Full Course Description:
Diploma Course in Media Design
Curriculum
Course Duration: 2 semesters/modules, ca. 30 weeks.
Time Commitment: ca. 10 teaching units per week, ca. 30 weeks, 300 teaching units in total.
Mandatory Classes: 96 units
Independent Projects, Practice, Homework: 150 units
Exam Preparation: 54 units
This distance learning course in Digital Filmmaking includes 3 optional attendance days in Vienna. The course can be fully completed online, with class recordings available. Optional on-site sessions are offered at the LIK Academy for Photography and Design Vienna on dates DF 1, DF 2, and DF 3.
Semester 1:
The Media Design course prepares you for working in the media industry. Media is indispensable in today’s society. The field of print, AV and online media is constantly growing. The course is aimed at media-savvy and creative minds who want to prepare practically and theoretically for this field of activity. Previous knowledge of photo editing is a prerequisite.
LIK Media Design 1: Fundamentals of design, Layout, Shapes and Colors
Objective: Understanding the processes of human perception and resulting design principles, use of colors as conscious design decisions, understanding design principles and knowing when they should be used, naming various print products and their special features in design, connection between target group and design of a medium.
Content: Fundamentals of design: laws of perception (influence on the image plane), basic forms and their effects, colors (additive and subtractive color mixing, use in advertising, corporate color, symbolism, combination of colors, harmonies, Itten’s color wheel). Design principles (structure and system, proportions, symmetry - asymmetry, alignment along axes, optical center, white space, reduction). Perception (attention and recognition, design laws in media design). Overview and practical demonstration of some primary print products and their special features.
LIK Media Design 2: Adobe InDesign CC in practice - Part 1
Objective: Overview of layout software, background on of InDesign application, knowledge of basic functions, creating a new document, building a layout with basic elements, creating variants, saving, exporting as .pdf
Content: InDesign: general Introduction to InDesign, Adobe Creative Suite, possible uses PSD vs Illustrator vs Indd vs Word, vector vs raster graphics software, excursus RGB vs CMYK. Design philosophy (focus and intent); Opening InDesign, workspace, tools, views, excursus overfill and format, practical example: business card, demonstration mechanics of global styles using the example of colors, presets quick view, excursus control buttons, palettes, shortcuts, tool palette, small exercises, saving, sample poster, sketching, planning, image import, variants, layers and quick preview of effects, client feedback, changes + versioning, export as . pdf
LIK Media Design 3: Adobe InDesign in practice - Part 2
Objective: Basics of micro and macro typography, micro typography terms, developing a feeling for kerning, knowledge of different reading styles and corresponding text design
Content: Introductory discussion on the aspect of the omnipresence and simultaneous invisibility of writing, film Helvetica (insight into the working methods of typeface designers, historical working methods, effect of fonts, feeling for the complexity and diversity of the topic should be awakened), debriefing, explanation of basic terms, conscious observation of the differences between fonts (grotesque and serif), analog exercise on kerning, kerning and spacing in InDesign, theory of legibility and types of reading, effect of typeface
LIK Media Design 4: Logo Design Corporate Design - Introduction to Adobe Illustrator CC in practice
Objective: Theoretical understanding of what corporate design is and how it relates to corporate identity and corporate image, what basic design and CD manual are and what they are used for, differentiation between legal trademark terms, what makes a good CD and logo, practical approach to logo design, basics of Adobe Illustrator. Basics of design and handling vector graphics; getting to know the tools, settings and tools of the program; knowledge of the various design options and Illustrator basics
Content: Corporate identity and corporate image, corporate design: definition and scope, basic design, CD manual, legal trademark concept - discussion of selected logos and redesigns using criteria discussed in theory, repetition of design laws and design principles relevant to logos, logo design workflow. Practice: formulating own design criteria, mood board and scribbles, Adobe Illustrator (paths, drawing tool, Pathfinder), participants work on their own logos, individual discussions of preliminary designs and the tasks from typography lessons. Difference between vector and pixel graphics, RGB vs CMYK, Workspace and presets, working neatly with layers and folders, grids, rulers and guides, creating and editing shapes/lines, drawing/drawing paths correctly, transforming shapes, color modes and swatches, mixing, assigning and saving colors and gradients, working with text, filters and effects
LIK Media Design 5: Output - professional pre-press and printing
Objective: Understanding professional file preparation for prepress and printing.
Content: Print theory - Prepress - Color management - Profiles - Practical tips
LIK Media Design 6: Theory exam
Semester 2
LIK Media Design 7:
Objective: Carrying out conceptual graphic work in cross-media desktop publishing
Content: Analysis and improvement of the practical assignment from the first semester. Efficient creative work in a short time, agency briefing, practical exercise, practical development of a consistent advertising line with the tools learned so far - the practice day.
LIK Media Design 8:
Content: Workshop Media Concept 1
Conceptualization and creation of the individual concept for the final project.
Objective: Project conception, target group formulation, formulation of design criteria and finding a suitable visual style for a project.
LIK Media Design 9: Illustrator 2
Content: Learning about common workflows in companies, theory of corporate design and logo design, development of own designs, mood boards and logos. In-depth advanced practical application of Adobe Illustrator
Objective: Corporate identity and corporate image, corporate design: definition and scope, CD manual, legal trademark concept, logo-relevant design laws and design principles, logo design workflow, practice: formulating own design criteria, mood board and scribbles, participants work on their own logos. Implementation of knowledge in logo design and use of the creative tools of Adobe Illustrator for web and print.
LIK Media Design 10: Web Design
Content: Fundamentals of media design on the web
Objective: Creating a web presence and SEO
LIK Media Design 11: Workshop Media Concept 2 Practice and Analysis
Content: The instructors of MD 8 and MD 11 analyze your practical solutions with you and provide feedback, suggestions and ideas for improvement
LIK Media Design 12: Theory and practice (Presentation)
Examination and submission of the media concept project for the LIK Academy Media Design final diploma
Optional final exam - ISO 170024 personal certification: The LIK Academy for Photo and Design is a certification partner of TÜV Austria and you can take the ISO 170024 personal certification exam at the LIK Academy for Photo and Design with the LIK Media Design Diploma. (extra registration required during the 2nd semester)
Prerequisites: own laptop, basic knowledge of file formats and image editing, good computer skills. No knowledge of InDesign and Illustrator or web programs required.
The software required for the course (Adobe Bridge, Adobe InDesign CC, Adobe Illustrator CC) can be obtained from Adobe at a discounted price for students.