CBSE Class 12 Syllabus for Graphics Design

INTRODUCTION

Graphic design is the creative planning and execution of visual communication. One learns to create a combination of shapes and forms, words and images, in order to reproduce them in some flat medium (two dimensional - paper, cardboard, cloth, plastic, video, computer, or projection screen, on poster, billboard, or other signage) or in a three-dimensional form (fabricated or manufactured) in order to convey information to a targeted audience. All graphic design has a purpose or function. Usually its purpose is commercial to explain aesthetically something -- to express, inform, and influence the thoughts and actions of its audience.

This subject introduces the student to art intended to communicate information and advertising. The focus is on studying and using layout and design concepts used in the graphic design field. The students will employ both analog media (drawing with pencil and paper, etc.) and digital media -- using up-to-date computer tools (graphics hardware and software - for drawing, painting, layout, typography, scanning, and photography).

1. Creating Art: Students know and apply the arts, disciplines, techniques and processes to communicate in original or interpretive work.
2. Art in Context: Students demonstrate how elements of time and place influence the visual characteristics, content, purpose and message of works of art.
3. Art as Inquiry: Students demonstrate how the arts reveal universal concepts and themes. Students reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others.

Graphic Design at senior secondary stage is an elective subject. Although there are no prerequisite qualifications for the subject the students should demonstrate basic skill and interest in the fields of art and design to opt this subject.

RATIONALE

Design is the process of selection where visual elements such as point, line, shape, volume, tone, texture, color, form, format, space, and structure are used by students to express their ideas. Visual sensitivity and working knowledge of design elements would be developed by solving a series of problems and employing a variety of media and materials. The curricular area aims at enabling the students to develop their mental faculties of observation, imagination, and creation and develop skills and sensitivity towards the use of visual elements for an effective visual communication.

Design is an activity of problem solving for the well being of society and individuals. Today, in the world of information and communication every one has to communicate and get communicated by different groups of people through a wide variety of communication systems.

Graphic designs course have great potential in providing creative solutions to communication of complex phenomena of print media such as books, magazines and newspaper, known as pictographic depictions or concept visualization. It can be traditionally applied in typography, cartooning (social, political and educational), and designing poster, book-covers, letter heads, news papers, brochure, logo, textile prints, or even jewelries. Since the advent of personal computers and design software, graphic design is being utilized in electronic media-often referred to as interactive design which has unlimited applications in advertisements. The students can later become graphic designers working in print production (newsletters, posters, brochures, etc). Graphic designers combine text and images to communicate a message: sell a product or service, inform, or entertain.

The Graphic Design curriculum focuses on creating intelligent and powerful visual communication. Students build a strong foundation for a graphic design career by learning design techniques, visual thinking, concept development, colour, composition, and typography, through case studies and hands-on exercises. During the study, assignments will incorporate problem solving projects that relate to visual communication. The course includes introduction to computer as a tool to create, modify and present the visual messages.

By opting Graphic Design as one of the Elective subjects at Senior Secondary level, the students will have various options to pursue their advanced studies in Graphic Design or the knowledge may be integrated with related curricular/professional areas for their career.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

By studying Graphic Design students will have a wider horizon in the field of art and will
- Demonstrate artistic growth by executing a variety of images/ text as images, traditional and contemporary techniques that solve complex design problems using creative thinking and analytical skills.
- Develop and demonstrate their understanding and skillful use of the elements and principles of visual design (1. conceptual element, 2. visual element, 3. relational element & 4. practical or functional element.)
- Gain skill to use the digital tools as a powerful means of communication for creation, modification & presentation.
- Study the works of contemporary artists, designers as well as the masters in the field and discuss and enrich their vocabulary of design.
- Learn ways to apply aesthetic sensibilities into their works and explore ways to balance between formal theories with practical applications.

CORE CONTENT GOALS FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN

The students will learn:
- The history of graphic design.
- What a layout is and how to create an effective one.
- About lettering/fonts and their implications.
- What a logo is and how to create one.
- The basics of two dimensional design including the elements and principles of art.
- About color theory and its implications in Graphic Design.
- How to use art criticism effectively.
- About Graphic Design as a career.
- To improve their design skills and techniques using a variety of tools.
In this class, students will design and create a variety of projects, both by hand and by using computer graphic design programs. They will maintain good studio organization and use of tools as expected by the teacher. They are expected to maintain facilities in an appropriate working condition.

COURSE OF STUDY FOR SENIOR SECONDARY (+2)

A: THEORY

Story of Design

1. What is Design?
a. Introduction to design

2. Role of Design in Society
a. Impact/function of Design
b. Indigenous Design Practices
c. Finer Communication Techniques (Gutenberg to Digital; movable types to digitally transferable posters/works etc.)
d. Printing/publishing technology
e. Role of design in the changing social scenario.

3. Role and responsibility of Designers.

B: PRACTICAL
1. Sketching and Drawing
a. Sketching of natural and man made objects and environment.
b. Construction Drawing.
c. Representational Drawing
d. Simplification Drawing

2. Basic Design: Development of aesthetic sensibility towards design
a. Elements of Design: (Line, Shape, Forms, Space, Colours etc.)
b. Principles of Design: Unity- Harmony, Balance, Rhythm, Perspective,Emphasis, Orientation, Repetition and Proportion.
3. Calligraphy and Typography
4. Society and Articulation: Design , Motifs, Patterns etc. from society
5. Introduction to Computer: Creation, Modification and Presentation.

