Digital Arts
Welcome to the inspiring world of Digital Arts, where creativity and design thinking come first. Students of all backgrounds explore how traditional art principles blend with digital tools to create meaningful, expressive work. From the basics to polished projects, you’ll learn to capture, manipulate, and present images in ways that connect with culture, music, and real-world applications. Our focus is on helping every student develop creative problem-solving skills and build a portfolio filled with thoughtful, engaging projects — with technology as just one part of the artistic process.
Students will be focused on developing a variety of exciting assignments culminating in a semi-professional portfolio presentation featuring a wide range of captivating and industry-ready works.
Digital Arts focuses on sketching, color theory, typography, shapes, and imagery in relation to creating amazing graphics. While you will be studying historically relevant works, you will also focus on current trends in graphic design.
In the end, students will have extensive exposure to real-world experience with regard to design and digital design which will help guide them in their own creative endeavors.
Learning Objectives
Students will know and understand the 10 elements of composition. Students will know and understand typography and aesthetics. Students will know how to digitally store, organize, and showcase graphic designs in a multimedia package. Students will understand human anatomy in relation to character design. Students will begin to develop their portfolios.
Artistic Expectations
Students will use industry-standard design tools to create artwork addressing assignment topics and requirements.
Required Courses
Foundations to Digital Arts
- Digital Drawing I
- Photoshop I
- Advanced Photoshop Manipulation
- Animation Prinicple
Digital Arts II – A/B
- 3D Modeling I
- Adobe Illustrator I/II
- Animation I
- Graphic Design Lab I
- Adobe Premier I
- Digital Photography I
Digital Arts III – A/B
- 3D Modeling II
- Typography & Advanced Typography
- Digital Media I
- Graphic Design Lab II
- Lighting & Audio
- Type Image & Motion
Please view our Program of Studies here.
Audition/Portfolio Requirements
Please submit some of your favorite works of art that best represent you and will guide us on your growth in the arts.
This includes graphic design, animation, digital photography, video presentations, and more.
For your portfolio, you can submit a mix of videos, designs created on the computer or phone apps, photos, game designs, or even storyboards or write-ups of your vision for the media you want to make. We realize not everyone has the tools to make these things, so pick the mix of items from the list below that works best for you.
Portfolio options include any of the following. Aim for 5-10 examples from the following list below.
- Video or audio file (not music) that you worked on.
- Digital photography
- Stop motion animation
- A demonstration of a game on a laptop or mobile device.
- Character designs for a game or animated project
- Logos, package designs, or other branding elements
- Posters
- Graphic art pieces
- Hand-drawn designs you want to make digital, or written descriptions of ideas.
- Something that shows your passion!
The easiest option is to attach digital files to an email. Links to shared digital drives or other web-based compilations will also be accepted. If you encounter a technology barrier to submit, just email and we’ll work through it.
Opportunities/Events
Digital Arts Organization: Yearbook Club
- Headlined Streetwear Fashion Show in NYC during Fashion Week.
- Designed Award Winning Graphics for NASA and The International Space Station.
- Designed wardrobe for Nine Inch Nails during their “Pretty Hate Machine” Tour.
- Designed wardrobe for MTV New York
- Designed Merchandise for “The Clarks”
- Designed Products and Accessories for Harley-Davidson, Coca-Cola, MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, NCAA
Past Awards
Design excellence Award from NASA Hall of Engineers.