The Course:
ART223: VISUAL COMMUNICATION II

Combining “real-world” experience with in-class activities has proven to be an effective learning method for Dr. Adrienne Schwarte’s ART223: Visual Communication II class.

Students are aware that certain graphic design projects, such as the “identity system project,” are not just for a grade but could end up, if chosen, being a design used for a real organization.

“Sometimes the client is for an organization on campus and sometimes it is off campus,” Schwarte said. “Whichever the case, the client presents their design problem, and my students experience the whole process of interviewing the client, researching information regarding the design problem and working through the design process to find a successful and creative solution.

“It excites them to be designing a project for an outside client and seeing that this project has ‘real-world’ implications.”

According to the course description, Visual Communication II is a problem-based, thematic continuation of Visual Communication I as students become more proficient with basic design software and solve specific design problems working with real and hypothetical clients, with course prerequisites including ART102: Introduction to Two-Dimensional Design and ART123: Visual Communication I.

Each student in the course is required to keep a “visual concept book,” which is a sketchbook of all photos, sketches, written words, image copies, etc. Surprisingly, the majority of the entries are hand-drawn sketches as opposed to designs completed on the computer.

“If I send the students to the computer right away they will only create design solutions based on their current skills in the program(s), and this tightly narrows their creative solutions,” Schwarte responded. “However, if they start on paper and create thumbnails they forget what they can and cannot do on the computer with their current skill level and develop a larger quantity and quality of design solutions.

“At this point, if they are unsure how to develop a certain design solution on the computer that they have sketched on paper, I am ready to teach and assist so they can learn this new skill and broaden their computer skills and knowledge.”

“Public critiques” are another important aspect of this upper-level course. Students are required to critique their own work throughout the semester as well as the work of other students.

This part of the course is considered especially important for “providing ongoing feedback and support throughout the design process” while helping students “refine their work and develop a constructive critical eye and increased vocabulary.”

When asked what she hopes students will take with them and apply in their future professional careers from their second level in the course series, Schwarte responded, “I want them to take away a few things. First, their passion and love of design and visual literacy. Second, their growing skill set through design programs. Lastly, I want to see them develop, grow and apply their new knowledge of print production to future projects they will be involved in both in and out of the classroom.”