Graphic Production
Welcome to Graphic Production 11/12!
​
In this class, we will develop our skills in:
-
graphic design
-
using computer software to render our ideas
-
apply our designs to tangible items, such as stickers
​
This course is paced fairly quickly with a lot of assignments – try to stay up to date! There is ample time to complete all assignments IF you use your time wisely!
​
Complete each assignment IN ORDER (ask for help if need be).
​
Demos are usually done to keep up with the fastest students.
​
ALL assignments are a required part of the course.​​
December / January
-
DEC MUST DO:
-
Stencil assignment
-
T-Shirt assignment (may be combined with Stencil)
-
Chit-Chat with Ms. U (Dec. 15-19)
-
​
-
JAN MUST DO:
-
Pop Can Packaging Project
-
make a Limited Palette​ Design
-
This will be part of the next Great Collaborative Mosaic (even bigger than the Mona Lisa one)
-
Use the Illustrator Template​
-
Choose ONE of the provided palettes.
-
The BIG rectangle should be the dominant colour.​
-
The little box next to it is the accent colour; use sparingly.
-
-
-
​​​
If you do not have a passing mark by Dec. 19th, you will be given an SOS Booklet that you MUST DO in January.​
If you ARE passing, you can use time in January for making self-directed designs.
​
Graphic Production Units
Level 0
ALL Level 0 tasks MUST be completed by the end of Week 1.
Unit 1
Introduction to Graphic Design
ABOUT:
In this unit, you’ll learn how to use Adobe Illustrator, a powerful design program used by artists, designers, and businesses around the world. Illustrator works with vector graphics, which are images made from shapes and lines instead of pixels. This makes them perfect for projects that need to be resized or cut out—like stickers, signs, or t-shirt designs. You’ll explore basic tools and techniques while creating your own designs, and learn how vector graphics are important when using machines like vinyl cutters.
​
HAND DRAWING:
Sketchbook – because creativity is a muscle.
-
Your sketchbook is an important tool for exploring ideas and building your creativity. You'll use it in class to brainstorm, plan, and develop your designs for different projects.
-
Each week, you'll also complete a Sketchbook Challenge—a fun prompt where you sketch a new sticker idea. These challenges help you practice turning concepts into visuals and prepare you for future design work. Keep your sketchbook organized, and don’t be afraid to try new things!
​
What can you use as a sketchbook?
Anything with unlined paper.
Assignment 1: Sketchbook
Click here for the handout, which includes the P.R.E.P.A.R.E steps for your larger projects, and the weekly sketchbook prompts.
​​
Grade 12 Veterans:
For an ADDED CHALLENGE, choose one thing--- every week--- combine it with your chosen prompts’ theme. For example: if you picked BALL, you could sketch a ball of yarn (cozy), or a soccer ball (sport), etc.
safety
Doodle Dictionary
We use many tools, machines, and substances in the Media Lab which could harm you if used improperly. Use the slides below to become acquainted with them, then complete the Doodle Dictionary assignment.
Assignment 2: Safety DD
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Choose ONE of the tools / hazards in our Lab, and create a Safety PSA Poster. You may hand-draw it on paper or design it in Illustrator. Please make it Black + White, print it, colour it by hand, and turn in the paper copy. For Inspiration...
Clipping Masks
About Me Tee
This assignment introduces you to some of the tools and techniques in Illustrator, such as Clipping Masks.
​
A clipping mask is a powerful technique for putting a new spin on existing images. It turns a shape into an invisible cut-out area, like a window. Any image outside of the window won't show! You can use them to crop images in creative ways, add texture to text, or fit images neatly into custom shapes. It’s a simple but powerful tool for making your designs look clean and professional.
​​​​​​​​
​
​​
​
​
Sticky Photo
Take what you learned about Clipping Masks in the previous assignment to create your own custom sticker from a photo. The goal is to remove your subject (yourself, a friend, your pet, etc.) from their background. This is much easier if you use Adobe Photoshop to isolate, then bring your file into Adobe Illustrator to stickerize.​​
WAGOL (What a Good One Looks Like)
Assignment 3: About Me Tee
Click here to get the Illustrator Template.
