NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT

Art and Design

Design Activity

Advice and Guidance for Practitioners

[NATIONAL 4;

NATIONAL 5;

HIGHER]

This advice and guidance has been produced to support the profession with the delivery of courses which are either new or which have aspects of significant change within the new national qualifications (NQ) framework.

The advice and guidance provides suggestions on approaches to learning and teaching. Practitioners are encouraged to draw on the materials for their own part of their continuing professional development in introducing new national qualifications in ways that match the needs of learners.

Practitioners should also refer to the course and unit specifications and support notes which have been issued by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Acknowledgement

The publisher gratefully acknowledges permission to use the following sources: Black Swan poster © La Boca; Fionnar poster, image of bottles of water, Fionnar image of Still Spring Water from the mountains about Loch Ness all © 2009 Fionnar Springs Ltd; Rockness poster © Rockness; Irn-Bru logo © AG Barr plc; images and text ‘About Colours’ from The Usborne Book of Art Ideas by Fiona Watt, reproduced from ‘The Usborne Book of Art Ideas’ by permission of Usborne Publishing, © 2008 Usborne Publishing Ltd;

© Crown copyright 2012.You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit or e-mail: .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at .

This document is also available from our website at

Contents

Introduction4

Developing the graphic design unit7

Design considerations10

Setting a design brief15

The design brief17

Possible themes/styles/subject matter20

Developing ideas22

Understanding the factors influencing designers and design practice25

Design analysis of posters26

List of suggested movements and designers30

DESIGN ACTIVITY (NAT 4/5/H, ART AND DESIGN)1

© Crown copyright 2012

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

This document aims to support practitioners in planning learning and teaching in line with Scotland’s new national qualifications. The suggestions are based on graphic design, looking specifically at designing a poster for the Art and Design: Design Activity. There is also some general information on the discipline of graphic design, as well as suggestions on how to integrate the critical element of the course into learners’ practical work.

The information provided is presented around a brief to design a poster, but could be modified for another graphic design product. The material is adaptable to suit learners with different abilities from National 4 through to Higher.

The previous qualifications for Art and Design assessed the critical element of the course as a separate unit. The new national qualifications require a more integral approach and so new approaches to the delivery of the critical elementhave been developed.

The world of graphic design offers ample opportunity to explore an area of art anddesign that is current, immediate and highly relevant to learners in today’s information-rich society. The topic offers learners the chance to explore the influences on current and historical graphic design practice, the role of advertising, branding, and marketing, and the role of the media and how this is changing. Analysis of these factors throughout the design process, along with the development of learners’ ideas, should provide many opportunities to incorporate critical analysis in practical work. Practitioners should introduce learners to a variety of designers from a range of backgrounds: historical, contemporary, cultural and social. These examples also inform the learner about aesthetics, styles and working methods.

The resource is both practical and experiential. Learners are encouraged to exercise imagination and creativity, developing important skills, attitudes and attributes. Practitioners may wish to explore the theme of creativity by visiting the extremely useful Education Scotland website ‘Marks on the Landscape’ (

The resource includes:

  • guidance on setting a design brief
  • suggestions on how to research and investigate a theme within a brief
  • suggestions for developing ideas within the design process
  • references to various websites and designers
  • suggestions on ways to incorporate critical analysis within practical work.

These resources should act as a source of inspiration rather than as a benchmark for attainment.

National unit specification: Art and Design:Design Activity

The information provided in this document focuses on a design brief to design a poster and on how critical work can be used as a starting point and learning tool for practical activities. It recognises that there is an increased expectation with every increased level, which practitioners must take into account when planning a unit of work. For example, with regard to critical work at National 4, learners are required to ‘understand and describe’ factors which influence two designers. Yet, at National 5 learners must ‘analyse and offer informed opinions and simple justifications’on the factors influencing two designers.

Development of skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work

It is expected that learners will develop broad, generic skills. These skills are based on the SQA’s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work and are drawn from the main skills areas listed below. These must be built into the Design Activity unit where there are appropriate opportunities.

1Literacy

1.3Listening and talking

3Health and wellbeing

3.1Personal learning

5Thinking skills

5.3Applying

5.4Analysing and evaluating

Amplification of these skills is given in the SQA’s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work. The level of these skills should be at the same SCQF level as the unit and be consistent with the SCQF level descriptor. Further information on building skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work is given in the Unit Support Notes.

