Academic Catalog

GID 34: GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO II

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2025
Units: 4
Hours: 3 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (72 total per quarter)
Advisory: Not open to students with credit in GID 51.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU/UC
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • A successful student will produce rough sketches and tight comprehensive layouts using appropriate tools and technology.
  • A successful student demonstrates effective use of page layout software to visually communicate ideas and information.

Description

Continuation of GID 33. Students engage in problem solving with real-world graphic design projects. Focus on creative solutions that effectively use type, image, and layout. Projects include brochure, advertisement, interface, and package design. Creative ideas are explored in sketches, rough layouts, and finished compositions. Students learn and use professional practices and industry standard software design packages to complete the graphic design activities in this course.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Utilize basic design principles of layout and composition.
  2. Create designs that effectively visually communicate design objectives and for a culturally-diverse global marketplace.
  3. Demonstrate effective use of page layout software to visually communicate ideas and information.
  4. Produce rough sketches and tight comprehensive layouts using appropriate tools and technology.
  5. Use graphic design software to create prints for class critique and portfolio presentation.
  6. Recognize graphic design contributions and the advancement of the graphic arts by diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Course Content

  1. Principles of visual communication
    1. Form, content, layout, and composition
    2. The grid as a design and layout foundation
    3. Exploring solutions for achieving design awareness, mood, and dramatic emphasis
    4. Development of design styles using electronic media
    5. Professional standards
  2. Conceptual problem-solving
    1. Identifying the client
    2. Researching the products or services involved
    3. Articulating the message to communicate design objectives
    4. Strategies for effective visual communication
  3. Collateral design
    1. Advertisements
    2. Brochures
    3. Interface
    4. Packages
  4. Pre-production
    1. Create concept art and thumbnail sketches
    2. Create wireframes and high fidelity mock-ups
  5. Software demonstrations and techniques
    1. Digital image preparation for print media
      1. Toolbox
      2. Menu items
      3. Palettes
      4. File formats
    2. Page layout
      1. Toolbox
      2. Menu items
      3. Palettes
      4. Grids
      5. Importing text and graphics
      6. Typography
      7. Style sheets
      8. File formats and file management
    3. Skills and techniques in design presentation
  6. Visual communication
    1. Visually communicate for a global marketplace
    2. Analyze and discuss artistic contributions by individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds

Lab Content

  1. Software techniques
    1. Digital image preparation for print media
      1. Toolbox
      2. Menu items
      3. Palettes
      4. File formats
    2. Page layout
      1. Toolbox
      2. Menu items
      3. Palettes
      4. Grids
      5. Importing text and graphics
      6. Typography
      7. Style sheets
      8. File formats and file management
    3. Skills and techniques in design presentation

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. A lecture room equipped with an instructional computer, high-resolution color monitor, projection system, scanner, print output device, software, and network connectivity. Lighting and wall space suitable for displaying and critiquing hard copy output and projected images.
2. An integrated or separate facility with student workstation configurations to include hard drives; color monitors; mice or electronic drawing tablets; keyboards; scanners; print output device, software, and network connectivity.
3. When taught via Foothill Global Access: ongoing access to computer with JavaScript-enabled internet browsing software, media plug-ins, and relevant computer graphics applications.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Completed student projects
Full class critiques
Written examinations
Final portfolio review

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Weekly lectures explain various methods of graphic design followed by projects which allow students to show understanding and technical mastery of the subject. These presentations will be discussed and evaluated by in-class review and critique
Weekly reading covering graphic design will be presented, discussed, and evaluated by students

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Dabner, David. Graphic Design School. 2023.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Examples of outside of class assignments:
    1. This assignment is based on real-world practice and application within a design firm and/or industry studio. As the Lead Graphic Designer, you are tasked with creating a restaurant branding and identity that includes merchandise, marketing, and menu designs for a fictional 1950s diner, seafood, or medieval knights themed restaurant. Use the graphic design principles and Gestalt principles, color theory, and print layout and composition principles.
    2. Sketch at least ten (10) thumbnails of UI/UX icons for weather, health and fitness, or travel mobile app design project. Keep the thumbnails simple and loose with variety in size and shape.

Discipline(s)

Graphic Arts