Arts & Design Course Overview
This short course offers a hands-on exploration into the fundamentals of art and design. Through a series of projects and exercises, students will develop skills in various media, from drawing and painting to digital design. Emphasis will be on understanding the principles of design, visual composition, color theory, and creative expression. By the end of the course, students will have a portfolio showcasing their work and a foundation in visual arts principles, allowing them to pursue further studies or develop personal projects in art and design.
Course Outline
Week 1: Introduction to Art & Design Basics
- Overview of Art & Design History and Movements
- Key Principles of Design: Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, Rhythm, and Unity
- Basic Drawing Techniques
- Exercises: Still life and basic object sketching
Week 2: Understanding Composition and Visual Elements
- Composition Techniques: Rule of Thirds, Golden Ratio, Leading Lines
- Visual Elements: Shape, Form, Line, Space, Texture
- Exercises: Creating a simple composition with multiple elements
Week 3: Color Theory and Application
- Color Theory Basics: Color Wheel, Color Schemes, Warm vs. Cool Colors
- Psychological Impact of Color
- Exercises: Creating a color scheme, applying color to compositions
Week 4: Exploring Media and Techniques
- Introduction to Different Mediums: Graphite, Charcoal, Watercolor, Ink, and Digital
- Techniques and Applications for Each Medium
- Exercises: Experimenting with different media in small projects
Week 5: Digital Art and Design Introduction
- Basic Digital Design Tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, or Procreate
- Introduction to Digital Drawing and Painting
- Exercises: Simple digital drawing project
Week 6: Fundamentals of Typography and Layout
- Typography Basics: Font Styles, Sizes, Pairing, and Hierarchy
- Creating Layouts: Grids, White Space, Alignment
- Exercises: Design a simple poster or flyer layout
Week 7: Project Development and Portfolio Building
- Introduction to Project-Based Learning
- How to Create a Portfolio: Best practices and layout suggestions
- Project Work: Start a personal project to showcase in a final portfolio
Week 8: Final Project Presentation
- Complete and refine the personal project
- Presentations and Peer Feedback
- Portfolio Compilation and Final Review
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand and apply foundational principles of design and composition.
- Demonstrate basic proficiency in multiple art media, including digital tools.
- Develop and refine a creative process from concept to final piece.
- Create a portfolio of completed works showcasing skills and creativity.