Adobe Visual Design | Roxo's Roundtable

Welcome to Adobe Visual Design I

Welcome! In this course, you’ll explore the exciting world of digital design using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Over the year, you’ll gain practical skills in both programs while creating original designs, learning industry best practices, and preparing to earn Adobe Certified Professional credentials in both applications.

Getting Started

Syllabus

Adobe Photoshop

Ideal for editing and enhancing photos, creating raster-based artwork, and working with detailed images for digital or print media.

Glitch

Students learn the basics of pixels, color, and image resolution. They practice selecting parts of an image, combining colors and textures using blending options and modes, applying effects like halftone patterns, and adding text to their designs.

SWBAT:

Identify pixels, color spaces, color channels, and image resolution.
Select parts of an image using the Selection and Rectangular Marquee tools.
Apply blending options and blending modes to combine colors and textures.
Use the Effects Gallery to add visual effects, such as halftone patterns.
Add and format text within a design.
Combine multiple techniques to create a cohesive visual composition.

Advanced Selections-
Color Range & Masking

Students learn how to select softer, less defined shapes—like smoke—using the Color Range tool. They practice changing colors with Hue/Saturation adjustment layers and use layer masks to control which parts of the image are affected. Students also work with sharper shapes, like clothing, to compare how different types of selections require different techniques.

SWBAT:

Use Select → Color Range to select soft-edged shapes such as smoke.
Apply Hue/Saturation adjustment layers to change the color of selected areas.
Use layer masks to hide unwanted color changes and keep certain areas untouched.
Select hard-edged shapes with more precision to compare selection techniques.
Paint on layer masks to refine which parts of the image are adjusted.
Combine multiple selection and masking tools to create controlled, polished effects.

Selections- Mountain Composite

Students learn how to make precise selections to combine multiple images into one composition. They practice selecting and masking parts of images, layering multiple photos in the correct order, and blending elements together using gradients. Students also learn to move and position objects to create depth and balance in their designs.

SWBAT:

Use the Quick Selection and Elliptical Marquee tools to make accurate selections.
Add to or subtract from selections to refine chosen areas.
Apply layer masks to hide or reveal parts of an image.
Arrange layers in the correct stack order to control which elements appear on top.
Create and apply gradients to blend images together.
Place and position objects to create depth and a cohesive composition.
Combine multiple images into a single, polished visual design.

Digital Painting- Phone Lockscreen

Students design a custom phone lockscreen while learning the basics of digital painting and non-destructive editing. They create a landscape using simple drawing tools, placing each element on its own layer to practice organizing and moving objects. Students first work in monochrome to explore value, then learn about hue, saturation, brightness, and color harmonies. They recolor their artwork using a chosen 2–3 hue harmony and follow common color-balance methods like 80/20 or 60/30/10. Advanced students add extra details or gradients. The final artwork is exported and set as their actual phone lockscreen.

SWBAT:

Create a phone-sized artboard for a digital lockscreen design.
Draw landscape elements using the Pencil and Paint Bucket tools.
Use separate layers to organize, move, and adjust individual parts of a design.
Work in monochrome to understand value before applying color.
Identify hue, saturation, brightness, and basic color harmonies.
Recolor artwork using a 2–3 hue color harmony and balance colors using the 80/20 or 60/30/10 method.
Add optional details and gradients to enhance the final design.
Export artwork as a JPG and set it as a phone lockscreen.

Monster Trading Card

Students create a Halloween-inspired artist trading card featuring a family-friendly gothic monster illustrated in 3/4 view. They continue practicing non-destructive editing by sketching, inking, coloring, and shading on separate layers. Students begin with a proportional sketch, then create a clean inked layer using varied line weights (thicker for large/closer shapes, thinner for small/distant details). They fill shapes with flat color using the paint bucket, then apply Rembrandt-style shading on a clipped layer using a hard brush. To finish, students build a glowing “neon” frame using layer effects and add the monster’s name in a label. The final card is exported at 2.5" × 3" at 300 ppi, the standard trading-card size.

SWBAT:

SWBAT illustrate a character in accurate 3/4 view using proportion and exaggeration.
SWBAT apply non-destructive editing by organizing sketch, ink, color, and shading on separate layers.
SWBAT use varied line weights to show depth and visual hierarchy in a digital illustration.
SWBAT apply flat color and clipped-layer Rembrandt shading to create form and contrast.
SWBAT use layer effects (inner/outer glow) to create a neon-style frame.
SWBAT export artwork at a precise print size and resolution.

Color

Identify pixels, color spaces, color channels, and image resolution.
Select parts of an image using the Selection and Rectangular Marquee tools.
Apply blending options and blending modes to combine colors and textures.
Use the Effects Gallery to add visual effects, such as halftone patterns.
Add and format text within a design.
Combine multiple techniques to create a cohesive visual composition.

Custom Brushes- Cityscape

Students learn to create custom brushes in Photoshop and apply them to build a dynamic cityscape. They start by designing simple rectangle brushes for building shapes and windows, adjusting settings such as fade, spacing, and texture. Students create multiple brush presets, including textured versions that mimic variation in window lights, and even eraser brushes for editing. Using these brushes, they design buildings in perspective, add textures to city streets, and apply glow effects, light beams, and blending modes to create atmosphere. The final cityscape is exported as a JPEG.

SWBAT:

SWBAT create custom brushes with specific shapes, spacing, and texture.
SWBAT adjust brush settings, including fade, transfer, and dual brush effects.
SWBAT use custom brushes to design buildings, windows, and city textures.
SWBAT apply perspective using free transform and distort tools.
SWBAT add lighting effects using blending modes, outer glow, and light beams.
SWBAT combine multiple techniques to produce a cohesive cityscape.
SWBAT export finished artwork as a high-quality JPEG.

