Fundamentals of Graphic Design

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/fundamentals-of-graphic-design

Introduction

### Course Review: Fundamentals of Graphic Design on Coursera **Overview:** Graphic Design surrounds us in our everyday lives, bridging the gap between visual communication and the viewer's interpretation. The course "Fundamentals of Graphic Design," offered on Coursera, delves into the essential aspects of this creative discipline. It is crafted to guide learners through the pivotal elements of design—imagemaking, typography, composition, color, and shape—while emphasizing their importance in conveying messages effectively. With the rise of digital media and its democratization of design, understanding graphic design is vital for anyone interested in visual communication, marketing, or even personal projects. The course combines practical knowledge with theoretical foundations, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience. **Course Structure and Highlights:** The course is divided into four core weeks, each focusing on different foundational elements of graphic design: 1. **Fundamentals of Imagemaking:** - This week introduces students to denotative and connotative messaging through images. Learners explore a variety of techniques, both analog and digital, and are encouraged to experiment through peer-reviewed assignments. This approach not only enhances technical skills but also improves communication abilities—essential for any budding designer. 2. **Fundamentals of Typography:** - Typography—the art of arranging type—is crucial in graphic design. This week covers essential typographic terminology and rules, accompanied by practical assignments such as creating a typographic monogram and a business card design. Engaging with typography in a hands-on manner helps solidify understanding, making it less daunting for those new to the field. 3. **Fundamentals of Shape and Color:** - Learners dive into the interplay of shape and color, focusing on elements such as visual contrast and pattern design. The optional assignments encourage creativity as students design complex motifs and repeating patterns, allowing for exploration beyond the theoretical aspects. 4. **Fundamentals of Composition:** - This week wraps everything together by emphasizing visual contrasts, cropping, and spatial hierarchy in complex compositions. The final project—a poster for a mythical band—invites students to synthesize their learnings. It’s a creative way to apply all concepts, ensuring that practical experience complements theoretical knowledge. **Continuing Your Graphic Design Studies:** The course concludes with a valuable section for those wishing to take their journey further. With resources on selecting advanced study programs, constructing portfolios, and writing artist statements, it prepares learners for the next step, whether that's applying to design schools or starting a freelance career. **Final Thoughts and Recommendations:** "Fundamentals of Graphic Design" is a well-structured course suitable for both beginners and those looking to solidify their foundational knowledge. The combination of peer-reviewed assignments fosters a community-centric learning environment, which is beneficial in the often solitary world of design. For anyone looking to dip their toes into the vast ocean of graphic design, this course offers a thorough grounding in the essential principles that govern effective design. Whether you're exploring a new hobby, considering a career change, or enhancing your skills for professional development, this course is highly recommended. Engage with the content, complete the optional assignments, immerse yourself in the creative process, and you will find that you not only understand the mechanics of graphic design but also appreciate the profound impact it has on our culture and daily lives.

Syllabus

Course Overview

Welcome! In this first module I will summarize the assignments and expectations of this course.

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!

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!

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!

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!

In this section we've provided some useful resources for students wishing to further their studies in graphic design. The information was authored by Calvin Rye, MFA alumnus of the Graphic Design program at CalArts in consultation with CalArts' Graphic Design faculty and our Office of Admissions. In addition to some advice about selecting the right program of study, we've also included some tips for creating and presenting a strong, organized portfolio and writing your artist statement. These are essential components of any application to a graphic design program, as well as a freelance graphic designer's toolkit. Regardless if you are applying to schools or looking for work in the field, we hope you find these tips and resources useful to your goals.