Visual Communication Design

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Visual Communication Design explores how designers communicate ideas through the design fields of:

  • Messages
  • Objects
  • Environments
  • Interactive Experiences

Students develop and apply the design process through creative projects, including designing and painting an original skateboard graphic onto a wooden skateboard deck while exploring contemporary branding, illustration and graphic design styles.

Students also complete a tiny house design project where they investigate architectural floor plans and perspective drawing conventions used by designers and architects.

What You Will Learn

Students will learn to generate, develop and refine design ideas using the Visual Communication Design process.

They will explore:

  • Drawing methods
  • Rendering techniques
  • Typography
  • Layout
  • Design elements and principles
  • Digital design tools such as Adobe Illustrator

Students will develop illustration skills using materials including:

  • Watercolour paint
  • Alcohol markers
  • Acrylic paint and acrylic paint markers

Students will learn techniques for:

  • Layering colour
  • Blending
  • Tonal rendering
  • Creating detailed linework

Through projects such as skateboard design and architectural drawing, students develop creative thinking, technical drawing and problem-solving skills while learning how designers communicate to different audiences, purposes and contexts.

Assessment Tasks

CAT 1 – Technical Drawing Conventions: Tiny House Design

CAT 2 – Message Design Field: Skateboard Design

Future School Pathways

VCE General

  • VCE Units 1-4 Art Making and Exhibiting
  • VCE Units 1-4 Visual Communication Design

VCD