Graphic Design

The ability to think conceptually and design with purpose to fulfil a specific need are fundamental requirements for any creative career. At the Academy of Digital Arts, we’ll teach you techniques and processes for effective conceptualisation and ideation that will become the foundation for every design project in your future career.

Tools and technical skills help designers turn ideas into reality. Without the amazing technology available to us today, we would never be able to execute the majority of our concepts. You will learn the full suite of Adobe tools that have become Graphic Design industry standards, and develop the ability and the curiosity to keep updating your skills in this dynamic and ever-evolving area.

Understanding what attracts a viewer to a design is essential for any designer hoping to achieve a specific outcome from a project. During this Graphic Design course, you’ll learn about the elements and principles that create good design and communicate clearly to an audience. You’ll also experiment with the potential of strategic rule-breaking for creating unexpected effects.

Understanding business processes is a huge bonus when entering the workplace, enabling you to be a confident and productive member of the workforce from your very first day. Your lecturers, all of whom are active in the industry, will familiarise you with the professional environment and teach you to communicate with your peers in a professional and informed way. This gives you an edge in the workplace and a secret weapon on the job market, too!

Introduction to Design

The module consists of two subjects, Design Theory and Freehand Rendering. The first subject will provide you with an understanding of the role designers play in society. We will introduce you to the world of graphic design by looking at design history, as well as examining international and local designers who have had an impact on the discipline.

We will introduce you to the design process, as well as the design theories and principles that make up the foundations of graphic design. The most important topic covered is conceptualisation techniques, the very first step in the design process. This theory, along with practical exercises, will kickstart your journey in the art of communication and creative thinking.

Communication Design

Communication Design teaches you the theories of branding, with a focus on developing a logo, corporate identity and brand. These, along with developing brand characteristics, brand positioning and applying a brand’s visual language and style to collateral, are the foundation of learning how to design for and target a specific audience.

Once you have these key skills under your belt, you begin your journey in digital illustration. All this theoretical knowledge is taught together with Adobe Illustrator, where we will take you from beginner level through to an advanced skill level.

Digital Image Manipulation

Digital Image Manipulation will help you understand and practically demonstrate the manipulation of raster images. Poster design theory and advertising are taught, along with the fundamental skills needed for retouching, combining multiple images and digital painting using Photoshop. Here, you will build on the design theories, principles and elements taught in previous modules.

Layout Design

Layout Design will have you delving into the more advanced theories of layout, editorial design, infographics and typesetting. The module aims to teach you the fundamentals of combining images and type on page or screen into eye-catching layouts. It introduces design principles such as designing with a grid and hierarchy, and expands on topics such as colour theory and the application of design principles and typography. You will use these principles to communicate a clear key message to an intended audience. This is really where the magic happens.

Packaging and Finish Art

Packaging and Finish Art teaches you how to apply a design style to a three-dimensional object. In this module, you will learn to consider materials, substrates and the flow of design across panels. In Finish Art, you will be taught the theory and practice of getting artwork ready for production, creating finishes for designs and creating die-lines for packaging construction.

Professional Practice

Here is where we bring the real world into your learning experience. Professional Practice teaches students about the business workflow of a graphic designer. The module aims to teach you the fundamentals of income generation, client services, ethics and professional practice. Here, you will develop your own corporate identity, business card and CV in preparation for job interviews.

This module aims to prepare you for taking the next step towards your chosen creative career. The second part of the module runs as a simulation, where you will learn the methods and procedures of the business side of design through a client simulation created by the lecturer.

Cross Media Design

This module incorporates work-integrated learning (WIL), where students are briefed by and work alongside a client on an active design brief. This practical assessment allows you to explore designing for digital as well as traditional print. The aim of the project is for you to practically demonstrate your understanding of design theory, practice and principles, experience a real-world client and designer relationship, and potentially have your work published.

Final Portfolio

The Final Portfolio consists of the final summative assessments, where you are required to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the entire curriculum through various practical projects. In this module, you will create a final portfolio of your work from throughout the year. You will learn the importance of self-promotion on digital and print platforms and get the opportunity to create a self-promotional product. The third component of this module is the elective project, which allows you to create a practical project that aligns with your passions. This is an independent project where you work with a mentor who guides you through the phases of the design process to bring your dream project to life.