Graphic Design

Course explores basic flat art design fundamentals and media, image, technique, concept, and vocabulary of design. Content includes pencil, pen and ink, brush and ink, charcoal, pastel and designers’ colors or acrylics, relationships of visual imagery through depth in plastic illusion, elements of design (line, value, texture, color, contrast, balance) and composition. Studio work outside regular class time required.

Course examines basics of drawing. Focus is on development of fundamental skills in proportion, value (shading) and perspective, use of form for personal expression. Content includes work from still life, live models and outside subject matter, media use of pencil, charcoal, conte, ink and pastels. Studio work outside of regular class time required.

Course surveys production, manipulation and output of photographic images electronically. Students will use photographs to be digitized and put into a computer for manipulation, to create output of images to paper prints. Content includes aesthetics of photographic image manipulation in context of student work and historical perspective. Implication of photographic electronic imaging to legal, moral and social issues discussed and related to commercial and fine arts applications. Adobe Photoshop used as the main software.

Course uses advanced computer methods to cover highly developed techniques of photographic electronic imagery used by graphic designers and photographers to enhance images, including airbrush and shadow making, contour shading and texture additions, retouching, montaging and coloring. Additional content includes examining traditional tasks of line drawing, pattern and texture creation that the computer can produce in exacting detail. Students will use photographs for digitization and computer manipulation. Photoshop used as the main software.

Course explores fundamental concepts of visual design. Content includes range of functional aspects of design, such as communication and the production process, to visual aspects of design. Vector drawing used as medium for design process examination. Adobe Illustrator used as the main software.

Course examines common graphic tools available in layout design, typography, and underlying design principles. Content includes typography and type design, ways of using illustrations and photographs in layouts, basic tools of graphic design for specific desktop publishing projects, properties of letter forms and converting letter forms into legible work. Student project to create type, modify it, and add it to existing fonts. Course project oriented and uses software for manipulation of layouts and typography for purpose of making final output. Adobe InDesign used as the main software.

Course explores different media in making electronic images using many techniques which draw upon common skills and procedures. Content includes application processes using various computer software related to specific images, relationships to other techniques, customizing brushes, applying textures, creating dramatic borders, making mosaics, applying paint and sketches, transforming photographs, and animation. Production of finished output major goal of course. Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter used as the main software.

Course covers advanced techniques of vector drawing. Content includes a broader and deeper exploration of artistic communication and design, as well as the production process of vector drawing.

Course covers the creation and use of graphics in web page design and production. Content includes fundamentals of graphic production, basic layout design principles, and HTML/CSS development for the web.

Course explores design and production of animation and multimedia applications. Content includes three-dimensional rendering; its relationship to traditional two-dimensional graphic production, computer animation, and multimedia concepts and production procedures. Different media of computer sound, text, and imaging, and combinations of multimedia productions also covered.

Course presents working knowledge of 3D animation production. Topics include modeling, texturing, animation, lighting and rendering. Students create complex animation sequences including mechanical and character animations. Autodesk Maya used as the main software.

Course explores the various techniques of sound design in the creation of multimedia; film, animation, podcasting, etc. Musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) devices and synthesizers will be used as musical instruments and as an input device for the computer. Creative possibilities of sound design will be explored through the creation of music, recording Foley sound effects, and recording dialog for use in podcasting, voice over narration, and/or dialog in film and animation.

Course explores methods used in professional video and film production and post-production. Content includes storyboard, structure, and production of short video piece. Integration of computer-generated material, such as 2D and 3D graphics, typography and animation will be edited together with photography and video. Focus is on software manipulation, including special effect techniques such as compositing and rotoscoping. Practical considerations of graphic format, resolution, color and saturation limitation are explored. Key peripherals explained in context of real world production situations. Adobe AfterEffects used as the main software.

Course covers the use of authoring tools and issues affecting multimedia production projects from design phase through completion. Projects completed in software package. Content includes basic programming techniques, animation control, software engineering principles for multimedia environment, use of color images and sound, incorporation of movies, CD-ROM production, testing and mastering.

