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Program Standards

Digital Arts Certificate program standards

The goal of the Digital Arts Certificate program is to develop your fundamental technical and creative skills in drawing, composition, and digital illustration. In the program, you will build the technical, creative/visual/expressive and critical foundation that is required of entry-level professional work and beyond.

Launch the slideshow to the left for an interactive overview of the Digital Arts Certificate program standards.

Listed below are the Digital Arts Certificate standards you are expected to meet as a student in the program.

#1 Digital Imaging

Your work will demonstrate entry-level professional Photoshop skills and effective decisions in selecting and editing images. You will be able to improve images for professional publication by retouching and correction, and create realistic or imaginative images by compositing or collage.

#2 Color

You will develop distinctive color palettes based on the principles of color harmony. Your work will exhibit a sophisticated use of color and contrast, the ability to research colors and make choices that are appropriate for each client and project.

#3 Vector Art

You will develop entry-level professional skills in creating vector art illustrations in Illustrator, using shape drawing and freehand drawing/tracing tools, Pen tool, type tools, and basic effects. You will be able to create simple, stylized logos, icons, and illustrations for effective visual communication.

#4 Basic Drawing

You will be able to create basic line drawings using pencil and paper following the principles of perspective and proportion. You will be able to identify and draw positive and negative space in a drawing subject.

#5 Advanced Vector Art

You will develop an expanded range of skills in Illustrator for creating photo-realistic illustrations, complex patterns, and richly illustrated designs. You will be able to use color sampling, meshes, blends, masks, 3D tools, and tiles to create both realistic and stylized artwork.

#6 Intermediate Drawing

You will develop drawing skills that show the ability to analyze a subject, represent realistic form and perspective, manipulate value and color, and reflect contemporary stylistic approaches. Your work will be informed by subject, lighting, color, and media choices.

#7 Vector Illustration

You will be able to create straightforward, clear, balanced, and stylized icons, sequential illustrations, logos, and editorial illustrations using Illustrator's shape tools, freehand drawing tools, and classic illustration techniques. Your work will show an ability to communicate complex graphic and editorial concepts in digital form.

Each Digital Arts Certificate program standard at the foundation of the Digital Arts Certificate program explores a key topic of the program curriculum. Take a tour of course materials to learn how projects and critiques help you meet the standards.