Identity Design

I cannot believe how fast this first week went!  Graphic Design is off to a good start.  Students started off with a research project learning about the disciplines and history of graphic design.  The students then started learning about identity design.  We practiced through the design process first, then used the process to help up get started with our logo project.

Students are creating a logo for an imaginary graphic design business that uses their initials.  We talked about logo design, looked at many examples, then started sketching ideas on paper.  Students will be finishing their sketches and will have a final drawing that they will turn in Monday after the weekend.

Once we turn in our work we will take some time to become familiar with the software we will be using this term.  Because of the short amount of time, and a majority of our projects will be raster images, we will use primarily Adobe Photoshop CC.  It is not the best for logo use, but it will be better for our projects we are working on down the road.

Once we are comfortable with the software, students will be able to create their logo in digital form, then will post to their online portfolios.

Term 2 Graphic Design

Excited to get this second term of graphic design started!  We are starting with a research project, then will be learning about the design process.  Stay tuned to this blog all term for updates!

Finishing Strong

The last week of the term is here.  We will be finishing up our photo manipulations, then will be reading the Graphic Design First Things First Manifesto, then writing a reflection about the document as well as their learning from the class.  These will be the last two grades entered for the term.  Again, I can't say enough how much I have enjoyed this class, and I hope to see them all again in advanced graphic design!

Great Work, Great Class!

NPHS Graphic Design Students have really been doing a good job all term long.  I have all of our magazine covers graded, and we had a lot of well-done designs.  Below are a few of the designs that I thought turned out really well.

We are about to finish up our environmental design section in the next day or so, then we will be getting down to the photo manipulation and our final reflection for the term.  I'm really going to miss this group of kids and wish I could have them for another 9 weeks, and they have come so far, and still have a lot of potential.  Hopefully I can persuade most of them to sign up for advanced graphic design!

Environmental Design

Students are finishing up their magazine covers, and turned out some very creative and solid looking projects!  Next week we will be learning about environmental design.  Students will look at examples of environmental design, then will go on a digital photograph scavenger hunt around the school.  Next, they will put their pictures together as a collage, and will explain what their definition of environmental design is, and whey their pictures are a good representation of their definition.

Students will then take a photograph of a blank area of the school, and will make a design for that area.  Students will finish their project by photoshopping their design into the photograph that they took.  I'm very excited to see how these projects turn out, and to see what the kids' vision of our school is, and how they can make it come to life.