Make sure you DOWNLOAD it.
The instructions are on the template. Ask me for help if you need it.
​​​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Click here for your water bottle Illustrator Template.
Make sure you DOWNLOAD it.
​You may make your bottle stickers from scratch OR use existing images / photos. HOWEVER, you MUST stickerize and apply cut-lines to them. Consider this review of what you learned last year.
Assignment 4: Sticky Photo
Click here for the handout.
Filename = 04 Sticky Photo
You MUST create your cut-lines.
​​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Last year you made one photo sticker. This year you are making five (5) ​AND they must all be of the same person (yourself, a friend, a celebrity, etc.) making different expressions. Stickers like these are great for journaling, or giving as silly gifts.
Paths and the Pen tool
Vector graphics are made from lines and shapes, not pixels, so they can be resized without losing quality—perfect for logos, stickers, and anything you might cut with a vinyl machine.
In Adobe Illustrator, the Pen Tool is one of the most important tools for creating vector art. It lets you draw smooth curves, sharp angles, and custom shapes with precision. You can use the Direct Selection (White Arrow) Tool to adjust your lines after you make them.
​
Avoid using the Brush Tool—it may look like you're creating solid shapes, but it creates messy paths that don’t work well for cutting or resizing. Stick with the Pen and shape tools to keep your designs clean and machine-friendly.
​​​
​
​
PRACTICE Using the Pen Tool
Play The Bézier Game to get used to how the Pen Tool works.
​​​
​
Song Code Sticker
Time to make a sticker!
Your Mission is to recreate the Spotify Code for one of your favourite songs/albums/artists/playlists.
Assignment 5: Song Sticker
Filename = 05 Song Code
​
You MUST create your cut-lines.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Create a Coloring Page of a Music Album
Choose a music album (it must have school appropriate imagery) and use the Pen Tool to trace it to make a colouring page. It should fill your entire 10x10cm artboard.​
Filename = 05 Album
Fashion Design with the Pen Tool
Lets take your skills with the Pen tool to the next level.​
​​
You are going to design your dream shoe. You will use the Pen Tool to trace a shoe of your choice, and then add your own style to it. ​​
Assignment 6: Custom Kicks
Filename = 06 Shoe
You MUST create your cut-lines or you get a zero.
​​
With this assignment, your brainstorm (PREP) process will be evaluated, as well as your final design.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
For this assignment, you will create a WPAP (Wedha’s Pop Art Portrait) using the Pen Tool. Focus on bold shapes and bright colors to capture your subject’s features. Since your final design will be printed as a sticker, make sure to frame the portrait carefully so it has an interesting silhouette and and looks complete.​
Filename = 06 WPAP
Unit 2
Typography
ABOUT:
Typography is the art of arranging letters and text in a way that makes writing look good and easy to read. It’s more than just choosing a font—it’s about size, spacing, style, and how text fits into your overall design. In this unit, you’ll explore how different type choices can change the mood or message of your work. You'll learn how to combine fonts, adjust spacing, and use text as a design element to make your projects more creative and effective.
​
getting new fonts
A FONT is a set of letters, numbers, and symbols that all have the same style. It’s like the clothing your words wear—some fonts look fancy, some look fun, and some are easy to read. Fonts help show the mood or tone of your design. For example, a bold, sharp font might feel strong or serious, while a curvy, handwritten font might feel playful or personal. Choosing the right font is an important part of good design!
​
Practice
You are expected to learn how to:
-
Change your font
-
Download and install new fonts
-
Select fonts to support a specific meaning
-
Adjust the size and spacing of text
-
Convert your text into outlines
​​
​
Where to Get New Fonts:
-
Adobe Fonts (remember to log in with STUDENT email)
-
Just click the "Add Family" button and it will be available​
-
-
-
Click download next to the font you want
-
Open the .zip file
-
​Double-click the Open Type File (or True Type if there is no OTF)
-
Click Install
-
Assignment 7: Fonts Matter
Click here to download the Illustrator Template.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Using your favourite song lyrics, create a poster that displays them in a creative way. Focus on the words and their meaning and choose your fonts carefully. Using only the words in the lyrics to create the poster, ensure you carefully place them to ensure readability whilst being creative. (assignment from Sue Farrimond)
Filename = 07 lyrics
making text look great
​Book Quote
Goal: Learn how to arrange, resize, and style text in Adobe Illustrator.
