Graphic Design

Engage with one of the most powerful applications used in graphic design today. Students will explore the basics of the InDesign interface and its most used features in order to create an array of printed and digital layouts. Students will learn how to manipulate and position layout elements such as text, illustrations and photographs by applying design and typographic principles and terminology. You will work through a variety of print and digital media projects using the versatile InDesign tools and techniques to discover the possibilities for creative expression that come with mastering this application.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Visual composition and layout focuses on the process of creating ideas and learning how to effectively prepare balanced, creative, design solutions. Students will apply the principles and elements of composition and layout in order to produce balanced creative design solutions for print, web, mobile, and interface applications. Through analysis, group critiques, presentations, teamwork, and verbal deconstruction of design, students will learn how to present their work in a manner that resonates with the target audience—enhances overall communication, human interaction and usability. This course provides a solid foundation for delivering interactive and engaging content for web and mobile.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Colour is a powerful design principle-affecting mood, identifying brands and carrying cultural symbolism. Explore the various aspects of colour and identify many ways of integrating colour for effective communication in design layouts. Explore the significance of colour application through numerous research and design samples. This will enable students to apply their understanding of various colour modes, colour functions, colour attributes, colour psychology, and colour physiology in design work. Analyze how others solve visual colour challenges in compelling and inspiring ways while generating unique compositions with colour as a dominant design attribute.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Graphic designers require web design skills as well as traditional media skills. In this course, students will be introduced to the foundation of front-end development and code management, and become familiar with the basic tools of web design, including coding concepts to translate web design into code. Focusing on web standards as outlined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), students will learn to hand code HTML 5, CSS3 (Cascading Styles Sheets) to control overall hierarchy, structure, functionality, layout and appearance of websites.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Effective graphic design is essential to daily life as it informs, instructs, warns, and entertains us. Discover that design is a complex process involving research and analysis, concept development, critical evaluation, refinement, and execution. Students will focus on brainstorming and the creative process stage of design process and its relationship to visual problem solving. Hone critical thinking strategies for effective graphic design by practicing what is learned in relation to print- and web-based communications. Execute simple, thumbnail sketches to create and record concepts—a skill paramount for advancing into creating digital content.​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Effective communication design projects elicit an emotional response from their target audience. To do this, text, image, and carefully chosen graphic elements bond seamlessly to direct the viewer's eye through the layout in a particular way. Students will analyze how Gestalt psychology establishes the hierarchical relationship between design elements in a composition. Examining historic design genres will provide insight into setting the stage for time and place. Applying knowledge of signs and symbols and manipulating content via design principles, students gain insight into complex visual systems. The outcome is a unique visual language, translating an idea into a visual form that clearly communicates a message to the target audience. ​
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Vector Graphics are widely used to create logos and business charts or graphs, greeting cards, posters, web or app. interface elements, graphics for brochures or manuals, patterns, clothing, and in fine art. Producing high quality vector graphics is a must-have skillset for any graphic designer. Students will be introduced to the foundations of vector graphics, including understanding anchor point types, creating paths and geometrical shapes, object's properties such as Fill and Stroke, working with gradients, and how to organize objects in groups and layers. Students will also learn advanced techniques such as working with Brushes, Symbols, Type objects, Masking, Graphic Styles, Artboards, and exporting the results for variant purposes. Students will apply this knowledge in individual and team projects. Using the professional design process, students are tasked with researching each project topic, producing design sketches, executing a final polished design, and then critiquing each other.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

Photoshop mastery is essential to managing and producing a highly professional product. Students will create stunning images and composites for visual communication projects by exploring the Photoshop interface and an array of photo-editing techniques. The course focuses on fine image editing, retouching, and developing high-quality online and print image compositions. Students will learn how to create complex graphics that can be built in multiple layers for organization and independent manipulation. Students will come to understand the purpose of the application tools, work with layers, channels, paths, make selections, image manipulation/alteration, understand image size, canvas size and resolution, create masks, work with filters and layer styles, the pen, colourize, and create interesting type.
Prerequisite(s):

• No prerequisites are required for this course.

