During this important year, students sharpen their own personal style and means of expression, their skills in critical analysis, and the beginnings of independent art making. The Fine Arts Program builds upon the foundation year with classes in painting, life drawing, printmaking and sculpture. Visual Communications majors learn the rigorous standards, applications, and requirements of professions in graphic design and illustration. Students develop technical skills and focus on expressive and innovative approaches to real world design projects. MCAD helps students strive for and recognize quality in their finished product.
Emphasis is on the cultivation of individual initiative and skills in critical analysis.
The Visual Communications Program builds upon the first year courses with classes in graphic design, illustration, production, computer graphics, and typography. The College has a photography lab for black and white processing and two fully equipped Macintosh computer graphic labs with industry-standard hardware and software, including Quark Xpress, PageMaker, Illustrator, Freehand, and PhotoShop. As a Maryland College of Art and Design Visual Communication major, students receive a solid working knowledge of the latest industry technology and trends. FD 110 Intro. Typography CG 201 Intro to Computer Studio or Vis.