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DEVELOPING A GRAPHIC DESIGN UNIT

Developing thegraphic design unit

Why study graphic design?

Graphic design is an area of design which learners have direct experience of, providing them with a familiar context. It is an area of study where fundamental graphic design principles remain the same, yet the means by which designers communicate with us have changed and are constantly changing. The materials in this resource will hopefully provide practitioners with some ideas on how to approach this varied genre of design. By learning through graphic design learners will have opportunities to do the following:

  • Plan, research and develop a creative design proposal:Learners are actively involved in planning and identifying a brief. Discussions with their practitioner on a proposed structure and method of recording ideas give learners ownership of their portfolio.
  • Understand and analyse designers’ work and practice, as well as the things that influence them:Learners should be encouraged to reflect on the work of others to inform their own ideas. Similar products or materials/working methods and techniques can be an excellent starting point for a brief. This would also provide an ideal opportunity for the introduction of critical analysis.
  • Develop creativity, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills:Learners should be encouraged to explore colour, layout, typography, scale, style, layering etc. This could be linked to their analysis and research of a designer. Learners should be encouraged to consider how and where their graphic product will communicate with their targeted audience.
  • Experiment with media, materials and techniques in relation to their chosen brief/proposal: Again, links could be made with the work of others when learners are experimenting with materials and techniques. Learners are to be encouraged to consider a variety of methods of production, aesthetics and styling which fulfil their brief.
  • Develop and refine their design ideas, taking into account their brief’s design issues and constraints: There will be ample opportunities for learners to gain insights and be inspired by their successes and ‘failures’. This practice of self-reflection should be encouraged at various stages of the design process. It allows learners to review their work and consider new ways to problem solve their briefsuccessfully.

When should critical activity be included?

The work of professional designers should be used and referred to at all stages in the design process. A general introduction to a unit can be made using a variety of work from different designers and from different time periods to provide learners with an overview of their area of study. When a brief has been agreed on, it would then be of benefit for the learner to research, investigate and analyse the work of a designer whose work can specifically inform their own working practices. This is something which should be reviewed throughout the whole design process, with new and relevant work by different designers being introduced as appropriate, to encourage individual learners in their work.

Analysis of the work of designers could take the form of class discussion, mind mapping or group presentations to the class as well as written notes and annotated drawings interspersed throughout their practical work. Practitioners may wish to devise a list of questions to prompt learners in their analysis of a piece of design, as well as providing a word bank. There are also opportunities on Glow for learners to take part in online discussions and upload videos.

Summary of learning activities

The following summary acts as guidance only. As practitioners of a subject which centres on the nurturing of an individual style, it is to hoped and expected that this unit of work will be taken and expanded upon to suit the individual needs of learners, centres and practitioners. However, the following summary gives some structure for how the unit could be delivered.

Setting a design brief

Discussions on the following:

  • What is graphic design? Discussion on target markets, advertising, marketing, branding, communication methods etc.
  • What is a design brief?
  • Individual discussion and negotiation on a theme/product. Practitioners may decide to offer the same theme and product to small groups but should also encourage individual personalisation and choice for creative thinking.

Research and investigation

Activities based around the following:

  • Gathering information on relevant designers and their work.Investigations could be carried out in small groups with presentationsmade to the class, individual research using books and/or the internet and written notes to provide links with the critical element of the course.
  • Selecting appropriate imagery to inform their chosen theme. Visual information can be gathered from books, magazines, photographs and the internet as well as learners’ own drawings. If appropriate to the choice of product being designed, real materials could be used within the investigations, eg if packaging were chosen, actual pieces of packaging could be used. These could prove useful starting points for a piece of critical analysis.
  • Where appropriate, visits to galleries, museums and exhibitions provide learners with a valuable opportunity to gather information first hand.
  • A visit from a practising designer, if possible, can provide learners with experience of art and design in a real-life context.

Developing ideas

Activities based around the following:

  • Developing a variety of different compositions/layouts, paying attention to the relationship between text and image. Investigation into typography styles, scale and colour would also be an important development.
  • Considering the importance of colour and colour schemes in graphic design.
  • Experimenting with different materials, techniques and technologies. Learners should be encouraged to combine different materials and processes.

