FUNDAMENTALS OF GRAPHIC DESIGN
Overview of the Course
For the person who desires to be a visual communications professional, or for the person who is curious about graphic expression and wants to learn about formal design elements.
[Art director, graphic designer, media designer, advertising/promotion/marketing design, website design & development, motion graphics, etc.]
This is not a digital skills program, although we will build a WordPress portfolio website, and guidance is available for Adobe Creative Suite for developing works beyond the scope of the individual classes. In other words, coaching in digital skills is available on an individual basis, as we move through the program.
This program emphasizes the physical experience of graphic design, with a deep dive into letterforms and formal design elements. We will draw with pencil, brush, and knife to gain an intimate knowledge of how to create tension in a line and dynamic symmetry on the page. We will learn visual systems and how to develop a visual voice around a concept. We will read and learn from history and current trends about the visual communications industry—more importantly, we will write critical analysis of such. Lastly, we will design the presentation of this body of work, in our own visual voice and system, finishing with a portfolio website displaying the curated best of our journey.
This program involves four sections:
letterforms & typography
formal elements
history & criticism
digital skills
1.
Letterforms & typography
The H project / the n project
Font tracing and handsetting project with history
Stationery project
Book covers
2.
Formal elements
Lines; intervals, with color
Simple shapes in plaka paint
Grid project
Insect or animal or plant
Travel poster
3.
History & criticism
TBD
4.
Digital skills
TBD
The emphasis of this program is the physical experience of learning about formal design elements, letterforms, and typography. We will apply our knowledge to a basic WordPress website using the Divi platform. Advice on Adobe Creative Suite is available. Individual sessions to learn XD, InDesign, After Effects, Illustrator, etc. can be arranged (for free).
“You cannot articulate the exquisite visual tension in a piece of graphic design unless you have experienced physically pulling a line with a pencil or a pen or a brush or a knife.”
Julia Henzerling
henzerling.org
610 390 1102