Graphic Design
The MTS Digital Media Academy
strives to improve student academic achievement by combining the inspiration of the graphic arts with core academic subjects. Design courses use a specialized approach to address core concepts and state standards through a hands-on, product-oriented, curriculum. This approach keeps students focused and interested as they are able to instantly visualize how their skills translate into tangible progress.
From Video and Screenwriting to Graphics and Music, the Digital Media Academy has it all!
The Graphics studio at MTS Digital Media Academy offers:
- 12 state of the art Macintosh workstations
- Nikon Digital Cameras
- Adobe Photoshop CS3®
- Adobe Illustrator CS3®
- Adobe InDesign CS3®
- Various color printers including a 44 inch HP Designjet(R) large format printer, to produce the student created design
Some examples of projects that the students in the Graphic Design department createinclude logo designs, poster designs, CD cover art, book cover art and web graphics. Many of the projects are produced for the school to promote various MTS events and programs such as, MTS Athletics, .Edu Film Festival and materials for the Digital Media Academy departments. By working with the other programs in the DMA, design students provide artwork and graphics for music projects (CD covers) and video projects (movie posters). MTS is also in the process of building relationships with local businesses and community organizations, such as the Sound Unseen Film Festival LLC. This will give the students an opportunity to apply their skills outside of the classroom and create designs for real-world clients.
Upon completion of the program, students will have built a solid portfolio of projects that show a vast array of skills and techniques. This portfolio can then be used as a stepping stone into post-secondary education, or as a tool for students to promote themselves to perspective clients on an independent level.
To view a sampling of student produced work, visit the student project page here.
About the Instructor: Ben Prescott
Ben attended the University of Wisconsin Stout, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration on design. He went on to work professionally in the graphic design industry for 7 years before arriving at MTS to develop the Graphics program for the Digital Media Academy. During his years as a professional designer, Ben did a variety of work from marketing and advertising to publishing.
When he’s not at school teaching, Ben keeps the creative juices flowing by designing apparel graphics for a local clothing company. And while his specialty is graphics, Ben also has a passion for industrial design, architecture and fine art in all of its genres and forms.
Besides having an interest in art and design, Ben spends his free time outdoors playing soccer, fishing, boating, surfing and snowmobiling. Ben also dabbles in music by mixing hip hop records on his turntables.
For more information on the Digital Media Academy Graphic Design Program contact Ben – bprescott@mtcs.org -
or call us at 612-728-8915.