Description

Gatlin International offers graphic design courses with an emphasis on advertising design training that allow students to learn at the pace that best suits their busy schedules, from the comfort of their own homes. Our graphic design courses are ideal for both students and working professionals who want to begin or advance their careers in the in-demand field of advertising design. In recent years graphics design courses have become one of the most popular offerings as new technologies continue to broaden the scope of the field. Our graphic design courses are intended for anyone looking to launch their career designing advertising and marketing collateral or identity pieces for large or small businesses. Our nationally recognized Business Marketing Design programme teaches both the technical and aesthetic skills required for graphic design professionals in any business environment.

As a student in our graphic design courses, you will learn a variety of software programs including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Microsoft Powerpoint. Through hands-on practice you will learn how to prepare digital images and illustrations, business presentations and learn aesthetic principles of color, composition, typography and visual identity.

Our graphic design courses provide students with hands-on experience with essential skills in business-focused design scenarios. Our advertising design training assignments include exposure to the skills you will need to succeed including digital imaging and image retouching, how to create icons and illustrations, how to prepare effective presentation graphics, how to use color, font management and typography, advertising design for print and display ads, and how to create and develop brand identity.

Course Objectives

Students who complete our graphic design courses will be proficient in a wide variety of skills and know how to:

• Prepare bitmap images for print or digital media using basic Photoshop retouching and correction techniques, collage, and compositing.
• Create vector art illustrations using shape drawing and freehand drawing tools, type tools, and transformation and distortion effects.
• Develop Powerpoint presentations using professional, consistent slide design and typography, working from slide and title master pages.
• Gain a basic understanding of creative and career options in the marketing design field (optional elective).
• Develop effective color schemes for different client projects using the principles of color harmony.
• Use typography effectively by following the basic principles of typography design, selection, and layout.
• Develop a logo design through the each stage of a professional logo design process: research, design, and presentation.
• Create two-dimensional layouts that embody the principles of effective composition, such as unity, balance, rhythm, and proportion.
• Develop print advertising campaign for various clients in different media, applying principles for effective ad design.
• Research and design logos for three different companies, exploring differences in concept development.
  

Outline

The following is an outline of the major topics included in our graphic design courses.

This program consists of nine required courses. An optional introductory theory course is available for beginner students. Course descriptions are as follows:

Photoshop Basics
Acquire a thorough grounding in Adobe Photoshop, the premiere digital imaging program for graphic designers. Hands-on projects show how to select, enhance, distort, color, scale, and manipulate scanned images and artworks—or create them from scratch. Every designer must tame this creative powerhouse of a program.

Illustrator Basics
Build a working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, the graphic designer's vector program of choice. Course projects explore selection tools, drawing tools, layers, the pen tool, transformations/ distortions, type tools, and modifying paths and shapes. Tapping into the power of vector software allows you to produce detailed and scalable art for almost any application.

PowerPoint Design
Tackle techniques for designing effective PowerPoint presentations: ones that are clean, clear, visually appealing, and engaging in their delivery of content. You’ll learn how professional presentation designers develop custom slideshows with impact and edge, avoiding common design pitfalls.

Color Theory
Focus on developing appropriate color systems for graphic design projects. Projects explore the principles, terminology, and applications of color theory, with an emphasis on manipulating color. A working knowledge of the expression and perception of color, and color interaction, lends credibility and sophistication to a designer's work.

Fundamentals of Typography
Explore the critical role of typography in graphic design. Course projects build an understanding of the anatomy of the letterform, the distinguishing features of different typefaces, and creative applications of type. An assured grasp of typography is essential in any visual communication project.

Fundamentals of Logo Design
Explore the philosophy and process behind designing a logo. Students learn the importance of corporate identity and the different stages in a typical logo design project. The course establishes a solid conceptual and practical grounding for anyone interested in pursuing a career in visual identity, from a design or a marketing perspective.

Design and Composition
Discover the principles of effective composition in print design and advertising. Composition, literally the assembly of elements, is the artful arrangement that guides the eye and unifies a design work. Case studies and hands-on projects address closed/open space, negative space, movement, and more.

Advertising Design
Learn the rules of advertising design from both a creative and a business perspective. Case studies from print, Web, and TV media showcase advertising concepts at work: persuasion, color psychology and composition, copywriting and typography, and brand communication. Course projects include ads for newspapers, magazines, subways, and transit/outdoor applications, and a multi-part ad campaign.

Branding and Identity
Develop essential skills for designing logos, marketing materials, and advertising programs to establish and promote corporate identities. Case studies focus on giant corporations such as CBS, BMW, and Sony, and how they established their corporate images and business strategically. Course projects require designing or redesigning corporate identities for both existing companies and newly established businesses.

Demo

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Additional Info

Languages

English

Course Length

240.00 hours

Duration of Access

6 months

Instructor

Dr. Taz Tally, Donald Gambino, Michael Hamm, Christopher Schmitt, Bruce Bicknell, Piper Nilsson, Andrew Shalat, Alex Sherwin

Prerequisites/Audience

• Computer with Internet connection (56.6 Kbps modem or faster is recommended).
• Basic computer skills are necessary but no prior design knowledge is required.
• Students who wish to enroll in a certificate program must be at least 18 years old and able to provide documentation of attaining a high school diploma or equivalent or higher level of education (such as a college degree).

Requirements/Materials Included

Software Required:

• Adobe Photoshop CS, CS2, or CS3
• Adobe Illustrator CS2 or CS3
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• When purchasing any software, especially bundled software such as the Adobe Master Collection, please check that your computer meets the manufacturer's listed system requirements.
• No textbooks required.