What You Will Make: A small poster that shows the opening words from a book of your choice.
​
We will visit the school library to help you find a book and select your quote.
Assignment 8: Book Quote
Filename = 08 Quote
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Bob Ross and the Joy of Typography
​Goal: Apply what you have learned about text and clipping masks to format a nice looking document.
Assignment 9: Bob Ross
Click here to download the Illustrator Template.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
While the newbies are busy with this and the Event Poster, you will be making a Zine. Zine's are tiny self-publications that are printed on one sheet of paper.
​
Click here for the handout.
Click here for an Example Zine.
Click here for the Zine Template.
​
School Event Poster
​
Goal: Apply what you have learned about document and poster design to create an ad for a school event.
Assignment 10: School Poster
Filename = 10 Event Poster
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
You are still working on your Zines this week.
Warp Motto
Time to make a sticker! AND A BUTTON.
Follow the video below to make your own MOTTO sticker.
Keep it 6-words-or-less.​​
Assignment 11: Warp Motto
Filename = 11 Motto
You MUST create your cut-lines or you get a zero.
​​​
This design will also be produced as a button.
Please get the button template so that your design can be sized correctly for printing.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
You get to make your own design, in a style of your choosing, but it MUST involve words.
You may want to check out Isometric.
Or perhaps Hand-Lettering tickles your fancy?
​
If you want your design produced as a button, make sure you hand in that file too.
Unit 3
Graphic Design
ABOUT:
This unit will cover building more complex graphics using shapes and drawings.
Building with shapes
PRACTICE Using the Pathfinder tools
Play The Boolean Game to get a feel for how you can create new shapes out of simple ones.
Creative Geometry
Learn how to use the Rotation and Alignment Tools to turn simple shapes into something far more fantastic!
Assignment 12: Geometry
Filename = 12 Geometry
​
You may choose ONE design to become a button, if you'd like. Use the template linked in the previous assignment.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
You get to make Celtic Knots this year!
Use this video to help you.
Personal Emblem
Use what you have learned so far (or extend yourself with trying something new) to create a personal logo for yourself!
Assignment 13: Emblem
Filename = 13 Emblem
​​​
With this assignment, your process will be evaluated, as well as your final design.
​​
To provide evidence of your process, include the PREP stages in your sketchbook.
​
P - Produce an Idea
What's your brand? What aspect of yourself do you want to shine?
R - Render Thumbnails
Sketch 6-10 concepts, no bigger than a postage stamp.
E - Expand the Idea
Write down some notes next to your sketches. What colour(s) would you use? Would you make something bigger/smaller?
P - Probe Famous Designer(s)
Look up other Designers, especially Logo Designers. What do they do that you could learn from?
​​​​
For your Emblem, please create TWO (2) versions. One Black + White, and One with Colour.
Flat Illustration​
Learn to build objects using simple shapes.
For this assignment, you will be creating:
-
One popsicle
-
One fruit (or a carrot)
​
Assignment 14: Flats
Click here for instructions. (skip the part about weather icons)
Filenames = 14a Popsicle
Filenames = 14b Fruit
​
You MUST create your cut-lines or you get a zero.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
I want you to take the simplicity of flat illustration and create something that looks like it is contained inside GLASS. It could be boba, a juice box, a planet, or something else entirely.
advanced Graphic making
Digital Stencil
NOTE: You will be using PHOTOSHOP and Illustrator for this one!
