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Rika Heywood

Continuing Studies Instructor, Communication Design

Availability:

Bio

Rika is an educator with over eight years of experience teaching communication design. With a 25-year background in graphic design, creative direction and creative business management, alongside a career in fine art, he brings deep creative and industry insight to the classroom. He fosters a positive, process-driven learning environment where exploration and embracing failure are essential to creative growth and innovation.

Websites:

Courses

Course Name Department Course Code Term
Visual Communication Design CSCD 101 CS26/SU

Description

Designers cultivate inspiration and solutions through an intentional creative process. This introductory graphic design course will explore the fundamental phases of the creative process, emphasizing design thinking-a human-centered approach to problem-solving. Through research, collaboration, and iteration, develop visual solutions and use mood boards to refine ideas. Learn to articulate design decisions with clear creative rationale and engage in constructive critique to strengthen projects. Demystify the creative process and explore fundamental communication design methods through all phases of a creative design practice. No prior design experience or software skills are required.

Material List: Be prepared for your course. Download the material list to source and purchase your supplies before your first class.

Pre-requisites

No prerequisites.

Visual Communication Design CSCD 100 CS26/SP

Description

Begin your design journey by building a strong foundation in visual communication principles and theory. This introductory course guides you through essential techniques for crafting impactful designs, focusing on core compositional strategies such as scale, contrast, alignment, and hierarchy. You'll explore organizational tools like grids and Gestalt theory to structure layouts that guide attention and perception. Learn how to arrange and colour design elements to create meaning, guide the viewer's gaze, and achieve specific effects. Additionally, develop your design vocabulary to articulate creative decisions and collaborate effectively. Designed for beginners, this course requires no prior design experience or software skills.

Material List: Be prepared for your course. Download the material list to source and purchase your supplies before your first class.

Pre-requisites

No prerequisites.