The WAEC syllabus for Graphic Design is the topic you must study to sit for the examination. It contains the aims and objectives, notes and format for the Graphic Design exam.
Studying the Graphic Design syllabus is necessary for your exam preparation. It will serve as a guide for you to know the topics to read. There are also notes on concepts you should pay attention to learning.
Exam preparations without using the Graphic Design syllabus are like going to the farm without your agricultural tools. You will end up not being productive.
Ensure you begin your exam preparations using the syllabus.
This post contains the Graphic Design syllabus and recommended textbooks of the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
WAEC Graphic Design
This syllabus is designed to provide theoretical and practical skills in Graphic Design as a vocation.
It is also designed to provide an adequate foundation for students who would pursue further education in tertiary institutions and also enable them to acquire skills for self-employment.
Aims and Objectives
The examination seeks to test the candidates’ perceptual, analytical and manipulative skills in Graphic Design.
It also seeks to assess the candidates’ capabilities in the following:
- manipulation and maintenance of tools,
- uses of materials,
- planning and production processes.
Scheme of Examination
There will be three papers, Paper 1, 2 and 3 all of which must be taken. Papers 1 and 2 will be a composite paper to be taken in one sitting.
PAPER 1: Will consist of forty multiple-choice objective questions all of which must be answered within 50 minutes for 40 marks.
PAPER 2: Will consist of six essay-type questions. Candidates will be required to answer four questions within 2 hours for 60 marks.
PAPER 3: Will be two practical projects out of which candidates will execute one within five days, working for six hours each of the days. The paper will carry 80 marks.
The question paper will be sent to the candidates two weeks before the execution period for candidates to study.
Designing sketches and preparatory notes should also be done within the two weeks prior to the execution of the project. These will carry 20 marks. The total mark for the paper is therefore 100.
WAEC Graphic Design
The course in Graphic Design includes the study of the perceptual, analytical, manipulation and the uses of materials.
For the examination, candidates will be expected to have covered all aspects of the teaching syllabus both in theory and practical based on the following:
- Importance of Graphic Design
- The importancev of Graphic Design as a profession.
- The role of grahic design in the society.
- Graphic Design tools, materials and equipment
- Lettering
- The historical development of the alphabet, Basic forms: Block lettering, serif, calligraphy, freestyle lettering.
- Principles and practice of lettering.
- Drawing And Illustration
- Basic drawing: forms and shapes.
- Composition and proportion.
- Perspective drawing.
- Shading techniques: hatching and crosshatching, (smudging) blending, Stippling (pointillism)
- Illustration techniques: pen and ink, pen and wash, flat colour, realistic painting, silhouette, photography, abstract painting, engraving.
- Importance of illustration, cartooning; the types, importance and functions.
- Colour
- Colour relationships: i.e tints and shades, colour harmonies, analogous and complementary, cool and warm colours, primary and secondary colours, tertiary colour etc.
- Colour symbolism:
- Communication Design
- Visual communication.
- Meaning and Importance.
- Design process: stages and layout
- Types of communication design media: eg. poster, banner, package, label, signboard,signpost, bookcover,billboard, handbill
- Reproduction Processes In Graphic Design
- Historical development, tools, materials and equipment, processes.
- Processes ie relief printing, stencil printing.
- Other printing processes – lithography, gravure, photography.
- Electronic printing devices: Ink jet printing, laser, electrostatic printing.
- Book Design
- Book typography, type styles and their uses, type indication methods and Page layout.
- Paper Craft
- The development of paper, types of paper and their uses, paper sizes, method of making decorative paper: marbling, comb pattern, doodling, wax resist, roller and twine pattern.
- Book Binding
- Parts of a book, tools, materials, equipment and their uses.
- Binding methods and styles, book repair binding process, care and maintenance of books.
- Computer For Graphic Design
- Uses of appropriate computer software to design visual communication items.
- Enterpreneural Skills In Graphic Design
- Graphic Design careers: Illustration, cartooning publishing.
- Graphic Design employment avenues: Advertising houses, Printing houses, Ministries, Self employment.
- Setting up graphic design enterprise, factors to consider: pricing, costing and marketing.
- Building a portfolio of works.
- Exhibition
- Importance of exhibition.
- Types of exhibition
- Factors to consider when exhibiting
- Organizing and Mounting exhibition.
