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Design and Visual Composition

Code: 103857
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Journalism OP 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Marcel Josephus Antonius Maas
Email :
marceljosephusantonius.maas@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Pep Sanchez Rios

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Previous knowledge of user and user-friendly computing

Objectives

In general, it aims to study all communicative graphics, from the point of view of design and visual composition. Allows you to reflect on your involvement in the necessary graphic and documentary representations associated with image and content in informative television.

Learning outcomes

  • CM28 (Create visual strategies for journalistic communication that optimise the user experience and the accessibility of the information in different media.) Create visual strategies for journalistic communication that optimise the user experience and the accessibility of the information in different media.
  • KM29 (Identify the principles of journalistic design and their application in different media formats, and bear in mind the visual, structural and narrative aspects in content production.) Identify the principles of journalistic design and their application in different media formats, and bear in mind the visual, structural and narrative aspects in content production.
  • KM30 (Recognise photojournalism and visual design techniques and their impact on the representation of events and influence on shaping public opinion.) Recognise photojournalism and visual design techniques and their impact on the representation of events and influence on shaping public opinion.
  • SM29 (Apply visual composition and design techniques when producing print and digital journalistic contents and ensure their aesthetic and communicative coherence.) Apply visual composition and design techniques when producing print and digital journalistic contents and ensure their aesthetic and communicative coherence.
  • SM31 (Manage the production of visual contents in different journalistic formats, and use digital tools for editing, processing and disseminating images in multiplatform media.) Manage the production of visual contents in different journalistic formats, and use digital tools for editing, processing and disseminating images in multiplatform media.

Contents


1. Design and visual composition in informative television images

Definition, history, function

Creation and direction of art, image and design on television

Organigrames and television structures

2. Visual metalworks

Project, briefing, conduct yarn and storyboards

Formats, point types, cross-links, etc.

Morphological and color contrasts

Graphic figurative, abstract and typographic

Volumetric units: multimedia and 4D

Time, movement, sound, plans, etc.

  3. Complementary visual languages

  Representation images: brand, head structure, self-promotion, etc.

Content images

Elemental conceptual and complex units

Captured or drawn accessories

4. Synthetic visual languages

Graphic and infographic synthesis

Features, functions and morphology

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Laboratory Practices 30 1.2
Tutories (individual or group face-to-face activities aimed at solving learning problems) 12 0.48
Master classes with ICT support 15 0.6
Practical laboratory preparation 45 1.8
Study: Reading and synthesis of scientific documents 45 1.8

A detailed schedule outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day of the course and will be available on the course’s Virtual Campus, where students will find all teaching materials and necessary information for e􀆯ective course monitoring. Should the teaching modality change for reasons of force majeure according to the competent authorities, the teaching sta􀆯 will inform students of any modifications to the course schedule and teaching methodologies.

The development of the subject implies the realization of different types of training activities:


- Directed activities:


a) Lectures: explanation of the theoretical concepts and announcements and rules for practices.


c) Laboratory practices. The main objectives are for the student to carry out informative design practices.


- Supervised activities:


a) Individual or group tutorials. Its purpose is to solve learning problems.


- Autonomous activities.


a) The students must make the readings indicated as compulsory and all the activities planned for a correct development of the theory and practices in the Laboratory; in addition to the study with a comprehensive reading of the basic bibliography.


Evaluation activities


(Part of a face-to-face session will be devoted to the realization of a written exam).


In total, 1 teacher takes part, who is in charge of the lectures of the theory and two professors in practices that develop individual or group activities.

The health situation could force us to transform face-to-face sessions into online sessions.

Innovative Teaching Methods

A detailed schedule outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day

of the course and will be available on the course’s Virtual Campus, where students will

find the various teaching materials deemed appropriate by the instructors and

necessary information for effective course monitoring.

Should the teaching modality change for reasons of force majeure according to the

competent authorities, the teaching staff will inform students of any modifications to the

course schedule and teaching methodologies.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Deliveries individual practical works 30% Practical work is done individually and have a set of activities to be developed 1 0.04 CM28, KM29, KM30, SM29, SM31
Written exam 40% have to demonstrate theoretical knowledge of lectures and master lectures 1 0.04 CM28, KM29, KM30, SM29, SM31
Deliveries collective work projects 30% of all the activities of the participations, presentations and defenses in front of the group 1 0.04 CM28, KM29, KM30, SM29, SM31

The student will be entitled to the revaluation of the subject if he or she has been evaluated of the set of

activities the weight of which equals a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject.

To have access to revaluation, the previous grades should be they must be less than o equal to 3,5.

The activities that are excluded from the revaluation process are the collective practices that represent 25% of the rating.

In the case of a second enrolment, students can do a single synthesis exam/assignment that will

consist in a global review. The grading of the subject will correspond to the grade of the synthesis exam/assignment.

The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism, identity theft...) that can lead to a

significant variation of the qualification of an evaluation act, will be qualified with 0 this act of evaluation. In

case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral part of assignment development, provided that the final outcome demonstrates a significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection. Students must clearly identify any content generated using AI, specify the tools employed, and include a critical reflection on how these technologies have influenced both the process and the final result of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.

one-time evaluation

This course/module does not provide for a single-assessment system.

artificial intelligence

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral

part of assignment development, provided that the final outcome demonstrates a

significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection.

Students must clearly identify any content generated using AI, specify the tools employed,

and include a critical reflection on how these technologies have influenced both the

process and the final result of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this

assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a

partial or total penalty to the assignment grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.

Bibliography

Costa, J. (2005). Identidad televisiva en 4 D. Design.

Hervàs, Ch. (2002). El diseño gráfico en televisión. Madrid: Cátedra

Lapolli, M. y Vanzin, T. (2016). Infografía na era da cultura visual. Florianópolis: Pandion.

Owen. W. (1991). Diseño de revistas. Barcelona: Ed. Gustavo Gili.

Ràfols, R. y Colomer, A. (2003). El diseño audiovisual. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili. ISBN: 84-252-1538-2

Ricarte, J. M. (1999). Creatividad y comunicación persuasiva. 2ª ed. Barcelona: Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona y otros.

Valero, J. L. (2012). Infografía digital. La visualización sintética. Barcelona: Bosch

Valero, J.L. (2008): “Tipología del grafismo informativo” , en Estudios sobre el mensaje periodístico, 14, Madrid: Universidad Complutense |http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/ESMP/article/view/ESMP0808110631A

Valero, J.L. (2009): “Clasificación del grafismo de contenido en los informativos de televisión”, en Trípodos.com, Barcelona: Universidad Ramon Llull. http://www.raco.cat/index.php/tripodos/article/view/144347

Valero, J.L. (Eds.). (2018). Nuevas Narrativas visuales. La Laguna: Cuadernos artesanos de comuncación ULL. https://issuu.com/revistalatinadecomunicacion/docs/cac150

Escudero, S. y Valero, J.L. (2021) “Efectividad de la síntesis audiovisual presentada a través del smartphone”.  Textual & Visual Media: revista de la Sociedad Española de Periodística, https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7985515

Software

Video edition  (Shotcut, DaVinci)
Graphic editions (Affinity, Inkscape, Gimp)

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 11 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 12 Catalan first semester morning-mixed