About this Course
This course is the culmination of the Graphic Design Specialization and gives you an opportunity to tie together your knowledge and skills into a single project: a brand development guide for a company you will invent.
This course takes you through the entire design process, from ideation to creation to presentation. Through the guide, you will be creating and giving a visual identity to an imaginary start-up company, and applying that visual identity to a number of forms. You will also develop a logotype and accompanying graphic palette to visually represent your company, as well as apply that design to a number of different applications to see it at work.
Note: Only learners who have earned a certificate in the four previous courses in the Specialization are eligible to take the Capstone.
What you will learn
Synthesize typography, image making, composition and systematic thinking skills through ideation, invention, and conceptualization
Demonstrate visual research and development skills through the creation of a Brand Development Guide
Expand a brand identity’s palette through the inclusion of graphic marks or icons, color, secondary typefaces, and/or images
Skills you will gain
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Indesign
Graphics
Color Theory
Instructor
Michael Worthington
Faculty, Program in Graphic Design
School of Art
Offered by
California Institute of the Arts
CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.
Syllabus – What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Course Overview
Ideation: Invent Your Client
In this module you will choose an area your start-up company works in, create a written (fake) history of your company, define company idealogical goals and philosophy, brainstorm for naming ideas and name your company.
Week 2
Visualization: Make Your Fake
In this module you will carry out visual research of reference material for your start-up’s identity. You will create digital “mood boards” to show the look and feel and visual direction of your company’s identity.
Week 3
Logotype: Brand Your Brand
In this module you will learn how to create a logotype for your company, with emphasis on finessing typographic forms.
Week 4
Palette: Expand Your Brand
In this module you will be extending the palette of your brand identity by creating a suite of elements for your start-up company: color palette, visual mark, secondary typefaces, imagery/forms and a secret ingredient.
Week 5
Application: Apply Your Brand
In this module you will be using your extended palette, or suite of elements, to create a set of design pieces that showcase the identity for your imaginary start-up company.
Week 6
Publication: Display Your Brand
In this module you will be reworking and refining your identity components. You will be finishing and refining the design of your Brand Development Guide and submitting it for the final. We will be wrapping things up this week and reviewing our peers’ work.
