On this five day short course, you will have the opportunity to nurture your creativity and improve essential skills as you explore the foundations of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Throughout the week we will teach you the different uses of each application, and you will learn how each program can be used to help in the development of your creative projects. By the end of the course, you will have a sound understanding of how to use each of these core components of this essential design software.

The course will provide insights into the process of developing the visual presence of your artwork and make your own visual identity. The aim is to improve your digital skills, empower your ideas, and prepare you for working in future industry.

Day one  Adobe Illustrator

• Working with vectors, shape, colour and textures
• Convert drawings to Illustrator to give them a professional look. This practice includes different skills, such as working with Vectors, creating shapes, applying colours, applying line textures, and exporting the fine. Through this practice, you also learn how to create a Logo in vector.

Day two - Adobe Photoshop

• Working with image (Photo editing, image merge)
• editing photos, merging and mixing different images, such as changing the background or merging two different images

 Day three - Adobe InDesign

• Create a Magazine (Facing page and Poster design). 
• Inserts multiple images and creates a layout. You learn tricks to automatically adjust the images sizes or columns sizes. 
• The second half of the day you learn to create a Poster for a print or digital publications. 

Day four - Connecting Skills

• Working to the brief, you will be able to test out the skills you have learnt and focus on how you can use the tools to be creative. All artwork is then incorporated from the previous days into InDesign to create a set of digital posters appropriate for publishing in social media assets. 

Day 5 - Communicate Digitally via Colour.

• We focus on Adobe Colours and how you can improve the visual presence of their work by adopting more professional colours. 
• During the workshop, you can either create a new artwork or amend a file from day one, apply psychology of colours through Adobe Colours guidelines.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be confident using an array of Adobe creative software and understand the appropriate uses for each individual software (InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator). You will also have learned how to apply your knowledge practically, as you will have designed a magazine page and a poster. 

Important information

Times

Signing in is from 9.20am and 9.25am each day in the Art Gallery and the summer workshops will start at 9.30. We finish at 15.30pm. You will need to be picked up promptly at 15.30pm, again from the Art Gallery. Parents and carers, if you have any problems and think that you may be late, please let us know by calling 01707 285327.

Where to find us

For directions to the campus site, please follow the link below where you can download a map of the College Lane Campus:

https://www.herts.ac.uk/contact-us/where-to-find-us/college-lane-maps-and-directions

Drop off/collection

The drop-off point is the Art Gallery, and you can find this through our wayfinding app here. We suggest you park in one of the bays around the nearby Lindop Building for drop-off. You can drop off anytime between 9.20am and 9.25am. Collection is promptly at 15.30. nb, there is free parking for 2 hours on campus.

The programme

We have an exciting programme of activities planned. You will find out more about art and design courses and you will be meet practising artists or designers.  Each group will have an assistant art tutor with them for the whole time you are here, and you will meet them on your first morning.  They can help you with any concerns you have while you are here.

Enrolment

Parents/Guardians: When registering, please enrol with your own details. There is a field on the enrolment paperwork where you can enter your son or daughter's name and age.

Emergency contact

We need contact numbers so we can contact parents/carers at any time.  These details need to be confirmed on the form attached to the email. Should you need to contact us please phone the Short Course Office on 01707 285327. It is very important that we know in advance if you cannot for any reason be collected on time at the end of the day.

Clothing

Wear suitable and comfortable clothes as you may get messy and dirty (that is what art is all about!).  An overall, apron or large shirt would be ideal.

Food & drink

You will need to bring your own packed lunch. Water will be available during breaks and lunchtime.

Materials

All materials needed for all the summer schools will be provided by the University.

Medicine

If you need to bring any medication with you, please make sure it is clearly labelled with your child’s name and any instructions. These can be administered by us provided the medical permission form enclosed has been signed by a parent or carer and handed in on arrival on your first day.