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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Introduction to Imagemaking by California Institute of the Arts

4.5
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2,885 ratings

About the Course

This course for serious makers, and for students new to imagemaking. Imagemaking is a fluid and exciting area of graphic design that comes out of practice and process: experimenting fearlessly, showing and sharing ideas, and giving and receiving knowledgeable and constructive input. For the sake of this online platform, we have applied some structure to our investigations, but for the most part imagemaking is loose and unstructured. If we must adopt a rule in this course it is only this: you will not become a graphic designer by watching videos alone. Or, don't just make stuff just in your head. So here, the focus here is on making, and you are expected to devote serious time and intellectual energy to that activity in this course. Specifically, you will: - experiment with a range of materials and techniques to make images for graphic design - expand your visual vocabulary both in terms of making and talking about work, in order to discuss your work and work of others - learn how to make, manipulate and arrange images to create compositions, eventually culminating in the design and production of an-image-based book. The first half of the course is an opportunity to experiment and explore imagemaking in order to expand your visual vocabulary. You will create pieces that are expressive, meditative, or 'design-y' to instigate, evoke, experiment, record, explain, or try out a media. In the second two weeks, we’ll invite the images to deliberately and intentionally carry meaning and communication through relational moves like juxtaposition, composition, and context. We’ll look at developing and expanding the range of approaches for putting things together by composing page spreads with your images. Since nothing exists without context, we look at how to intentionally drive the image’s connotations, meanings, and associations generated through elements of composition and “visual contrasts.” Ultimately, we will take the images that you create and make a book from them. The results of your assignments (and experiments) may generate something completely unknowable now or in the future—and that's the goal....

Top reviews

LC

Oct 8, 2017

I'm so happy i did this course. Gail, you're amazing and you made my imagination go wild with just your words. I can see you love your craft and that's very inspiring. Enjoyed this course all the way!

TA

May 22, 2023

In fact i am very much glad for this because before taking this course, i know nothing about Indesign but i can now use it and more, Thank you for this financial aid opportunities, Blessings coursera

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101 - 125 of 644 Reviews for Introduction to Imagemaking

By Trang P

May 17, 2016

I really enjoyed the assignments! Her videos were different from the other two courses in the Specialization, and I enjoyed that! I loved that I could see her process so that I could attempt on my own. Highly recommended class!

By jose l t o

Feb 23, 2024

It was a great tour of these incredible courses, despite not being at the university or having the teachers nearby, it feels great how all the classes become tools that can be used at any time. thanks to calArt and coursera :3

By Suzanne A V

Nov 8, 2020

This course has given me an appreciation and depth of understanding for the varied ways of image making. I found this course to be the most challenging for me, but the lecturers made the topic easy to understand and digest.

By Giovanni F

Mar 7, 2017

Exellent lectures and assignments. You will learn about how to compose page spreads for illustrated books by composing two or more images, experimenting with shapes, colors, sizes, negative space, foreground vs background.

By Bonnie K

Sep 30, 2021

I learned a lot in this course. The teacher is fantastic and I just really enjoyed doing all of the assignments. I looked forward to it after work and am very happy both professionally and personally with the experience.

By Pratima P

Apr 19, 2021

Course contents are good for learning image making ,real efforts required to complete the course ,well structured course ,thank you for all the Mentors and guides for the course and peers too for grading . Thank you all

By Abhilash

Dec 24, 2016

Image making is the focus of this course.If you love making images you will love this.Not much theory but all the more making.Assignments needs a bit more time and thought than the other courses in the specialization.

By Lujaïn D

May 27, 2016

I loved LOVED this course and really enjoyed it. though I didn't see the last feedback from other students on my final project (Bookishness) and it is locked now... However, It is an amazing course and very useful!

By resta a

Feb 22, 2021

I got a lot of skills from this course, assessing works of art observing every little thing from a work of art, learning the composition of space, scale, figure / ground to practicing it into a digital book

By Abdullah A R S

Aug 30, 2021

Very useful course. Puts you to practice just like as an artist. I learned a lot and feel encouraged to continue. I can see you love your craft and that's very inspiring. Enjoyed this course all the way!

By Georgina P

Nov 28, 2016

Graphic degsing is about relation between images and the spece where they are. I think this course is a grate conector which explains the main conexions and relationships of the components of an image.

By David E B P

Feb 17, 2017

Useful and playful. I like the idea of having from the computer the inspiration to take paper and draw, and create things :)I would add some extra links or inspirational videos to enrich the experience

By Nina B

Jul 8, 2016

I am running out of words to describe how much I loved taking this class and those in conjunction with it. I'll be a little sad when it's over and I'm taking the last course. There is a true connection

By Temitayo A

May 23, 2023

In fact i am very much glad for this because before taking this course, i know nothing about Indesign but i can now use it and more, Thank you for this financial aid opportunities, Blessings coursera

By Estrella C S

Jun 24, 2017

Me ha encantado hacer este curso. Ayuda mucho a comprender mejor la utilización y la composición de imágenes. Me ha sido muy practico y de un gran valor para mis propias creaciones . Muchas gracias.

By Filipe A

Sep 26, 2018

I recommend this course to all future designers, art lovers and also for more experienced people to step a bit outside the box and have the freedom to take mistakes and take new perspectives.

By Arjun M

Jun 21, 2024

An active course that will give you the push you need. It'll make you take action rather than overthinking things. You'll naturally gain the urge the revisit your work and improve it too.

By Tristan

Feb 28, 2018

This course is more self-driven than others I have done on Coursera, but if you are open to exploring different techniques for yourself it is a great course providing a creative stimulus.

By Ana F

Oct 9, 2016

I really loved this course. Useful information presented in an attractive format. Hands on approach. It opened my mind regarding a lot of possible applications in different areas of life.

By Huzaifa E A A

Jan 15, 2020

harder than other courses of the specialization which makes it more important and valuable, I didn't know about designing images but now i'm confident I can make cool designs with images

By Sasha M

Jan 25, 2021

Unexpectedly difficult, full of discoveries, and surprisingly useful course. Many thanks @Gail Swanlund - I wish I could take a 'live' book- and image-making course with her. Thanks!

By Marina T

Dec 5, 2021

This course helped me explore and try different ways to create a composition. It was a great experience, and I'll bring what I learned for my personal/professional further projects.

By Stephen M H

Sep 8, 2020

The pacing of the course was just right, the instructor was knowledgeable, and the presentation of the subject matter was very pleasant, due to Gail Swanlund's easy-going demeanor.

By Lauren F

Mar 13, 2022

This class really helped me get familiar with the process of design, I loved especially getting to see other students work as well as researching my subject for the final project.

By Regina J

Jun 13, 2020

I did not take the courses in order so this was the last course I too. I like that it had fewer lectures and more hands-on activities. I even learned about a different website.