GRAPHIC DESIGN ONLINE 2012 Course Information
WHY CHOOSE GRAPHIC DESIGN? If you feel you are creative, like working with people and enjoy a challenge then you have what it takes to be a graphic designer. Our courses are designed to bring out the designer in you. If you want a career in graphic design, or just want to create better ads, flyers and brochures for your business, undertaking one of our courses will give you all of the tools needed, and more, to achieve this. 1
www.goldfields.wa.edu.au 2 WHY BECOME A GRAPHIC DESIGNER? Graphic Design is an in-demand career! Design is used in every industry and will continue to do so. Graphic design is not limited to any one media. It can be print, interactive web design, motion, animation, editorial, packaging and the list does not stop there. The possibilities are endless! Graphic design is not restricted to any one location. It is essential in every country and city around the world. The graphic design industry is enormous. There are hundreds of groups, organizations, websites, blogs, magazines and books devoted just to the field of graphic design. You will never feel isolated as a graphic designer. Graphic design is fun. There are not many other fields where you get to be creative every day, and get paid to do it! As a graphic designer, your workplace could be anywhere from a small studio, large scale ad agency, multinational corporation. You could even work at home as freelance designer!
WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR Here at we have liaised closely with industry to establish what real world skills are required from employers. Whether you work for yourself, an agency or large corporation, Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online will prepare you for entry into employment in the design industry. Just a few of the topics covered in our courses are: Layout, illustration and photography design software Logo design Layout Design Illustration Photography Colour theory Resumes and Portfolios Design principles and theory 3
ABOUT OUR COURSES www.goldfields.wa.edu.au 4 Graphic Design Online is precisely that 100% Online. This gives you, the student, flexibility to study in your own time and workspace. Our courses are designed to create an interactive, vibrant student community. Students have the opportunity to communicate and exchange ideas with tutors, staff and fellow students in the forum and through our virtual classroom time. A student gallery, Design of the Week competition and creative, visual interactive content are just some of the ways we ensure a rich learning experience... Our previous student s success stories speak for themselves! Here at Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online we pride ourselves in helping you develop as an artistic, creative designer. Our fully qualified lecturers are here to mentor you and to guide and support you in developing your technical and creative skills. You will be offered constructive individual feedback on each of your activities and assessments.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF ENROLLING ON OUR COURSES? At Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online you have access to hundreds of hours of video tutorials, regular online classroom sessions and continuous support via online forums and email. Not only is the theory of graphic design covered, we also instruct you in the technical aspects, including the design software skills you will need to know to become a designer. Instruction in the use of design software is clear and easy to follow. You will begin to build a portfolio of your own work which you will be able to take in to industry with you. There are many fun, challenging activities and assignments contributing to your portfolio along the way. Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online course is designed to arm you with an impressive portfolio of work. Each student has a university level tutor to grade and give feedback for each assignment. Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online focuses on giving you relevant industry skills. These include brainstorming ideas and working to real design briefs, research, sketching, critiquing - right through to using the software to create your designs. Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online keeps unnecessary costs to a minimum, keeping course fees low. If you shop around you will found that our courses are at least a quarter of the price of other online deliverers. 5
WHAT ABOUT ONLINE STUDY? Once you enrol with Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online you will be able to start your first cluster in as little as 3 days! Your classroom will be a virtual learning environment, which is called Blackboard. You will be issued a unique username and password for entry into the course community in Blackboard. Once you have accessed Blackboard the rest is quite self explanatory, with links to all of the information you need to participate in the course. In Blackboard you will find video tutorials, a student forum, a student gallery, information on resources and goings on in the design community, and forum access to staff and students. www.goldfields.wa.edu.au 6
job OUTCOMES FROM OUR COURSES Graphic design is utilised in just about every industry. You can also work from just about anywhere; in the workplace, at home or as a freelancer. Some examples of job opportunities include: Ad agencies Magazines and newspapers Design firms and Studios Large corporations Fashion Government agencies Non-profit organizations And many more Web Designers Print Designers Copywriters and more After completing our course you will be prepared to seek design employment in almost any industry. Some of our recent graduates are working as: Branding Designers Freelance Designers Junior Designers In House Designers Web Designers 7
WHAT DO PAST STUDENTS THINK? Serena Shaddick After to coming back to Esperance and setting up my own video production company, I realised that many of my clients also needed expertise in graphic design. To maximise potential work opportunities, business profits and overall customer satisfaction I commenced a Graphic Design qualification at Goldfields Institute. The course was perfect for me as it allowed me the flexibility study whilst I continued working. As a person whom is not always confident with learning new software, what I liked most about the course was the extra support and the extended learning projects that were always readily available and encouraged. The skills I have acquired have been instrumental in the growth of my business. I can now offer a full media service for my clients, without having to outsource any graphic design components, which is what I did before. However, if I am extra busy on a particular project I do sometimes still outsource work, yet so far it has always been to other Goldfields Institute graduates! Nyree Bowden www.goldfields.wa.edu.au 8 Studying Cert III Graphic Design part-time online with Goldfields Institute has been an absolutely fantastic experience for me. Living in a remote location and having young children to care for at home, has meant that I needed an option which had flexible hours and was online. This course has fulfilled those needs and helped me achieve many of my creative, personal and career goals. My favorite assessment was layout and production where I created my own digital portfolio, which showcases all my work so far. This is a fantastic resource for me now and will be something I can update as I go along. Learning how to deal with the creative process from scratch has been probably the most rewarding skill set I have learnt from the course. I feel confident in taking on real clients now, and have already started some freelance work, just through word of mouth. Im really looking forward to the day when I can commit to full-time graphic design work, but until then I will start the Cert IV part-time in 2011 and freelance from home. Take A Bite Out of Jamie Neal Susi Watson Homemade Goodness of esperance Take A Bite Out of Homemade Goodness of esperance I chose to study Cert III and Cert IV in Graphic Design because I had a strong passion for art and design, and I wanted to turn my passion into a career! When I first started I had no knowledge of the industry or even how to use the software, but my lecturer was brilliant and extremely supportive and within no time I felt very confident with my abilities. I found the course to be a great outlet for my creativity; it was a very rewarding learning environment and everyone was so lovely and helpful! I ve made great friends studying at Goldfields Institute and now I m studying a degree in Creative Advertising and Graphic Design at Curtin University and running my own design business, Deadly Nightshade Designs. To be honest, studying Cert III and Cert IV in graphic design was probably the best decision I ve ever made! I first began studying Graphic Art at Goldfields Institute six years ago. I came to it because I ve always had a creative flair but have never been willing to sacrifice job security for the uncertain income of an artist, and I thought that Graphic Art would be perfect for me. I was right! I learned enough skills in that first year that I was able to begin client-based work immediately. I ve been back to do another certificate level since then, and am working my way through yet another this year. The skills that I learn while studying at Goldfields Institute reflect my growing competence in the workplace almost step by step. The support and guidance I ve had from the lecturing staff have really assisted me to not only learn the skills I needed in order to make a career of this, but I ve also been encouraged to keep developing to a point of real professionalism.
