vcc.ca
VCDP 1111: Technical Foundation
Effective date
January 2023
Department
Visual Comm Design Diploma
School
Trades, Technology and Design
Description
Technical awareness and understanding is an essential foundation to being a responsible and astute graphic designer. This course focuses primarily on the technical aspects of healthy and sustainable desktop digital production techniques. Students will be introduced to the Adobe Creative Cloud environment and libraries, as well as other online collaborative professional tools. They will also grow to understand and use different technical aspects of font management systems and their appropriate project use for Adobe applications. The course will then focus on the main Adobe Cloud graphic applications, such as Photoshop and InDesign, before concentrating on Illustrator to help create, modify and transform objects for use across multiple media through various hands on projects.
Credits
3.0
Year of study
1st Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Apply industry standard software practices and project work-flows
- Identify the different colour systems of RGB and CMYK and their use
- Explain the impact of different image types on resolution, quality, and file size
- Create files for digital, press, and web output
- Identify elements of the Illustrator user interface and demonstrate their functions
- Create, modify and transform objects through the use of drawing tools in Illustrator
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
1. Interview with department to discuss previous experience
2. A portfolio assessment of previously completed related work OR
3. The demonstration of skills via the successful completion of 1-4 related projects/assignments similar to those completed in the course, chosen at the discretion of the department
2. A portfolio assessment of previously completed related work OR
3. The demonstration of skills via the successful completion of 1-4 related projects/assignments similar to those completed in the course, chosen at the discretion of the department
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 42
Practicum, Self-Paced, Individual Learning: 12
Total Hours: 54
Practicum, Self-Paced, Individual Learning: 12
Total Hours: 54
Instructional Strategies
A combination of lecture, demonstration, production simulations, problem solving, practical labs and and reflective discussion will be used throughout this course.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
C
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Project |
30 |
Final project |
|
Assignments |
30 |
Assignments |
|
Lab Work |
30 |
May include in-class exercises, assignments, quizzes/tests, and work-in-progress |
|
Participation |
10 |
Participation and professionalism |
Course topics
- Industry standard softwares (Adobe CC & Mac OS), practices, and project workflows
- Colour systems
- Font file formats and font management systems
- Image types, resolution, and file size
- Digital press and web output
- Introduction to Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.