Graphic design, image editing, video basics, checked AI content tools and a practical multimedia portfolio.
What you will cover
Graphic design
image editing
video basics
checked AI content tools
a practical multimedia portfolio
Topic list from the institute's programme record.
Certification
Certificate terms for this programme are confirmed by the institute at admission. Any ADIVAS course-completion certificate is an institute certificate; it is not a university degree, an externally accredited qualification or a vendor certification (such as AWS or Microsoft) unless the institute states so in writing.
The programme title is as supplied in the institute's list. Please confirm the awarding body and recognition with the institute before enrolling.
Curriculum 0.1 · Draft: written for ADIVAS and awaiting academic review and approval. Topics and weeks may change before your batch starts.
Your skill trail
You move through 6 stations. Each week builds one skill you can show, not just a topic you have heard.
1
Design foundations
Learn how layout, colour and type work together and how to read a design brief.
Week 1 Seeing like a designer
Week 2 Layout, hierarchy and grids
Week 3 Colour theory and accessibility
Week 4 Typography
2
Vector and graphic design
Create logos, posters and social graphics as scalable vector artwork.
Week 5 Vector graphics in Inkscape
Week 6 Logo design process
Week 7 Poster and flyer design for print
Week 8 Social media graphics and brand kits
Week 9 Infographics and data visuals
3
Image editing and retouching
Edit, retouch and prepare photographs for print and web.
Week 10 Raster images and basic editing
Week 11 Layers, selections and masks
Week 12 Colour correction and tone
Week 13 Retouching and restoration
Week 14 Composites, mockups and export
4
Video basics
Plan, shoot, edit and export short videos with clean audio and titles.
Week 15 Video fundamentals and planning
Week 16 Shooting with a smartphone
Week 17 Editing: cuts, timeline and pace
Week 18 Audio, music and colour in video
Week 19 Export, captions and distribution
5
Checked AI content tools
Use AI tools to support ideas and drafts while checking accuracy, rights and disclosure.
Week 20 AI content tools: use and check
Week 21 AI images, rights and disclosure
6
Portfolio and presentation
Assemble reviewed work into a portfolio and present it professionally.
Week 22 Choosing and refining portfolio pieces
Week 23 Building the portfolio
Week 24 Presentation and client communication
★
Brand and Campaign Pack for a Local Business
Your project, reviewed by a trainer.
The ADIVAS mastery ladder: how each skill is recognised
Explored You have seen the idea and tried a first example.
Practising You can do it with hints and keep improving.
Proficient You complete the weekly practical task correctly on your own.
Proven You apply it in a project reviewed by your trainer.
Skill-level tracking is being added to the learner workspace. Your trainer already reviews weekly practical work.
What you will be able to do
Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings.
Edit and retouch photographs with layers, masks, selections and colour correction.
Prepare images for print and web by choosing resolution, colour mode and file format correctly.
Plan, shoot and edit a short video with cuts, titles, audio clean-up and export for different platforms.
Use AI content tools carefully: write clear prompts, check output for accuracy and bias, and disclose AI use.
Respect copyright, licences, consent and credit when using fonts, images, music and AI-generated assets.
Collect and present a portfolio of reviewed work with project notes and a short presentation.
Who it suits
School Students in Classes 9 to 12 who enjoy drawing, photos or video and want a structured, hands-on start in digital design.
College Arts, media and commerce students who want practical design and video skills for assignments, events and freelance projects.
Professional Shop owners, teachers, marketers and career changers who need to create posters, social posts, photo edits and short videos themselves.
Prerequisites: Basic computer skills: files, folders and internet use. No prior design experience needed; interest in visual work is enough. Tools: Inkscape (vector graphics), GIMP or Krita (image editing), Canva free plan for layouts and templates, DaVinci Resolve free version or Kdenlive (video editing), Audacity (audio clean-up), A smartphone camera and a laptop (8 GB RAM recommended).
