Sonoma Valley High offers new graphic design class

The students are learning Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and more.|

Sonoma Valley High School has added two sections of a new graphic design course to its schedule for the 2019-2020 school year with the intent to teach typography and logo design from Adobe design software.

Andy Mitchell, a photography teacher at Sonoma Valley High School (SVHS), said that he has been trying to teach this class for the past couple of years.

SVHS offers traditional art and sculpture classes, “but it was time to update and offer new courses,” says Mitchell.

The 60 students’ first task was to get acquainted with Adobe Illustrator and design a robot using basic shapes. Senior Luis Gonzalez said he “learned a lot about colors, tints, and hues while also learning the basic mechanics needed to use Adobe Illustrator.” Gonzalez added: “Though I am new to it, I hope to have a career in graphic design for advertising.”

Yovanna Bieberich, a SVHS 1990 graduate who is currently a layout designer for the Press Democrat and Index-Tribune newspapers, suggests students “take any courses you can in Photoshop, InDesign, or Illustrator” because it’s what graphic designers use.

Students will also learn Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and color theory. Mitchell said that his goal for the end of the year is for students to be proud of what they have made.

“It’s my favorite class! I get to be creative and learn how to use graphic design in other class assignments,” said junior Vivian Cormany.

As long as kids sign up, Graphic Design has a spot in SVHS’s art course schedule, said Mitchell.

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