Course covers applications of common graphic tools available in web layout design and typography. Content includes artistic principles and techniques of web page design and layout, and examination of graphic design process from concept to production.

Course introduces students to digital animation techniques and principles. Students apply the principles of animation by creating object/shape-based keyframe animations and hand-drawn frame by frame animations. Several Adobe applications used to create animations for the course, including Photoshop, Animate and/or After Effects.

Course covers fundamentals of creating imagery with 3D software. Content includes traditional use of media and compositional skills combined with technical material necessary to produce computer-generated illustrative art. Final output involves large size printing. Autodesk 3ds Max used as the main software.

Course covers in-depth understanding of interactive presentations, for students with basic knowledge of Macromedia Director as a tool for multimedia design and production. Content includes how media such as sound, video, Flash, QTVR, fonts, text and graphics are controlled by Lingo to create interactive presentations, with final output to CD-ROM and the web (via Shockwave); practical and aesthetic considerations of projects such as games, instructional or promotional pieces, or other artistic expressions through multimedia. Integration with Internet is stressed.

Course examines animation techniques for the web by combining graphic animation tools and techniques with accepted principles of web design, layout and typography. Content includes interaction design and animation to create web sites with enhanced interactivity and multimedia integration.

Course explores character design and development, 3D modeling and texturing specific to games and post-production. Content includes character animation involving looping, character interaction and timing, modeling and texturing in different resolutions, and vertex coloring. Autodesk Maya used as the main software.

Course covers practical aspects of game design. Content includes interface design, game documentation, working with game tests, experimental and conceptual topics of play mechanics, experience design, design of gaming spaces, and game balancing.

Course offers specialized instruction in current topics in art, photography and/or graphic design. Topics will be identified for each section of the course. Course may be taken for credit up to four times on different topics. Fee Varies. Prerequisite may vary by topic.

Course covers the fundamental principles of design and how these relate to effective communication. It explores the media and tools that create imaging and how these tools are integrated into the image-making process. Topics include conceptual design, critical thinking in the creation of practical design, how design relates to industry, human perception and the visual process, and the history of visual communication, from the symbols of the cave man to modern-day advertising.

Course introduces hands-on techniques used to plan and produce audio and video content for digital streaming media. Focus is on the development, artistry, and business of digital content as well as aesthetics, theory, and technique used in production. Content includes studio practice; procedures and demonstrations as related to podcast production and audiovisual content creation as well as live-streaming applications. Hands-on production experience reinforces theoretical material.

Course introduces hands-on techniques used to plan and produce narrative video and related media. Content includes scriptwriting and pre-production design, production in studio environments, recording on location and using non-linear video editing systems.

Workplace experience in the graphic design field acquired by working for a company that does graphic design. The student’s job will be appropriate to his or her skills. Student meets with instructor to provide detailed reports of the work experience.

Workplace experience in the animation and multimedia field acquired by working for a company that does animation and multimedia. The student’s job will be appropriate to his or her skills. Student meets with instructor to provide detailed reports of the work experience.

Workplace experience in web design field acquired by working for a company that does web design. The student’s job will be appropriate to his or her skills. Student meets with instructor to provide detailed reports of the work experience.

Course explains basic photography. Student, using their own cameras, explore basics of film exposure, development and printing. Focus is on realizing camera’s ability to record fine delineation of tone and detail using black and white materials. Content includes use of studio cameras, studio lighting, brief history and basic aesthetics of photography. Studio work outside of regular class time required.

Course utilizes basic photographic principles and tools and deals with development of manipulative and experimental nature of medium. Focus is on student’s work. Studio work outside of regular class time is required.

Course introduces potentials and realities of digital photography. Digital darkroom is constructed and necessary software explored. Content includes fundamentals of photography and their relation to digital imaging, basic electronic imaging principles, and scanning techniques.