Weekly plan
Design foundations Weeks 1–4
Week 1: Seeing like a designer
Theory
Purpose, audience and message of a design
Elements: line, shape, colour, texture, space
Reading a design brief and asking good questions
Lab
Collect ten local posters (shop boards, event flyers), annotate what each does well and badly, and rewrite one brief in your own words.
Homework
Photograph five signs near home and note the audience and message of each.
Deliverable
An annotated collection of ten designs with a one-paragraph brief for a fictional Madurai tea stall.
Weekly checkpoint
Identify audience and message in three posters; short question on the brief.
You will be able to
Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Week 2: Layout, hierarchy and grids
Theory
Visual hierarchy, alignment, proximity and repetition
Grids, margins and white space
Balance and focal point
Lab
Redesign a cluttered notice into a clear one-page layout using a grid, three sizes of text and a clear focal point in Canva or Inkscape.
Homework
Make two alternate layouts of the same notice and explain which is clearer and why.
Deliverable
A before and after notice with a grid overlay screenshot.
Weekly checkpoint
Practical: improve a given messy layout in 20 minutes and justify three changes.
You will be able to
Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Week 3: Colour theory and accessibility
Theory
Colour wheel, harmony, warm and cool colours
Contrast ratio and readable text
RGB for screens and CMYK for print; colour meaning in context
Lab
Build a five-colour palette for a school sports day, test text contrast for readability and show the palette in both RGB and print-safe tones.
Homework
Check three real posters for contrast and rewrite their colour choices.
Deliverable
A palette sheet with hex codes and contrast test results.
Weekly checkpoint
Choose a readable text and background pair from options; match RGB or CMYK to use.
You will be able to
Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs. Prepare images for print and web by choosing resolution, colour mode and file format correctly.
Week 4: Typography
Theory
Serif, sans-serif and display fonts
Size, leading, kerning and line length
Tamil and English together: font pairing and readability
Lab
Design a bilingual Tamil and English notice with readable pairing, correct line spacing and consistent sizes using free licensed fonts.
Homework
Collect three good and three poor type examples and write the rule each shows.
Deliverable
A bilingual notice and a one-page type guide with font licences noted.
Weekly checkpoint
Identify the typography fault in sample designs; check a font's licence for commercial use.
You will be able to
Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs. Respect copyright, licences, consent and credit when using fonts, images, music and AI-generated assets.
Vector and graphic design Weeks 5–9
Week 5: Vector graphics in Inkscape
Theory
Vector versus raster, paths and nodes
Shapes, fill, stroke and the pen tool
Layers, alignment and grouping
Lab
Draw a simple icon set (home, phone, book) using shapes and the pen tool, align them on a grid and save as SVG.
Homework
Trace a simple hand-drawn shape and clean the nodes to the smallest sensible number.
Deliverable
An SVG icon set of six icons on a consistent grid.
Weekly checkpoint
Compare vector and raster; practical: build a given shape with Boolean operations.
You will be able to
Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings.
Week 6: Logo design process
Theory
Brand idea, sketches and concept development
Simplicity, scalability and one-colour versions
Logo files: master, one-colour, icon-only
Lab
Create a logo for a fictional Madurai bakery from three sketches to a final vector, with a one-colour and a reverse version.
Homework
Test the logo at 16 px and on a dark background and fix issues.
Deliverable
A logo sheet: master, one-colour, reverse and small-size test.
Weekly checkpoint
Critique a logo for scalability and clarity; practical export in the correct formats.
You will be able to
Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings. Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Week 7: Poster and flyer design for print
Theory
Page sizes (A4, A3), bleed, margins and safe area
Print resolution and CMYK basics
Preparing a print-ready PDF
Lab
Design an A4 event poster with 3 mm bleed and crop marks, check text stays in the safe area and export a print-ready PDF.
Homework
Prepare the same poster as an A5 flyer and note what you changed.
Deliverable
A print-ready A4 poster PDF and an A5 flyer.
