DM 204: Typography, Graphics & Design

Overview

Crafting designs that “speak” verbal messages in a visual sense is one of the most challenging, yet creative aspects of the digital media world. This course will survey the development of the graphic arts; and will give you hands-on experience in the techniques, processes, and procedures to package information for print and web-based media using typography, graphics, photos, color, and design strategies.

Required for this course are three Adobe products: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign in either the CS, CS2, CS3, or CS4 versions. Before beginning this course, you should have a working knowledge of each program, especially Photoshop and InDesign. Since there are no required textbooks for this course, purchase of the programs is highly recommended. Adobe features student pricing at a significant discount and you can purchase each individually or as part of a bundle.

You can download and install the trial versions of each product for use in this class before you use them for assignments. Since the trial period for Adobe software is 30 days, it is suggested that you download the trial versions according to this schedule:

• Week 1: Download, install, and familiarize yourself with the trial version of Adobe Illustrator for use in Module 2 and Module 4.
• Week 2: Download, install, and familiarize yourself with the trial version of Adobe Photoshop for use in Module 3, Module 4, and Module 5.
• Week 5: Download, install, and familiarize yourself with the trial version of Adobe InDesign for use in Module 6, Module 7, and Module 8.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of and exhibit effective uses of the following software: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator.
• Exhibit an understanding of the history of print communication and the origin of the alphabet, type characteristics, measurements, and terminology.
• Utilize type, art, photos, and design strategies to convey, in a professional manner, visual messages and designs for a variety of media based on visual literacy, design principles, and research.
• Utilize, shoot, scan, digitally manipulate, and crop photos for digital publication purposes.
• Demonstrate an understanding of diversity as it relates to digital publication design and content.
• Compile a professional design portfolio worthy of showing to potential employers.

Course Requirements

Students must have access to a computer, either PC or Macintosh, and the software listed below in order to complete the projects. The digital still camera will be used for photo projects and may also be used to photograph student projects if they can't be scanned (such as a three-dimensional object).

• A digital still camera
• Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop - version CS, CS2, CS3, or CS4
  

If you do not own any or all of the required software packages, full versions can be downloaded from Adobe for a 30-day trial period.

Required Texts
DM 204 texts are available from the JIU/MBS bookstore