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Blackhawk School District
CURRICULUM
Course Title: Digital Graphic Design
Course Number:
Grade Level(s):
Length of Period: 42 minutes
Length of Course: 1 Semester
Faculty Author(s): Ashley Biega
Date: June 2013
In preparing students for a global economy, visual arts education is a vital component to the Blackhawk community. Visual
arts foster the development of critical thinking in problem solving, cultural understanding and awareness, and creative
experiences and expression for the purpose of cultivating a lifelong appreciation of the arts.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is an introductory course that focuses on skills needed to structure and organize complex visual communications in digital and print
environments. Adobe Photoshop CS6 will be the central program through which work will be created. All work will highlight emphasis on
conceptual development, structural organization of information, and interplay of form and verbal content to effectively communicate ideas.
Students will learn to think critically, make aesthetic judgments, and become familiar with a variety of tools and techniques used to produce
professional work in the fields of graphic design and illustration.
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The following outline provides a general overview of the course content, not a chronological timetable. The weeks denoted for each area provide an idea for the overall time spent
working with a given topic throughout the school year.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
COURSE OUTLINE
OBJECTIVES (PA Standards)
RESOURCES
LESSON REFLECTION
(for future revisions)
I. How will class protocols
maximize our learning
and productivity?
I. Class Expectations & Touch
Typing Review
a. Touch Typing (1 Day)
b. Navigating school G: & M:
drives & School Fusion (1
Day)
c. Basics of composing an
email, importance of labeling
subjects accurately. (1 Day)
d. Create & save to M: folder,
download an image, & attach
image to email (1 Day)
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9.1.12.B
9.1.12.C
Ia. Typeonline.co.uk
Ib. www.bsd.k12.pa.us
Ic. Gmail.com
Id. Google.com / Gmail.com
II. How can we use the
basics of Adobe
Photoshop to effectively
participate in a digital
community?
II. Basic navigation of Adobe
Photoshop CS6
a. Introduction to Adobe Photoshop
CS6 (Open image, text tool, hand tool,
zoom) (1 Day)
b. Save & submit JPG / Difference
between PSD & JPG (1 Day)
c. Difference between PSD, JPG, &
Layers. Transform size of objects. (1
Day)
d. Introduce paintbrush tool (2 Days)
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9.1.12.H
9.2.12.D
9.2.12.E
IIa. GoComics.com
IIb. GoComics.com
III. How can selection
tools create the
perception of reality?
How does the use of color
influence our
appreciation of a
composition?
III. Introduction to CS6 tools
a. Magic Wand (2 Days)
b. Paint Bucket / Gradient (2 Days)
c. Embed image below surface of
layer/unlock layer (2 Days)
d. Eye Dropper (2 Days)
e. Layer Styles (2 Days)
f. Unlocking layers with gradients (1
Day)
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9.1.12.H
9.2.12.D
9.2.12.E
9.3.12.A
9.3.12.D
9.3.12.E
9.3.12.F
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III. a. Target & McDonalds
logo
IIIb. Images from coloring-
book.info
IIIc. Layer style worksheet
IIId. AF1 template
IIIe. Images from
coloringbook.info
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g. Unlocking layers with gradients –
advanced (1 Day)
h. Inverting a selection (1 Day)
i. Inverting multiple selections (1 Day)
9.4.12.B
9.4.12.C
9.4.12.D
IV. How can Adobe
Photoshop distort reality?
IV. Altering Images
a. Marquee tool – Rectangular (1 Day)
b. Marquee tool – Elliptical (1 Day)
c. Magnetic Lasso (3 Days)
d. Layers & Selections (2 Days)
e. Magnetic lasso special techniques
(3 Days)
f. Opacity & Warp Text ( 3 Days)
g. Replicate (1 Day)
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9.4.12.B
9.4.12.C
9.4.12.D
IV. a. google.com
IV. b. google.com
IV. c. google.com / Misc JPGS
with a solid background
IV. d. google.com
IV. e. google.com & JPG of
PGH PostGazette cover page
IVf. google.com
IV. g. JPG of a field showing
depth
V. How can Photoshop
influence our belief or
value system?
V. Introducing Text & Filters
a. Caption box & stroke (2 Days)
b. Image in text (2 Days)
c. Liquify (2 Days)
d. Clone stamp tool (2 Days)
e. Filters – Overview (2 Days)
f. Filters – Artistic (2 Days)
g. Filters – Water (2 Days)
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9.4.12.A
9.4.12.B
9.4.12.C
9.4.12.D
V.a. google.com
V.b. google.com
V.c. Picasa
V.d. Picasa
V.e. 4,Teacher provided, JPGs
V.f. JPG of one of Vincent
Van Gogh’s paintings
V.g. JPG of a nature scene
involving water (river, pond,
stream, ocean, etc.)
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VI. Why is sequential art
the “perfect” medium for
story telling?
VI. Exploring Comic Art to master
basic Photoshop tools & techniques
a. Creating dialogue bubbles (2 Days)
b. Mechanics of a Comic (2 Days)
c. Importing Backgrounds (2 Days)
d. Creating your own comic strip (1
Day)
e. Writing scripts that follow
conventions (1 Day)
f. Create a 3 panel comic strip (5-10
Days)
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9.4.12.B
9.4.12.C
9.4.12.D
VI.a. misc. JPGS
VI.b. Comic PSD
VI.c. Comic template,
google.com
VI.d. Comic template,
google.com
VI.e. Google Docs
VI.f. Picasa, Google
VII. How can we
convincingly market a
product using graphic
design?
VII. Creating Commercial Artwork
a.Researching conventional cover
layout (3 Days)
b.Composition Analysis &
Application / Creating & Redesigning
(15-20 Days):
1. Book Cover
2. Movie Poster
3. Music Album
4. Newspaper front cover
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9.4.12.B
9.4.12.C
9.4.12.D
VII.a. google.com
VII.b. Amazon.com,
ImpAwards.com
