Foundations of Design Concepts

Day 1: Oct 2 Session 1: The building blocks of sight Live session (1 hour): Introduction to primary visual elements, including line, shape, form, color, texture, and space. Deconstruction of iconic logos and everyday visual design. Session 2: Principles of composition and layout Live session (1 hour): How elements interact, including hierarchy, balance, contrast, proximity, and alignment. Understanding the grid system and Gestalt principles. Self-paced work (2 hours): Visual audit exercise, spot and capture 5 examples of good vs. bad design choices in daily life items or websites. Design task, sketch two alternate layouts for a magazine cover or landing page using basic geometric shapes. Day 2: Oct 3 Session 3: Color theory and psychological impact Live session (1 hour): Color wheels, palettes, harmony rules (monochromatic, analogous, complementary), and the psychological reactions triggered by distinct hues. Session 4: Typography and visual hierarchy Live session (1 hour): Serif vs. sans-serif, kerning, leading, tracking, and font pairing rules. How typography guides the eye through a layout. Self-paced work (2 hours): Create 3 contrasting color palettes for a single brand brief (e.g. a calm wellness app vs. an energetic sports brand). Redesign an unformatted text flyer using typography hierarchy rules to prioritize key information. Day 3: Oct 4 Session 5: Design systems and practical tools Live session (1 hour): Translating concepts into digital tools (Canva). Creating consistent visual assets, UI kits, and reusable design components. Session 6: Portfolio showcase and feedback Live session (1 hour): Student presentations of their final visual design project. Expert critique, industry guidance, and feedback from instructors. Self-paced work (2 hours): Draft the core assets for your final project (logo mark, typography scale, primary color palette). Final polishing of project files and submission for publication on Futurowise.