Advertising Art & Design

What is Advertising Art & Design?

A large percentage of merchandising and advertising for modern promotion is done through the Advertising Art and Design. The purpose of this course is to help prepare students for an entry-level job, or to prepare the student to advance into post-secondary training at colleges and art schools. Throughout the program, students will maintain a portfolio to promote their work and talent when they graduate. The major emphasis is on the basic principles of design: color, development of skills, exploration of media, and Advertising Art and Design practices. Special emphasis is placed on manual illustration and layout skills in the area of art production, technical features of design, layout and composition, and color theory. Students will prepare graphic and advertising projects from the idea stage through to pre-press using the current Adobe Creative Suite software (See www.adobe.com).

Is it for You?

Students interested in applying to the program should like creative and abstract activities. This program relies on artistic ability, including drawing skills, and students will be required to bring their ideas to life in their designs. After graduation, the nature of a designer's work depends heavily on the type of work being done. For example, graduates may be employed at an advertising agency or office building, at a design studio, or working as a freelancer. Freelance work can be done for multiple companies or as self-employment. Deadlines are a staple of this field, and while commercial artists are under more pressure to meet these than salaried commercial artists (who typically work 40-hour work weeks), both types tend to work as necessary to ensure that these deadlines are met. Artists should also expect to spend most of the day sitting or standing at a workstation. Additionally, the following skills are necessary to excel in this program:

Good eye and finger coordination
The ability to accept criticism of your work
Ability in creative art and design
The ability to perceive detail in objects, pictures or charts and to see differences in their shapes, shadings and measurement
Good, basic drawing skills
Reading comprehension (most material above 8th grade)
The ability to measure consistently down to 1/16 inch with a ruler

For more information on this program's objectives, please refer to the "Task List" link to the left.

Program Objectives

Complete PA Dept. of Ed. POS (Program of Study)
Complete NOCTI Competencies
Obtain Industry Certifications (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)
Industry Visit (Level 1)
Post-Secondary Visit (Level 2)

Level 1

Orientation-Shop Procedures/Occupational Requirements/Research, Employability, Organizational Skills
Safety/Computers/Tools/Equipment
Drawing &Illustration: Value Scales/Illustrations (Black/White, Color), Anatomy, Perspective, Weekly Sketchbook Assignments
Color Theory & Application: Structure of Hue/Intensity/Saturation, Color Wheel Design-paint
Digital Imaging: Adobe Illustrator-Vector Based Drawing Skills/Tutorials
Design, Layout, and Production: History of Advertising Design, Apply Elements and Principles of Design, Write a Creative Brief, Produce Thumbnails/Roughs/Comprehensives to Design Projects, Design Logos
Typography: Identify the Anatomy and Classification of Type
Professional Practices

POS TASKS:

100s: Orientation
200s: Safety
300s: Drawing and Illustration
400s: Color Theory and Application
500s: Digital Imaging
600s: Design, Layout, and Production
700s: Typography
900s: Professional Practices
Employability Skills Training

Level 2

Certification:

Orientation-Shop Procedures/Occupational Requirements/Research, Employability, Organizational Skills
Safety/Computers/Tools/Equipment
Drawing &Illustration: Value Scales/Illustrations (Black/White, Color), Anatomy, Perspective, Weekly Sketchbook Assignments
Color Theory & Application: Structure of Hue/Intensity/Saturation, Color Wheel Design-paint
Digital Imaging: Adobe Illustrator-Vector Based Drawing Skills/Tutorials
Design, Layout, and Production: History of Advertising Design, Apply Elements and Principles of Design, Write a Creative Brief, Produce Thumbnails/Roughs/Comprehensives to Design Projects, Design Logos
Typography: Identify the Anatomy and Classification of Type
Professional Practices

POS TASKS:

100s: Orientation
200s: Safety
300s: Drawing and Illustration
400s: Color Theory and Application
500s: Digital Imaging
600s: Design Layout and Production
700s: Typography
800s: Photography
900s: Professional Practices
Employability Skills Training

Level 3

Certifications: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign

Orientation-Shop Procedures/Occupational Requirements/Research, Employability, Organizational Skills
Safety/Computers/Tools/Equipment
Drawing &Illustration: Value Scales/Illustrations (Black/White, Color), Anatomy, Perspective, Weekly Sketchbook Assignments
Color Theory & Application: Structure of Hue/Intensity/Saturation, Color Wheel Design-paint
Digital Imaging: Adobe Illustrator-Vector Based Drawing Skills/Tutorials
Design, Layout, and Production: History of Advertising Design, Apply Elements and Principles of Design, Write a Creative Brief, Produce Thumbnails/Roughs/Comprehensives to Design Projects, Design Logos
Typography: Identify the Anatomy and Classification of Type
Professional Practices

POS TASKS: