Graphic Design and Multimedia Design

Bachelor’s Programme

The programme in Graphic Design and Multimedia (GDM) trains professionals capable of responding to the challenges of an ever-evolving market, in an independent, innovative and creative way, in the areas of graphic communication and multimedia design; editorial design, packaging, typography, art direction, branding, illustration, web design, information design for cinema, television and new media, multimedia interface design, programmer and developer for mobile media and timebased media.

Programme Coordinator

Aprígio Luís Moreira Morgado
aprigio.morgado@ipleiria.pt

Reference

D 9729 / PL 8126

School

Arts and Design

City

Caldas da Rainha

Language

Portuguese

Type

Evening, Morning & Afternoon

Length

6 Semesters

Vacancies

General contingent (Morning & Afternoon): 75
General contingent (Evening): 30
International student contingent (Morning & Afternoon): 4
International student contingent (Evening): 1

DGES certification

Link to Registration

Objectives

Programme

Enable the graduate to know the different conditions (technical, material and human) to solve a design problem and prepare him to integrate them in an autonomous, entrepreneurial and enlightened way in a project, in a direct or cooperative way.

Field of Study
Architecture, Fine Arts and Design

Study Plan

ECTS: 180

1st Year | GDM
2. Year | GDM
3. Year | GDM
3. Year | GDM | Final Project Track
3. Year | GDM | Integrated Project in Company Track

