Graphic Communications Unit Study
Graphic communications is a valuable skills in today's job market. Some careers even deal with this area exclusively. Use this unit to investigate this subject and gain better understanding of what it covers -- and how fun it can be.
1. Look through a newspaper or magazine to find different examples of illustrations, photographs, advertisements, headlines, and text. Use these examples and then create your own newspaper.
2. Use this unit on a home newspaper to help you with the first activity if you need further assistance and ideas.
3. Look at posters and fliers in your community. Analyze how designers use art, words, fonts, and colors. Design a poster or flier to be used as an announcement or invitation to an event, party, or family gathering.
4. Look at some food products in a store. What's printed on the packaging? What color is most dominant on the package? Sharpen your graphic designer's eye. What colors or typefaces are pleasing?
5. Visit your local grocery store or other marketplace and make a list of five product designs that you like and five that you don’t like. What do you or don’t you like about them?
6. After completing activities four and five, design your own 'package' for a favorite food.
7. Learn a printmaking skill, such as silk-screen, linoleum cut, or woodcut. Create an original design and make at least three copies of it. You may also make your own 'stamper' using a kit from a craft store if you like.
8. The logo or trademark of an organization can reflect the mission or purpose of the company. After looking at the logos of several organizations, create two of your own. How well do they reflect the products or services of the organizations you have selected?
9. Design your own greeting cards or note paper using a computer or your own photographs or artwork.
10. Make a series of scrapbook pages that reflect the skills you are learning about color, printing fonts, page layout, etc.
11. Find out how photos or artwork can be placed in magazines and on t-shirts and jigsaw puzzles.
12. Compare two or three computer graphics programs for use in desktop publishing. [Note: this activity also appears in the Desktop Publishing Unit Study.]
13. Computers have revolutionized the publishing field. Find out what role they play in writing, designing, illustrating, and printing books, magazines, and newspapers.
14. Fieldtrip Idea: take a tour of a newspaper publishing company’s print room. Find out how the newspapers are published compared to previous methods.
15. Calligraphy is the ancient art of find handwriting or penmanship. Learn about this art and then practice some of the writing techniques.
16. Web page design is a growing field. Look at five different Web sites and identify three specific design components used at each site. Compare the sites to see which ones you think are the easiest to use, the prettiest, etc.
17. Design a letterhead for your personal use or for your family. Make it both useful and appealing to the eyes.
18. Fieldtrip Idea: Visit a local print shop to job shadow someone in graphic design.
Other Unit Studies That You May Find Interesting:
Audio Visual Production
Using the Internet
Desktop Publishing
If you would like to know why you are so tired and how to get the energy back into your life -- even if you've tried *everything* -- then read this entire article.
Are you sleepy, tired, or worn out most of the time?
