Caitlin Shawaker

 Graphic Design I and II

Course Overview

Graphic design is an interdisciplinary art form, using technology and digital tools to create contemporary visual media. Graphic designers are interpreters of information, creating a product that clearly communicates a concept to a specific audience. One of the most prolific types of art in the the 21st century, graphic arts are represented everywhere. From an advertisement on a billboard to Kendrick Lamar’s album cover. We are bombarded with digital media everyday from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed. In this way, learning graphic design will help prepare each student for the modern world, as encoders and creators of digital media.

Course Objectives

• Learn how to use the top 3 Adobe programs: Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop to utilize for visual representation of each design principle listed below.

• Design principle #1: Focus on alignment.

• Design principle #2: Use emphasis to help focus your design.

• Design principle #3: Leverage contrast to accentuate important design elements.

• Design principle #4: Use repetition to your advantage.

• Design principle #5: Consider proximity when organizing your graphic elements.

• Design principle #6: Make sure your designs have balance.

• Design principle #7: Optimize color to support your design.

• Design principle #8: Leave lots of negative space.