​Master the effects that contribute to compelling images. Image Post Production explores the fundamentals of working with digital images acquired from capture, with a focus on the image optimization process within Adobe Photoshop. This course will demonstrate how to produce a high-quality image that can be reproduced for multiple purposes. Topics include colour theory as it relates to digital images, processing camera RAW files, non-destructive workflow within Adobe Photoshop, making selections, and working with layer masks. The course will be provided in a lecture/lab format with in-class exercises providing hands-on experience.​
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1275 and 50% in GDES 1140

Prepress is the process where visually correct digital files are made technically correct to meet offset and digital production and post-production requirements. Prepress requires knowledge about how colour is managed and reproduced accurately, how ink and/or varnishes are transferred to paper, imaging processes and technologies, and how a print project is finished. This course will teach you how to plan and prepare digital files correctly, so that multiple copies can be produced and post-production requirements such as paper, scoring, folding, specialty techniques such as foil stamping and die-cutting, and binding, are accommodated. We will examine production workflows and a designer's relationship with the printer and meeting the printer's requirements including proofing options and procedures.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1069 and 50% in GDES 1270 and 50% in GDES 1275

In today’s changing creative environment, designers must do more than simply ‘design things.’ Designers apply visual communication principles to express their client's message, but they must also work within the context of a business strategy and goals to be fully successful. This course examines how design supports and reinforces a client’s business goals by applying critical components of the design process: research, analysis, concept development and evaluation. You will also explore standard business practices and how to work effectively with clients. Principles, concepts, and techniques will be applied through the comprehensive development of a large and major campaign project. You will analyze and evaluate course work through discussion, critiques, and verbal and written presentations.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1235 and 50% in GDES 1105 and 50% in GDES 1069 and 50% in GDES 1270 and 50% in GDES 1275

Brand is the persona of a company and it must portray a focused message in a consistent manner to be recognized and remembered in the marketplace. This course establishes how brand equity is maintained through the implementation of a vital and compelling corporate identity program. Students explore the intricacies of brand creation, implementation and maintenance creating a consistent identity that can be flexibly applied to many applications. Broader brand issues will be discussed in class and through research assignments.
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1235 and 50% in GDES 1105 and 50% in GDES 1069 and 50% in GDES 1270

​A strong brand builds equity perceived by a target audience. Corporate communications are the means by which a company's strategy, structure and vision are clarified. These business strategies are the framework of design strategies for the myriad of internal and external communications necessary in business today. Students will build and strengthen a brand message by applying a visual language across a range of corporate identity applications (logo lock-ups, corporate typography and colour, and other design assets).
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1235 and 50% in GDES 1105 and 50% in GDES 1069 and 50% in GDES 1270

Typography is the art of designing with type. Good typography is essential to design. Learning the history of language and the development of early type provides a greater understanding of how to use it successfully within design layouts. Students will deconstruct fonts to show their working components and learn the terms and measurements that form typographic vocabulary. Students will apply the pica measurement system and compose balanced documents using rules and conventions. InDesign preferences will be dissected to show their dramatic impact on typography. Demonstrate improved readability by controlling type aesthetics and optimizing optical and metric kerning. Exercises and projects enable students to clearly communicate ideas and work confidently and effectively with type.​
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1235 and 50% in GDES 1069

Empathizing with users, defining pain points, and designing wireframes to plan products are integral parts in the foundation of UI and UX. This course introduces students to research, interface design, and user experience, which are fundamental fields required to create compelling human-centric designs in physical and digital mediums including packaging, desktop and mobile. This course will provide students with the knowledge required to research, plan, and deploy effective prototypes. In addition, students will learn how UX agency projects differ from consultancy projects in terms of complexity and expectations.
Prerequisite(s):

• No pre-requisites required for this course.

​In this capstone course students will integrate knowledge, skills, and abilities gained throughout the program towards the inclusion of a minimum of two major design projects in an online graphic design print and web portfolio. Students will self-direct their workflow, employing research, concept ideation, and production skills to refine previously completed program projects. Depending on recently honed abilities and project requirements, students may create new projects. Students will be guided in professional methods and techniques for achieving effective content including the design of a self-brand identity (with stationery), review resumes, and prepare for the interview process and presentations. For ease of access and deployment, students will be instructed and guided to build their portfolio website on an online content management platform. This course should be one of the last taken in the Certificate. ​​
Prerequisite(s):

• 50% in GDES 1069 and 50% in GDES 1105 and 50% in GDES 1140 and 50% in GDES 1190 and 50% in GDES 1235 and 50% in GDES 1255 and 50% in GDES 1270 and 50% in GDES 1275
• This course should be one of the last taken in the Certificate