Unit 11 Digital Media in Art and Design

·   Aim

The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ understanding of the scope and potential of digital media in art and design, coupled with the application of skills in and detailed knowledge of, software applications in a specialist pathway.

·   Unit abstract

The aim of this unit is to develop learners skills with digital media, combined with the ability to translate ideas from research and drawings into computer-aided design work and visuals.

Learners should be given the opportunity to develop their in-depth knowledge of software and be able to communicate ideas using a variety of specialist CAD packages.

Learners should broaden their awareness of the benefits of using digital media inside and beyond the remit of art and design. The range of devices and software mentioned is not exhaustive and learners are encouraged to research beyond design applications to gain a broader view.

The aim is to ensure that learners are familiar with a wide range of essential technology and are able to translate these skills into their own work. As technology develops and moves on, learners must be familiar with current software and emerging trends in digital technology.

A creative experimental approach is required to encourage learners to broaden their design work and to understand how digital media can be used in art and design in a variety of situations, eg creating and developing images, using text and images, creating documents, and creating design work, producing professional standard visuals, concept sheets, design work, environments, renders, fly-throughs, storyboards. Learners should be able to use digital media as a tool to produce supporting documents, eg publicity and promotional materials, presentations, professional materials.

·   Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit a learner will:

1. Understand the scope and potential of digital media in art and design
2. Know how to apply and utilise software in specialist pathway
3. Be able to exploit the potential of software applications creatively and effectively
4. Be able to present design work using digital applications.

Unit content

1         Understand the scope and potential of digital media in art and design

Scope: application eg illustration applications, interior design, background, render, CSS, moving image, environments, games levels, database driven, collaborative, reactive, 3D, graphic products, product design, web based design, interactive media, marketing, business administration

Resources: hardware eg, digitising tablet, pressure sensitive stylus, mouse, touch-screen, motion sensor, camera, projector, printer, scanner, hard drive, laser cutter

2           Know how to apply and utilise software in specialist pathway

Software applications: manipulate eg capture, distort, scale, warp, contrast, invert, palette, create swatches, repeat tiles, mask, vector, layer, filter

Digitise: capture eg digital photography, scan

Objects: primary sources eg found objects, natural objects, domestic tools, own work

Image: visuals eg photographs, found images, own visual work, hand-written text, word- processed text

File format: industry standards eg tiff, png, jpeg, gif, pdf, high resolution, low resolution, dpi, pixel size, international paper size, web page, web format, print format

Pathway: specialism eg fine art, fashion, textiles, design, graphics, photography, 3D,craft, art and design management, interior design, product design, manufacturing, printmaking, sculpture, interactive media

3         Be able to exploit the potential of software applications creatively and effectively

Text editing: word processing eg word count, spell checker, grammar checker, formatting styles, font styles, headers and footers, page layout, columns, table, track changes

Image creation: specialist output eg CSS, moving image, environments, games levels, design led, 3D rendering, repeat patterns, freehand files; traditional eg, drawn images, sketches, 3D, photographs

Creative use of software: personal approach eg layering, masking, visual language, personal style, innovation, originality, observation, fluency, confidence

4         Be able to present design work using digital applications

Present visuals: presentation materials eg slide-show, projection, folio, illustration, concept boards, design sheets, orthographic drawings, scale plans, layout, floor-plan, storyboard, render, mock-up; evaluation eg justification, development of ideas, application of software, skills development, communication of intended message, audience feedback, annotation, self-evaluation

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

Learning outcomes   On successful completion of this unit a learner will:	Assessment criteria for pass   The learner can:
LO1 Understand the scope and potential of digital media in art and design	1.1 Research and evaluate the use of digital media in art and design
LO2 Know how to apply and utilise software in specialist pathway	Create complex and original imagery using specialist softwareExploit potential of specialist software
LO3 Be able to exploit the potential of software applications creatively and effectively	Produce creative and effective design work using software applicationPrepare image, graphic and text files for outputProduce a comprehensive portfolio that shows the creative application of specialist software
LO4 Be able to present design work using digital applications	Present visual design workEvaluate the use of digital media in creating successful art and design outputs.

Guidance

Links to National Occupational Standards, other BTEC units, other BTEC qualifications and other relevant units and qualifications

The learning outcomes associated with this unit are closely linked with:

Level 3	Level 4	Level 5
Unit 30: Digital Graphics	Unit 12: 2D, 3D, and Time- based Digital Applications	Unit 37: Digital Image Creation and Development
Unit 35: Digital Graphics for Interactive Media	Unit 13: Multimedia Design and Authoring	Unit 38: 3D Computer Modelling and Animation
Unit 37: 2D Animation Production	Unit 14: Website Design	Unit 3 Employability and professional development

This unit has links to the Level 4 and Level 5 National Occupational Standards for IT and Telecoms Professionals, particularly the areas of competence of:

• Human Computer Interaction/Interface (HCI) Design.

Essential requirements

This unit requires access to computer suites with current software and a range of hardware including scanners, cameras, A3 colour printers and graphic tablets. Access to drawing studios is also necessary to enable learners to translate ideas from drawing to designs. Research tools include the internet, CD ROMs, databases, specialist publications, galleries, exhibitions, questionnaires and interviews with practitioners, software manuals, trend forecasting, graphic design magazines.

Employer engagement and vocational contexts

Off site visits, work experience or visiting speakers related to the concept of digital media in art and design will help to contextualise this unit for learners and see the benefits on their future career aspirations. Competence and fluency with software is a skill that employers will be looking for and which will be useful to learners wishing to work for themselves in the future.

• Marketing – producing publicity materials, keeping databases, producing blogs, advertising
• Business – day to day business administration, finance and budget management
• Design – surface pattern design, fabric design, fine art, 3D design, graphic products, interior design,
• Presentation – creating mood boards, concept boards and presentation images.

Vocational learning support resources:

• Learning and Skills Network.– www.vocationallearning.org.uk Business and finance advice:
• Local, regional business links – www.businesslink.gov.uk.

Assignments should be vocationally relevant; centres should consider the delivery of ‘live projects’ for example to support the vocational content of the unit and programme.