Dear Future Students,

Great choice taking Creative Design Level 1. As a student who took levels 1-3 of the class and TAed for Level 1, I can confidently say you will enjoy the class if you are creative and have interest in designing. Over the course of Level 1, you will learn and get to understand Illustrator, learn fundamental design skills, and get to apply your newly learned skills to both in-class projects and live work contests. You will learn a lot, and if you choose to do so, will learn even more in later levels of the class.

The most important part to have success in the class is make sure you take the time to learn Illustrator and any other software you use, and do your most to fully understand it. They are super important parts of the class but also insanely complicated, so if you are stuck or confused make sure to ask questions. At first it will be challenging, but the more you understand early on, the easier the class will be later. You should go into the class with a growth mindset, as you will need to overcome challenges to get better at designing.

Once you understand the software well, the ability to design well will come much easier. For me, the hardest part was always coming up with ideas for projects. The best piece of advice I can give for this is to always take time to sketch out or play with any idea you have. Even if it doesn’t seem great at first, taking that first step will put you in the right direction so that you can expand and develop your original idea into something you are satisfied with. Trying to stay positive and continuing to work on your designs will always produce something you are proud of.

The majority of time spent in the class is independently working on whatever projects you need to do. Ms. Max will give lessons and clear directions, but it’s up to you to apply what she gives you, use your time efficiently, and create a design. You will receive as much support and direction that you need to succeed, and Ms. Max is super helpful if you need more.

The most important things to remember as you begin the class are to keep a growth and open mindset, ask for help, work efficiently, and put effort into your work. With these steps, I guarantee you will have success in the class and develop into a great designer.

Evan Garvey - Class of 2023