Welcome to the Digital Art & Graphic Design Class

This course will introduce you to the general graphic design processes and techniques used by commercial and visual artists, including the principles of design, layout, color theory, composition and typography, using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign. You will learn to be creative and will produce digital works of art and interesting publications (like flyers, advertisements, magazine covers, book covers, brochures, etc.). A basic understanding of computer applications is expected.

We will start learning some important terms: digital, art, design, graphic design, graphic designer, aesthetics, composition, Web design, branding. We will also learn the six principles of a visual composition: balance, proximity, alignment, contrast, white space and keeping it simple.

There are mainly three different kinds of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial. I need you to understand the difference between the three. I will show you a PowerPoint explaining most of the terms mentioned here, which I also downloaded on your computers.

Check some of the links under "My Favorite Links" on the right side.

Class assignment - Go to Google images and check interesting designs by searching: Architect Thomas Heatherwick, Gothic architecture, Dubai buildings, Eco buildings, modern buildings, Rococo buildings, Gaudi (Antoni Gaudi from Barcelona, Spain), interesting architectural buildings, 50 most amazing buildings (click link), strange buildings, funny buildings and other (to your liking). Which designs do you like the best? Why? Which ones do you dislike? Why? Discuss with your classmates.

I hope you enjoy this class!