CalArts Graphic Design Study IV
Graphic Design Study | CalArts | Coursera
I completed a graphic design specialization course offered by California Institute of Arts on Coursera. This course consists of fundamentals of graphic design, introduction to image-making and typography, ideas from the history of graphic design and a branding project. It had several design assignments through the course and some of the selected ones are presented here.
The Brief
Graphic design is all around us, in a myriad of forms, both on screen and in print, yet it is always made up of images and words to create a communication goal. This four-course sequence exposes students to the fundamental skills required to make sophisticated graphic design: process, historical context, and communication through image-making and typography.
The Idea
The goal of this specialization was to equip learners with a set of transferable formal and conceptual tools for “making and communicating” in the field of graphic design. The covered content and the core skill set equips learners for formal studies in graphic design, and a starting point for further work in interface design, motion graphics, and editorial design.
The Result
I achieved a deeper understanding of the process and standards of graphic designing. I was able to reflect and refine my own design ideologies. I also acquired skills which helped me in creating more interesting and meaningful visuals. Knowing deeper possibilities helped me incorporate the design ideas like composition and hierarchy even to other media like video production.
WORKING WITH TYPOGRAPHY
To work with typography one should know how to choose a typeface and how typographic forms communicate.
Design process consists of looking at letterforms and experimenting with letterforms and typographic composition.
Following this design process, I designed these typographic monograms and then used them in business card designs. I first wrote my initials on a blank document with a variety of typefaces and looked for the most interesting forms and fitting possibilities. Once I had my final group of monograms, I designed them into business cards by following the rules of composition. Each card was styled based on what suited the monogram the most.
