Visual communications

Module title:

Visual communications

Module overview:

This course introduces students to the design of visual communication; its elements, principles, and application.

This course is part of the media field of study, actively guiding students through visual creation, storytelling, and creative thinking. The skills learned in this course will significantly contribute to other future courses in the media field. The course is taught through the integration of theory and practical examples.

Course assessment is based on the analysis and critical review of given examples, individual student projects, homework assignments with an individual approach, and an oral exam. The individual student project involves comprehensive creation of a visual brand, whether focusing on a student´s personal brand, a client, or work related to a competition.
In this course students will learn:
elements of visual communication design
principles of visual communication design
time as a unit of decision-making and creation
composition and focus as active roles in conveying a message or story
brand, visual identity, and design application
infographics and interactive media.

Literature:

Required readings:
1.Malamed, C. 2011 Visual Language for Designers: Principles for Creating Graphic that People Understand. Beverly, MA: Rockport Publishers

Supplementary readings:
1.Baer, K. 2010 Information Design Workbook: Graphic approaches, solutions, and inspiration, Beverly, MA: Rockport Publishers
2.Landa, R. 2013 Graphic Design Solutions, 5th edn, Boston, MA: Cengage Learning
3.Bringhurst, R. 2002 The Elements of Typographic Style, 2nd edn, Vancouver, B.C.: Hartley and Marks Publishers
4.Smashing Magazine (2021) Smashing Magazine [Online]. Available at https://www.smashingmagazine.com/ (Accessed: 22 April 2021).
5.A List Apart (2021) A List Apart [Online]. Available at https://alistapart.com/ (Accessed: 22 April 2021).
6.Google Inc. (2021) Think with Google [Online]. Available at: https://thinkwithgoogle.com (Accessed: 20 April 2021)
7.HubSpot Inc. (2021) HubSpot Blog [Online]. Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/ (Accessed: 26 April 2021)
8.Creative Bloq (2021) Creative Bloq [Online]. Available at: https://www.creativebloq.com/ (Accessed: 22 April 2021).
9.Web Designer Depot (2021) Web Designer Depot [Online]. Available at: https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/ (Accessed: 22 April 2021).