These developments should be linked to the work of relevant designers, to enhance both critical and practical learning opportunities.

DESIGN WITH CRITICAL (NAT 4, 5, HIGHER ART & DESIGN)1

© Crown copyright 2012

SETTING A DESIGN BRIEF

Design considerations

What are some of the factors which influence designers and design practice? These should be discussed with learners to help inform them when analysing the work of others. An understanding of these factors will also help with learners’ own problem-solving skills when tackling their own design briefs. The following material may give learners ideas for what and where their design could be used, eg a billboard, signage for a vehicle or a poster for a bus stop. This would have to be factored into their brief and subsequent plans and developments.

Corporate Identity and Marketing

Corporate Identity can take many forms, including a symbol, a name, slogan or colour combination.

Successful graphic design is crucial to the creation of effective corporate identity.

Even very simple colour combinations or the shape of a logo can become associated with particular products or brands.

For example, blue and orange is often associated with Irn Bru and the use of a tick symbol would suggest the brand Nike.

Colour has very powerful associations, and many popular products are successful because of their use of colour.

Colours create different feelings, and this is used to a great extent in food and drink products.

Fionnar, a natural spring water supplier in the North of Scotland, supplieswater coolers and Fionnar natural spring water to offices, homes, schools, hospitals and work sites. They have made best use of their location near Loch Ness to create a strong corporate identity and market their product. Here are two examples of how they have used graphic design to appeal to two different target audiences.

The graphic designer has cleverly used ‘Nessie’ to tempt younger children to drink water. Which other market is the design aimed at? Think about the locality.

Communicating with the Target Audience

Sometimes an organisation will use a variety of different methods of communicating with their target audience.

There are many different places and ways to advertise. For example, this is a template for advertising on the side of a bus:

In the background of the photograph below, you can see an example of a billboard campaign:

Here are some other examples of posters from the same campaign.

Homework Task for Design Considerations

  • Take note of the variety of examples of graphic design we encounter in everyday life. For example, packaging design, posters, advertising campaigns, CD covers, Book jackets etc.
  • Collect some good examples of graphic design related to the area you have chosen for your design brief.
  • Choose one of your examples and analyse the following:
  • Method of production
  • Target Audience
  • Use of Colour
  • Use of Shape
  • Use of Typography
  • Layout
  • Scale
  • Give your opinion of how successful you think your chosen piece of graphic design is.
  • Where did you spot this design? Was it in a suitable location to attract the attention of its target audience?

Setting a design brief

To begin the unit learners should be given an overview of what graphic design is. The materials in this resource centre mainly on posters and provide a snapshot of information which the practitioner can build on and investigate as appropriate for their own learners. You may decide to ask learners to investigate the genre of graphic design and its historical development as a starting point/introduction to their portfolio. Equally, this can be done with a specific designer or style if that is your intended theme for your learners.

What is graphic design?

Graphic design is a method of visual communication, usually incorporating combination of image and text to convey a message, advertise or sell a product. I piece of graphic design can be created by a variety of means, such as photography, illustration, photomontage and computer aided design.

Graphic Design was traditionally known as ‘Design for print’ and referred to posters, packaging, brochures etc. Advances in technology means that graphic design also encompasses a broad range of electronic media such as web design and interactive media.

Historical graphic design:posters

Whilst ‘old–fashioned’ poster designs may not appear to have much relevance to today’s multimedia world, it is important to know about the background and history of poster design. An informative website on the history of the poster is

Shown below are examples of contemporary posters for the movie ‘Black Swan’, which take inspiration from work produced during the Art Deco period. There are a number of websites providing information on Art Deco, including

The Black Swan posters were designed by the design company La Boca ( This company’s portfolio is well worth looking at for potential avenues of development ranging from posters, CD covers and book jackets tomagazine illustrations.

Contemporary graphic design

Today graphic designers use technology and media to work with businesses, providing them with corporate identities using various branding, advertising and marketing tools.

Useful websites for contemporary graphic designers as well as information on graphic design practice and its historical development are:

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THE DESIGN BRIEF

The design brief

The following information can be as a starting point for you to develop your own information sheet for your learners. You may already have some examples of a good, clear, concise brief that for your learners to model their own brief on.