WELCOME TO DIGITAL IMAGING & GRAPHIC DESIGN

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, posters, magazine covers, book covers, etc.). A basic understanding of computer applications is expected.

We will start learning some important terms (Graphic Design vocab "HW 2"): 1. digital, 2. art, 3. digital art, 4. digital imaging, 5. design, 6. graphic design, 7. graphic designer, 8. aesthetics, 9. composition, 10. focal point, 11. Web design, 12. branding and logos, and 13. typography. We will also learn the eight principles of a visual composition (find the definitions of the terms you don't already have): 1. balance (symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial), 2. proximity, 3. alignment, 4. contrast, 5. white space or negative space, 6. hierarchy, 7. repetition (consistency), and the importance of 8. keeping it simple! (You may find five or six or more principles of composition, you will learn eight). 

Check again the video and webpage on "Fundamentals of Design," and the video and webpage on "Layout and Composition" (under Favorite Links) to learn and understand more about these principles and the following vocab ("HW 1"): 1. line, 2. shape, two kinds of shapes (3. geometric and 4. organic), 5. form, 6. realism (realistic vs. 7. not realistic), 8. shadow, 9. texture, 10. balance, 11. symmetrical balance, 12. asymmetrical balance and 13. radial balance, 14. the rule of thirds.  Establishing hierarchy in composition is very important too, mentioned in the second video, so check it out please! 

You MUST understand ALL these terms very well!

There are mainly three different kinds of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical and radial (I mentioned it twice in Homework I and II, because it is very important to learn these 3 kinds of BALANCE). I need you to understand the difference between the three. Look for examples online. Make sure to check Google Classroom OFTEN for important information, "notes," and assignments. Please save the Graphic Design PDF presentation in your "notes" folder, the Keyboard Shortcuts document, and two documents (Class Homework) with the vocabulary words you MUST know (I will mark it as done when you show it to me). Feel free to print any of these documents or to save them in your Google Drive. Thank you!

Check some of the links under "My Favorite Links" on the right side. Also check: Composition & Design (click this link) for more information on Composition, Design and the Rule of Thirds. Try to understand "the rule of thirds" in creating an effective composition - don't worry about the so-called "Golden Ration" just the Rule of Thirds.

TEST:  October 4, on this Blog Entry - Vocabulary mentioned above (Homework 1 & 2), and in Google Classroom and Power School, the Graphic Design PDF and the following: videos on "Fundamentals of Design" and "Layout and Composition" and these commands: Command-A, Command-C, Command-V, Command-R, Command-J, Command-U, Command-Plus (+), Command-Minus (-), Command-Z, Command-S, Command-N, Command-T, Command-D, Command-Shift-I, Command-Shift-4 and Command-Apostrophe ('). You will learn other commands later. Also add: What is Photoshop?  It will be included. You can find a definition online, in your notes, or ask me please! 

Make sure you check Google Classroom's Review4Test Presentation, your Homework (1 and 2) and the Fundamentals of Design and Layout & Composition (Videos and Webpages).

I hope you enjoy this class!