Digital Art
12 courses · Merced College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
ARTD-07 History of Graphic Design
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Advisory
- ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This survey course encompasses graphic art forms from the development of written language to contemporary digital media across a range of cultural perspectives. The class explores formative printed media and Gutenberg press book design from illuminated manuscripts through the Renaissance, Victorian era and Art Nouveau graphics and critical theory from the modernist era through postmodernism and the digital revolution. (04/25)
ARTD-08 History of Animation
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 3 hours lecture
- Advisory
- ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This critical and historical survey course covers animated media from the origins of cave paintings illuminated by flickering firelight to contemporary digital augmented reality pushing the boundaries of consciousness. The class explores American, European and Japanese animation through a cross-cultural perspective which fosters a wide-ranging analysis of moving imagery with particular attention to significant creative breakthroughs in the medium. (04/25)
ARTD-40A Introduction to Digital Art
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Advisory
- ENGL-C1000 (formerly ENGL-01A)
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
- C-ID
- ARTS 250
The studio survey course introduces fundamental raster and vector artwork concepts and visualization processes. Students will learn basic design elements, compositional principles, current digital art theories, philosophical and cultural implications, and software techniques to create, edit, and output digital visuals. The course emphasizes creative thinking skills, design aesthetics, static imagery and motion media competence. (04/25)
ARTD-40B Intermediate Digital Art
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Advisory
- ARTD-40A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This studio course continues to promote creative thinking ability, the exploration of design elements & composition, and imaginative technical ability through the intermediate use of bitmap and vector software programs. Students' perceptual capability will expand when producing innovative artworks for print, web, and multimedia outputs. Digital art history, contemporary trends, and emerging media underscore the course's broadminded structure. (04/25)
ARTD-41A Introduction to Graphic Design: 2d Foundations
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This studio survey course introduces fundamental concepts and manipulation processes in graphic design and the visual communication arts. Students will learn foundational design principles, conceptual thinking, and typographic layout while also exploring philosophical and cultural implications. Students utilize software and traditional drawing- board design practices that visually enlighten and effectively communicate to a mass audience. (04/25)
ARTD-41B Intermediate Graphic Design: 2d Foundations
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- ARTD-41A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This studio survey course continues to explore concepts and manipulation processes in graphic design and the visual communication arts. Students will learn intermediate design principles, conceptual thinking, and typographic layout while also exploring philosophical and cultural implications. Students utilize software and traditional drawing-board design practices that visually enlighten and effectively communicate to a mass audience. (04/25)
ARTD-42A Introduction to Motion Graphics
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course involves innovative thinking in introductory three-dimensional graphics on a timeline. Students will create characters, design movement paths, learn pose manipulation and cycles, frame movement based on sound, animate text and produce dynamic compositions and scene storytelling with drawing and software such as After Effects, ZBrush and Maya. (04/25)
ARTD-42B Intermediate Motion Graphics
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- ARTD-42A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
The studio survey course introduces fundamental raster and vector This studio course involves more in-depth innovative concepts in intermediate- level visual effects on a timeline. Students will create characters with pose manipulation, design fluid movement paths within environments, control simulations with scripting, frame movement based on sound, and produce more complex compositions and scene storytelling with particles and deformers while utilizing software such as After Effects, ZBrush, Nuke, Toon Boom and Maya. (04/25)
ARTD-45A Animation I: Introduction to 2d Animation
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Advisory
- ART-24A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This studio course imparts a thorough foundation in creative two-dimensional Toonboom digital media production for the web, while also exploring philosophical and cultural implications. Indispensable basic typographic, color, illustration, animation, interactivity, layout, and sound design concepts feature strongly in the class. The course's Animate CC, Toon Boom and HTML web technology techniques prepare students for producing imaginative web sites, animations and multimedia projects. (04/25)
ARTD-45B Animation II: Intermediate 2d Animation
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- ARTD-45A
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This studio course further imparts a thorough intermediate-level approach to creative Toonboom digital media production for the web. Indispensable intermediate typographic, color, illustration, animation, interactivity, layout, and sound design concepts feature strongly in the class. The course's interactive Toonboom and new web technology techniques prepare students for producing imaginative web sites and multimedia projects. (04/25)
ARTD-47 Typography I: Introduction to Type Design
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab
- Advisory
- ART-15
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
This course provides an introduction to the fundamental aspects of creative letter form design for effective visual communication. Students develop initial prototypes on the drawing board and further computer refinements using software such as Illustrator and FontForge to produce professional typefaces in the OpenType format. The class underscores a broad cross- section of typefaces and Gutenberg historical precedents of typographic style to generate original visual solutions. (04/25)
ARTD-49 Independent Study in Digital Arts
- Units
- 0.5-2
- Hours
- 1.5-6 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- ARTD-40A or ARTD-41A or ARTD-42A or ARTD-45A or ARDT-47
- Transfers to
- CSU
This independent study course in digital arts pertains to a diverse array of topical subjects in the creative digital arts field. The digital arts independent study student decides the particular area of focus for the term in consultation with the instructor. (12/25)