Design Principles and Practice

This unit builds on foundational skills to deepen students’ ability to research, plan, and generate design concepts while applying core visual principles (contrast, repetition, emphasis, rhythm, layout, color, and legibility). Students will also develop workflow efficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and begin tailoring portfolio pieces and professional artifacts, preparing them for advanced production and client-facing work in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze research findings, target audience data, and project goals to produce a documented Phase 2 research plan and informed Phase 3 concept sketches and moodboards
• Apply principles of contrast, repetition, emphasis, rhythm, page layout, color psychology, primary color selection, and legibility to create cohesive, communicative design compositions
• Demonstrate efficient Adobe Creative Cloud workflows and productivity strategies to produce portfolio-ready assets and iterate designs based on critique
• Evaluate designs and professional materials for trend versus timeless qualities, range of skills shown, and readiness for education or career pathways, and revise work accordingly