The Graphic Design pathway at PRP High School provides students with a comprehensive four year career pathway leading to industry certifications in Adobe software, and completion of a digital art portfolio required for entry into the workforce or admission into a 2-year or four-year college degree program.

Basic Design  [1 credit]

Using a hands-on approach, students will solve visual communications problems and explore careers in Graphic Design/Media Arts. Students will learn to use Adobe CC software [Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign] on state-of-the-art Apple computers. Basics of media arts including color theory, and the formal elements of art and principals of design (including investigation of line, form, value, color, shape and composition) and soft skills, print production, cost estimates, what it means to “preflight work,” font management, will also be covered.

This course is required for students in the Graphic Design Pathway, and is a pre-requisite for all other Graphic Design courses.

2-D Design [1 credit]

This course introduces students to the elements and principals of typographic design including selection of type styles, fonts and methods of type selection, traditional layout, design and prepress techniques. Students will build skills for the art of typesetting and typographic layout, expressive typography and conceptual thinking. Working on real-world assignments, students will develop a series of solutions, addressing all aspects of the design process. Students will develop a working knowledge of Adobe software, learning to transition smoothly between each program. Proofreading and proofreaders marks will be addressed, along with prepress and production requirements. Students will participate in the design process from initial concept development to the finished product.

Pre-requisite: Basic Design.
2-D Design is a required elective for students in the Graphic Design Pathway, and should be taken Junior or Senior year.

Digital Imaging [1 credit]  

This course in Digital Photography and Graphic Design is designed to develop your skills in pixel-based photographic design and printing. In this course, students will use the power of the digital camera to create, edit, print, post and share images electronically, using Adobe Photoshop on Apple computers. As a studio course, students will learn to grow in this new medium, try new ideas, learn design thinking processes, understand basic camera operations, studio lighting, photo editing skills, communicate using the language of photography, and expand their abilities to appreciate trends in historical and contemporary photographic art.

Pre-requisite: Basic Design.
Digital Imaging is a required elective for students in the Graphic Design Career Pathway, and should be taken Junior or Senior year.

Advanced Production Design [1 credit]

In this course, students will learn the elements and principals of design and learn to apply them in their work, using industry standard Adobe CS [Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator] using state-of-the-art Apple computers. Students will learn graphic design strategies for creating consumer ads, multipage documents, magazine layouts, package design, posters and books; learn the basics of print production, color theory, copywriting, proof reading and essential workplace skills. Students in this class will also plan, design and prepare projects for printing; assuming active roles as editor, photographer, designer, proofreader, typesetter, and team player.

Pre-requisite: Basic Design
Advanced Production Design is a required elective for students in the Graphic Design Career Pathway, and should be taken Junior or Senior year.

Design Studio / Portfolio Development   1 credit

Instructor approval required. This studio course is for advanced level design students who have completed all courses above and are seeking real-world experience in the field of Graphic Design. Students participate in a wide array of projects working with clients within the local and regional community. This course serves as a “co-op within the classroom,” in which students meet with clients to identify project goals and outcomes, and then work on teams to solve visual communication problems. Using an agency model, students rotate roles to quickly gain skills in a variety of areas; preparing them for the workplace and beyond.

This course introduces students to the elements and principals of typographic design including selection of type styles, fonts and methods of type selection, traditional layout, design and prepress techniques. Students will build skills for the art of typesetting and typographic layout, expressive typography and conceptual thinking. Working on real-world assignments, students will develop a series of solutions, addressing all aspects of the design process. Students will develop a working knowledge of Adobe software, learning to transition smoothly between each program. Proofreading and proofreaders marks will be addressed, along with prepress and production requirements. Students will participate in the design process from initial concept development to the finished product.