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

4.5
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2,820 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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26 - 50 of 633 Reviews for Introduction to Imagemaking

By Molly B

Jul 8, 2018

I was excited about this class but I felt like it was a little lacking. There were not many videos so I felt like I was not able to learn a ton. I also felt the assignments just felt a little like busy work, basically just copying and pasting the same images. I would have like to have learned a little more detail about actually creating images through video and had a few different, more useful assignments.

By Fides M

Sep 14, 2020

I really loved this course! Not only was it very informative, it was inspiring and challenging. It pushed me to think out of the box and get out of my comfort zone to create images. I am still learning Adobe Illustrator. The projects encouraged me to use and learn Illustrator and In Design in a manner that was relevant to me (compared to just watching video how-to's. I enjoyed the progression of the topics. Every week, the projects became more complex, building up on what we learned in the previous week. I didn't know if I could create a digital book, but I did!

By Hanna L

May 22, 2019

The instructor had such a soothing voice and explained everything very well! The videos were very helpful in showcasing the concepts and providing examples, plus the assignments were super fun!

By Broderick S

Aug 15, 2016

A weaker version of "Fundamentals of Graphic Design" with way too much overlap. It should not be included in the Specialization.

By Alastair T

Sep 28, 2020

Like Gail Swanlund, the instructor, says, you will get a great deal more out of this course if you do the optional assignments. It is basically a studio class about being set free to go make as many types of images as possible. It's not going to teach you taste or discernment, however. I enjoyed the exercises, though I would say that it is often not clear what aspects of the brief are a preference or a suggestion versus a requirement. Read the grading criteria carefully, because they are stricter than you'd think from the generally "go experiment & have fun!" attitude that prevails. Specifically: make sure you do the optional assignment where you make as many of your own images as possible; it will help in the long run.

By Helene C

Dec 4, 2017

By taking this course, you will gain better understanding of how to create an image, manipulate its visual aspects and the meaning it carries. As the title of this course implies, you will be making images from scratch or assembling ready made images that will develop into something else. I personally enjoyed the four weeks sequence. Recommended to novice or intermediate seeking some brushup.

By Valentina D

Feb 16, 2017

Great course! Thanks to the organizers from all my heart! I received a charge of inspiration, learned a lot. Thanks to all the classmates for their feedback and good wishes! It was great to see the works and approaches of others. I was able to realize my old ideas, the course has pushed me to the point to be more focused and self-disciplined. I feel more positive and able! Thank you!

By John M

Nov 11, 2019

This was one of the most enjoyable classes I've taken so far. Gail encouraged me to have fun with the image making process. Learning the different styles of composition was also extremely helpful. I realize peer reviews are an important part of learning, but I would also like to have actual staff/teachers provide feedback and assessments.

By Michelle G

Sep 11, 2017

I have really enjoyed the Introduction to Imagemaking course. It has inspired me to do more visual research and helped me gain a deeper understanding of that process. It has also inspired me to get hands on and generate lots of different images; I feel i have stretched my boundaries in doing this.

By Daria Z

Apr 26, 2017

So far it's been just about 1 week since i have started the course, but I'm really excited, i like the tasks! The course is built in a way that really motivates you to create! After all it's a core goal for the Graphic designer! Keep it up! Let's see what happens next! Good luck to every one!

By Miki A

Nov 1, 2020

This is a strong foundational course for the perceptive student. If you complete the assignments with self-discipline and patience, carefully following both inspiration and practical advice, you will learn a method for creating unique images for your graphic or image-based book design work.

By Julie S

Mar 8, 2019

This course seemed really right brained and artsy - which I guess was the point. I'm used to a lot more structure and instruction. But I really had fun with the course and assignments. I learned a lot about what I could do in imagemaking that I really had never explored before.

By Ferdinand P

Aug 31, 2016

Image-making will let you appreciate how a design is formed. Having finished the course, I look at designs now as more than just a representation of something. I see designs now as art forms, styled to express not only its connotative meaning but its denotative meaning as well.

By Samantha F

Mar 11, 2019

This was a great course. It helped me commit to an idea and follow through with it over the course of th four weeks. It also helped me to think outside the box and not be afraid to start imagemaking from scratch and build on it through practice and experimentation.

By Alice C

May 22, 2020

I had the opportunity to stop for a moment and deepen the different work processes for creating images. I found it interesting to see the same object in different perspectives and make it in totally different ways, to then tell a story with a narrative rhythm.

By Roberto M A

Sep 30, 2018

Excellent course, with a very practical approach and a wonderful strategy of learning by doing. During this course we receive very important knowledge and information about composition, storytelling and techniques of image-making. Simple excellent!

By Muhammad I

Jul 1, 2020

It was a wonderful experience of image-making. It was also the first time I came out from my comfort zone and actually did some design work to my portfolio. Thanks, Coursera, Thanks CALARTS, and thanks to our teachers who made us a visual person.

By Michelle H

Jan 9, 2017

Engaged, passionate and enquiring teachers who produced excellent course materials. Great assessment format with feedback and grading from fellow students. An inspiring course encouraging an experimental and open approach with making images. :D

By Daria D

Oct 18, 2020

This is an excellent course! I took the first three in the series, and in this course I learned the most. The instructor builds the complexity of the subject step by step, so that the student gains a new level of understanding step by step

By Juan C E

Nov 22, 2016

This is an inspiring course, and a challenge to go back to the basics. As I was at college 2 decades ago, this has been a powerful experience of re-discover and put to work my talents and skills. A true turning point in life! Thank you.

By Xiomara C

Jun 23, 2016

You make me work... grab crayons and paint. And that's exactly the kind of things I needed to do to make images, just theory wouldn't make a thing. Very well structured course, the Coursera plattform is amazing!!! (pardon my english)

By luciana a a

Sep 23, 2020

Was very provocative. Instead of long explanations or motivation we were given space to explore ideas, techniques and develop a final assignment that really wraps up all that we produced during the previous weeks.

By Dorcas P

Sep 1, 2019

ME GUSTA BASTANTE ESTE CURSO, YA QUE PODEMOS APRENDER MAS, REALIZAR VARIAS TAREAS O CUESTIONARIOS PARA EJERCITAR NUESTRA MENTE Y SABER QUE FUE LO QUE APRENDIMOS...

YO APRENDÍ MUCHÍSIMO GRACIAS A ESTE CURSO.

By Natalia M

Feb 24, 2017

Really enjoyed this course and it pushed me to think about the application of the design. In this case, I learned a lot about composing spreads for books which was something very new to me.

By rocio g m

Sep 2, 2019

Excelente curso