1st Year | GDM
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Project 1	S1	12	120 h
C1. Form/Function C1.1. Interpretation and decoding C1.2. Meanings and creation (ambiguity and adequacy) C2. Methodology C2.1. Design Process (understand, research, idealize, formalize) C3. Composition. Abstraction and Figuration Visual elements of communication (point, line, shape, direction, tone, colour, texture, scale, movement) C3.2. Visual communication techniques. Dichotomy of concepts C3.3. Theory of Form / Gestalt C3.4. Visual elements organization (structure, weight, hierarchy, scale, format, balance, contrast, movement) C3.5 Elements combination (multiply, increase, decrease, invert, rotate) C4. Colour C4.1. Physics and components of colour (hue, lightness, saturation and temperature). C4.2 Colour systems: RGB (additive synthesis), CMYK (subtractive synthesis), Hexadecimal (numeral system) C4.3 Chromatic circle (primary, secondary and complementary colours), chromatic contrasts and interaction of colours C4.4 Symbology of colour C5. Introduction to the development of Signs C5.1. syntactic, semantic and pragmatic C5.2. formal attributes, structure, simplification C5.3 Family of objects C 6. Introduction to the creation of Movement C6.1. Cut out and frame by frame C6.2. Visual relationship of elements in space and coordination of movement C6.3. Digital storytelling C7. Typographic Expressiveness C7.1. Shape, contrast, body size C7.2 Meaning, expressivity and semantic reinforcement
	Drawing (GDM)	S1	6	60 h
C1. Drawing as an instrument of perception and communication C1.1. The Drawing functions C1.2. Drawing materials, instruments and media C2. Representation Systems C2.1. Observation drawing – analysis and representation C2.2. The contour drawing and the spot drawing C2.3. the tonal values in drawing and the study of volume C2.4. the importance of visual framing. The Composition C3. From two-dimensional to three-dimensional C3.1. The study of space and depth Axonometric perspectives Conic perspectives C4. Modes of Representation and Narrative Design C4.1. Time in Drawing C4.2. Body, Gesture, Space C4.3. Analogies between traditional drawing and computer mediated drawing C4.4. the graphic diary and the importance of continuous drawing practice
	Typography 1	S1	3	45 h
C1. Introduction to Typography C1.1 What is Typography; C1.2. Typography and visual communication; C1.3. The Latin Alphabet; C1.4. A Brief History of Typography. C2. Character Representation C2.1. Written letterforms; C2.1.1. Western writing utensils: nibs and nib-points; C2.1.2. Types of construction: interrupted and continuous;; C2.1.3. Types of contrast: translation, rotation and expansion; C2.1.4. Historical Calligraphic Models C2.2. The Drawing Letterforms; C2.1 Tools and Techniques C3. Printed Letterforms C3.1. Anatomy of typefaces; C3.2 Upper and Lowercase; C3.3. Contrast and Stress; C3.4 Size, Weight; C3.5. Proportion; C3.6 Typeface Classification; C3.7 Shape and Counter. C3.8. Metal type vs Digital type; C3.9. Typographic Measures
	Design Thinking	S1	3	45 h
C1. What kind of activity is Design? C1.1 What is enlightenment? C1.1.1. The thought of Design: autonomous, free, public. C1.2. The object of Design: how to analyse? C2. Thought within the framework of design theory. C2.1 Stages of the design project. C2.1.1. From linear and individual approach to iterative and collaborative approach. C2.2 Characterization of the notions of process, project and design methodology. C2.2.1. Proposed guidelines for critical thinking to apply in design practice: the articulation of triad, methodology, project and process. C3. Research and experimentation in design practice. Planning research as a form of experimentation. Interpreting and understanding the Design problem as an indeterminate problem. C4. Is Design a ‘black box’? C4.1. Vilém Flusser’s thought, the impact of language and technique in contemporary life.
	Image Lab	S1	6	60 h
C1. Introduction; C1.1 Types of images; C1.2 Color Modes; C1.3 File Formats; C2. Image Capture; C2.1 Fundamentals of operating a digital camera: diaphragm, shutter, ISO sensitivity, photometer, histogram, depth of field, file quality, color temperature of light, types of lenses; C3. Bitmap image and post-production of digital photography; C3.1. Selection, Transformation, Retouching and Painting tools; C3.2. Layers, channels, adjustments and styles; C3.3 Masks; C3.4. Smart object; C3.5 Text; C3.6 Levels, curves; C3.7. colour balance; C3.8 Hue and saturation. C3.9 Resizing files; C4. Vector image; C4.1. layers; C4.2 Creating and Editing Basic Shapes (open and closed); C4.3 Fill and stroke; C4.4. Composite segment; C4.4 Styles and Swatches; C4.5. masks and blends; C4.6. text.
	Project 2	S2	12	120 h
C1. The Brand; C1.1. Brand and Brand Identity; C1.2. Meaning, vision, values, differentiation, coherence and flexibility; C1.3. Brand Architecture; C1.4. Verbal Representation of the Brand; C1.5. Visual Language of the Brand; C1.5.1. Basic and complementary elements; C1.5.2. Brand types; C1.6. Sound Branding; C1.7. Brand Animation; C2. Applications: C2.1. signatures; C2.2. declinations; C2.3. stationary; C2.4; C2.4. website; C2.5; C2.5. social networks; C3. Graphic Standards Manual: C3.1. Graphic shapes; C3.2; Construction grid; C3.3. Typography; C3.4 Colors; C3.5. Application to backgrounds; C3.6 Safety area; C3.7. minimum size; C4. Presentation of brand identity.
	Illustration	S2	6	60 h
C1. Scientific Illustration; C1.1 Visual and graphic references for scientific illustration; C1.2. traditional techniques of scientific illustration; C1.3. The creation of scientific illustration; C2. Editorial Illustration; C2.1. visual and graphic references of editorial illustration; C2.2. narrative and picture books; C2.3. illustration for newspapers, books, magazines; C2.4. techniques; C2.5. The creation of an illustrated book; C3. Illustration and Persuasion; C3.1. visual and graphic references of persuasion illustration; C3.1. The poster as an object of promotion; C3.2. illustration in the creation of a poster; C3.3. techniques; C3.4. the creation of illustration for poster; C4. Illustration and Identity; C4.1. Visual and graphic references for illustration and identity; C4.2. The creation of an illustration capable of assigning identity.
	Typography 2	S2	3	45 h
C1. Microtypography; C1.1 Readability and legibility. C1.2 Notions of Color and Texture C1.3 Relationships of microtypography; C1.4 Relations between macro and microtypography; C1.5 Opentype features C1.6 Optical Scales C1.7 H&J’s; C1.8 Paragraphs; C2. Printed Publications; C2.1 Format: proportion and size; C2.2 Construction of the type area; C2.3 Layout; C2.4 Grids; C2.5 Typographic Hierarchies; C2.6 Preliminary, textual and post-textual elements C3. Digital Publications; C3.1 Fixed, fluid and adaptive formats; C3.2 Typography for screen; C3.3; Digital Formats; C3.4 Interactivity; C3.5. Production.
	Visual Culture Practices	S2	3	45 h
C1. Visual culture, design and a complex world to ‘design’; C1.1. What is meant by “visual culture”: brief fundamentals; C1.2. Graphic Design and contemporary visual culture: analysis of practices; C2. Visual culture as way(s) of seeing the world; Visual representation and identity policies; C2.2; Design, visual culture and power: contemporary challenges; C3. Remixed visual culture; C3.1. Performative aspects of networked visual communication; Visual culture and connectivity: participatory practices; C4. Visual culture in debate; C4.1 Forum for collective presentation of results and critical discussion.
	Audiovisual Lab	S2	6	60 h
C1. Video cameras operation: constituent elements and basic functions; C2. The principle of cinema under the sign of the plane-sequence. The plan as a composition of the forms of the physical world, transfigured by the videographic device; C3. Basic elements of the composition of the video image. The attention to the frame: control of light, colour, camera movement and characters, through the practice of audiovisual composition and experimental recognition of its effects; C4. The sound in audiovisual: direct sound capture, Foley and audio post-production; C5. From the single plan to the montage. The classic planning and articulation of points of view. Structure and Mise-en-scéne; C6. The practice of montage as composition of the structure and work of continuity and discontinuity time; C7. Narrative structures, their differences and implications.

