As part of Visual Communication Design Unit 1: Area of study 2: Design Elements and Design Principles, students at McKinnon Secondary College created a 16-panel concertina brochure based on each of the eight Elements of Design and the eight Principles of Design.

Students were required to choose either flora or fauna as their overall source of inspiration and they also were required to draw on the influence of artist Charlie Harper in at least two of their panels. Students undertook numerous trials of media and compositions in their visual diaries before completing their final concertina panels. They were encouraged to use a range of media such as pencil, pastel, collage, digital applications, watercolour and markers to demonstrate a broad range of skills. For the “Type” panel, most students used Adobe Illustrator. 

Students found this outcome to be really rewarding and fun, in the sense that they could focus on a topic/subject matter that they were interested in (within the broad umbrella of flora and fauna). They did however find it extremely challenging in terms of the time they had to complete the unit, as they were only given seven weeks. Many were frantically working outside of class time on their visual diaries and then rushing to complete the concertina brochures at the end. The final results though were really pleasing and demonstrated the students’ clear understanding of each of the 16 Elements and Principles of Design.

The finished brochures were displayed at the Colleges’ end of year Art show and were very well received. The high standard of the brochures demonstrates the students’ motivation and commitment to their Vis Com work as well as their wonderful sense of design and artistic talents.

Raphaella Roden
VCD Teacher 
McKinnon Secondary College