study within Art 51.1 include:
1. Strategies and process to develop innovative solutions: understanding
the problem, research, thumbnails, roughs, finished comprehensives,
presentation and evaluation.
2. Basic concepts of pictographic communication and form recognition:
distillation, simplification, reduction, exaggeration.
3. Establishing design hierarchy and visual syntax: order, focus,
connection, direction.
4. Aesthetic organization and visual dynamics: proportion, size,
weight, placement, margins, optical center.
5. Design principles: rhythm, harmony, contrast balance unity, rep-
etition, anomaly, positive/negative.
6. Design elements line, shape, space, tone, value, color, texture,
pattern.
7. Visual emphasis and impact: selecting, cropping, resizing, scaling,
juxtaposition.
8. Metamorphosis concept: sequence, blending, transforming images.
9. Synergism concept. Letterform combined with pattern, texture and
images.
10. Visual simultaneity. Letterform combined with pictograph.
11. Visual substitution. Letterform replaced by pcitorial element.
12. Visual/verbal correspondence. Image = Word, Word = Image.
13. Gestalt principles for graphics design. Figure/ground, continuation,
closure, proximity, and similarity.
14. Nonobjective symbols using Gestalt concepts and repeating basic
geometric shapes.
15. Color as a major element in visual communication: visibility,
association, symbolism, harmony.
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Creativity for Graphic Design, Mark Oldach, North Light Books, 1995.
TypeFace Compendium, Max Hein, SRJC Syllabus, 1996.
Graphic Design Basics, Amy Arnston, Harcourt Brace Javanovich, 2nd ed.,
1993.
A History of Graphic Design, Philip Meggs, Van Nostrand Reinhold,
2nd ed., 1990