Graphic Design I: Making Meaning

Catalog description

We are literally surrounded by graphic design, from billboards to soda cans, from social media posts to political ads. The graphic designer develops engaging material that communicates a pointed message and persuades an audience. This class focuses on the basic ingredients of graphic design: typography, image, and color. We further explore the combination of these elements into compositions, utilizing proximity, alignment, contrast and repetition. We engage in the complexity of the creative process, developing a strong designer's process, working both by hand and on the computer. Being critical of design is an essential element of designing. Therefore, we will analyze designs for their efficacy, as we lay the foundation for further study in graphic design. In addition to personal sketchbooks, we will use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Lightroom software.