Graphic Communication

Welcome to the Graphic Communication page!

 

Below you will find information about our National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Courses.

 

STAFF LIST:

Mr. A. McGimpsey (PTC Physics and DET)

Mr I. Simpson (DET)

Dr L. Foley (DET)

Miss K. Simpson-Wands (DET)

Ms S. Clarke (DET)

Miss L. Stevenson (DET / PTC Guidance Castle House)

Miss K Gold (DET)

 

 Graphic Communication

NATIONAL 4 COURSE

 

The Course provides opportunities for learners to gain skills in reading, interpreting, and creating graphic communications. Learners will initiate, develop and communicate ideas graphically. They will develop spatial awareness and visual literacy through graphic experiences. The Course is practical, exploratory and experiential in nature. It combines elements of recognised professional standards for graphic communication partnered with graphic design creativity and visual impact. The Course allows learners to engage with technologies. It allows learners to consider the impact that graphic communication technologies have on our environment and society.

The aims of the Course are to enable learners to:

• Develop skills in graphic communication techniques, including the use of equipment, materials and software
• Extend and apply knowledge and understanding of graphic communication standards, protocols and conventions, where these apply
• Develop an understanding of the impact of graphic communication technologies on our environment and society

 

Course structure

2D Graphic Communication

This Unit helps learners develop their creativity and skills within a 2D graphic communication context. It will allow learners to initiate, develop and communicate ideas using graphic techniques in straightforward and familiar contexts. Learners develop 2D graphic spatial awareness.

3D and Pictorial Graphic Communication

This Unit helps learners develop their creativity and skills within a 3D and pictorial graphic communication context. Again, it will allow learners to initiate, develop and communicate ideas using graphic techniques in straightforward and familiar contexts. They will develop 3D graphic spatial awareness.

 

 

 

NATIONAL 5 COURSE

 

The course provides opportunities for learners to gain skills in reading, interpreting and creating graphic communications. They also learn to apply knowledge and understanding of graphic communication standards, protocols and conventions. The course is practical, exploratory and experiential in nature and combines elements of recognised professional standards for graphic communication, partnered with graphic design creativity and visual impact.

Learners develop

• Skills in graphic communication techniques, including the use of equipment, graphics materials and software
• The ability to extend and apply knowledge and understanding of graphic communication standards, protocols and conventions
• An understanding of the impact of graphic communication technologies on our environment and society

 

Course content

The course develops skills in two main areas.

2D graphic communication

Learners develop creativity and skills within a 2D graphic communication context. They initiate, develop and communicate ideas using graphic techniques in straightforward and familiar contexts, as well as in some less familiar or new contexts. Learners also develop 2D graphic spatial awareness.

3D and pictorial graphic communication

Learners develop creativity and skills within a 3D and pictorial graphic communication context. They initiate, develop and communicate ideas using graphic techniques in straightforward and familiar contexts, as well as in some less familiar or new contexts. Learners also develop 3D graphic spatial awareness.

 

Course assessment structure:

Question paper

• The question paper has one section and gives learners the opportunity to demonstrate skills, knowledge and understanding relating to:
• Graphic items in specific situations
• Manual and electronic methods of graphic communication
• Spatial awareness
• Computer-aided design techniques
• Drawing standards, protocols and conventions
• Use of colours, layout and presentation techniques

 

Assignment

The assignment assesses the ability to apply graphic communication skills and knowledge developed and acquired during the course in the context of defined tasks, which require learners to respond to a problem or situation.

It has three areas:

• Preliminary Graphics
• Production Graphics
• Promotional Graphics.

 

 

 

HIGHER COURSE

 

The course provides opportunities for learners to initiate and develop their own ideas graphically. It allows them to develop skills in reading and interpreting graphics produced by others. Learners continue to develop graphic awareness, often in complex graphic situations, expanding their visual literacy. The course is practical, exploratory and experiential in nature. It combines elements of creativity and communicating for visual impact with elements of protocol and an appreciation of the importance of graphic communication standards.

