Graphic Art and Visual Storytelling

This certificate prepares students for entry level careers in the Graphic Arts with an emphasis on Visual Storytelling. This includes skill building instruction in concept development, character design, narrative illustration, story structure, and sequential art for graphic novels. Classes are structured to give strong academic and hands-on experience in illustration and production techniques using the latest equipment and software available.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to: 

• Evaluate the different narrative illustration styles and techniques and their marketability.
• Explore the various entrepreneurial possibilities and options for visual storytellers.
• Produce a narrative illustration from preliminary sketches to a finished product.
• Create a marketable story proposal that demonstrates an understanding of story structure.

Applied Digital Media and Printing program required courses are offered every semester to assist student completion rates. The majority of the scheduled courses satisfy degree requirements for multiple certificates. This provides ADM students with a variety of available pathways to completion. The target completion rate for the Basic Graphic Design Certificate is 24 students annually.

The Graphic Art and Visual Storytelling certificate, offered by the Applied Digital Media and Printing program, provides prospective learners from a diverse community with hands-on training in the fields of graphic art and design. Successful completion of this career-technical program will equip students with foundational skills and practical knowledge in all aspects of design elements, design principles, and illustration production. Possible career outcomes for this program include: graphic artist, cartoonist, comic book artist, graphic novel creator, layout artist, and illustrator. Relevancy of this program is maintained via annual input from an advisory committee, employment data and industry feedback.

ADM63A Design for Print Publication, ADM71A Adobe Photoshop for Image Manipulation, ADM71B Adobe Photoshop Advanced, ADM-77A  Adobe Illustrator for Graphic Art, ADM-77B Adobe Illustrator for Graphic Art, Advanced, ADM66 Visual Storytelling are the six courses that make up this program. 
Together these classes form a marketable foundation for students who want to learn the complete process of visual story development and visualization.