Adobe Illustrator

Perfect for creating vector graphics, logos, illustrations, and designs that can scale to any size without losing quality.

Monoline Badge

In this introductory Illustrator unit, students create a monoline badge—a simple, clean design made from lines and basic shapes. While following step-by-step instructions, they learn essential Illustrator tools and workflows. This project helps students get comfortable navigating Illustrator and understanding how vector graphics work.

SWBAT

SWBAT navigate the Illustrator workspace and identify core panels and tools.
SWBAT create lines and shapes using the Line Segment and Shape Tools.
SWBAT use alignment tools to evenly position and center design elements.
SWBAT cut paths using the Scissors Tool.
SWBAT duplicate shapes to maintain consistent design structure.
SWBAT combine and edit shapes using Pathfinder options and the Shape Builder Tool.
SWBAT complete a monoline badge using non-destructive vector editing techniques.

Kawaii Sticker

Students design a Kawaii-style sticker of a food item using Illustrator. They create shapes with the Shape Builder Tool and drawing tools, adding visual interest through exaggeration, texture, expression, and shading. Students apply a color harmony, thick and thin strokes, and a white sticker border with an outer gray outline. The artwork is resized to a sticker-sized artboard and exported as SVG for submission and PNG for portfolio use.

SWBAT

SWBAT create food-themed illustrations with expressive faces.
SWBAT use the Shape Builder and drawing tools to build cohesive designs.
SWBAT apply exaggeration, texture, shading, and line variation to add visual interest.
SWBAT use consistent color harmony to enhance the design.
SWBAT add a thick white outline and outer gray stroke to mimic a sticker border.
SWBAT resize artwork to a specific artboard and prepare it for export.
SWBAT export their work as SVG and PNG for submission and portfolio purposes.

Hot Sauce Label Design

Students design a custom hot sauce label in groups, combining a specific artistic style with a Latin American-inspired theme. Each group follows one of four creative directions:

Low-Poly Animal (endangered species)
Medieval Stained Glass (Aztec or Mayan myth)
Saturday Morning Cartoon (Latin American festival)
Studio Ghibli-Style Portrait (famous Latin American celebrity)

The project has three main phases:

Moodboard: Groups complete a template to plan the overall look, style, and theme of their hot sauce line, coordinating each member’s contributions.
Label Illustration: Students design the front artwork for their hot sauce label, applying their chosen style and theme.
Text Design: Students create typography that complements their artwork and maintains visual consistency.
Final Label: Students expand their design to fit a full label template for a hot sauce bottle, including nutritional facts, barcode, ingredients, hotness infographic, and fun facts relevant to their theme.

This project combines illustration, typography, and packaging design to produce a professional, cohesive label that reflects the group’s chosen style and theme.

SWBAT

SWBAT collaborate in a group to plan and coordinate a cohesive visual design.
SWBAT research and interpret a chosen artistic style and theme.
SWBAT create original illustrations in Illustrator consistent with a style and theme.
SWBAT design and integrate typography that complements their visual artwork.
SWBAT incorporate functional packaging elements (nutritional facts, barcode, hotness scale, etc.) into a label layout.
SWBAT assemble all components into a final, printable label design.

Create Your Own Badge

Students design a nature-themed monoline badge using Adobe Illustrator, applying consistent stroke weight, rounded caps, and curved text. They build shapes with the Line Segment and Shape Tools, refine their design with Pathfinder, Scissors, and alignment tools, and use the circular template to create a balanced composition. The final badge is exported as an SVG with organized, labeled layers.

SWBAT

SWBAT design a nature-themed monoline badge using consistent stroke weight.
SWBAT apply round caps and round corners for cohesive line styling.
SWBAT create curved text using the Type on a Path Tool.
SWBAT use Shape Tools, Line Segment Tool, and alignment features to build a balanced composition.
SWBAT modify shapes using Pathfinder and Scissors Tools.
SWBAT organize artwork using labeled layers and proper Illustrator workflow.
SWBAT export a scalable SVG file for digital use.

Ocean Brush Design-
Art Brush & Scatter Brush

Students create custom Art and Scatter Brushes in Illustrator following a guided tutorial. They apply these brushes to design an 8" × 10", 300 ppi image that is visually appealing and demonstrates creative use of brush effects. The project emphasizes brush creation, application, and design composition while reinforcing Illustrator workflow skills.

SWBAT

SWBAT create custom Art Brushes and Scatter Brushes in Illustrator.
SWBAT apply brushes to enhance line work and design elements.
SWBAT design a visually balanced 8" × 10" composition.
SWBAT adjust brush settings for size, spacing, and orientation to achieve desired effects.
SWBAT organize layers and elements for a clean, editable Illustrator file.
SWBAT export final artwork at 300 ppi for high-quality output.

chelsy, kildare-Scatter brush (1)-01.jpg

Home & Garden Illustration-
Pattern Brush

Students create custom Pattern Brushes in Illustrator following a guided tutorial. They design a picket fence and a flower with petals wrapping around a circle using pattern brushes. Students then combine these elements with a simple home built from shape tools to create a visually appealing composition. The final artwork is completed at 1000 × 1000 px.

SWBAT

SWBAT create and apply Pattern Brushes in Illustrator.
SWBAT design repeating elements, such as fences and floral patterns, using pattern brushes.
SWBAT combine multiple shapes and elements to create a balanced composition.
SWBAT use shape tools to build objects like homes or other structures.
SWBAT arrange elements for visual appeal and coherence.
SWBAT export artwork at the required size of 1000 × 1000 px.