Design Students at DCHS
DIGITAL cREATIVES
Welcome to DCHS Digital Arts & Design!
What is Digital Arts & Design?
Digital Arts & Design is a path of study for students interested in pursuing a career or education in graphic design, photography and other digital careers. A person who chooses a career in the graphic design industry is called a Graphic Artist or Graphic Designer.
What Skills Do We Learn in Digital Arts & Design?
If you choose Digital Art & Design as your focus area, you will learn many valuable skills related to design and photography. You will have the opportunity to earn an industry certification in each of these Adobe softwares: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Design III students also work briefly in Adobe Dreamweaver in order to introduce them to web design.
Photography,
A Class Favorite!
Students learn the basics of a DSLR camera in Digital Arts & Design I. In the 2nd year, students are introduced to lighting techniques and portraiture. By the end of the third year, students have mastered manual mode settings and are efficient in capturing properly exposed photos.
Adobe &
Design Layout
Students learn the following skills to layout magazine ads, banners, posters, social media campaigns, t-shirts, and more!
- Color Theory
- Elements of Design
- Principles of Design
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
Graphic Design,
Career Prep
Throughout the Digital Arts program, we learn about career opportunities for digital professionals. Students research careers and what type of education is needed to acquire jobs in the design industry. Each student develops a career plan, which is usually altered at the end of each school year.
In Digital Art & Design, we study the daily work life of Graphic Designers. We learn how to work on projects from the initial client interview, proposal, and contract to the finished product. We design logos, magazine ads, posters, banners and more! Students learn to use DSLR cameras to capture images in full manual mode. Having knowledge in Photoshop allows you to edit your photos too! If you love design and/or photography, this class is for you!
How does it work?
Choose Digital Arts as Your Focus Area
You can do this as a rising Freshman when you come to the school to register for courses. You can also submit a course request as a sophomore.
Decide if Dual Enrollment is for you
We offer dual enrollment through TCAT-Dickson. Papers will be sent home the first week of school. If you choose dual enrollment, you will remain in the class you signed up for. You can feel good knowing you are receiving college credits.
Prepare for industry Certifications while enjoying class
We adhere to Tennessee State Standards while going through a certification course to acquire Adobe Professional Certifications. Some students leave high school with three industry certifications!
Graduate with Confidence
You can feel good knowing that you have acquired design skills and knowledge that will help with a career and future! If you earn an industry certification or take dual enrollment classes, you may be eligible to be a Tennessee Ready Graduate.
answers to Frequently Asked questions
You may have a lot of questions if you, or your child, are interested in our program. Here is a list of some of the most commons questions.
Is this class like an art class?
We do not paint, sculp or mold anything. There is usually some sketching involved when preparing to design on the computer. You cannot get an art credit for taking this class. We don’t draw on iPads. All of our work is digital and directly related to the career of Graphic Design or other design professions.
Can the work be completed at home?
Most students do not have access to Adobe software at home. It is highly recommended that a student be present, in class, to utilize our computers. Student Chromebooks do not have the software needed to fulfill the requirements of this course. However, most of our career research and many other assignments can be completed at home if Adobe software is not needed.
How much does dual enrollment cost?
There is no charge for dual enrollment unless a student exceeds five dual enrollment classes.
Is dual enrollment a separate class?
No, each class will have some students who are dual enrolled and some who are not. If a student is dual enrolled, they will receive college credit for the material that we cover in class.
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How much do industry certifications cost?
There is no fee for industry certifications. Students who are enrolled in Digital Arts & Design will be allowed to take the exam that correlates with the certification course they just completed.
DIGITAL ARTS & DESIGN COURSES
Digital Arts & Design I
Digital Arts & Design II
Digital Arts & Design III
Digital Arts & Design IV
Design partnerships