Weekly checkpoint
Calculate the bleed size and identify a layout that would be cut off in print.
You will be able to
Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings. Prepare images for print and web by choosing resolution, colour mode and file format correctly.
Week 8: Social media graphics and brand kits
Theory
Sizes for common social platforms and aspect ratios
Consistency: colours, fonts and templates
Writing short, clear on-image text
Lab
Produce a set of six posts and a story template for the bakery brand, using the same palette, fonts and logo placement.
Homework
Build a one-page brand guide with logo rules, colours and fonts.
Deliverable
A six-post set, a story template and a brand guide page.
Weekly checkpoint
Pick the right canvas size for each platform; spot inconsistencies in a post set.
You will be able to
Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings. Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Week 9: Infographics and data visuals
Theory
Choosing a chart for the message
Simplifying data and honest scales
Icons, labels and colour for clarity
Lab
Turn a small table of monthly school attendance into a one-page infographic with a clear chart, a headline and a source note.
Homework
Find a misleading chart in the news and redraw it honestly.
Deliverable
A one-page infographic with a source note.
Weekly checkpoint
Choose the right chart for a data story; spot a truncated axis.
You will be able to
Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings. Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Image editing and retouching Weeks 10–14
Week 10: Raster images and basic editing
Theory
Pixels, resolution, aspect ratio and image size
Crop, straighten, resize and resample
File formats: JPEG, PNG, WebP, TIFF
Lab
Open a photo in GIMP, crop to three ratios, resize for web and print, and compare file sizes and quality of different formats.
Homework
Estimate print size at 300 ppi for three given pixel dimensions.
Deliverable
A table of sizes and formats with before and after examples.
Weekly checkpoint
Pixel-to-print-size calculation; choose the correct file format for a use.
You will be able to
Edit and retouch photographs with layers, masks, selections and colour correction. Prepare images for print and web by choosing resolution, colour mode and file format correctly.
Week 11: Layers, selections and masks
Theory
Layer stack and blending modes
Selection tools and feathering
Layer masks and non-destructive editing
Lab
Replace a plain background in a product photo using a selection and layer mask, then adjust the edge so there is no halo.
Homework
Repeat the edit on a second photo with hair or fine edges.
Deliverable
A layered file and an exported before and after pair.
Weekly checkpoint
Practical: remove an object using a mask without damaging the original layer.
You will be able to
Edit and retouch photographs with layers, masks, selections and colour correction.
Week 12: Colour correction and tone
Theory
Exposure, contrast, levels and curves
White balance and colour casts
Histogram reading
Lab
Correct a dark, yellow-tinted indoor photo using levels, curves and colour balance, and match three photos to one consistent look.
Homework
Describe in words what each adjustment changed and why.
Deliverable
Three corrected photos with before and after.
Weekly checkpoint
Read a histogram to say whether a photo is under or overexposed.
You will be able to
Edit and retouch photographs with layers, masks, selections and colour correction.
Week 13: Retouching and restoration
Theory
Clone, heal and spot removal
Respectful portrait retouching and consent
Restoring old scanned photos
Lab
Restore a scanned damaged family photo (with permission) by repairing scratches and balancing tone, and retouch a portrait lightly without changing identity.
Homework
Write a short rule list for ethical photo editing.
Deliverable
A restored photo, before and after, and an ethics rule list.
Weekly checkpoint
Scenario on editing a person's photo: what consent and honesty are needed?
You will be able to
Edit and retouch photographs with layers, masks, selections and colour correction. Respect copyright, licences, consent and credit when using fonts, images, music and AI-generated assets.
Week 14: Composites, mockups and export
Theory
Combining images with matching light and perspective
Mockups for products and posters
Export presets for print and web
Lab
Create a mockup of the bakery poster on a wall photo and a social banner composite, then export correctly sized versions for print and web.
Homework
Name and organise exported files in a clear folder structure.
