In this full year studio-based course, where freshmen students will learn the fundamental principles and elements of design, layout and composition, the rule of thirds, color theory and many other aspects of design in today’s world. The lessons will cover visualizing ideas, composition, and typography.
Students will begin to apply the fundamental principles they learned from the beginning to create more elaborate design layout projects that integrate type (copy) with imagery that they will produce. Students will experiment with a variety of different media to produce images that will be used in their design projects.

Students will

• experiment with figure and ground; positive and negative space by illustrating symmetrical and asymmetrical balance, pattern, emphasis on scale, and movement with the use of black and white paper.
• the history of typography, classification of typefaces, and the anatomy of the character while creating their own typeface.
• create compositions with type and examine the innovations of Futurism, Dadaism, and Constructivism on graphic design
• learn about the grid method and how to apply this helpful procedure to their designs.
• explore color and its many attributes. Projects will experiment with hues, values, tints, shades, and tones based on theories promoted by color experts Johannes Itten and Josef Albers of the Bauhaus.
• experiment with printmaking by creating linoleum block prints.

At the end of the term, students will create an online portfolio highlighting their creative growth.