Digital Art & Design Capstone

Course Description:

This course is a capstone experience focusing on digital media and design through the lenses of academic research, as well as practical, career-focused learning and portfolio development. Students will develop their own vision and mission statements as well as engage in career pathway exploration and reflection process. A culminating project will allow students to integrate their learning into a the development of a comprehensive design portfolio that includes discussion of their design and creative processes.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this capstone, the student will be able to:

1. 1. Integrate technical proficiency in digital painting, web publishing, and storytelling into a cohesive, professional-grade culminating project.

   2. Articulate Creative Philosophy

      •  Define a personal artistic vision and mission statement that reflects an understanding of the ethics and history of digital media.

   3. Strategic Career Mapping: 

      • Identify and research specific career pathways within the digital art and design industry, aligning personal skills with market demands.

   4. Execute Professional Portfolio Development: 

      • Conduct comprehensive research that contextualizes their creative work within contemporary digital art theories and methods.

      • Curate and document a comprehensive design portfolio that demonstrates both the final output and the iterative creative process.

Course Outline:

The 8-Week Capstone Experience

Module 1: Vision & Identity

• Focus: Reflection and Mission.

• Activity: Look back at the "Foundations" and "Art History" courses to identify recurring themes in your work. Draft a personal Artist Mission Statement.

Module 2: Career Pathway Exploration

• Focus: Industry Mapping.

• Activity: Research three distinct career paths (e.g., UI/UX Designer, Digital Illustrator, Content Strategist) based on your Digital Comm and Web Publishing background.

• Focus: Contextualizing your work.

• Activity: Begin the "Comprehensive Research Study." Select a problem or theme that bridges your artistic interests with your chosen career path.

Module 4: Portfolio Audit & Curation

• Focus: Selection and Gap Analysis.

• Activity: Review your work from before starting at Empire and any other work from "Digital Painting," "Illustration," and "Microfiction." Select your strongest pieces and identify if any new work is needed to "fill the gaps."

Module 5: Project Development & Process Documentation

• Focus: Showing the "How."

• Activity: Start the culminating design portfolio. Document your creative process—sketches, iterations, and ethical considerations—to provide the "behind-the-scenes" narrative for your portfolio. This can be a video, narrative, or series of graphics.

Module 6: Digital Portfolio

• Focus: The Portfolio Platform.

• Activity: Using your design skills and career goals, begin building or refining your professional portfolio. Focus on user experience and clear navigation if you are using a website.