CIS 122 - Digital Illustration / Illustrator

Description
Students use digital illustration software to learn the fundamentals and incorporate drawing and design techniques to create and edit designs and illustrations for a variety of media formats including print publications and web design. Students use Adobe Illustrator software to create, edit and analyze design alternatives and learn methods to create original artwork including simple graphics and text to complex multiple layered illustrations. Many drawing techniques are explored including transforming objects, gradient colors, creating 3D images and creating special effects with masking, patterns, and filters. Students create logos, corporate identity designs, magazine ads and a marketing campaign. Students are recommended to take CIS 120 Introduction to Graphic Software / Photoshop / Illustrator prior to taking this course if they have little or no experience with Illustration software.

Credit Hours: 3
Contact Hours: 3
Prerequisites/Other Requirements: None
English Prerequisite(s): None
Math Prerequisite(s): None
Course Corequisite(s): None
Academic Program Prerequisite: None
Consent to Enroll in Course: No Department Consent Required
Dual Enrollment Allowed?: Yes
Number of Times Course can be taken for credit:
Programs Where This Course is a Requirement:
Web/UX Design and Development, A.A.A.S.

Other Courses Where This Course is a Prerequisite: None
Other Courses Where this Course is a Corequisite: None
Other Courses Where This course is included in within the Description: CIS122

General Education Requirement:
None
General Education Learner Outcomes (GELO):
NA
Course Learning Outcomes:

Create and refine digital illustrations using a wide range of vector-based tools, techniques, and design principles.
Apply layering, path editing, typography, and advanced graphic manipulation to produce professional-quality artwork for print and web.
Incorporate patterns, gradients, filters, and other visual effects to enhance creativity and support effective visual communication.
Design original compositions that demonstrate purposeful choices based on audience, context, and communication goals.
Develop and present a cohesive portfolio that integrates technical proficiency, artistic concepts, and personal creative expression.

Course Outline:
I. Getting to Know Illustrator.
II. Creating Text and Gradients.
III. Creating logos and Identity designs.
IV. Drawing and Composing an Illustration.
V. Explore sources for creating drawings and designs.
VI. Transforming and Distorting Objects.
VII. Working with Layers.
VIII. Working with Patterns and Brushes.
IX. Working with Distortions, Gradient Meshes, Envelopes and Blends.
X. Recoloring Artwork with Transparency, Effects, and Graphic styles.
XI. Creating 3D Objects.
XII. Creating and drawing with symbols and designing Graphs.
XIII. Preparing Graphics for the Web.
IXV. Preparing documents for Prepress and Printing.
XV. Preparing and evaluating art work for a Portfolio

Approved for Online and Hybrid Delivery?:
Yes
Instructional Strategies:
Lecture: 30-60%

Facilitated discussion: 0-20%

Group work: 0-10%

Lab work: 10-40%
Mandatory Course Components:
1. Twenty-five to thirty Illustrator activities
2. On-line quizzes
3. Three Final Illustrator portfolio projects
Equivalent Courses:
None

Accepted GRCC Advanced Placement (AP) Exam Credit: None
AP Min. Score: NA
Name of Industry Recognize Credentials: Adobe Certified Professional in Graphic Design & Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator

Course prepares students to seek the following external certification:
No
Course-Specific Placement Test: None
Course Aligned with ARW/IRW Pairing: N/A

Mandatory Department Assessment Measures:
None

GRCC Course Type:
Program Requirement: Meets the learning needs of students in a specific GRCC program.
Course Format:
Lecture - 1:1
Total Lecture Hours Per Week: 3
People Soft Course ID Number: 104604
Course CIP Code: 11.9999
Maximum Course Enrollment: 24
Course Software Utilized: Illustrator

High School Articulation Agreements exist?: Yes
If yes, with which high schools?: Kent Career Technical Center
School: School of STEM
Department: Computer Information Systems
Discipline: CIS
Faculty Credential Requirements:
Master’s Degree (GRCC general requirement), Professionally qualified through work experience in field (Perkins Act or Other) (list below)
Faculty Credential Requirement Details:
The instructor must possess knowledge of the Adobe Illustrator software environment, 4000 hours of computer design experience and be able to clearly explain all topics covered in the course so that the student will be able to understand the concepts taught.

Major Course Revisions: N/A
Last Revision Date Effective: 20260220T14:27:45
Course Review & Revision Year: 2030-2031