Year 12 Visual Communication and Design Units 3 and 4
Overview
Visual Communication Design is an ideal study to undertake if you enjoy designing. It’s a broad and multifaceted study incorporating different fields of design including messages, objects, environments and interactive experiences.
In Unit 3 you’ll investigate good design, and how different methods, media, and materials are used to produce visual communications for specific purposes, audiences and clients. You’ll also understand how designers create specific communications with visual language using the design elements, design principles with an understanding of the gestalt principles of visual perception. You’ll demonstrate your understanding by choosing one of the four different fields of design practice to create two practical design solutions for. These two practical tasks will address communication needs outlined in a supplied design brief.
You’ll then focus on two fields of design practice and analyse how designers in these fields work by exploring and comparing how they consider different design factors and apply their ethical and legal obligations when making ‘good’ design. You’ll demonstrate your knowledge by producing a visual written report. You’ll also create your own design project, (the SAT) where you’ll use the double diamond design process to discover, define, develop and deliver two distinctly different design outcomes for a real or imagined client. You’ll begin your SAT early in Unit 3 and continue throughout Unit 4. The final weeks of Unit 4 are devoted to exam revision (for those students completing an ATAR study).
Your design process work for your own design project will be documented in a folio for assessment. You’ll also share aspects of your design process with other visual communication design students for feedback during a Critique (Unit 3) and a Pitch (Unit 4). These sessions require collaboration and are conducted online.
Who is it for?
This subject is suitable for students who like to draw, think creatively and work to create visual solutions using using various digital and/or manual (traditional) techniques.
The design process requires much iteration and design thinking as students work towards addressing the needs for their client and audience so it’s also suitable for students who enjoy documenting this process thoroughly in a folio.
Students interested in designing messages (web/graphic/illustration/package, etc.) objects, (products, furniture, fashion, etc.) environments (architecture/interior/landscape) and/or interactive experiences (mobile apps, etc) would find this study beneficial.
As the focus of the study is;
- creating a visual language for a specific client/s needs and their target audience, students wishing to create more open ended works that are personal in nature should select Art Creative Practice.
- on the visual communication of designs, only the drawings and/or scaled models of objects and environments are required. Students wishing to create finished, to scale items of furniture or clothing, should select Product Design Technology.
What do you do?
- A visual report comparing two contemporary designers
- A test on how different designs and how methods, media, materials, design elements, design principles and gestalt principles of perception are used by designers for different purposes.
- A written design brief outlining two distinctly different design outcomes for two different communication needs.
- A folio documenting the discover, define, develop and deliver design stages for the two distinctly different design outcomes
- A critique and pitch sharing session with other visual communication design students for feedback on aspects of your design
- Exam revision activities (ATAR students only)
What skills do you need?
- Previous experience in Visual Communication Design Unit 1 + 2
- Yr 11 Art and/or Product Design Technology subject experience is also helpful.
- Experience in manual and/or digital drawing
- Good time management and ability to work independently.
- Previous experience with digital design software applications (NOTE: This study does not teach students specific design software skills)
What skills do you develop?
In this study you’ll gain skills in;
- using a human centred design process to design for specific purposes and audiences
- using convergent and divergent design thinking skills to create ‘good’ designs
- identifying and describing ‘good designs’
- producing finished designs for presentation to a client
- drawing to develop and document design options
Requirements
A range of traditional media and materials for manually produced drawing and design work (such as pens, pencils, markers, papers, card, etc).
Design software to produce 2D and/or 3D designs.
Things to think about
Students working towards a high ATAR score should allocate at least 6 hours per week to complete coursework. All students will be required to keep an ongoing digital folio of their work online. Traditional work will need to be scanned/photographed to a high quality and imported into the digital folio template.
Copyright compliance is essential when collecting research. Having a reliable way to keep track of the websites you have accessed imagery from is important for compliant referencing.
Things you can do now
View the 2025 Top Designs exhibition online Visual Communication Design – Top Designs 2025 – Melbourne Museum
Investigate the Visual Communication Study Design https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/visualcommunicationdesign/Pages/Index.aspx
Investigate two well-known contemporary designers you’ll compare for your visual report
Explore a range of ‘good’ award winning designs on the https://good-design.org/ website and bookmark designs you like.
Things to have a look at
Olivia Harrison (VCD 2022) A3 greylead pencil visualisation drawing of original Toy Design
Penny Jones (VCD 2022) Unit 4 SAT Pitch Presentation.
Aleena Gutszmit (VCD 2021) Unit 4 SAT Final Presentations.