C: PROJECT WORK AND PORTFOLIO

Project Work

1. Field Visits and Report writing/Documentation: Packaging industries, Paper Making workshops, Printing Presses, Museums, Melas, Festivals etc.
2. Project work: One project in a year where students will identify and pick up a particular design problem or something that they consider a design problem; work on that problem
and produce works. Students should be encouraged to take up problems from their own environment like, Annual Day, Sports Meet, Function/Festivals, School building, Signs, Communication in the school etc.
3. Work study: Study of works of any great/known designer (national or international).(Students will work individually on their assignments most of the time, but they will have the opportunity at times to work together to solve problems if the situation arises. It is essential that students should work on their projects during their designated class periods. Students are expected to have a certain number of assignments done by midterms or end of the quarter in order to receive grade/marks. Students are evaluated according to how well they meet the criteria of creativity, accuracy, execution etc.)

Portfolio

Yearly submission of portfolio consisting of selected works (min. no.20) produced during the year. The works should be rich in terms of material exploration and visual impact.
(Students will each develop a portfolio that reflects and intermediate to advanced level of artistic perception, expression, historic and cultural understanding, aesthetic valuing, and an ability to connect their artistic skills to many art related careers, and develop competencies in problem solving, communication, time management and resources.Students are expected to submit acceptable work at the end of academic year. If an assignment is considered unacceptable, the students will be asked to complete and resubmit their work.)

CLASS XI

A: THEORY

Story of Design

1. What is Graphic Design?
a. General Introduction to Design
b. General Introduction to Graphic Design

2. Role of Design in Society
a. Impact/function of Design
b. Indigenous Design Practices

3. Graphic Communication Techniques
a. Memorization to block printing to Digital

B. PRACTICAL

1. Sketching and Drawing
a. Sketching of natural and man made objects and environment: To enhance observation and sketching skills among students.
b. Construction Drawing: Understand the structure of the object and construct drawing based on the structure to be able to draw different orientations of the object.
c. Representational Drawing: Representation drawing will help in understanding the characteristics of the objects, its material and texture including color and form.
d. Simplification Drawing: Drawing complete details to represent a particular object but reduce/ simplify the complex character of the object to make the perception simpler.

2. Calligraphy &Typography
Calligraphy: Practice of writing by hand on the basis of study of traditional way of hand writings and scripts like Indian manuscripts, Persian, Chinese, Japanese and roman etc.

3. Society and Articulation
Study, interact, observe and document the socio – cultural, prejudices and beliefs to form clear understanding of the role of motif and place in communication system.

4. Introduction to Computer: Creation, Modification and Presentation
a. Expression of aesthetic and artistic skills using different suitable software for producing simple digital images.

C. PORTFOLIO
Year end submission of portfolio consisting of selected works (min. no.20) produced during the year. The works should be rich in terms of material exploration and visual impact.

CLASS XII

A: THEORY

Story of Design

1. Role of Design in Society
a. Role of design in the changing social scenario.

2. Printing/Publishing Technology
a. Gutenberg to Digital (Movable types to digitally transferable Posters/works etc.
b. Developments in computer technology

3. Role and responsibility of Designers.

B. PRACTICAL

1. Sketching and Drawing
a. Sketching of natural and man made objects and environment: To enhance observation and sketching skills among students.
b. Construction Drawing: Understand the structure of the object and construct drawing based on the structure to be able to draw different orientations of the object.
c. Representational Drawing: Representation drawing will help in understanding the characteristics of the objects, its material and texture including color and form.
d. Simplification Drawing: Drawing complete details to represent that particular object but reduce/ simplify the complex character of the object to make the perception simpler.

2. Basic Design
a. Elements of Design: Understanding of characteristics of different elements & their inter-relationship with elements to elements and elements to the format.
b. Colour: Sensitivity towards the use of colors and color combination to enhance the communication and to perceive things and differentiate elements from the background.
c. Principles: Understanding the most essential aspect of design, Unity, to achieve through different principles like Harmony, Rhythm, and Perspective etc. and create different compositions.

3. Calligraphy &Typography
Typography: Classification of the different types with their names and character, mode, weight, orientation, position & sizes.

4. Introduction to Computer: Creation, Modification and Presentation.
a. Expression of artistic skills through different suitable software for producing digital designs.

C. PORTFOLIO
Year end submission of portfolio consisting of selected works (min. no.20) produced during the year. The portfolio should also include ten selected works done during class XI (20+10).The work done in preceding class should be excluded for evaluation in class XII. The works should be rich in terms of material exploration and visual impact.

EVALUATION

Annual assessment

TIME ALLOCATION: Specific time allocation for each competency

INFRASTRUCTURE/RESOURCES

Each school that offers Graphic design subject should have well furnished studio-cum-laboratory where students can sit and work. Studios must be equipped with sufficient number of computers and accessories. A complete bibliography with respect to books, museums and institutions of Graphic designs should be available for use of students and teachers. The art-teachers need to be oriented to act as Graphic design instructor. Nevertheless, they must be trained periodically with respect to the latest development in the field of Graphic design. The Designers working in various organizations should be invited to interact with students. Students should be exposed to work situations and latest trends and developments in this area of communication.