Course Syllabus

Fall 2024 | ART-1210-VO02 - Introduction to Adobe Creative Cloud

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Pamela Heywood
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Dana Lee

General Education Requirements

VSCS Digital and Technical Literacy

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the industry-standard software package for professional graphic designers for use in digital image manipulation, digital illustration, and page layout. Students will learn basic navigating skills within the Adobe Creative Cloud software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students will learn how to select, modify, adjust, combine, and manipulate pre-existing digital raster images, as well as the basic method for creating new vector images from scratch. Students will then investigate how these images can be integrated with type to create a page layout.

Essential Objectives

1. Demonstrate fundamental skills using Photoshop (bitmap/raster images), Illustrator (vector graphics), and InDesign (page layout) for use in print and web application.
2. Import and export files between software packages, including usage of various file formats.
3. Demonstrate methods for optimizing size, color, and quality of images and/or photographs using Photoshop for print and web applications.
4. Create vector graphics and utilize tools to create, resize, and design type in Illustrator.
5. Create basic page layout using key tools such as parent pages and style sheets within InDesign. Examine and discuss traditional methods of design and pre-press, with reference to the art historical, social, and cultural context.
6. Demonstrate the ability to properly store data, set appropriate permissions for cloud-based files and applications, and apply file management and file packaging processes on local and remote networks.
7. Examine and discuss images in their current and historical contexts with attention to the ethical use of information and technology.
8. Discuss how digital technologies can perpetuate systems of inequality and/or can be used as tools for social transformation.
9. Create individual projects and display in a professional manner.

Required Technology

Students in this course will need access to the Adobe Creative Cloud software suite available on lab computers at CCV academic centers and/or on a home laptop or desktop computer. For personal computers, this software can be purchased directly from Adobe for an annual plan of $19.99 per month (note that an annual commitment is required). To get student pricing, you will need to use your CCV email address.

Please note: Adobe Creative Cloud software requires a desktop or laptop, and usage on Chromebooks may be limited. Please consult the system requirements below.

Adobe Creative Cloud system requirements can be found here. Individual applications can be downloaded separately, and requirements may vary. Links to requirements for Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop are below.

Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop

If you have difficulty in acquiring or accessing these resources for your course, please contact your advisor or financial aid counselor to see if there are assistance programs available to you.

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Methods

Classes will consist of readings, tutorials, videos, weekly discussions, student presentations and self, group and individual critiques. Weekly and extended, multi-part projects will be completed throughout the semester, evaluated at regular intervals, and will culminate in a professional presentation.

You will present all phases of development and final designs. Your assignments will generally be due Mondays by midnight (unless otherwise noted). All work will be displayed and presented in a well thought out, professional manner. These presentations will show growth and developed skills and technique in all areas covered in class.

You will be posting your work in 2 places, in the assignment module, and in a discussion module. The assignment module is for grades and the discussion module where you will share your thoughts on your work and comment and offer feedback and critique on other people's work. I will also offer feedback in the discussion forums. Posts to discussions will be due Mondays by midnight and comments and feedback are due Fridays of the same week.

Concept sketches and mid-project drafts will be turned in and analyzed. Classmates and I will offer feedback as a guide to help you complete each project. You will received a letter grade for sketches and drafts as well as finished designs. You will also be graded on participation in discussion forums based on meeting at least the minimum requirements, as well as quality of comments.

Evaluation Criteria

All assignments and discussions must be completed and on time. Most assignments will be due under the Canvas Assignment Module by Mondays at midnight. Discussions will be visited multiple times a week, once to post you work and personal thoughts by Mondays at midnight, then again at least once more to comment and give feedback to your classmates by Friday.

Assignments are worth 100 points. Discussions are worth 50 points, 25 for posting your work and writing about your process and experience and 25 points for the quality of comments, critique and feedback. Plan on spending at least 8 - 10 hours a week on assignments. This amount of time is necessary to see development.

Presentations of extended projects, including all phases of development and final designs are required. All work will be displayed and presented in a well thought out, professional manner following all specifications. These presentations will illustrate growth and developed skill and technique in all areas covered in class.

Art and design is very subjective. I do not grade based on whether or not I like a design. Grades are based on:

1. Effort, progression, quality, and completion of extended projects
2. Timeliness, content, and craftsmanship of all phases of all assignments
3. Completing weekly exercises/assignments based on guidelines and specifications
4. Presentations of extended projects
5. Active participation in all aspects of the course

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

To earn full participation points for the week, students should:

Read the assigned material and demonstrate an understanding of those resources in your assignments and posts. Readings and resources should be cited using APA format.

Post an original response to the weekly prompt(s) before Monday at midnight (11:59 PM) and a minimum of two responses to classmates before Friday at midnight (11:59 PM). You are welcome to post early and/or more frequently, as your schedule allows, but you will not receive full credit if you do not meet these requirements and/or deadlines.

Posts should be substantive and demonstrate college-level writing. A substantive post is well-developed, a minimum 150 words, and references the reading or another appropriate source. A substantive post is NOT one or two sentences of general statements or unsupported opinion.

You will each be creating original graphic design work, which will be submitted for grading. Weekly, we will have critiques in discussion forums. The critiques are one of the most important parts of the class, it's when you can gain the best information about how your work can evolve and grow. The critiques will help you see where your strengths lie, and what areas you need to work on.

For those of you who aren’t used to being critiqued or offering critiques, or for anyone else who would like a refresher, below are some guidelines to help you participate in the critique comfortably and productively.

1. Each week there will be readings and resources that will help you develop your typography vocabulary. During critiques I will be looking for you to discuss each others work using some of that vocabulary, and speaking in a well thought out, intelligent manner.
2. All the comments should be in the form of "constructive criticism" with the intention of helping refine and improve your design projects.
3. The objective is to provide feedback that will help each student improve his, her or their work.
4. Remember that you will also be receiving feedback. Don't say anything in such a way or with a tone that you would not appreciate someone saying to you.
5. Read the following excerpt fromArt Talk: A Way to Talk and Write About Art, by Suzanne Rexford-Winston. Our critiques should mainly focus on Analysis, and sometimes on Interpretation.

Description (Fact)

This focuses on the question: "What do I see?"
This is where you record exactly what you see. Look carefully and pay attention to details. Don't imagine anything or draw and conclusions. List the things that you see in the work.

Analysis (Fact)

This focuses on the question: "How is the work organized?"

Here you talk about how the designer uses the elements of design (line, value, texture, color, shape, form, space) and the principles of design (unity, balance, pattern, movement, rhythm) to create a certain mood, or to make a statement, or to just create something of interest to look at.

Interpretation (Opinion)

This focuses on the question: "What is happening in the work?" "What does the design make me think of?"

Rely on your intuition! You can now focus on the meaning. Ask yourself the questions above or other questions you may have. And then write a short interpretation of the work.

Judgment (Opinion)

This focuses on the question: "What do I think about the work?"

This is all about you. On what basis have you decided that you like, or appreciate, or understand, or relate to the work? Do you dislike the work, and if so, what are the reasons for that?

Missing & Late Work Policy

Late assignments can be submitted up to one week past the deadline. You will lose 10% each day that an assignment is late. After a week, it will no longer be accepted for credit.

Late work is not accepted in the discussion forum. Timely interaction with classmates is an essential part of online discussions and cannot be made up after the fact.

Extensions will be granted only in extenuating circumstances. If a lengthy medical problem or other emergent personal issue will result in missing weekly discussions and/or assignments, please contact me as soon as possible.

Students who know that they will not have course access for any given week should make arrangements with me to complete assignments and participation requirements prior to the absence.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity