Course Syllabus

Laney College, Graphic Arts

GRART 122 Applied Graphic Design 2

Course Syllabus

Course Title: Applied Graphic Design 2
Course Number: GRART 122
Class Meetings: On campus in rooms 153 and 154
Session/Year: Fall 2026
Instructor Name: Daniela Nikolaeva Pachtrapanska
Email Address: dpachtrapanska@peralta.edu
Instructor Availability Outside the class: Fridays, after class, 6-7 p.m., Room A153. These office hours are specifically for our class. You can reach out to me at any point during lab or during class breaks.

Course Description:
Project-oriented class for the practical application of color theory, elements, and principles of design, procedures, and processes: Advertising design for print, such as posters, flyers, catalog covers, magazines, and packaging; student-generated art using both hand and digital techniques for the creation of design products.

A special focus in this class is learning color theory and its practical applications. Students will learn how to use color effectively in their designs and will explore the physical and psychological aspects of color.

Purpose: Applied Graphic Design 2 (GRART 122) offers hands-on experience to deepen students’ understanding of graphic design principles, color theory, and communication strategies. Students will build foundational skills used by graphic designers to solve problems and develop creative concepts through the design process. Team collaboration will be introduced, with student teams creating and completing project-specific objectives. Throughout the course, students will refine their visualization abilities and learn practical steps for producing effective graphic design work.

Course Prerequisite(s): None.
Recommended Preparation: GRART 36 Adobe Photoshop, GRART 111 Elements and Principles of Design.  

Acceptable for credit: CSU

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • Use sequential problem-solving techniques in developing creative graphic designs.
  • Prepare professional-quality design projects.
  • Deliver a verbal presentation of prepared design solutions.
  • Produce high-quality artwork for inclusion in a design portfolio.

Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  1. Explain the physical and psychological aspects of color and how color influences visual communication and design.
  2. Apply color terminology accurately when discussing, analyzing, and creating designs.
  3. Describe and organize the stages of a design project, including the project life cycle and workflow.
  4. Experiment with and apply creative techniques and traditional and digital design tools to develop effective, colorful designs.
  5. Apply file management best practices and select appropriate color modes to prepare images for print production.
  6. Create professional mock-ups to present and evaluate design concepts.

Instructional Methods: This course will be delivered as a combination of in-class lectures and laboratory experiences.

Important Dates:

August 10

M

Drop for Nonpayment of Tuition and Enrollment Fees

August 24

M

Day and Evening Instruction Begins

August 29

S

Saturday Instruction Begins

August 30

Su

Last Day to Add Regular Session Classes in person without a Permission Number or Add Card

September 7

M

Labor Day – Holiday Observance

Last Day to Add Regular Session Classes with a Permission Number or Add Card.

September 15

T

Census Roster Due – Instructors Verify Enrollment

Last Day to Drop Regular Session Classes and Receive a Refund, and without a "W" Appearing on Transcripts

October 13

T

Professional Day – No Classes

October 16

F

Last Day to File Petitions for AA or AS Degree/Certificate

November 2

M

Second Census (60%) Due for Noncredit Online Asynchronous Classes

November 11

W

Veterans Day – Holiday Observance

November 20

F

Last Day to Withdraw from Regular Session Classes and Receive a "W". All outstanding Fees are due even if classes are dropped on this day.

Attendance Verification Roster Due – Instructors Verify Enrollment

November 26-29

Th-Su

Thanksgiving – Holiday Observance

December 12

S

Last Day to File for Pass/No Pass Grading Option

December 13-19

Su-S

Final Examinations

December 19

S

Saturday Instruction Ends

Fall Semester Ends

December 26

S

Final Grades Due

 

Grading Scale:

All assignments must have clear criteria and objectives to meet. All students shall be treated equitably. It will be that student’s right to know his/her grade at any reasonable point when that information is requested by that student. The criteria for determining a student’s grade shall be as follows (on a percentage basis):

                                  A                       100-90

                                  B                       89-80

                                  C                       79-70

                                  D                       69-50

                                  F                        49 or less


Student Evaluation/Grading Policies:

  • Class time will be spent productively.
  • Grading will be done on a point system.
  • Points for individual activities will be announced.
  • All work must be received by the set deadlines.

 

Classroom Policy:
Attendance:

Attendance is recorded every week at the beginning of the class. If you are late, you must sign the attendance sheet. Attending office hours is optional and not part of your grade. 

Participation and Conduct
Actively participating in class, showing a positive attitude, and being supportive of the students and the instructor on Canvas, as well as arriving on time and not being disruptive during Zoom sessions, contribute to a positive class atmosphere and will count as 10% of your grade.