Deliverable
A composite, a mockup and an export folder with a naming scheme.
Weekly checkpoint
Match output uses to correct formats and sizes.
You will be able to
Edit and retouch photographs with layers, masks, selections and colour correction. Prepare images for print and web by choosing resolution, colour mode and file format correctly.
Video basics Weeks 15–19
Week 15: Video fundamentals and planning
Theory
Frame rate, resolution and aspect ratios
Shot types: wide, medium, close-up
Storyboards and shot lists
Lab
Plan a 60-second video about a local shop: write a script, draw a six-panel storyboard and prepare a shot list.
Homework
Watch a short video and list every shot type used.
Deliverable
A script, storyboard and shot list.
Weekly checkpoint
Name shot types from images; order the pre-production steps.
You will be able to
Plan, shoot and edit a short video with cuts, titles, audio clean-up and export for different platforms.
Week 16: Shooting with a smartphone
Theory
Stability, framing and lighting
Capturing clean audio
Permissions, consent and safe filming locations
Lab
Shoot the planned video with a phone using a tripod or stable surface, get written permission from the shop, and record separate voice-over audio.
Homework
Review footage and mark the best takes.
Deliverable
Raw clips with a permission note and a take log.
Weekly checkpoint
Identify problems in sample clips (shake, backlight, noise) and fixes.
You will be able to
Plan, shoot and edit a short video with cuts, titles, audio clean-up and export for different platforms. Respect copyright, licences, consent and credit when using fonts, images, music and AI-generated assets.
Week 17: Editing: cuts, timeline and pace
Theory
Timeline, tracks and cut types
Pacing, continuity and J and L cuts
Titles and lower thirds
Lab
Edit the shop video on a timeline: assemble, trim, add transitions sparingly, add a title and a name lower third.
Homework
Re-cut the video to 30 seconds without losing the message.
Deliverable
A 60-second rough cut and a 30-second version.
Weekly checkpoint
Practical: trim and arrange given clips to a script within 20 minutes.
You will be able to
Plan, shoot and edit a short video with cuts, titles, audio clean-up and export for different platforms.
Week 18: Audio, music and colour in video
Theory
Noise reduction, levels and voice clarity
Licensed music and sound effects
Basic colour correction in video
Lab
Clean the voice-over in Audacity, balance it under licensed music, and correct video colour so clips match.
Homework
Record the licence and credit lines for every asset used.
Deliverable
A finished audio mix and an assets and licences list.
Weekly checkpoint
Choose a safe music source; identify a level problem in an audio waveform.
You will be able to
Plan, shoot and edit a short video with cuts, titles, audio clean-up and export for different platforms. Respect copyright, licences, consent and credit when using fonts, images, music and AI-generated assets.
Week 19: Export, captions and distribution
Theory
Codecs, bitrates and platform export settings
Subtitles and Tamil and English captions
Thumbnails and file size for sharing
Lab
Export the video for phone vertical and widescreen, add bilingual captions and design a thumbnail.
Homework
Compare export file sizes at two bitrates and note quality.
Deliverable
Two exports, caption file and a thumbnail.
Weekly checkpoint
Pick export settings for a given platform; check caption timing.
You will be able to
Plan, shoot and edit a short video with cuts, titles, audio clean-up and export for different platforms. Create vector graphics such as logos, posters and social-media posts with correct size, bleed and export settings.
Checked AI content tools Weeks 20–21
Week 20: AI content tools: use and check
Theory
What generative AI can and cannot do
Writing a clear prompt: goal, context, constraints, format
Checking outputs for errors, bias and fake details
Lab
Use an approved AI assistant to draft captions and a colour idea list for the bakery brand, record each prompt and check every claim against reliable sources.
Homework
Rewrite two weak prompts to be clearer and compare results.
Deliverable
A prompt log with checks and a list of errors found.
Weekly checkpoint
Improve a vague prompt; scenario where AI invents a fact.