WHAT DO I NEED TO COMMENCE THIS COURSE? All you need is a computer, and a (broadband) internet connection! The required software will run on either Macintosh or PC platform. WHAT ABOUT BUYING THE SOFTWARE? Graphic Design software can be expensive but in fact it is more expensive to buy the Adobe Creative Suite at retail price than it is to pay your course fees and purchase the software at the discounted educational price. As a Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online student you qualify for the Adobe Edu Discount. Student discounts are generally 60% off normal retail price. Once enrolled you will be sent all information needed to purchase your discounted software. As part of your course fee you will have access to the full Lynda.com training library. Learn the latest tools and techniques with access to 879 online courses and counting! Get unbiased, clear, and comprehensive training in photography, graphic design, web and interactive design, business, and development from expert instructors, 24/7. 9
CERTIFICATE III COURSE OUTLINE Certificate III in Printing and Graphic Arts (Design Production) Cluster One: Design 101 This cluster introduces you to your holistic units - those units that are assessed over the duration of the course. The cluster is assessed holistically throughout the year using both written questions and observation/demonstration. Cluster Two: Typography This cluster will introduce you to the concept of typography - the art and technique of arranging type, type design, and type modification. Typical assessment briefs include: Logo design, typographic layout and kinetic typography. Cluster Three: Digital Image This cluster will introduce you to digital imaging, photography and the world of Photoshop. Typical assessments include, image montages, photography and digital image manipulation. www.goldfields.wa.edu.au 10 Cluster Four: Prepress Prepress is a term used in the printing industry to describe the process a document must go through before it can be printed. Typical assessment will be a print based design such as a flyer, brochure, and newsletter. Cluster Five: Visual Design This cluster will introduce you to Colour Essentials working particularly with the psychology of colour; you will also look more closely at the, elements of design and begin to create professional design with grids. Typical assessments include CD design, packaging and book cover. Cluster Six: Layout and Production This cluster includes further information on layout and production, paying particular attention to non paper based design. You will also learn how to make an interactive PDF to be seen on screen. Typical assessment includes an interactive PDF personal portfolio.
CERTIFICATE IV COURSE OUTLINE Certificate IV in Printing and and Graphic Arts (Multimedia) Cluster One: PDF Documents In This cluster you will continue to learn the skills and knowledge necessary when generating high end PDF s for print. Typical assessments include, online/interactive magazine layout and PDF production Cluster Two: Complex Pre Press You will continue to build on your pre press skills and knowledge in the cluster, learning some more advanced tools and techniques within this area. Typical assessment briefs include: Branding, advertising, paper based client briefs. Cluster Three: Web Design This cluster will introduce you to Web Design, learning web design techniques, accessibility tools, usability, and basic coding. Typical assessments include, Web Design. Cluster Four: Multimedia This cluster will introduce you to the world of multimedia, learning multimedia design, 2D animation, usability, managing projects and basic scripting. Typical assessments include, animation and multimedia. Cluster Five: Holistic The cluster is assessed holistically throughout the year using both written questions and observation/demonstration. 11
INTERESTED? Contact: If after reading this you still have an interest in enrolling on an entire or partial qualification, then please contact Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online on the contact details below to arrange a time for a pre enrolment interview. This interview will be conducted over the phone. In the interview we will discuss Previous computer experience Interest in design/art/photography etc Previous experience with the Adobe software (non essential) Discuss any previous art work produced What you wish to achieve after completing the course The pre enrolment interview is a time where you can ask the tutors questions directly and where we decide which pathway through Goldfields Institute Graphic Design Online is best for you. Caroline Abbey Graphic Design Lecturer Pink Lake Road Esperance WA 6450 T: 08 9076 4535 E: caroline.abbey@goldfields.wa.edu.au Steve West Graphic Design Lecturer Pink Lake Road Esperance WA 6450 T: 08 9076 4537 E: steve.west@goldfields.wa.edu.au www.goldfields.wa.edu.au 12