Computer Graphic Design
Hot Springs High School
701 Emory St. Hot Springs, AR 71913
(501) 624-5286

Instructor: Mr. Gabriel Fisher
Room: Graphic arts lab
Email:fisherg@hssd.net
Website: http://ib.hssd.net

Length of course: 1 Semester
Credit: 1/2 Elective credit

 

Syllabus

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER GRAPHIC DESIGN

A one semester course designed to introduce students to the tools and concepts of graphic design. Students will create a series of authentic design solutions using up to date software and equipment. Students will develop a working understanding of computer design software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe InDesign. Digital video editing techniques and software will also be introduced to students in this class.

Practical and ethical concerns regarding internet use, copyright law, and website evaluation will also be covered in this course.

Over the course of the semester, students will work in a simulated professional environment creating products, including personal/ professional logos, CD cover package designs, and multi-fold brochures. Students will also explore their personal creative potential in writing and illustrating poetry, digitally manipulating photographs, and digitally creating a self-portrait.

Assessments

Students will be assessed on four major projects, as well as regular daily classroom assignments, including maintaining a notebook. Customized rubrics are used in assessing each major assignment. Daily performance grades may be given.

Required Materials

  1. Notebook: 1/2” or 1” 3-Ring binder
  2. Pencil (every day)
  3. Notebook paper
  4. 1 full sheet of black foamcore (I will describe this and let you know a week in advance when you need to get foamcore.)

Optional Materials

  1. Blank CD-RW to take your digital work with you at the end of the semester.
  2. Portable flash drive (128MB, 256MB, etc..) I recommend keeping a flash drive for your benefit during your school career to backup and transfer files as needed.

Text

Several classroom texts will be utilized for this course, as well as supplemental online articles, periodicals, tutorials, and instructor-created materials.

Texts include:

• Art in Focus, 4th ed. Glencoe McGraw-Hill

• Foundations of Graphic Design, Davis Publications, Inc.

• Discovering Drawing, Davis Publications, Inc.

Online access to course content

Students can download course information and materials, including most major assignments from the class website: http://ib.hssd.net/fisherg/cgdlinks.html

This website can be accessed from the classroom and/ or from any computer online.

The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus anytime during the course of the school year.