• Digital Design
    Instructor: Randy Maves

    Foundations of Digital Design
    Graphic Arts is art with a message. This foundation of digital design course is a hands-on introduction to the art, craft and business of graphic design. The terms are used interchangeably. We will cover the history, processes, creative forms and production of graphic arts, as well as necessary underlying skills and perceptual principles. Students will be given a broad overview of the language of art and the principles of design through software manipulation. The course also provides and immersion in several artistic, creative, technical and psychological techniques linked to graphic design. Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign will be the primary software. Foundation of Digital Design is centered on skill and technique development. Students will apply basic skills to design problems: posters, personal logos, magazine layout, photo editing, and product labels.

    Intermediate Digital Design
    Intermediate digital design will be primarily a design studio. Students will explore Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign with a focus on creative printed materials. A design team organization will allow each class member to lead in very area of the design process. The class will learn to manage jobs that will come from our school and outside community. Marketing, photography, and presentation will be the center of each project. Students will be expected to seek out an intern opportunity in the community. The principals of design will be explored as they affect good design. Each student will present an original marketing campaign for the culmination of the course. Product design will be introduced.

    Graphic Design - Advanced
    Advanced Graphic Design Studio is the final course in the graphic design CTE program at Madison High School. Students that forecast for this course will be learning about marketing, project management, and career readiness. Students that forecast for this course will complete a digital capstone portfolio that will be presented on a website platform. The classroom will be organized as a design firm, where each member will have particular job functions on multiple teams (marketing manager, lead designer, production manager, sales, and project manager) They will work with industry advisors that are experts in each of the listed areas. These student will work very closely with their industry mentors to craft a working knowledge of career skills need to be successful in the design industry. Students will be responsible to recruit work for the class and hopefully secure a payment or donation for the services provided. Students will hone problem-solving strategies in concept development, compositional structure, project management, and execution of work. Integral to this is a sketchbook that records design, research, idea generation, and reflective thinking. Hands on experiences provide opportunities for a multitude of learning styles, increase student confidence, and can improve overall academic performance. As a CTE course, we will incorporate business education and career related experiences in the form of field trips and visitors from industry.

    Print Publications
    This class primarily produces the yearbook, but if you are interested in applying the design skills you learned in Foundations of Digital Design or Intermediate Digital Design this course is for you. Organization, independent work habits, and afterschool freedom are necessary. The student body is the client and as a Print Publication staff member you will be tasked with producing a historical item that best captures the Madison Experience. Students that choose this class should take this responsibility very serious and should understand that only the highest level of citizenship and behavior will be accepted. This is an opportunity to be part of a team that creates a one-of-a-kind object. Students must have an excellent working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.

    Photo/Video Production
    Foundations of Digital Photography & Video Production focuses on career exploration in the fields of photography and video production. The Course includes basic theories, methods, and techniques used to plan, produce, and edit photos and videos, includes instruction on lighting, camera operation, composition, and related computer applications for editing. The Video Production course will provide students with a basic understanding of the technology behind video as an information medium, and some of the ways in which it is created to achieve its desired effect on an audience. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate a variety of production skills and techniques as it relates to producing a variety of video formats. Example formats include producing Short Films, School News Feature Stories, Documentary Video, Music Video, Instructional Video, Advertising Commercials, and Public Service PSA Commercials. Students will learn skills in story design, script writing, video editing, and studio production. In order to meet assignment deadlines and production schedules, students will need to rely on: good reading and writing skills, good time management, a positive attitude, and the ability to work in a team setting.

     

     

     

     

    updated 9/19