Processes of Digital Design

Learning Outcomes

Course knowledge and skills (what students will know and be able to do):

  1. Demonstrate the use of the Macintosh platform to:
    1. access, use, and store data; use the various operational basics of the Macintosh system;
    2. create and store files in proper areas;
    3. and demonstrate the ability to organize workspace, files, and documents.
  2. Apply the basic elements and principles of design to:
    1. explain image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print;
    2. define key terminology of digital images including dots per inch (dpi), and pixel count and dimension;
    3. demonstrate the understanding of image manipulation errors that occur when improper editing is used including pixelated image quality (low resolution) and stretched, manipulated, or distorted images;
    4. identify design principles, elements, and image composition including elements of line, shape, color, value, texture, mass, principles of balance, alignment, contrast, unity, proportion, repetition, proximity, design layout principles of proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast, the rule of thirds and the Rule of Phi;
    5. and analyze various design materials for their use of levels of messaging;
    6. develop design materials that demonstrate the use of the elements and principles of design both print and digital.
  3. Utilize project planning, project management, copyright and fair use, and teamwork principles to the design of visual communication projects to:
    1. interpret the purpose, audience, and audience needs for preparing image(s) that meet design brief requirements;
    2. apply design brief requirements including purpose, target audience, research information, branding, format requirements, demographics, and target audience;
    3. communicate design plans with other members of the design team and clients;
    4. apply critique technique throughout process of design;
    5. discuss standard copyright rules for images and image;
    6. describe project management tasks and responsibilities; 1.and create a review and redesign cycle based on feedback.
  4. Use Adobe Photoshop software to edit and create digital photography and digital images to:
    1. identify and explain elements of the Photoshop user interface and its functions including new document set up, workspace arrangement and design, options bar application, layers panel use, menu bar, and toolbar application and use;
    2. use image generating devices, and discuss the types of images they create;
    3. demonstrate the use of technical skills that are utilized by digital photographers in the field including frame, angle, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, dynamic lighting, composition development, and rule of thirds;
    4. utilize the adjustment layers of Photoshop to develop digital photography;
    5. demonstrate how to access digital images in Photoshop including importing images and the mini Adobe bridge tab;
    6. employ color correction using Photoshop through color correction tool and other features;
    7. illustrate layers and masks including application of layer styles, blending options, organizing layers through grouping, linking, folders, applying layer masks;
    8. demonstrate importing, exporting, organizing, and saving digital images including file extension application;
    9. produce and reuse images;
    10. and select the appropriate features and options required to implement a color management workflow.
  5. Draw digital-based images and add text using Adobe Photoshop to:
    1. demonstrate working with selections through the application of various selection tools and their individual features found in the options bar including the rectangular marquee, elliptical marquee, lasso tool, polygonal lasso, magnetic lasso, magic wand and quick selection tool;
    2. employ guides and rulers, successfully transform, size, scale, rotate, warp and/or skew images; adjust or correct the tonal range, color, or distortions of an image;
    3. illustrate retouching and blending images using the patch tool, healing brush tool, spot healing tool, and clone stamp;
    4. demonstrate drawing and/or painting using Photoshop tools and corresponding panels such as the paint brush/paint brush panel, pencil tool and history brush tool;
    5. demonstrate manipulation of type using type warping and free transform features; use Photoshop filters and filter gallery;
    6. and apply the pen tool to design to create vector graphics using pen tool, add anchor point/subtract anchor point, setting anchor points, path panel and select and direct select tool.
  6. Create images and graphics for web, print, and video to:
    1. prepare images for web, print, and video; define the use of print resolution minimum dpi as 300dpi, and web resolution use of 72dpi for format requirements;
    2. apply file exporting for use of jpeg, .pdf, .png, .eps, .tiff, .gif, and explain vector images compared to bitmap images;
    3. describe video frames per second (fps) in video planning and exporting formats including .mp4, .mov, and compression;
    4. and develop for web basic html, wysiwyg and cms use. d
  7. Present and defend designs, layouts, and technical merits of work, and use constructive criticism from formal critiques to make improvements to:
    1. demonstrate how to mount, matte, or use another method display work for presentation;
    2. and present design in a formal critique, incorporate constructive criticism to make improvements.
  8. Demonstrate the application of basic web design techniques to develop an online portfolio to:
    1. explain how websites function on the internet in terms of search engine optimization, keyword search, hypertext markup language (HTML);
    2. develop basic html tags that allow for content management branding within a content management site including opening/closing tag, title, head, body, image and space;
    3. demonstrate the use of font development for the web including web safe fonts, text styles and contrasting type;
    4. apply basic web concepts and visual hierarchy to the development of a basic introductory webpage through an online content management or wysiwyg site (non-coding required) by applying 5 second rule, scanning patterns in terms of first seen- large blocks of color/images, second seen- graphics, third seen- text, divine proportions, continuity, law of Proximity, law of Similarity, law of Symmetry;
    5. and develop a portfolio of student work through an online content management system that has a base page, photography portfolio, and design portfolio.

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