College Computer Courses Promote Creativity
Two Columbia College computer courses offer training in how to produce attractive and visually appealing newsletters, brochures, flyers, logos and more. The spring semester classes combine the techniques of computer graphics with desktop publishing.
Desktop Publishing I (Art 51/ Cmpsc 31/Oftec 42) and II (Art 52/Cmpsc 32/Oftec 43) are three-unit courses, which will be taught at the Advanced Technology Training Center (ATTC) in East Sonora on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:40 to 9:05 p.m. Instructor Gail Segerstrom will provide the basics of graphic design theory as building blocks for better publication layouts. Adobe Systems´ InDesign will be used for layout applications.
Conceptual thinking, mastery of the application through workbook practice, and student projects will be covered. Segerstrom, who holds a fine art degree from Stanford University, has 30 years of experience in the graphic arts field. She spent ten years in New York City, designing and art directing magazines.
If you´re interested in learning how to prepare images for printing, enroll in Kath Christensen´s Digital Darkroom (Art 47B) class, which will be held in Sequoia 8 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Christensen has been a graphic designer for more than 25 years and has a master´s degree in visual communications from CalArts. Her two-unit class focuses on digital darkroom techniques by using Adobe Photoshop 7 to edit images. Through practical exercises and personal projects, students will learn skills to visually express their own work.
The course will cover Photoshop tools and functionality, overall color correction, selection and layer techniques, channels, use of the pen tool, restoration techniques, composition of multiple images with layers, combining bracketed photos, and painting on photos. These computer courses require a $20 materials fee. The Columbia
College spring semester starts on Jan. 12 and students can register now online at www.gocolumbia.org, by touch-tone phone at 536-5400, or in person at the college´s Admissions & Records Office (588-5231 or 5233).