You will be able to
Use AI content tools carefully: write clear prompts, check output for accuracy and bias, and disclose AI use.
Week 21: AI images, rights and disclosure
Theory
AI-generated images: strengths, artefacts and misuse
Licences, copyright and terms of tools
Disclosure, consent and avoiding deepfakes
Lab
Generate two concept images with an approved tool, edit them manually in GIMP, label them as AI-assisted and write a rights note on what is safe to publish.
Homework
Write a one-page AI use policy for your portfolio.
Deliverable
Two labelled concept images and an AI use and rights note.
Weekly checkpoint
Scenario: client asks to use a celebrity's face; decide and justify.
You will be able to
Use AI content tools carefully: write clear prompts, check output for accuracy and bias, and disclose AI use. Respect copyright, licences, consent and credit when using fonts, images, music and AI-generated assets.
Portfolio and presentation Weeks 22–24
Week 22: Choosing and refining portfolio pieces
Theory
Selecting work by quality and range
Case study structure: brief, process, result
Peer and trainer review
Lab
Choose six best works, rewrite each as a short case study and revise them using peer review feedback.
Homework
Rework the two weakest pieces after feedback.
Deliverable
Six revised works with case study notes.
Weekly checkpoint
Peer-review checklist submitted for another learner's work.
You will be able to
Collect and present a portfolio of reviewed work with project notes and a short presentation.
Week 23: Building the portfolio
Theory
Portfolio layout: PDF and simple web page
Consistent branding and file naming
About page, contact and credits
Lab
Assemble the portfolio as a PDF and a simple Canva or web page with cover, about, six works, credits and licences list.
Homework
Test the portfolio on a phone and fix layout problems.
Deliverable
A portfolio PDF and web page link.
Weekly checkpoint
Trainer review against the portfolio checklist.
You will be able to
Collect and present a portfolio of reviewed work with project notes and a short presentation. Apply the principles of design: layout, hierarchy, colour, contrast and typography to real briefs.
Week 24: Presentation and client communication
Theory
Presenting your process in five minutes
Pricing, quotes and simple freelance terms
Receiving feedback and revision rounds
Lab
Give a five-minute portfolio presentation to a panel, respond to feedback and write a sample quote and brief for a small client job.
Homework
Write a thank you and next steps message to the panel.
Deliverable
Final presentation, quote sample and revised portfolio.
Weekly checkpoint
Panel assessment using the final rubric.
You will be able to
Collect and present a portfolio of reviewed work with project notes and a short presentation.
Sample lessons
Week 2
Visual hierarchy: what the eye reads first
Visual hierarchy is the order in which a viewer's eye moves across a design. You control it with size, weight, colour, contrast and position. The most important item, such as the offer or event name, should be the largest or the highest contrast. Supporting details get smaller, and white space keeps groups apart so the design is calm to read. A good test is the squint test: if you blur your eyes, the main message should still be visible.
Headline: biggest, highest contrast
Subheading and key details
Body text and small print
Logo and contact at the bottom
Order information by importance.
Step by step
Write down the one message the viewer must remember.
List the supporting details in order of importance.
Assign three text sizes: headline, subheading and body.
Align elements to a grid and group related items closer together.
Do the squint test and adjust until the main message stands out.
In real life
A tea stall board that says 'Fresh Tea Rs 10' in huge letters and puts opening hours in smaller text lets people understand the offer from a bus window in a second.
Worked example
Problem. A flyer has the event name, date, venue, sponsor logos and a long paragraph, all in the same size. How would you fix it?
Solution. Make the event name the largest, put the date and venue in a medium size, shrink the paragraph, move sponsor logos to a small row at the bottom and add white space between groups.
Common mistakes
Making everything bold or large so nothing stands out.
Filling every space instead of using white space.
Try it yourself
Redesign a cluttered shop notice with three text sizes.
Do a squint test on two posters and write what the eye sees first.
