Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description
Graphic Design Basics
Course Code
SZF_206
Branch of Science
Media and communications
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Communication Science
LQF
Level 6
Study Type And Form
Full-Time; Part-Time
Study Course Implementer
Course Supervisor
Lāsma Šķestere
Structure Unit Manager
Ieva Puzo
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts
Kuldigas Street 9C, Riga
About Study Course
Objective
The course aims to introduce students to the discipline of graphic design, its origins, ingredients, applicability and the development process. Students will learn how to design graphic design for analog and digital environments, how to distinguish decorative from functional design, and also understand the role of the design end consumer in the designer’s decision-making. The course places emphasis on the people-centered design approach, for which the user experience has been put as a key measure of design quality.
Preliminary Knowledge
Basic knowledge of design, art or communication.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge
1.- describes the stages and application of the development of the graphic design.
Individual work and tests
task 1 (in groups)
2.Explains the basic principles of composition, printing and colour theory.
Individual work and tests
task 2 (indvidual): developing a poster in three versions.
3.Explains the principles of human-centred design and user experience.
Individual work and tests
task 5 (groups): redesign homepage home design to improve user experience.
Skills
1.- develop typographical compositions in accordance with the principles of visual hierarchy.
Individual work and tests
task 1 (in groups)
2.Creates a poster theme based on the selected visual solution.
Individual work and tests
task 2 (indvidual): developing a poster in three versions.
3.Develop the visual identity of the brand (logo and style book).
Individual work and tests
task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book.
4.Create digital design mock-ups for social networks and the website.
Individual work and tests
task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages.
5.Converts the website home page to improve usability.
Individual work and tests
task 5 (groups): redesign homepage home design to improve user experience.
Competences
1.• Critical of the usability of the graphical design of news in analogue and digital environments;
Individual work and tests
task 6 (role play): developing a User travel card.
2.• Reasonably present and defend the design solution developed;
Individual work and tests
task 6 (role play): developing a User travel card. • task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book. • task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages.
Assessment
Individual work
|
Title
|
% from total grade
|
Grade
|
|---|---|---|
|
1.
task 1 (in groups) |
20.00% from total grade
|
10 points
|
|
task 1 (groups): 100 compositions for tipographical layout. A broader description of the task and evaluation criteria are available in e-studies. |
||
|
2.
task 2 (indvidual): developing a poster in three versions. |
20.00% from total grade
|
10 points
|
|
task 2 (indvidual): developing a poster in three versions. More description and criteria of the task are available in e-studies |
||
|
3.
task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book. |
15.00% from total grade
|
10 points
|
|
task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book. A broader description of the task and evaluation criteria are available in e-studies |
||
|
4.
task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages. |
15.00% from total grade
|
10 points
|
|
task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages. A broader description of the task and evaluation criteria are available in e-studies |
||
|
5.
task 5 (groups): redesign homepage home design to improve user experience. |
20.00% from total grade
|
10 points
|
|
task 5 (groups): redesign homepage home design to improve user experience. A broader description of the task and evaluation criteria are available in e-studies |
||
|
6.
task 6 (role play): developing a User travel card. |
10.00% from total grade
|
10 points
|
|
task 6 (role play): developing a User travel card. A broader description of the task and evaluation critiques are available in e-Studies |
||
Examination
|
Title
|
% from total grade
|
Grade
|
|---|---|---|
|
1.
Test |
-
|
10 points
|
|
Evaluation Task 1 - 20% Task 2 - 20% Task 3-5 (draft course): 50% Task 6 (role play) - 10% |
||
Study Course Theme Plan
FULL-TIME
Part 1
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Introduction. Course requirements. Graphic design history.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Form and function. Composition.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 1 (groups): 100 compositions for tipographical layout.
Seminar presentation: in a group of two.
Time: 5 mins
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 1 (groups): 100 compositions for tipographical layout.
Seminar presentation: in a group of two.
Time: 5 mins
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Tipographics. Colour theory.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 2 (individual): developing a poster in three versions. Seminar presentation. Time: 2 min
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 2 (individual): developing a poster in three versions. Seminar presentation. Time: 2 min
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Introduction to branding.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 min.
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 min.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Foundations of digital design.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 mins
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 mins
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Human-centered design. User experience Design Basics.
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 5 (groups): redesign homepage home design to improve user experience. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 mins
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Role play: developing a User travel card. Groups 6-7. At the end of the lesson, a presentation. Time: 7 mins
|
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
32 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam
PART-TIME
Part 1
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Introduction. Course requirements. Graphic design history.
|
|
Form and function. Composition.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 1 (groups): 100 compositions for tipographical layout.
Seminar presentation: in a group of two.
Time: 5 mins
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Tipographics. Colour theory.
|
|
Introduction to branding.
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 2 (individual): developing a poster in three versions. Seminar presentation. Time: 2 min
|
-
Lecture
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 3 (groups): developing a logo and style book. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 min.
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
Foundations of digital design.
|
|
Human-centered design. User experience Design Basics.
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 4 (groups): Digital design for social networks and homepages. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 mins
|
-
Class/Seminar
|
Modality
|
Location
|
Contact hours
|
|---|---|---|
|
On site
|
Study room
|
2
|
Topics
|
task 5 (groups): redesign homepage home design to improve user experience. Seminar presentation: in groups of 2-3. Time: 7 mins
|
|
Role play: developing a User travel card. Groups 6-7. At the end of the lesson, a presentation. Time: 7 mins
|
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
16 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam
Bibliography
Required Reading
1.
Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris, and Nigel Ball (2019). "The Fundamentals of Graphic Design." Bloomsbury Visual Arts Publishers. pp. 6–35, 112–145, 156–175.Suitable for English stream
2.
Susan Weinschenk (2020). "100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People (Voices That Matter)." New Riders Publishers. pp. 1–72, 104–145.Suitable for English stream
3.
Ellen Lupton (2024). "Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students." Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 12–45, 52–113.Suitable for English stream
4.
Don Norman (2013). "The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition." Basic Books Publishers. pp. 1–38, 59–88, 115–143.Suitable for English stream
5.
Krists Andreas (2015). Krāsu mācība: krāsu maģija mākslas pasaulē. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC. pp. 1-175.
Other Information Sources
1.
“The History of Graphic Design Styles - Part 1 - Bauhaus and Art Nouveau”Suitable for English stream
2.
“The History of Graphic Design Styles - Part 2 - Swiss Design and Art Deco”Suitable for English stream