M07-01 · AI + Creative Production & Design

Visual Design Fundamentals

Builds the foundational visual design vocabulary and technical skills required for all creative production work. Students learn color theory with production-accurate color specifications (Pantone, CMYK, RGB, HEX), typography systems including selection, hierarchy, pairing, and licensing, composition principles, grid systems, and visual hierarchy. The course emphasizes multi-format adaptation — not just cropping, but recomposing designs for different aspect ratios and output contexts (social, print, web, presentation).

35 Hours

8 Learning objectives

Create Bloom's ceiling (?)

5 Competencies

What You'll Be Able To Do

Learning Objectives

Objectives

Depth

Apply color theory principles to construct cohesive palettes with production-accurate specifications across Pantone, CMYK, RGB, and HEX color modes Apply
Evaluate typeface selections for brand appropriateness, readability, pairing harmony, and licensing compliance across desktop, web, and application contexts Evaluate
Create layouts using modular grid systems that establish clear visual hierarchy across different content types Create
Analyze how composition, contrast, alignment, and proximity guide viewer attention through a design Analyze
Adapt a single approved design across 6+ format dimensions (social feed, story, banner, print, email, presentation), recomposing — not simply cropping — for each aspect ratio Apply
Distinguish between decorative and functional design decisions, articulating the rationale behind visual choices using design vocabulary Understand
Apply a spacing system (4px base unit) and typographic scale consistently across multi-element compositions Apply
Create a visual hierarchy audit of an existing design, identifying weaknesses in contrast, alignment, proximity, and flow Create

Levels: Remember · Understand · Apply · Analyze · Evaluate · Create — highest demands most original thinking.

Core Competencies

What You'll Master

Color Systems Mastery

Constructing and specifying color palettes across all production color modes (Pantone, CMYK, RGB, HEX), understanding gamut differences between screen and print, and applying color to establish hierarchy and mood.

Typography Systems

Selecting, pairing, sizing, and spacing typefaces; defining typographic hierarchy; understanding font licensing models (desktop, web, app); identifying licensing violations.

Composition & Layout

Applying grid systems, alignment, proximity, contrast, and white space to organize information and guide attention across single and multi-page layouts.

Multi-Format Adaptation

Recomposing designs for different aspect ratios, resolutions, and output contexts while maintaining brand consistency and visual impact.

Design Vocabulary & Rationale

Articulating design decisions using professional terminology, defending choices with visual principles rather than subjective preference.

Portfolio Artifact

What You'll Build

Multi-Format Campaign Adaptation — Student receives an approved single-format design and adapts it across 8 distinct output formats (Instagram feed, Instagram Story, LinkedIn, Facebook, email header, web banner, print ad full-page, presentation slide). Each adaptation demonstrates intentional recomposition with accompanying annotations explaining layout decisions. Includes a color specification sheet with all color values across Pantone, CMYK, RGB, and HEX.

Tools You'll Use

Industry Tools, Not Toy Projects

Figma

Collaborative design tool for creating layouts, components, and multi-format design adaptations.

Adobe Illustrator

Industry-standard vector design tool for precise layout work, typography, and print-ready production.

Adobe Photoshop

Raster image editing for photo manipulation, compositing, and preparing imagery for design layouts.

Pantone Color Bridge

Physical and digital reference for specifying production-accurate color values across print and screen.

Google Fonts

Open-source font library for exploring typeface selection, pairing, and web typography implementation.