2. Year | GDM
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Project 3	S1	12	120 h
C1. Forms of Editorial Design: books and periodicals, printed and digital and other special formats; C2. Creation of a communication concept; C3. Anatomy of a publication; C3.1 Identity and visual expression; C3.2. formats, size and context of usage C3.3. Cover C3.3. The inside pages; C4. Layout components; C4.1. Layout; C4.2. Visual hierarchy; C4.3. Image – illustration, photography and animated image; C4.4 Relations between image and typography; C5. Mockup; C6. Digital publications; C6.1 Navigation, interactivity and accessibility; C6.2 Iconography; C6.3. Style guides and components; C6.4. Interactive prototype; C6.5. Usability tests and accessibility tests.
	Motion Design	S1	6	60 h
C1. Fundamentals of motion graphics; C2. Storyboard and Animatic for digital animation; C3. Analysis of different case studies; C4. Introduction to the work environment; C5. Creation and manipulation of graphic and typographic elements; C6. Visual composition; C7. Timeline, expression and parameters; C8. Digital and procedural animation techniques; C9. Cameras and lighting; C10. Rendering and exporting in different formats; C11. Presentation of digital animation.
	Design Stories	S1	3	45 h
C1. History and culture of Design; C1.1 Modern assumptions of design; C1.1.1. science and objectivity; economy; industrialization; C1.2 Major currents in the History of Design; C1.2.1 Romanticism and subjectivity; C1.2.1.1. Image: color, aesthetic experience, language; C1.2.1.2. Expression: from avant-garde to Bauhaus; C1.2.2 Functionalism: from objectivity to information; C1.2.3 Styling and the image society; C2. Graphism and Typography in History; C2.1. The graphism as an inscription and its evolution; C2.1.2. From oral culture to typography; C2.1.2. techniques of engraving and printing; C2.2. Typography and Modernity; C2.2.1. Renaissance: the printing in the dissemination of knowledge; C2.2.2. Gutenberg; C2.2.3. The typographic design; C2.2.4. The codification of the book; C2.2.5. the industrial typography; C3. History of Graphic Design; C3.1. From ‘graphic arts’ to design (1890-1914); C3.2. The Vanguards and Modernism I (1914-1940); C3.2.1. National trends until 1940; C3.2.2. Designer and Artistic Director (1930s); C3.2.3. Variants of Modernism in Europe; C3.3. Psychedelism, contestation, New Wave (60s-70s); C3.4. Postmodernism and digital technology (1970s-80s); C3.5 Grunge Design (1990s); C3.6. Multimedia and digital support
	Conditional Option 1	S1	3	45 h
Conditional option curricular units can be offered among those that operate in all ESAD.CR courses — within the constraints established by each curricular plan.
	Interface Design	S1	6	60 h
Fundamentals and stages of development: C1. The contemporary digital media and digital interfaces; C2. Historical framework of HCI (Human Computer Interaction); C3. UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface); C4. Usability, interaction and accessibility; C5. User Research – personas, user stories and journey maps; C6. Interactive narrative and Storyboard; C7. Information Architecture; C8. Graphic language; C9. Wireframe, mock-ups and prototypes; C10. Usability tests and accessibility tests. Technical development: B11. Grid systems, anatomy and types; B12. Principles of Typography use; B13. Principles of Images; B13. Prototyping – Interactivity creation
	Project 4	S2	12	120 h
C1. Information Design Systems – diagrams, infographics and signage systems; C2. Processing and graphic representation of verbal, numerical and statistical data in analogue and digital formats C3. Translation alphanumeric data in a lexivisual system; C4. Synthesising graphic information – from complexity to simplification; C5. Components and project development of an information system composed of pictograms and infographics; C5.1 Communication using pictograms C5.2 Translation of concepts, verbs or places through the systematic design of the pictogram design to be applied on an infographic C5.3 Creating a family of pictograms for a system; C5.4 Graphic elements and visual codes of an infographic; C5.5 Visual communication systems that disseminate dynamically; C6. Components and project development of a wayfinding system: C6.1 Researching and processing information from the users of a public space; C6.2 Information mapping, translation of statistical, geographic and/or other data; C6.3 Identification of the hierarchy of functions of the space; C6.4 Elaboration of a communication strategy for that space; C6.5 Selection of typographic, chromatic, pictographic and production materials; C6.6 Planning the placement of information in a public space, in analogue and digital format; C6.7 Visualizing the information of the space in a dynamic way.
	Computational Design	S2	6	60 h
C1. Introduction to Computational Design; C2. Introduction to the programming environment; C3. Representation: C3.1 Drawing and geometric shapes; C3.2 Colour; C3.3 Typography; C3.4 Images; C4. Control and Logic: C4.1 Variables; C4.2 Arithmetic operators and calculus functions; C4.3 Conditions, relation and logic operators; C4.4 Cycles and iteration; C4.5 Functions; C4.6 Arrays and objects; C4.8 Errors and the console; C5. Dynamism: C5.1 Interaction; C5.2 Animation. In addition to the mentioned, may be taught content that arise from specific needs of the project and the scope of the course unit.
	4D Lab	S2	3	45 h
C1. Introduction to the 3D environment; C2. Three-dimensional modelling techniques; C3 Creating and applying materials; C4. Expression and animation; C5. Techniques of digital and procedural animation; C6. Lighting and environments; C7. Cameras and visual composition; C8. Rendering and post-production.
	Media Ecology	S2	3	45 h
C1. Communication Theory: fundamental models for Design. C1.1 Instrumental models. C1.2 Constructivist and environmental models of communication. C2. Environmental models of communication and the ecology of the media. C2.1 The technological dimension and the language – the necessity of a media critique. C2.2. Experience, mediation and design. C3. Cultural Semiotics C3.1 Semiotics and Design: fundamental authors and basic notions. C3.2 Methodologies of discourse analysis: proposals of the school of Paris. C4. Social semiotics, discursivity and digital media. C4.1. Multimodal semiotics and functional analysis. C4.2. The pragmatics of Design
	Free Option 1	S2	6	60 h
Free option curricular units can be chosen by students among those that operate in all ESAD.CR courses — within the constraints established by each curricular plan.

