Welcome to Design

“Providing, meaning to a mass of unrelated needs, ideas, words and pictures – it is the designer’s job to select and fit this material together and make it interesting.” 
   Paul Rand

I want to welcome you to the exciting world of Graphic Design. Do you know how many times a day you come in contact with graphic design? In this class you will become aware of the design world around you. Even if you are not planning on graphic design as a career, this class and the concepts you will learn, will be helpful in any career choice. 

 

This part of the class is designed for students who are interested in expanding their computer skills in the area of desktop publishing and multimedia skills. A variety of software will be utilized including Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint. Students will gain experience by producing the school magazine, publications for areas of the school, the a school news website, software evaluation and instruction sheets along with a variety of other activities. Those students planning to attend college will find this course very valuable, as they will gain experience with graphic design and software that is used by industry and education.

Quarter 1

Study of:

Principles of Design

Typography 

Program Emphasis:

InDesign

 

Design graded projects:

1. Worksheets & Workbook Activities

2. InDesign Tool Presentation

3. Type Project

4. Photo Scavenger Hunt

 

Materials you will need:

Jump Drive 

Three Ring Notebook with dividers

Journalism vs Design

Much as I’d like to credit the power of great design as the cornerstone of success when it comes to magazines and newspapers, the fact is that even the most handsome publication will fail if the stories stink. In other words, content is still king. If readers have nothing worth reading, then even the most captivating publication won’t last. Unfortunately, graphic designers generally have no control over the quality of the writing in their magazines or newspapers. So in this regard, they’re stuck with what they’re given. But, assuming the writing is good (or good enough), then designers have a chance. And in the end, it’s the editorial content that the design must serve. Often young designers get this relationship between words and pictures backward. They are so intent in making their voices heard that they drown out that of the writer. Yet when the design works in concert with the words, when both voices sing together harmoniously, publications soar.
Excerpted from Professional Design Techniques with Adobe Creative Suite 3 (Adobe Press) 
By Scott Citron 
Dateline: May 9, 2008

Working for the Master Designer

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
    1 Col. 1:16,17

“Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right or better.”
   John Updike

Show you care!