​​
Your Task is to design a sticker celebrating something you enjoy by combining two images:
-
a silhouette
-
a drawing/collage to go inside it
​
You can base your sticker on a thing or a place.​
Assignment 15: Digital Stencil
Filename = 15 Digital Stencil
​
You MUST create your cut-lines or you get a zero.
​
Grade 12 Veterans:
Tourists love stickers. Your task is to design a Travel Sticker based on a specific (real or fictional) location. Using a "Badge Style" is not required, but it can look good. Google "Travel Stickers" for inspiration.​​
CHOICE STICKER
You get to turn one of YOUR sketches into a sticker!​
​
How to Transfer from Paper to Computer:
Scan it with the library photocopier (click here for video).
​
​
From there, you can open your image in Photoshop and use a drawing tablet to digitize it, or open it in Illustrator and use the Pen or Shapes tools.
​
NOTE: If you want to draw/colour the whole thing in Photoshop (or on paper with pen, pencil, markers, paint, etc.) you will need to follow the "Sticky Photo" technique to get your cutlines. Watch the "How to Stickerize Your Art" video from the previous assignment if you have forgotten.
Assignment 16: CHOICE
Filename = 16 Choice
You MUST create your cut-lines or you get a zero.
You MUST include the original sketch.
Unit 4
IRL Applications
ABOUT:
In this unit, you’ll bring your digital designs to life through hands-on projects. You’ll learn how to prepare artwork for real-world use, including stenciled signs, custom t-shirts, and product packaging. You’ll also take on a client commission, where you’ll design something based on someone else’s needs—just like a real graphic designer. This unit will help you build practical skills and understand how design works outside the screen.
​
Break out the paint
​Traditional Stencil
In this project, you’ll create your own custom stencil using Illustrator and apply it to a surface like a sign, ornament, t-shirt, or glassware.
You’ll learn how to design clean, cuttable graphics and turn your digital work into a real, handmade product. It’s a fun way to see how design can be used for personalized, practical creations. This project teaches you how digital design connects with real-world making, and gives you the skills to create one-of-a-kind items for gifts, decoration, or even small business ideas.
​
WAGOLL (What a Good One Looks Like)
T-Shirt Design Project
In this project, you’ll design and create your own custom t-shirt using a variety of hands-on techniques. Cotton shirts will be provided, and you’ll use Adobe Illustrator to create your design.
​
Fall Classes can choose from:
– Cut heat-transfer vinyl
– Printed heat-transfer vinyl
– Vinyl stencils with fabric paint or marker "tie-dye"
​
Spring Classes also have the option to try bleach painting with custom stencils.
​
This project is a fun way to turn your digital artwork into wearable art while exploring different ways to apply design to fabric.
Assignment 18: T-Shirt
Click here for instructions.
Filename = 18 Tshirt
Spring Only >
packaging design
​Pop Cans and Patterns Project
In this project, you’ll use your skills in graphic design and typography to create a custom label for a pop can. You’ll design a unique brand, choose colors and fonts, and learn how to make repeating patterns quickly and easily in Adobe Illustrator. This project shows how design is used in real-world packaging and helps you practice making eye-catching visuals that tell a story—even on something as small as a can!
Assignment 19: Pop Cans
Click here for the Pop Can Template files.
Filenames = 19a Food
Filenames = 19b Pattern.jpg
Filenames = 19b Pattern working file
Filenames = 19c Pop.jpg
Unit 5
Passion Project
CHOICE STICKER
You get to turn one of YOUR sketches into a sticker!​
​
How to Transfer from Paper to Computer:
Scan it with the library photocopier (click here for video).
​
​
From there, you can open your image in Photoshop and use a drawing tablet to digitize it, or open it in Illustrator and use the Pen or Shapes tools.
​
NOTE: If you want to draw/colour the whole thing in Photoshop (or on paper with pen, pencil, markers, paint, etc.) you will need to follow the "Sticky Photo" technique to get your cutlines. Watch the "How to Stickerize Your Art" video from the previous assignment if you have forgotten.
Assignment 20: CHOICE
Filename = 20 Choice
You MUST create your cut-lines or you get a zero.
You MUST include the original sketch.