Graphic Design
Learning Intentions
Design Elements & Design Principles
Visual rules that guide effective layout, colour, contrast and balance. You will learn to analyse designs and apply principles purposefully.
Desktop Publishing Tools
Software for planning, organising and presenting page layouts. You will combine text and images to create clear, professional, audience‑focused documents.
Vector Graphics
Precise, scalable drawings created using shapes, paths and layers. You will develop technical accuracy for logos, diagrams and clean graphic communication.
Photo-editing
Tools for adjusting images through cropping, colour correction and retouching. Learn to enhance photographs to support clear, impactful visual communication.
Downloads
A booklet introducing some of the basic terminology of DTP, Design Elements and Design Principles.
A course notes booklet covering different aspects of graphic design, including analysing layouts.
Analyse these professional layouts. Identify Design Elements, Principles and DTP tools and techniques used.
A collection of free stock images that can be used
Graphic Design Challenges
Desktop Publishing Challenges
These six layout challenges develop precision, consistency and professional standards in page design.
You must recreate each layout as faithfully as possible using the provided assets, matching alignment, hierarchy, spacing, colour choices and typography.
The focus is on disciplined layout construction, accurate placement of elements, and understanding how design decisions affect clarity and communication.
Each challenge reinforces real‑world DTP skills essential for producing effective, audience‑appropriate documents.
Vector Graphic Challenges
Learning to create vector graphics develops precision, scalable technical drawings and efficient editing skills essential for Graphic Communication.
Vectors are used from logos to backgrounds and can be scaled to any resolution without loss of quality. You can also use vector graphics to manufacture things you have drawn - especially useful for vinyl cutters, laser cutters and CNC routers/millers.
Photo Editing Challenges
Learning photo‑editing software equips Graphic Communication pupils with practical skills in image manipulation, colour correction, layering and composition. Mastery of these tools enables effective exploration of typography, layout and visual hierarchy while preparing learners for your assignments.
"Graphic Design will save the world right after rock and roll does”
David Carson