Week 7
Print-ready files: size, bleed and safe area
A printer cuts many sheets at once, so the cut can move slightly. Bleed is extra artwork that extends 3 mm beyond the final edge so no white strip shows. The safe area is a margin inside the page, about 5 mm, where important text and logos must stay so they are not cut. Print files should be at least 300 pixels per inch for photographs and saved as a PDF with fonts embedded or converted to outlines, using colours suited for print.
Bleed area: 3 mm extra background
Trim line: final page edge
Safe area: keep text here
Background reaches the bleed; text stays in the safe area.
Step by step
Set the document to the final size, for example A4 (210 x 297 mm).
Add 3 mm bleed on all sides and a 5 mm safe margin guide.
Extend background colours and images into the bleed.
Keep text and logos inside the safe margin.
Export a PDF with crop marks, embedded fonts and images at 300 ppi.
In real life
A Madurai print shop receives a poster file with the background stopping exactly at the edge. After cutting, a thin white line shows on one side. With a 3 mm bleed the problem never appears.
Worked example
Problem. Your final poster is A4 with 3 mm bleed. What is the size of the canvas that you must design?
Solution. Add 3 mm to each side: width 210 + 6 = 216 mm, height 297 + 6 = 303 mm. The trim lines sit 3 mm inside the canvas.
Common mistakes
Placing the phone number right at the page edge, where it can be cut off.
Using a 72 ppi web image in a printed poster, which looks blurry.
Try it yourself
Calculate the canvas size with bleed for an A5 flyer (148 x 210 mm).
List three checks to make before sending a file to a printer.
Try the questions
The same skills are asked at three levels: School (Classes 6–12), College and Professional. Switch the level and the language (English or Tamil), and say how sure you are before you check: knowing what you are unsure about is part of learning.
Classes 6–12: everyday examples, no prior knowledge. Practice only. Nothing here is graded or saved.
Question 1 / 4 · Identify audience and message
A poster for a school science fair uses cartoon pictures and big friendly letters. Who is the poster mainly meant for?
Projects
Brand and Campaign Pack for a Local Business
A small Madurai bakery wants a simple identity and a launch campaign. Create a logo, a brand guide, a print poster, six social posts and a short promotional video using only licensed or original assets.
Tasks
Write a short brief and mood board, then design the logo and brand guide.
Design an A4 poster with bleed and a six-post social set in matching style.
Edit three product photos with colour correction and a clean background.
Shoot and edit a 30 to 60 second promotional video with bilingual captions and licensed music.
Document every asset's source, licence and any AI assistance.
Sample input
Business: Sri Ganesh Bakery, Madurai; audience: families and college students; budget: low; languages: Tamil and English
Expected output
A logo set, brand guide, print-ready poster PDF, six social posts, three edited photos, one captioned video and an assets and licences sheet.
How it is assessed
Criterion
Weight
Design quality: layout, colour and type
30%
Technical correctness: sizes, bleed, formats
20%
Photo and video editing quality
20%
Licensing, consent and AI disclosure
15%
Brief fit and presentation
15%
Stretch challenge: Create a second colour version for festival season and a short vertical teaser video.
How you are assessed
Each week: five short questions (concepts, a visual-judgement or diagram question), one timed practical task in the design, image or video software, and a short critique note on the learner's own work.
Practical work. Learners submit original design, photo and video files with a source and licence sheet; the trainer reviews them against a checklist and a portfolio review is held in Week 22 to 24.
What trainers look for
Weight
Design quality and brief fit
35%
Technical correctness (sizes, formats, export)
25%
Licensing, consent and AI disclosure
15%
Process notes and critique
15%
Presentation
10%
Where this can lead
Prepares you for junior graphic design, social media creative and video editing assistant tasks.
Prepares you to take on small freelance design and photo editing jobs with a documented portfolio.
These describe skills you will build. ADIVAS does not guarantee jobs, placement or salary.
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