3. Year | GDM
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Project 5	S1	12	120 h
C1. Flexible Visual Systems: C1.1 Static vs. dynamic identity; C1.2 Categories of systems – container, variable background, modular, formulated, customizable and generative; C1.3 Dynamic applications; C2. Advertising: C2.1. the message; C2.2 Concept and idea; C2.3. multidisciplinary team; C2.4. the art direction; C2.5. writing text for advertising; C3. Graphic structures for advertising communication; C4. Integrated campaigns: C4.1. Communication design as a unifying element of communication; C4.2. The poster, mupi, outdoor, press ad, promotional film, radio communication; C4.3. Communication for digital media; C4.4 Social Networks; C4.5. Alternative media.
	Digital Culture	S1	6	60 h
C1. Artificial Intelligence (AI): C1.1 Artificial Intelligence as an assistant in the creative process; C1.2 Prompt Design for the exploration of AI tools; C1.3 The interface beyond the prompt; C1.4 The combination of results with other software and/or multiple AI technologies. C2. The use of a game engine as a Communication Design tool: C2.1 Introduction to the working environment; C2.2 Inclusion of objects and object movement; C2.3 Scenario and 3D models; C2.4 Sound and lighting; C2.5 Output of the project. C3. Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality (AR/VR): C3.1 Fundamentals and basic principles of AR/VR; C3.2 Software configurations for implementation; C3.3 Interactions and events in AR/VR; C3.4 Optimization of AR/VR project; C3.5 Output of the AR/VR project.
	Digital Culture	S1	3	45 h
C1. Art, design and technical image; C2. Analog image and digital image; C3. The remix theory; C4. Performative aspects of network communication; C5. The culture of connectivity: participatory practices.
	Conditional Option 2	S1	3	45 h
Conditional option curricular units can be offered among those that operate in all ESAD.CR courses — within the constraints established by each curricular plan.
	Free Option 2
Free option curricular units can be chosen by students among those that operate in all ESAD.CR courses — within the constraints established by each curricular plan.

