Introduction -- Unit I : Research and early concepts. Basics of research ; Linear reasoning/lateral thinking ; Exploratory drawing ; Visualizing ideas ; Theories of image and text ; Audiences, markets, and concepts ; Scheduling, organizing, and finalizing -- Unit II : Fundamentals of composition. Basics of composition ; Form and space ; Symmetry/asymmetry ; Basic principles of layout ; Styles of layout ; Pace and contrast ; Size and format ; Coordination and identity ; Photography and illustration -- Unit III : Fundamentals of typography. Typography and meaning ; The anatomy of type ; Understanding and selecting typefaces ; Spacing ; Readability and legibility ; Typographic emphasis and hierarchy ; Typographic rules/boxes and ornaments ; Typographic rules/boxes and ornaments ; Text as image -- Unit IV : Fundamentals of color. Color terminology ; Color legibility, contrast, and harmony ; Color associations ; Color as information -- Unit V : Tools and technologies. Photography basics and image sourcing ; Photoshop ; Photomontage/collage ; DTP applications ; Illustrator ; 3D graphics ; Flash/after effects -- Unit VI : Production process and issues. Lithography ; Printed color ; Digital printing ; File preparation and sending ; File types and compression ; Workspace, monitor, and calibration ; Paper stocks and finishing ; The role of PDFs ; Correcting color proofs ; Press check ; Electronic media production -- Unit VII : Web design basics. Visual design and coding ; The languages of the internet ; The building blocks of a web page ; The graphical user interface ; CSS ; Web standards, validation, Doctype, and SEO ; Designing for different browsers and platforms ; Web design software ; Web-based self-publishing -- Unit VIII : Commercial applications. Core/specialist skills ; Logo design and brand identity ; Motion graphics ; Web design ; Editorial design ; Game design ; Advertising ; Information design.