Conduct: Rude behavior, foul language, vulgarity, offensive racial, sexist, or homophobic remarks and projects will not be tolerated in class. Acting disrespectfully or in an intimidating manner toward the instructor or a student in class or outside the class may result in removal from the class.

If you have complaints, comments, or personal questions, please do not post in Discussions or disrupt the classwork. Talk with me or email me privately to voice your concerns.

Assignments

  • You must complete assignments on time; deadlines will be strictly enforced.
  • The instructor will not grade any assignments submitted via email or through links to external websites. 
  • Assignments turned in late will be penalized 10% or 20 % off, depending on how late they were submitted. Up to 2 weeks late - 10% off; up to 2 months late - 20% off
  • Late quizzes will be penalized by 1 point.
  • Incomplete assignments will be graded accordingly - if you complete only half of the assignment (50%), you will be awarded an F (see the grading policy above).
  • You may redo an assignment for a better grade and resubmit it to Assignments. 
  • You may retake a quiz one or 2 times, depending on the allowed attempts for that quiz.
  • Each assignment will cover an area of technical understanding. Some assignments will require only a few hours to complete; others may take more time.
  • The instructor may collect and use all work completed for this course, as student examples for future classes, and for inclusion in handouts and textbooks, unless the student requests otherwise in writing.
  • This is a software class. It is the student's responsibility to acquire the proper equipment and software to be able to complete their assignments.  
  • Absolutely no work will be accepted after the final class meeting.

Materials and Supplies: Notebooks, drawing pads, pens and pencils, black matte boards, and storage devices - 2Flash drives and alternative online storage space. Drawing and painting tools, such as paper, paints, brushes, pencils, erasers, X-acto knives, foamboards, etc. (An explicit list is attached at the end of this syllabus.)

Textbook: eBook: “Color Power,” first edition.

Technology Needed: Adobe CC, Internet access, and an email address. 

Academic Honesty:
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty.  Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to plagiarism and cheating; misuse of academic resources; distribution of course materials outside the class; use of AI-generated images to submit as your own creation; use of AI to answer quiz questions; presenting other people's work as your own; copying other students' answers or images; misuse of computer software or networks.

Use of AI: The use of AI-generated text, images, or video is not allowed in this class. If a student is found to use AI-generated images or videos and is attempting to present them as their own, they will receive no credit for their work and will be called to explain why they cheated on their assignment or quiz.

Use of copyrighted materials: All visual and written materials in this class are copyrighted. Digital handouts received in this class, such as lectures, articles, assignment outlines, step-by-step tutorials, eBooks, video tutorials, images, and samples of student work, are copyrighted and therefore must not be duplicated or distributed outside the class. The digital materials are only for your own personal use and may not be given to other people, even for educational purposes. 

Sanctions include, but are not limited to, grade reduction, course failure, reporting to the Dean and the President, and academic probation and removal from the class or college.

 

Disability Statement

If you have a documented disability, you may work with a Disability Coordinator to assess your needs and receive a formal disability report. This report will outline the specific accommodations available to support your learning. Your accommodation letters will be sent to your instructor by the second week of class.

If you believe you may have a disability and require accommodation, please contact Student Accessibility Services at Laney College: Laney College Student Accessibility Services (link opens in a new tab)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Weekly Course Outline

(Schedule subject to change based on class needs)

 

Week 1: Welcome to Class!

Course Overview. Student responsibility, grading, attendance, class schedule, textbook, materials, and supplies. The Graphic Arts Server and how to submit your work.
Lecture: Basic color theory – the RYB color wheel. Primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. What is color?
Lab: In-class exercises and class activities. Sign up for student presentations. Familiarize yourself with the graphic arts server and read the lab policies. Get your materials and supplies. Complete the introductory assignment online.

Week 2: The Essence of Color

Lecture: The Essence of Color. Electromagnetic waves. The visual spectrum.
Lab: In-class exercises. Mixing colors using pigments. Reading assignment: Chapter 1: The Essence of Color.  Discussion: Takeaways from lecture 1.
Assignment: RYB color wheel.

Week 3: Color Theorists

Lecture: Color Theorists from 300 BC to the 20th century
Lab: Review and critique of the Color Wheel assignment.
Reading: Chapter 2: Color Theorists. Quiz: Color Theorists.
Assignment: Stained glass window.