Course explores aesthetics, techniques and theory of color photography. Content includes color theory, nature of light and its relationship to the additive and subtractive system of color theory, and color balance in relationship to light source and color corrected photographs. Focus is on student camera work to shoot and develop color positive and negative film, with the goal of making color photographs, applying history of photography and function of color aesthetics to photography, and to individual work.

Course refines darkroom technique of ART 115. Content includes issues of film exposure and development in order to produce “perfect” negatives, various films, developers, chemicals, papers and toners, and advanced studio lighting; medium and large format photography introduced. Focus is on student assignments and personal projects.

Course presents techniques of photographic lighting. Content includes using light as a creative tool, exploring tungsten light and electronic flash in studio situations. Studio and fieldwork outside of regular class time is required.

Course expands basic principles and tools of digital photography used in ART 117 and deals with the manipulative and experimental nature of the medium. Focus is on creation of original work utilizing the digital camera, study of development of manipulative photography. Studio work outside of regular class time required.

Course deals with large format photography, at advanced level. Students use College-provided equipment. Content includes techniques used in large format film exposure, development and printing. Focus is on discovering benefits associated with view camera in various aspects of the photographic field. Lab and studio work outside of regular class time required.

Course covers aesthetic and historical developments of landscape photography. Content includes impact on artistic, cultural, social, economic and political issues, survey of historical photographers and modern practitioners of the medium. Week-long field study provides chance to employ techniques and ideas learned in class.

Course introduces Medium Format camera system and its format advantages for photographer. Content includes numerous Medium Format systems used in field of professional photography, use of specialized equipment to reveal form and function of variety of subjects, enhancement of experience in basic photography with refinement of film exposure and development, technical operation of the Medium Format camera, and selection of appropriate equipment and materials. Focus is on practical, problem-solving applications.

Course presents advanced study of studio lighting practices required in field of professional photography. Content includes further exploration of techniques specific to using electronic flash in unique photographic assignments, and fields of fashion, wedding, product, location/event-specific portraiture and layout-specific photography. Studio and fieldwork outside of regular class time required.

Course covers esthetic and historical development of architectural photography. Content includes impact on artistic, cultural, social, economic, legal, and political issues; historical survey of architectural photographers, including modern practitioners of the medium. Students will produce a portfolio of work employing techniques and ideas learned in class. Course may be taken for credit up to four times.

Course covers esthetic and historical development of documentary photography. Content includes impact on artistic, cultural, social, economic, legal, and political issues; historical survey of documentary photographers, including modern practitioners of the medium. Students will produce a portfolio of work employing techniques and ideas learned in class. Course may be taken for credit up to four times.

Course presents techniques used in creating complex selections and masks with Adobe Photoshop to produce creative composite images—from realistic to abstract. Techniques include the creation, manipulation and output of images via inkjet printer to a variety of art papers using photographs, other original art and found objects that will be scanned into the computer. Topics include the aesthetics of image manipulation, both in the context of the student’s development of style and from an historical perspective, and the legal, moral and social issues of commercial and fine arts applications of photographic electronic imaging.

Course focuses on the use of Color Management to get consistent color from input through editing through output and color correction techniques. Topics include creation and use of ICC color profiles for scanners, digital cameras, monitors, and inkjet printers; choosing hardware, types of ink, using art papers, proofing, and related techniques.

Course provides students of digital photography with an integrated approach to the digital darkroom. Students will learn to organize digital images for effective workflow. Content includes color management techniques, such as monitor calibration, image editing capabilities of Adobe Bridge/Camera RAW and Lightroom, Photoshop techniques for professional digital photographers, fine tonal and color adjustments, noise reduction, sharpening techniques, use of ICC color profiles in their printing procedures and a variety of fine art inkjet papers.

Course offers specialized instruction in current topics in art, photography and/or graphic design. Topics will be identified for each section of the course. Course may be taken for credit up to four times on different topics. Fee Varies. Prerequisite may vary by topic.

Workplace experience in the photography field acquired by working for a company that does work in photography. The student’s job will be appropriate to his or her skills. Student meets with instructor to provide detailed reports of the work experience.