Hello, My name is Jose Rodriguez. This will be my 22nd year here at the Villages High School. I'm a US Army Veteran with an extensive Graphic Design, and Fine Arts background. I have over 30 years of industry experience in both. My career in the arts started when I was a child. It became my passion, and my career. My favorite class in high school was art. After the military, I was a billboard/sign painter before the industry went digital. I then was a graphic designer for a company that made signs, banners, and any form of advertising products for expo shows. My wife, Terry, and I opened up our own Signs, Screen Printing, and Embroidery business which has survived the test of time going on 30 years in Marion County. I am eager to share my experiences/knowledge of this ever growing industry with my students today, and in years to come.
Communications Technology, also known as Graphic Arts. Graphic Arts is the process of combining text and graphics in order to communicate an effective message. This form of communications is demonstrated by designing company logos, graphics, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, and any other type of visual communications.
Here students have at their fingertips the latest equipment needed to design, and print t-shirts, signs, graphics, logos, ads and much more by using our state-of-the-art desktop publishing software developed by Adobe.
In addition to all the real world design processes, all of our graphic arts students are required to take an Adobe Certification Exam at the end of their course. Our students also have valuable online resources such as Gmetrix.net and ACATestprep.com, which are the industries online leaders for preparing students for the (ACA) Adobe Certified Associate Exam. Each Student can also receive college credit for each passing certification through the American Council on Education (ACE)
This course is the beginning phase to all the other courses. Graphic Arts I Students will be learning how to use Adobe Illustrator for the first semester, and Adobe Photoshop the second semester.
Adobe Illustrator is a vector based drawing application. It is used to design company logos, business cards, flyers, brochures, t-shirt designs, decals, and much more!
Adobe Photoshop is a photo editing pixel based application software also used to design full color flyers, business cards, and to edit photos to enhance them.
Click here for the -->> G.A. I Syllabus:
This course is the advanced phase of Graphic Arts Graphic Arts II & III Students will be mastering the use Adobe Illustrator for the first semester, and Adobe Photoshop the second semester. They are already familiar with the softwares from their Junior level only this time they will be more proficient in using them. Our students are also helping our graphic arts dept. with graphic design requests from our schools, and are acquiring real world skills in the graphics industry.
Adobe Illustrator is a vector based drawing application. It is used to design company logos, business cards, flyers, brochures, t-shirt designs, decals, and much more!
Adobe Photoshop is a photo editing pixel based application software also used to design full color flyers, business cards, and to edit photos to enhance them.
Click here for the -->> G.A. II & III Syllabus
This course is new this year (2025). The whole idea is to help students get a understanding as to what Graphic Arts is all about if they choose that path in their Junior and Senior years. For the Commercial Art class we will be using Adobe Express. Adobe Express is a user-friendly, all-in-one content creation tool from Adobe that will allows users to design various visual assets like social media posts, flyers, logos, and so much more.
In conjunction with the use of Adobe Express, student will be able to use Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop to help with a particular task when needed.
By the end of the school year, Adobe Express students will also have a chance to take a certification exam in Adobe Express.
Academy Shirts
16 GB (minimum) Flash Drive
Headphones or earbuds to plug into their computer (no wireless)
Optional: Hand sanitizer, Clorox Wipes, or any other disinfectant products. PI time will be given for these
Jose Rodriguez
email: Jose.Rodriguez@TVCS.org
Phone: (352) 259-3777 ext. 25129