3. Year | GDM | Final Project Track
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Project 6	S2	12	120 h
C1. Design of integrated communication systems; C1.1 Advanced Human Centered Design methodologies; C1.2 Service design; C1.3 Specific contexts of use: cultural, commercial and educational; C2. Contemporary transversal communication strategies; C3. Design as a sociocultural phenomenon; C3.1 Socio-cultural phenomena and its contextualization within the communication design. C4. The design as a communication device; C5. Curatorship and exhibition in communication design; C6. Portfolio.
	Professional Practice and Ethics	S2	3	45 h
C1. The importance of Communication Design in contemporary society; C2. The education of the communication designers; C3. The role of communication designers in society and in the market; C4. The institutionalization of the professionalization of the Design of Communication: past and present; C5. Regulatory Entities of the Profession; C6. National and international legislation on the regulation of the profession, advertising, propaganda and the media; C7. The professional responsibility of the communication designers; C8. The relationship between designers and their peers and partners; C9. The different budgetary and legal aspects to consider when preparing a project; C10. The social responsibility of communication design; C11. Communication Design and Citizenship.
	Design Theory and Criticism	S2	3	45 h
Final synthesis discipline which promotes the initiation to individual, tutorial and autonomous research of a critical and theoretical nature and which, simultaneously, prepares for entry to the 2nd cycle or allows a reasoned synthesis by the students of what is their future field of action as designers. The various shifts can be taught by teachers with different profiles and the students should enrol in shifts according to these profiles. Some classes should be reserved for sessions on research methodologies to be taught by teachers with research experience. In a first lesson the different approaches of the shifts should be presented. C1. Theoretical and analytical seminars C2. Research-research seminars C3. Seminars with guest experts
	Free Option 3	S2	6	60 h
Free option curricular units can be chosen by students among those that operate in all ESAD.CR courses — within the constraints established by each curricular plan.
	Free Option 4	S2	6	60 h
Free option curricular units can be chosen by students among those that operate in all ESAD.CR courses — within the constraints established by each curricular plan.

3. Year | GDM | Integrated Project in Company Track
ID	Name	Semester	ECTS	Length
	Integrated Project in Company	S2	30	810 h

Entry Requirements

For further information about international students’ applications,
please see International Applicants
or contact the International Students’ Office by email at: estudante.internacional@ipleiria.pt

Accreditation

State: Accredited
Number of years of accreditation: 6
Publication date: 20-06-2017
A3ES Accreditation

Application Fee

60€

Enrolment Fee

General contingent: 30€*
International student contingent: 100€*

Tuition Fee

General contingent: 697€
International student contingent: 3000€