Week 4: RGB and CMYK Color Systems

Lecture: Additive and Subtractive color systems. Color for print and screens. Color Modes in Photoshop. How color is created digitally.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Review and critique of Stained-Glass Window assignment. Reading: Chapter 3: Color Models. Practice working with RGB and CMYK color wheels. Quiz: RGB and CMYK
Assignment: RGB and CMYK Charts.

Week 5: The Properties of Color

Lecture: The Properties of Color. Value: tints, tones & shades.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Review and critique of RGB and CMYK charts.
Read Chapter 4: The Properties of Color. Practice creating color digitally.
Assignment: Value Scales. Chromatic Explorations – Part 1. First draft of chromatic and achromatic drawings

Week 6: Color Schemes

Lecture: Color Schemes, Color Contrast.  Review of color schemes. Lab practice creating color harmonies. In-class exercises.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Review and critique of Value Scales and Chromatic Exploration Part 1. Quiz: Color Schemes
Assignment: Chromatic Explorations – Part 2. Finish both the Chromatic and Achromatic drawings.

Week 7: Color Interactions

Lecture: Color Interactions. Itten and Albers
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Review and critique of Chromatic and Achromatic Drawings
In-class exercises. Josef Albers' experiments. Reading assignment: Chapter 6: Color Interactions. Quiz.
Assignment: Josef Albers' Experiments. Finish at least 2 experiments based on the template provided by your instructor.

Week 8: Color Vision

Lecture: Color Vision
Lab: Review and critique of the Josef Albers experiment.
Film: The Island of the Color Blind, by Oliver Sacks. Reading Assignment: Chapter 7 Color Vision.
Quiz: The Anatomy of the Eye.
Assignment: Optical Illusion Part 1. Draw 3 ideas for an optical illusion.

Week 9: Visual Perception

Lecture: Visual Phenomena and Color Perception
Lab: Present your ideas for optical illusions and get feedback. In-class exercises. An optical mixture of color in fine art and computer art. Broken color technique. Broken color technique exercise.
Assignment: Optical Illusion Part 1. Draw 3 ideas for an optical illusion.
For next week, wear comfortable shoes.

Week 10: Color in Nature

Lecture: Color in Nature
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Review and critique of the Optical Illusion Project. Color in Nature observation. A short trip to the Laney Art Center and the lake to observe the fall colors of mature. Group exercise: Create collages with natural elements. Quiz: Color in Nature.
Assignment: Color in Nature: A photocollage of pictures arranged in a design grid. Pay attention to color and composition. 

Week 11: Psychology of Color, Part 1

Lecture: Psychology of Color. Part 1: Color Lights. How color lights affect mood and behavior. Color light used in interior design.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Review and critiques of your nature collage. In-class exercises. Color lights and mood. Reading Assignment: Chapter 10: Color Psychology Part 1.
Assignment: Wine Labels and Packaging Design. Part 1. Research and draw ideas for your labels. Keep a process book.

Week 12: Psychology of Color, Part 2

Lecture: Psychology of Color Part 2. Color and gender. Favorite colors by gender and age.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Reports on work in progress. Peer and teacher review and feedback. Work on the label and packaging design project. Get feedback from your peers.
Assignment: Wine Labels and Packaging Design. Part 2. Complete our product labels and packaging and be ready for print.  
Next week, bring colorful fruits to class for the Nikolaeva Experiment.

Week 13: Color Psychology in Practice

Lecture: The Nikolaeva Experiment. This is a group assignment that will be conducted in class.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Reports on work in progress. Peer and teacher feedback. Teacher’s demo on how to glue your labels to bottles or jars.
Assignment: Wine Labels and Packaging Design. Part 3. Finish your labels and packaging projects and organize your process books.

Week 14: Color Meaning

Lecture: Color Meanings, Origins of Color Pigments, and Color Symbolism.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. Labels and packaging project presentation. In-class exercises. Experiments with dry and wet media. Evaluating the staining and fugitive quality of different pigments.
Assignment: Final Project.

Week 15: Thanksgiving Day – No Class. Holiday observance

Week 16: Color in Design

Lecture: Color in Design. Choosing color.
Lab: Student presentation: Color in Design. In-class exercises. Evaluating the design principles used in posters and flyers.  
Work on the Final project assignment. Field trip. Observe exhibition design and keep a journal   

Week 17: Finals

Lecture/Lab. Review and recap of course material.
Final exam: Multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions. This test is timed. You will have 1 hour to complete it.
Final Project Presentations

 

Note: Homework, as listed in this Weekly Outline, is subject to change. Your instructor will make announcements in class regarding changes in the schedule. This weekly outline is a tentative schedule.