Description
Fine Arts elective: Graphic Design & Visual Communication
In-person class Fridays, 9:30-11:55am and additionally approximately 2-3 hours of web-based graphic design work to be done between meetings for one half credit high school elective course per semester in Fine & Performing Arts. There is a 90-minute Flex Time block available after lunch/following our class session where students can begin their Independent Work for the week.
Registration is for the Fall Section A (6 weeks: 8/21-9/25) or Section B (6 weeks: 10/9-11/20 with break on 10/16) or full Fall Semester (0.5 / half credit)
There are NO prerequisites for this course.
Course Content
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to graphic design and visual communication. Students will learn fundamental design principles, including composition, typography, color theory, branding, and layout design, while developing creative and technical skills through real-world design projects. Emphasis is placed on design thinking, problem-solving, professional presentation, and effective visual communication. Students will build a portfolio of original work while gaining an understanding of the design process used in creative industries. This course is suitable for students interested in graphic design, marketing, digital media, and other creative career pathways.
Required Materials
A sketchbook with at least 25 pages would be helpful but a folder with some plain printer paper would be an acceptable alternative.
Students are welcome to bring their own laptop as many are more familiar and comfortable with how their own machine works (ideally their machine has a mouse which is much easier than a trackpad), but one can be provided during class time.  Students will need access to the internet and time to work on their web-based projects between classes.
Time Required Outside of Class and Transcriptable Time
Amount of time will depend on your student’s speed/skill with the content of the week. Students can expect up to three hours of work required outside of class. The majority of this time encompasses working on their current projects that employ class-learned tools and techniques.
Combined with our live class time, this is a total of 15 hours of in-class time plus approximately 15 hours of independent work between classes for a course total of 30 hours per 6-week section. Taking both section A and section B for the semester equates to one half credit per semester of elective study in Fine Arts using the Carnegie unit methodology.
