Course Formats
Course Schedules are Subject to Change
Required
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2D Design
What is good design? Line, space, balance, value, texture, perspective—these are just a few of the elements and principles that designers engage with to create strong design solutions. This course provides a thorough introduction to visual elements, language, and applications fundamental to 2-dimensional design. Through weekly assignments, students apply design principles using digital or traditional media. This course builds confidence in the design process for beginners and professionals by focusing on perception and thinking, historic and current references, and craftsmanship. Instruction includes design projects, online lectures, online discussion, process, and critique.
Color Theory and Design
Color is emotional. A color resonates based on memory, cultural bias, and personal preference. Artists and designers alike communicate effectively through choice of hue, saturation, and value. In this course, knowledge and understanding of color are developed through weekly exercises and homework projects. Through lecture, demonstration, critique, and practical experience, students investigate color theory; fundamental elements, principles, and terminology; color systems, color modes; and more. Students develop an investigative process for problem-solving, revising, and inventing through the application of color as it exists in physical and digital worlds.
Digital Drawing I: Illustrator
The ability to produce vector graphics is a “must-have” skill for any modern artist or designer. Adobe Illustrator is the world’s leading vector graphics application used for producing professional quality logos, package design, signage and so much more. Students will be introduced to the basics of working with Illustrator to create compelling designs. This hands-on course introduces students to the basics of working with Illustrator to create compelling designs.
Digital Imaging I: Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop isn’t just for photographers. Its multitude of applications makes it a go-to tool for creatives. This course teaches a comprehensive understanding of Photoshop and how digital imaging and is used in various professional applications. Students learn the basics of interface elements, keyboard shortcuts, and file management before diving into more advanced topics such as masks, selections, color correction, and layering techniques to create various effects. Through hands-on projects, they develop essential skills to paint digitally, retouch images, and manipulate photos. This course is recommended for anyone who wishes to develop technical foundations for a range of digital art and design careers.
Editing I
Learn the foundations of video editing while gaining a broad understanding of film production techniques. Using digital tools including Adobe Premiere, students create projects that focus on continuity, screen direction, and narrative clarity. Technical topics include capturing and logging; understanding camera settings; organizing workflow; working with timelines and clips; refining edits; applying transitions; adding sound and color grading. Working both independently and in small teams, students create short narratives, which explore and refine editing approaches and techniques. Students also learn basic terminology and receive an overview of career options in the editing field.
Final Portfolio: Digital Media Arts
Curate your body of work and get your talent noticed in the marketplace. In this required course, advanced students enrolled in the Animation, Motion Graphics, or Digital Drawing and Illustration certificate program create a portfolio from work produced throughout their course of study. The instructor provides individualized critique and guidance in technical and conceptual development. Students work independently and collaboratively to create a professional-quality portfolio demonstrating relevant skills and experience for their chosen industry.
Introduction to Graphic Design
How do designers express ideas? Layout, typography, symbols, photography, and illustration are strategically combined to convey a message, tell a story, or distinguish a brand. Through weekly hands-on assignments and in-depth interactive discussions, students are introduced to a wide variety of topics in graphic design. Students explore the fundamentals of visual communication through the exploration of composition, imagery, and typography. Also covered are the creative process, curation, problem-solving, historic context, and career options. Students complete assignments digitally, by hand with traditional materials, or by combining both. This is an excellent course to begin working toward a professional graphic design portfolio.
Motion Graphics I
Adobe After Effects is the go-to motion graphics tool for television and film production. In fact, the application won an Academy Award for scientific and technical achievement in 2019. This course introduces students to the basic concepts of After Effects. Hands-on exercises focus on combining 2D graphics, video, typography, and sound. Classes offer lectures, technical demonstrations, and professional examples of motion graphics, while assignments cover the use of basic After Effects tools, composition and design, storyboarding, and project planning, adding both music and sound synchronization.
Motion Graphics II
The better you become at motion graphics, the more it becomes about solving design problems rather than about being creative. Offering real-world solutions used by professionals and artists, this course reinforces the best practices, techniques, and concepts learned in Motion Graphics I—along with introducing new ones. Learn the basics of Cinema 4D, an industry standard 3D engine. Each class teaches the fundamentals of the 2D/3D pipeline. Course covers 3D subjects such as compositing, modeling, texturing / lighting & building style frames. Assignments also cover the advanced use of After Effects tools, composition and design, storyboarding, project planning, and adding both music and sound synchronization. Guided tutorials help students learn effective production methods and effects. Each class offers lectures, technical demonstrations, and professional examples of motion graphics used in broadcast media.
Storyboarding for Film and Animation
Storyboards help the designer, art director, producer, director, and client visualize a finished work. This course concentrates on translating a concept, idea, image or story into a sequenced visual format. Students develop knowledge and skills to create storyboards for advertising, feature films, television, animation, and game design. Under the guidance of instructor expertise, they develop all aspects of a concept, including characters, backgrounds, storytelling, and a final storyboard.
Typography I
Why is Helvetica so widely used? Sans Serif or Serif? If these questions sound familiar, this course is just your type. While learning typography, students consider type classifications and production, with an emphasis on the mechanics of type, including measurements, type spacing, and composition. The anatomy of basic letterforms and letter indication are also explored. Students in this course produce a small booklet or a poster.
Typography II
This advanced typography course explores the use of typography as a means of communication through various applications among still, motion, environmental, and interactive platforms. Students refine their use of typography as it exists with other visual elements to arrive at individualized aesthetic and conceptual approaches. They develop strategies to enhance readability, create emphasis, structure, and organization. Through industry standard digital tools, they produce projects including a typeface design and a motion design project.
Digital Design Tools: Graphics
Whether your interest is in producing motion graphics or digital images and illustrations, you need to start with the basics and become familiar with the digital tools of the trade. This hands-on course introduces students to static and motion graphics digital applications that are the industry standard for design professionals in areas of graphic design, motion graphics, digital illustration, and digital art— Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe XD. This course is recommended for Graphic Design and Motion Graphics certificate students.
Digital Design Tools: Media
Whether your interest is in producing digital interfaces or animated content for social media, you need to start with the basics and become familiar with the digital tools of the trade. Students will be introduced to digital design-specific applications that are used by design professionals in areas of multimedia, animated graphics, UX/UI and web design – Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Animate, Adobe XD, and Adobe Dreamweaver. This course is recommended for Animation, Motion Graphics, and UX/UI for Web Design certificate students.