 

Learners develop:

• Skills in graphic communication techniques, including the use of equipment, graphic materials and software
• Creativity in the production of graphic communications to produce visual impact in meeting a specified purpose
• Skills in evaluating the effectiveness of graphics in communicating and meeting their purpose
• An understanding of graphic communication standards, protocols and conventions, where these apply
• An understanding of the impact of graphic communication technologies on our environment and society

 

The course is suitable for learners with an interest in both digital and paper-based graphic communication. It is largely learner-centred and includes practical and experiential learning opportunities

 

The course develops skills in two main areas — 2D, and 3D and pictorial graphic communication. Learners apply these skills to produce graphics with visual impact that communicate information effectively.

2D graphic communication

Learners develop creativity and presentation skills within a 2D graphic communication context. They initiate, plan, develop and communicate ideas graphically, using 2D graphic techniques. Learners develop skills and attributes including spatial awareness, visual literacy, and the ability to interpret given drawings, diagrams and other graphics. They evaluate the effectiveness of their own and given graphic communications to meet their purpose.

3D and pictorial graphic communication

Learners develop creativity and presentation skills within a 3D and pictorial graphic communication context. They initiate, plan, develop and communicate ideas graphically, using 3D and pictorial graphic techniques. Learners develop a number of skills and attributes including spatial awareness, visual literacy, and the ability to interpret given drawings, diagrams and other graphics. They evaluate the effectiveness of their own and given graphic communications to meet their purpose.

 

Course assessment:

Question paper

The question paper gives learners the opportunity to demonstrate skills, knowledge and understanding relating to the following:

• Computer-aided design techniques
• Interpretation of graphic items
• Digital technology in graphic communication
• Drawing standards, protocols and conventions
• Desktop-publishing features, design elements and principles

 

Assignment

The assignment provides an opportunity for learners to:

• Demonstrate creativity when responding to realistic and contextualised graphic tasks and situations
• Demonstrate skills when using graphic communication technologies to meet a purpose
• Produce relevant preliminary, production and promotional graphic responses to a brief
• Apply illustration and presentation techniques to create graphic responses with relevant visual impact and clear purpose
• Produce 2D and 3D production drawings, applying appropriate standards, protocols and conventions (drawing includes manual or electronic production methodologies); including third-angle projection, dimensioning, line type and using scale
• Produce promotional graphic publications with relevant visual impact, that are planned and designed to meet a market and purpose, with an agreed content and style
• Review, evaluate and justify their decisions on the choice of graphic items and communication techniques employed

 

 

 ADVANCED HIGHER COURSE

 

The course develops learners’ skills in communicating using graphic media, and in interpreting, understanding and critically evaluating graphic media created by others.

 

The course enables learners to:

• Investigate, research and evaluate the commercial contexts of graphic communication
• Understand the impact of advanced graphic communication technologies and activities on our environment and society
• Apply graphic communication design principles and techniques in various commercial contexts
• Use software applications to produce creative, meaningful and effective graphic items and solutions to contextualised problems and challenges
• Creatively apply graphic presentation work and animation techniques in commercial activities
• Learn and think independently

 

The course has two areas of study — technical graphics, and commercial and visual media graphics.

Technical graphics

Learners develop creativity and evaluation skills in technical graphics through manual and electronic-based communication activities. They explore the purpose, application and audience requirements of technical graphics and apply graphic communication skills, knowledge and understanding to plan, produce and evaluate technical graphic techniques and technologies. They also explore the use of detailed 2D and 3D graphics in modelling, graphic visualisation and technical/mechanical animation.

Commercial and visual media graphics

Learners develop skills and techniques to create effective commercial and visual media graphic communications and explore their application in publishing and promotion. Graphic design work is iterative. Learners review, evaluate, amend and present their work, and develop a deep understanding of the needs of the intended audience.

 

Course assessment  

Question paper

Learners gain marks for demonstrating skills, knowledge and understanding relating to:

• Techniques and practices used in technical graphics, and commercial and visual media graphic communications
• Interpreting and justifying graphic communication in terms of purpose and audience needs
• The use and impact of graphic communication technology in the creation of technical graphics, and commercial and visual media graphics
• Graphic communication as it impacts on our environment and society

 

Project  

The project assesses learners’ practical application of knowledge and skills from across the course. It is based on a meaningful and appropriately challenging task and requires learners to develop a solution to an appropriately complex graphic communication task.

It assesses learners’ skills in:

• Identifying opportunities to present solutions to satisfy perceived graphic needs
• Researching markets and audiences
• Producing effective graphic solutions
• Critically evaluating and reporting on the solution and the process