Choosing a good Graphic Design Dipolma/Degree

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fANAT1CAL

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I am looking to sign up for a Graphic Design course towards the end of this year or the next.

What should i look out for when choosing a course ? or do most courses follow a set pattern ?

Typography/Layout 1st year ? lots of hand work ?

Year 2 ? hand work and more handwork ?

year 3 the mac without the crap ?

year 4 ? multimedia ect

It seems that i would be a bit bored with the layout of that... but i guess without the hand there isnt the mac :/)

Any guidence in this respekt ? please
 
Hi fANAT1CAL

Where are you from? US? UK? Other?

I'm from the UK and studied design here, so my views are related to the UK system.

One of the most important aspects of design, in fact, I would say *the* most important aspect, is typography. Unfortunately, the minority of designers can actually can set type correctly (and make it look damn good). Therefore, I would suggest that you make sure wherever you study, it has a strong typographical background (I studied at the London College of Printing... which has a superb history in typography (checkout Neville Brody, who studied there).

It also depends on what you hope to achieve from the course. Do you intend on jumping straight into a design job at the end of the course? If so, then make sure you get good Mac training as well. Finally, a designer is nothing without good conceptual skills. Again, this would be the third thing you look out for at the college. So, 1. Typography, 2. Technical Skills, and 3. Conceptual Skills. These are the fundamental skills that will constitute a good course, and ultimately a good designer.

;)
 
Well, I'll be signing up for classes with a similar goal, so here's what I'll be looking for.

First, I'll take some art classes that don't involve computers, at least not heavily. This will prepare me for color, spatial, etc. concepts. Then, I'll start focusing more on the computer courses that train me for desktop publishing, layout, web publishing, etc.

This isn't the exact route I'm going to take, but it's approximate. I still haven't chosen my classes yet, but I know what course I'm taking. I'm going to JC for 2 years to do general education, then I'll be going to Cal State Uny Monterey Bay to major in Telecommunications, Multimedia, and Applied Computing.

The route you choose depends on what college you go to and what major you pick, but this is the general route I'll be taking. You'll probably want to take something similar.
 
i see.

my current DTP job is kinda limiting in the creative side... and everyone is akinned to certain methods of design... of course certain rules need to be kept close to mind as not to complicate matters...

everyone gets put into a 'box' is going into the void unknown wise ? as in setting up a t-shirt design co ? and learning the hard way ?

emerging markets seem to have the best yield...

i see the level of artwork the students pull off and i just roam in my own little world... much more intune with character design and text grafitti style

but if i were asked to draw a building in a 'fine art style' i would cartoon it, as i have no apprent respect for rulez :/
 
hmmm... my school did the following

1st: Graphic design as my major... Drawing, LOTS OF DAMN DRAWING. I can draw very well, but when you have been taking drawing classes since the age of 12, you get tired of it. Also I had 3D courses, fundamentals of color, and basic intro to computers.

I was far advanced, i've been doing this stuff long before college, so everything in college was basically a refreshment of what i already learned, except a few things, which was rather informational.

2nd.. I was so frustrated by the limitations in graphic design i transfered to another school that offered the new multimedia major... that school didn't offer what i thought i wanted, i wasn't learning as much as i wanted so i transfered back to RIT a year later.

3rd... New media Design major was established at RIT. Video, photography, another damn drawing class.

4th.. More multimedia, scripting

5.. same and career prep.

Not to mention all the liberal arts, my school, although i complained that i was bored, actually is a good school, I just wanted more, i learn at a advanced level, I absorb very well when i choose to.

And my college: Rochester Institute of Technology, the school I left after 1 year was the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Personally, just try and forget about the boredom of the type of work, and try to sharpen your skills and definitely do freelance work while in school. Your first might be a little client, but thats what you need to show that you can do the work. Just have fun, because those years will fly by. And you will feel old, or at least i do. :(
 
Thanks all, seems like in this case i r gonna have to bite the bullet....

Doesnt Jack Kirby or Stan Lee have a school for 'design' or would i have to go through a graphic design course then onto that ?

i just seems like graphic designers are merely products of our society... moudling us into budding artists to help along the social structure... pretty depressing.. but i guess its how you look @ it :]]

appreicate all the insight here, i should be able to make a good choice from the information seen here.

tar.
 
I choose New Media for my major because it was a mix of industries, giving me more options in different industries.
 
Yeah, i just dont see the thoughts behind all the drawing... i might aswell buy some Andrew Loomis books and spend my days drawing and perfecting my style... :)

i guess biting the bullet will have to do.

thanks.

Digital Press's = the bad
 
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