Course Outline

This course is a combination of desktop publishing and digital art. Course content will allow students to explore publishing on both paper and on the web. Through a variety of exciting projects such as web sites, dvd covers, and CD inserts, students will develop an appreciate of how to market their products and ideas to various target audiences. Students will culminate their learning by being actively involved in the production of one of the following 3 group projects: yearbook, an e-zine or student-based version of the school website, or a school newspaper or anthology of work. Students will also be responsible for creating both an electronic portfolio that showcases their learning in this course.

Topics to be covered within this course will likely include:

• Principles of layout and design

• Production Techniques
  • Web Sites Development in Flash and Dreamweaver
  • PDF development
  • 2D Graphic Design and publishing
    • Drawing and painting (Illustratator and various Web 2.0 based applications)
    • Photo editing and manipulation with PhotoShop
    • Flash Animation for web production purposes
    • Desktop Publishing in InDesign
  • Multimedia production
    • Video editing
    • Sound production
    • Slideshows

• Colour Theory
   
• Production Process
   
• Technical theory
  • Resolution
  • CMYK vs. RGB
  • Vectors vs. bitmaps
     
• Issues relating to publishing
  • Plagiarism and copyright
  • Careers in the industry
  • Working for a client
  • Editing and proofing
  • Targeting different audiences and media types
     

Computer Programs / Applications Used:

In selecting the software programs and applications for this course, the emphasis has been on selecting tools that are dual platform (work on MAC and WIndows) or are distributed through the Internet.  

Some of the programs and applications that will likely be used include:

• Adobe Software including: Flash, InDesign, Dreamweaver and PhotoShop
• Other software: iMovie and GarageBand

​Evaluation:

This course is a combination of both theory and project and design.

Remember: You earn the grade you are given. Your overall grade will reflect the amount of effort you put into your assignments and how fully you participate in class. Without even seeing your posted mark, your gut should tell you how you are doing in class and what mark you are probably earning. If you want a higher mark then be prepared to put in the time and effort both in class and after hours to achieve it. If you waste time in class, do not complete assignments fully, or fail to hand in most assignments on time, it should be no surprise when you fail or receive a lower than expected mark.

 
You will be graded based on the following evaluation breakdown:

• Daily work, projects, and presentations - 75%
• Quizzes and tests - 25%

​Although there is no formal final exam, the presentation of your final portfolio will be mandatory to the successful completion of this course.

For the most part, your assignments will be graded with a mark out of 10 on a scale as follows: