Short course
Graphic Design for Immersive Environments Short Course
Course description
Course overview
This course introduces the essential skills, creative processes and design thinking needed to create branded immersive environments and cross-media experiences for brand activations, exhibitions, retail spaces, cultural organisations and live events.
The course explores concept development, branding, public-facing experiences, storytelling through design, and presentation through a combination of lectures, practical design exercises and collaborative discussion.
During the course, you will develop an original concept for a branded immersive experience, taking it from initial sketches through to 3D prototyping in Blender and culminating in a professionally designed, portfolio-ready pitch deck.
You will also gain an insight into current immersive arts technologies and creative tools used to develop imaginative public installations and immersive environments, helping you expand your creative practice into a new and emerging area of graphic design beyond traditional print and digital media.
Please note: this course may include a half-day research visit to London's Outernet and/or 180 Studios to analyse immersive environments, digital installations and audience engagement in a real-world context. Alternative venues or case studies may be used where appropriate. Students will need to cover transport / venue costs.
Who this course is for
This course is aimed at graphic designers, brand designers, art directors and other creative practitioners looking to broaden their skills and expand their creative practice beyond traditional print and digital media into immersive environments and cross-media experiences.
It is also an excellent fit for students, graduates and professionals in graphic design, fashion communication, marketing and related creative disciplines who want to build confidence, explore new creative directions, and develop concepts for exhibitions, retail spaces, cultural organisations, live events and brand activations.
Students should have a basic understanding of graphic design principles and be comfortable presenting visual ideas. Previous experience of Blender or immersive arts technologies is not required.
Key information
Topics covered
- Typography
- Branding
- Concept development
- Storyboarding and visual storytelling
- Immersive brand experiences
- Environment graphics
- Large format design
- Video installation
- Projection mapping
- Interactive screens
- Data visualisation
- Motion graphics
- Artworking and file management
- Smart phone augmented reality applications
- 3D concept prototyping in Blender
- Introduction to contemporary immersive technologies
- Professional pitch decks presentation
Learning outcomes
- Understand the principles of designing immersive environments and cross-media experiences
- Develop creative concepts for branded immersive experiences for specific audiences
- Apply graphic design, branding and visual storytelling to real-world public-facing environments and installations
- Create and present a simple 3D environment concept prototype using Blender
- Understand the role of immersive arts technologies, including Blender, Cavalry and TouchDesigner, within contemporary graphic design practice
- Produce a professionally presented, portfolio-ready pitch deck communicating an immersive design proposal
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
- Notebook and pen/pencil for notetaking
- Laptop with Wi-Fi access, Adobe Creative Cloud, presentation software such as PowerPoint, Google Slides and sufficient storage space to download and install Blender (free)
IMPORTANT - Adobe ID Login for Short Course Students
Students will need to create an account with Adobe (unless you already have one) in order to access the Adobe suite at the college; instructions are included below. You will need to use a personal email address to create this. If you already have an account with Adobe, please make sure you bring your login details with you on the first day of the course.
Please note:
- Creating an Adobe account is free
- The software will only be accessible when logged into a UAL networked computer
- The same account can be used outside of the University, but software will only be accessible through a personal paid subscription that students will need to set up independently
- You can still create an account on the day but doing this beforehand will save time and avoid delays to the start of the class
- If you already have an Adobe ID/ subscription you can use this on your short course rather than setting up a new account
To create an account students will need to:
- Go to Adobe Sign in page
- Select 'Create an account'
- Enter your details and select 'Create account'
Tutor
Gary Riley
Gary Riley is a Graphic Designer, Art Director and Associate Lecturer teaching on BA (Hons) Visual Communication and BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing & Communication at the University of East London. He previously taught on BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion & Communication at Ravensbourne University.
His practice spans graphic design, branding and visual storytelling, with current work focused on design for film and TV producers. He is also the founder of Neon Billboard, an immersive fashion and technology platform exploring the intersection of digital culture, storytelling and emerging creative technologies.
Gary brings a practice-led approach to teaching, encouraging students to develop cross-media work that connects creative ideas with audience engagement and contemporary culture.
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