It would be incomplete to think of graphic design courses as software training alone. It is necessary to learn visual decision-making to organize information in a catalogue, establish a reading order on a poster, or relate different faces of packaging. When choosing a program, ask the following question after the name of the course: What problem will I be able to solve at the end of this course?
Basic art and composition: managing attention
Space, size, and balance on a page affect where the reader looks. As a starting exercise, prepare the same activity text in three different layouts, only in black, white and a single font. Test which information is seen first without adding embellishments. This exercise makes the placement decision visible before the effects of the program.
Typography: seeing text as information as well as image
Separation of title and description, line length and reading of letters affect the understanding of the text. In typography work, do not choose only fonts; Try difficult cases such as long title, small footnote and different screen width. Check the result in actual size. A text that looks comfortable on a large screen may not have the same effect on a printed card or phone.
Editorial and packaging design: establishing multiple surfaces
In editorial design, it is necessary to establish a consistent order between pages. In a sample product catalogue, you can try the product name, photo, features and price fields with different content lengths. In packaging, side faces, folding and reading directions are considered as well as the front face. These are separate production problems; One beautiful cover won't do it all.
Marmara University's Graphic Arts promotion includes areas such as basic art, writing and calligraphy, typography and editorial and packaging design. I am a Graphic Design graduate of this faculty. The sample exercises here are my suggestions; It should not be read as a university exam question or current course assignment.
What is carried over from the project course to the portfolio?
Keep the brief together, the problem you found in your research, the alternatives you tried, and your final decision. Instead of just showing the final image, explain why you chose that layout. If a friend sees the work and understands the main message differently, this is data for development.
You can examine how course titles relate to professional deliverables by looking at catalog design projects and production scope of packaging design. student portfolio guide is the next step to turn your work into a presentation.
Frequently asked questions
Is it only learned to choose fonts in typography class?
Typography; In addition to character selection, it is related to line spacing, letter spacing, text hierarchy and readability. How a long reading text under a title is organized under different conditions is examined through applications.
How to convert a course project into a portfolio?
State that the project is student work; Describe the problem, the research, the options you tried, and the final decision. Instead of just putting a presentation mockup, share the readable flat view of the design.
