Lesson Structure:   Graphic Design BIT205

There are 10 lessons:

1.  Scope and Nature of Graphic Design

• Scope of Graphic Design
• Where Do Designers Work?
• Careers in Graphic Design
• Skills Required
• General Roles of a Graphic Designer
• Nature of the Work
• Art Director
• Graphic Designer
• Brief History of Graphic Design
• The Language (Graphics Terminology)
• Application Software
• Examples of Software

2.  Design Fundamentals – line, tone, colour, etc.

• Design Elements
  
• Design Criteria
• Theories of Composition
• Practical Devices of Composition
• Gestalt Principles of Perception
• Choosing Images
• Choosing Computer Formats

3.  Colour Theory and Applications

• Colour Formats
• Hex Colours
• The Difference between Coloured and White Light
• Differences in Colour
• The Meaning of Colours – Emotional Response

4.  Typography

• How Much of an Impact?
• Typography (Lettering) Size
• Typography Weight
• Typography Colour
• Typography Location
• Typography Styles
• Choosing Fonts

5.  Illustration – methods & techniques

• Traditional Illustration
• Illustration Today
• Illustration – Methods & Techniques
• Processing Images
• Tonal Zone System
• Sketching an Initial Design
• Digital Illustration
• Raster Graphics
• Vector Graphics

6.  Logotype Design

• What Is A Logo?
• Creating Logos
• Designing Business Cards
• Designing Letterheads
• Designing Banners

7.  Layout Design

• Getting the Message Across
• Effective Organisation
• Attract Attention
• General Guidelines
• Key Elements & Principles of Layout
• The Design Process
• What Software Does A Graphic Artist Use?

8.  Design Systems and the Design Industry – design briefs, how to bid for jobs, etc.

• Significant Design Sectors
• Primary Design Areas
• Scope and Nature of the Graphic Design Industry Today
• Design Systems
• Designing to Persuade
• Design to Inform
• Design to Educate
• Design to Entertain
• What Is A Design Brief?
• Example Layout of a Design Brief
• Web Page Design

9.  Comparative Design – lessons from other designers (lots of research)

• Important People in The History Of Graphic Design

10.  Design Project – a practical project applying everything prior to this.

• Important People in the History Of Graphic Design
• What Is PBL?
• Problem Definition
• People you work with and Mode of Interaction

Please Note:  Each lesson requires the completion of  an assignment, sent to your Tutor for grading and returned to you with relevant suggestions, comments, and  extra reading, if required.

Please see lesson titles for your learning goals.

What Employment Opportunities are There For Designers?

The skills of graphic designers can be applied to a variety of professions:

• Some are self-employed – working out of home or a small office; taking on contract work for clients who might routinely need design work e.g. website developers, printers, etc.
• Some are employed for marketing firms – working as part of a team to provide marketing services to clients.
• Media organisations (e.g. publishers) – some may be involved in design and layout of printed material, illustrations, book covers, etc. for print or electronic media.
• Marketing departments – in medium to large organisations; producing in-house publications, company logos, advertisements, brochures, etc.
• Some may end up working in more specialised areas – such as in film animations, television graphics, plays and television set design, web design.
• Some may take on the role of creative director or art director.

Careers in Graphic Design

There are a wide range of possible vocations or careers which involve graphic design. Many of these jobs blend into one another and there may be a lot of overlap in terms of job roles. Here is a list of some of the more typical careers today:

• Creative director
• Art director
• Graphic designer
• Logo/brand designer
• Illustrator
• Web designer
• Typographer
• Image re-toucher
• Package designer
• Layout artist

Skills Required

The types of personal skills needed to be successful in graphic design include:

• Being creative
• Having a good imagination
• Having a good understanding of design principles such as colour, form, perspective, proportion, etc.
• Having good insight into what clients want
• Being able to work in a team
• Being able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Having good communication and interpersonal skills
• Having good marketing skills

In addition to these personal skills, those wishing to work in the industry must have specific skills in design, illustration, layout, etc.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?

A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.