Visual Design: Foundations of Design and Print Production

To produce quality images for print, web, and video, students need to understand essential graphic design principles and how digital images are created. In this project, students learn the basics of photography, image composition, and elements of visual design as they create a collage. Students take photos and gather images, identifying elements of visual design and good composition. They use Photoshop to retouch and manipulate these photos and images to build a collage.

Student product: Collage

In this project, students view sample logos and discuss color theory and design principles used in the logos. Students plan, create, and build a logo in Adobe Illustrator for use in other publications such as business cards, menus, or advertisements. Students learn about file formats, resolution, and image size and select appropriate settings for a variety of final product scenarios. 

Student product: Digital logos optimized for web, print, and video

In this project, students create a business card in Adobe InDesign, and in the process, they learn about typography and layout design. Students also investigate how tone, audience, and purpose impact design decisions, whether they're representing themselves or an organization. Finally, students engage in a formal review and redesign process to help them improve and expand their design skills. 

Student product: Business cards and PDF slideshow presentation

In this project, students are introduced to the process of working with a client through an advertisement project. They work with a client to identify the goals, audience, and purpose of an advertisement. Working in small groups, students interview clients and then design and provide multiple comps of their advertisement design to the client. Students build their client advertisements for placement in print, web, and video collateral.

Student product: Advertisement

Individuals use portfolios to showcase their work when applying for a job, pitching to clients, or applying for higher education. In this project, students create the elements of a portfolio that features work they have completed and work to be completed, concentrating on a particular career area. As students create their portfolios, they plan, implement, and test their designs; students then reflect on and evaluate their work. 

Student product: Portfolio

A brochure is traditionally a paper collateral that informs people about a product, service, or location. In working with clients, students will further enhance their design and technical skills by creating a brochure, using advanced image manipulation techniques and page layout design. Students will create a paper brochure for physical distribution and an interactive digital brochure for distribution on the web. 

Students product: Brochure

Newsletters are publications that are distributed on a regular basis to a target audience who share a common interest. They can be used to promote products or services; to maintain relationships, as in alumni newsletters; or to offer information on a particular organization. In this project, student teams create the theme, purpose, and content of a newsletter and design the page layout and graphic elements with InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat.

Student product: Newsletters

A yearbook, or annual, is frequently used to record, commemorate, and highlight a school year. At most institutions, student teams publish yearbooks. In this project, students form teams to develop and create a yearbook. The students create templates of several double-page layouts and create reusable graphics and illustrations to implement thematics and design consistency throughout the yearbook. 

Student product: Mini-yearbook

In this project, students refine the elements of their portfolio and feature new work that have completed since the initial creation of their portfolio. As students refine their portfolios, they plan, implement, and test their re-designs; students continue to reflect on and evaluate their work. 

Student product: Final portfolio

Note: Unit 9 is a follow-up to Unit 5, utilizing the same instructional content.