adobe visual design
First semester projects
The first semester of Visual Design (Projects 1–5) develops skills that lay the foundation for photography and producing print-ready communications: graphic design principles, visual comps, print production development, shared project management skills such as interviewing and project scheduling, peer review, and redesign. Project activities focus on developing effective communications that can be deployed in print, on the web, or in a video. Students develop a variety of graphics, a logo, a business card, and a client advertisement. They produce design documents and visual comps that clients review. Students culminate the semester with a portfolio project during which they reflect on the skills and topics they’ve covered thus far and begin to explore the career areas that interest them in visual design.
The key skills emphasized in this semester are:
• Soft skills such as interviewing and responding to feedback• Designing for a variety of audiences and needs• Problem solving that helps support multiple perspectives• The design process and effective communication• Peer teaching and evaluation in a collaborative environment• Technical image manipulation and print publishing skills
In the first semester, students use Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended to develop images. They use Adobe InDesign CS5 to design and build layouts and print materials. They use Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro to review and improve content, produce print-ready materials, and develop a portfolio.
Second semester projects
The second semester of Visual Design (Projects 6–9) builds on student design and development skills by focusing on longer print production projects as well as more in-depth content and advanced techniques for graphics and layout development. Students continue to work on teams to produce rich print communications such as brochures, newsletters, and yearbooks. They focus on effective graphic design, project management, design specifications, and iterative development. They develop graphic-design and print-production skills that solve specific communication challenges to meet client and audience needs. They build technical skills to address project needs and learn to track complex projects. Students culminate this semester with a portfolio redesign that has them project forward on their aspirations, goals, and interests.
The key skills emphasized in this semester are:
• Project management skills such as task management, client management, milestone tracking, and contingency planning• Illustration and drawing• Communication with peers and team members, using project plans or specifications• Design and redesign• Technical graphic- and print-production skills such as creating vector-based graphics and filters• Design solutions, including multi-page and double-page layouts
In the second semester, students learn Adobe Illustrator CS5 to create vector-based graphics and illustrations to add interest.