Naomi
What classes should I take in high school that will lead to the path I want in college?
Commercial and Industrial designer #graphic-design
3 answers
Grant Rennie
Grant’s Answer
Hi Naomi , for graphic design at college I would suggest Art and also computer studies/computing..
You might also want to have a look at online courses in Adobe illustrator and to look for a drawing tablet on E-bay or similar (a digital drawing pen pad for artwork on computers) something like this, you'll need it for drawing on your computer and it will last for years..
A basic course in photography and also something like Quark express will go a very long way with what you want to do..
There are free trials of the software below and also Quark and Adobe illustrator have student licences that are a lot cheaper and sometimes free
http://www.quark.com/en/Products/QuarkXPress/
https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/illustrator.html?promoid=PGRQQLFS&mv=other
Ashley Lincoln
Ashley’s Answer
Your question included references to both graphic and industrial design. I am trained in both, and will provide guidance for each below.
For Graphic Design:
Try to take classes that strengthen your 'design eye.' Consider taking art classes, joining yearbook, photography, or journalism clubs. Classes that also teach coding, computer prep, or similar technical skills (Adobe Creative Suite) would be tremendously helpful.
For Industrial Design:
Try to take classes that equally build your strengths in art and sciences, or challenge you to creatively solve problems. Consider art classes to build sketching skills, computer classes that specify in 3D modeling (Rhino, Solidworks, even AutoCad would be helpful) or Adobe Creative Suite, physics and calculus classes to build your knowledge of applied sciences. If your school offers mock-entrepreneurship or business clubs, robotics clubs, or other types of clubs that challenge you to think critically, pursue those too.
With both areas of design, it is helpful to have outside experience in many areas. Don't be afraid to pursue a variety of subjects, but focus on building core skills instead. For example, if you think you would best learn to think critically in a speech and debate club, go for it! The skills you learn in that experience will be transferable to design. Core skills to focus on for both areas include: critical thinking, creative problem solving, sketching, communicating clearly (both verbally and written), understanding and identifying user needs, team work, and time management.
