About this course: Graphic Design is all around us! Words and pictures—the building blocks of graphic design—are the elements that carry the majority of the content in both the digital world and the printed world. As graphic design becomes more visible and prevalent in our lives, graphic design as a practice becomes more important in our culture. Through visual examples, this course will teach you the fundamental principles of graphic design: imagemaking, typography, composition, working with color and shape... foundational skills that are common in all areas of graphic design practice. I don't just want you to watch a video of someone talking about design, I want you to MAKE design! If you want to be a designer you have to be a maker, a communicator, so this course will offer you lots of opportunities to get your hands dirty with exercises and with more practical projects. At the end of this course you will have learned how to explore and investigate visual representation through a range of image-making techniques; have understand basic principles of working with shape, color and pattern; been exposed to the language and skills of typography; and understand and have applied the principles of composition and visual contrast. If you complete the course, along with its optional (but highly recommended) briefs, you will have a core set of graphic design skills that you can apply to your own projects, or to more deeply investigate a specialized area of graphic design. To succeed in this course you will need access to a computer. You can complete this course without one but it will be tougher. Access to, and a beginner's level knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite programs, such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign will help you, especially if you want to complete the optional briefs.
Created by: California Institute of the Arts
Taught by: Michael Worthington, Faculty, Program in Graphic Design
School of Art
| Basic Info | Course 1 of 5 in the Graphic Design Specialization |
| Commitment | 4 weeks of study, 5-8 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Week 1: Fundamentals of Imagemaking
This week we are going to look at how images function in terms of conveying denotative and connotative messages, I'll show you a range of analog and digital imagemaking techniques and discuss how they work. In the first peer review assignment you'll create your own series of images, experimenting with formal techniques. Later, you'll have the opportunity to rework those images to enhance their ability to communicate an idea through connotation in an optional assignment: give it a try, it'll help you develop your communication skills as well as your formal skills!
13 videos, 4 readings
- Video: Course Welcome
- Reading: Why study graphic design?
- Reading: About this course
- Reading: About the assignments
- Reading: Course Tools
- Video: Introduction to Imagemaking
- Video: Denotative Imagemaking 1
- Video: Denotative Imagemaking 2
- Video: Techniques of Imagemaking 1
- Video: Techniques of Imagemaking 2
- Video: Techniques of Imagemaking 3
- Video: Process, Generation, Iteration
- Video: Imagemaking Demo 1: Printing with an Object
- Video: Imagemaking Demo 2: Duct Tape Prints
- Video: Imagemaking Demo 3: Improvised "Light Table"
- Video: Connotative Imagemaking 1
- Video: Connotative Imagemaking 2
- Peer Review: Brief 1.2: Making Images, Making Meaning (Optional)
Graded: Brief 1.1: Explorations in Imagemaking (Required)
WEEK 2
Week 2: Fundamentals of Typography
This week we are going to look at typographic terminology and the basic rules for creating typography. I'll show you a range of tips and techniques for working with type, in both a functional and expressive manner, and you'll find out about the process involved in making and controlling typography. This week you'll complete a quiz to make sure you understand the language of typography–this is required. I also highly recommend you complete the two optional peer review assignments. In the first assignment you'll create your own typographic monogram, and you'll use that as a central element in designing a typographic business card in the second assignment. Give them a try, they are the place where you can demonstrate and apply your formal skills, and the place where you get to play with type!
12 videos
- Video: Introduction to Typography
- Video: The Anatomy of Letters
- Video: Words and Spacing
- Video: Type Size: The Point System
- Video: Typesetting Text
- Video: Typefaces, Fonts and Type Families
- Video: Typeface Categories
- Video: Denotation in Type
- Video: Connotation in Type
- Peer Review: Brief 2.1: The Character of Characters (Optional)
- Video: Looking at Letterforms
- Video: Experimenting with Letterforms
- Video: Typographic Composition
- Peer Review: Brief 2.2: Make a Monogram, Make a Business Card (Optional)
Graded: Typography
WEEK 3
Week 3: Fundamentals of Shape and Color
This week we are going to look at how designers work with shape and color as their fundamental building blocks. You'll learn about visual contrast, color, rhythm and pattern in design. I'll be showing you the process involved in making an abstract design from shapes, and how to use that element to create a repeating pattern design. You'll be completing a quiz (required!) to make sure you understand how visual contrast and color work, and I also highly recommend you complete the two optional peer review assignments. In the first assignment you'll create your own simple and complex design motifs, and you'll use them as the central elements in designing a repeating pattern in the second assignment. The assignments are optional, but they are the place where you get to demonstrate and apply your formal skills, so well worth taking the extra time to complete!
10 videos
- Video: Introduction to Shape & Color
- Video: Graphic Shapes
- Video: Visual Contrast
- Video: Marks, Icons, and Symbols
- Video: Negative/Positive, Figure/Ground
- Video: Working with Color
- Video: The Color Wheel
- Peer Review: Brief 3.1: Negative/Positive, Complimentary/Contrasting (Optional)
- Video: Mixing Color: Paint, Print and Screen
- Video: Rhythm and Pattern 1
- Video: Rhythm and Pattern 2
- Peer Review: Brief 3.2: Repeating Pattern (Optional)
Graded: Shape and Color
WEEK 4
Week 4: Fundamentals of Composition
This week we are going to look at how designers work with visual contrasts, cropping, hierarchy and direction in single images and complex compositions. You'll find out how to control and use scale, weight, direction, texture, and space in a composition, and how to compose work that ranges from the complex to the minimal. In the first peer review assignment you'll create your own abstract compositions that demonstrate your knowledge and control of visual contrast. In the final optional assignment, you can use all your skills from the entire course to create experimental compositions in the form of a poster for a mythical band. This last project is optional, but I strongly suggest you try it out, it'll let you grow and apply your design knowledge and really enjoy and express yourself in your design work!
11 videos, 6 readings
- Video: Introduction to Composition
- Video: Principles of Composition
- Video: Visual Contrasts
- Video: Single Contrasts
- Video: Multiple Contrasts
- Video: Type Contrasts
- Video: Image Contrasts
- Peer Review: Brief 4.2: Double and Triple Contrasts (Optional)
- Video: Composition in a Single Image
- Video: Cropping and Hierarchy
- Video: Composition in Context
- Peer Review: Brief 4.3: Applied Fundamentals (Optional)
- Video: Conclusion
- Reading: What's next?
- Reading: About this section
- Reading: Choosing a design program
- Reading: Building your portfolio
- Reading: Design portfolio tips
- Reading: Writing your artist statement
Graded: Brief 4.1: Single Contrasts (Required)
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
California Institute of the Arts
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
I enjoyed taking the Fundamentals of Graphic Design class...it was fun & I learned a lot more than I expected. This class will help me to continue my path in graphic design. I'm glad we learned how to design business cards as well as a poster and to create our own original designs. I give this class an A+ ...the instructor is excited about graphic design and gives a practical summary in his videos. Very creative and interesting class!
The course is amazing and inspiring)))
This class taught me very clear ideas, it inspired me, it has made me a better designer.
Coursera provides universal access to the world’s best education, partnering with top universities and organizations to offer courses online.
© 2017 Coursera Inc. All rights reserved.
Very Good for beginners!