Visual Communication and Design
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this unit. However, prior study within the Art and Design Learning Area in Middle School would be beneficial.
Scope of the unit
Visual Communication and Design aims to increase the students' knowledge and understanding of the nature of communicating information visually.
In this unit students will explore the following essential questions:
- how does visual communication and design impact on our everyday lives?
- why is it important to represent information visually?
- how does design communicate visually?
- what is the importance of visual design?
Folio work
- visual communication of intended designs for both conventional and creative forms of graphics
- recording of the progression of ideas in the form of developmental work
- development of technical and creative graphic skills, focusing on the exploration of various media and equipment that will help generate an appropriate visual solution to fulfil a specified purpose
Note: The folio work focuses on the development of specialised skills, processes and technical skills that will enable students to work creatively within the constraints of set design briefs. The two folio components in Year 10 comprise conventional graphics and creative graphics. |
Conventional graphics
- development and implementation of technical drawing methods to explore and communicate an intended design
- conventions related to various drawing methods
- problem-solving design
- instrumental drawing skills using manual equipment
- the use of rendering skills to enhance the communication of form
Creative graphics
- the nature of visual communication that informs, persuades or educates a particular target audience
- exploration of a range of design solutions, experimenting with design principles and elements that result in a successful piece, which visually communicates information to an appropriate target audience
- the development of drawing and rendering skills with an emphasis on imaginative design solutions within the confines of a brief
Note: Students may choose the appropriate means by which they generate their finished artwork, depending on the nature of the work they are trying to achieve. As well as specialised graphic computers, notebook computers are used as tools to assist students to generate artwork of a high standard. |
Developmental work – exploring concepts and designs
- design and problem-solving issues
- the design process, including identifying the need, researching, analysing information, drawing initial ideas, refining solutions and generating a mock-up of the finished result
Making graphics/conventional graphics
Students will complete several pieces of visual communication that will employ the following drawing methods and associated skills and conventions:
- perspective drawing
- paraline drawing
- orthogonal drawing
- instrumental drawing
- rendering skills.
This component includes the use of technical equipment and an emphasis on accurate representation of space and form. The concepts and design ideas for each folio piece are recorded in the student’s developmental drawings. Students are encouraged to explore fully the possibilities for each piece, within the confines of the design brief, recording all their ideas.
Creative graphics
Students are encouraged to use their imagination and employ the following design and technical skills to complete several pieces of visual communication used to market a product to a specific target audience:
- design elements: line, colour, texture, point, tone, form and shape
- design principles such as cropping, pattern, balance, contrast
- design layout: implementation of design principles and elements
- experimentation with media
- design process
- presentation skills: using computers and manual skills.
Desktop computers, scanners and colour printers using Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator software are used throughout the unit.
Assessment
Tasks:
- individual folio pieces, including developmental work.
- semester examination.
