Adobe Illustrator Icon Project:
Students design cohesive icon sets to communicate specific messages effectively. This project requires students to conduct audience research to ensure the icons resonate with their target audience and reflect the intended tone and purpose. Graded on originality, consistency, and clarity, this project builds skills in branding, visual communication, and strategic messaging.
A cohesive set of icons created by Elise Larkin, Erica Lunnen, and Anonymous
A set of icons created in Adobe Illustrator by previous visual media course students Amelia Garcia, Breanna Latouche, and Alan Johnson.
A consistent set of icons created by Gable Holyoak and Andrew Mullert.
Adobe InDesign Magazine Spread Project
Students design multi-page layouts that combine original photography, typography, and storytelling. This project emphasizes creating cohesive visual narratives while adhering to branding standards and audience expectations. Students learn to present complex information in an engaging, accessible format that aligns with professional publication standards.
Magazine layout project by Ethan Graham, designed with Adobe InDesign, featuring consistent typography and an engaging visual narrative. (Source here)
Adobe Photoshop Non-Literal Creative Advertisement:
Students craft symbolic, non-literal advertisements for everyday products, blending multiple images into compelling visuals. They develop concepts designed to engage a specific audience and evoke emotional responses, while ensuring technical excellence for multi-platform use. This assignment strengthens creativity, audience targeting, and technical skills like image manipulation and creating cohesive messaging.
Creative advertisement by Sarah McPherson, created in Adobe Photoshop. (Find student source attributions here.)
Creative advertisement by Nix Johnson, created in Adobe Photoshop, blending visuals to create a non-literal advertisement for Post-It Notes. (Find student source attributions here.)
Creative advertisement examples by students Nix Johnson, Amelia Garcia, and Sarah McPherson that was created in Adobe Photoshop. (Find student source attributions here.)
Creative advertisement by Rio Buck, created in Adobe Photoshop, blending visuals to create a non-literal advertisement for Roomba. (Find student source attributions here.)
Creative advertisement by Gerimae Abiera, created in Adobe Photoshop, showcasing multiple sizes for advertisements. (Find student source attributions here.)
Ad Campaign Recreation
Students analyze professional ad campaigns, dissecting their messaging, branding, and audience strategies. They then design complementary pieces that align with the campaign’s goals while enhancing its impact. This project teaches consistency in branding, strategic alignment, and the ability to refine messages for target audiences.
Mock campaign ad by Gable Holyoak, showcasing consistent visuals and strategic design.(Find student source attributions here.)
Ad campaign project by Morgan Thrasher, featuring cohesive branding and messaging. (Find student source attributions here.)
This mock ad campaign, designed by Sabra Gilbreath, demonstrates professional-level branding and design strategies. (Find student source attributions here.)
Ad campaign project designed by an anonymous student focusing on cohesive branding and audience-specific messaging.(Find student source attributions here.)
Branding-focused ad campaign with clear messaging, created by Gerimae Abiera as part of a Visual Media course. (Find student source attributions here.)
Cohesive branding and visual messaging are the hallmarks of this ad campaign project created by Rio Buck. (Find student source attributions here.)
Branded slide deck project created by Gable Holyoak, Erica Lunnen, Amelia Garcia, Keilana Clark, Alan Johnson, and anonymous, showcasing professional design principles. (Find student source attributions here.)
Designed to accompany a mock ad campaign, University student, Alan Johnson’s, slide deck features branding alignment, audience-focused messaging, and creative layout techniques. (Find student source attributions here.)
Custom-designed presentation slides by Erica Lunnen, emphasizing creative layouts and branding. (Find student source attributions here.)
A custom slide deck designed to present student Erica Lunnen’s ad campaign analysis with clarity and creativity. (Find student source attributions here.)
Communication student, Nix Johnson’s, designed slide decks to support their ad campaign analysis, focusing on maintaining consistent branding, typography, and layout throughout the presentation. (Find student source attributions here.)
This final presentation by Nix Johnson highlights strong visual storytelling through consistent slide design. (Find student source attributions here.)
Design analysis and slide deck design created by Gerimae Abiera for a communication college course — visual media. (Sources Found here.)
Mentorship and Real-World Applications
My teaching philosophy goes beyond technical skills, focusing on mentorship and professional development. I encourage students to think like professionals by emphasizing problem-solving, audience engagement, and strategic decision-making.
Real-World Integration:
- Students create assets tailored to diverse audiences, working on projects like blog posts and ad campaigns that reflect real-world communication challenges.
- I guide students in building professional portfolios, helping them showcase their work and articulate the strategic thinking and messaging decisions behind their designs.
- Lessons on copyright, attribution, and ethical design practices prepare students to meet industry standards and communicate with professionalism and integrity.
Student Testimonials: Praise from the Classroom
Michelle is not only a wonderful person to be around, but she is inspirational in the way she teaches and leads others. When I was first hired to teach at BYU-Idaho, I sat in her classroom every single week taking notes and observing her interactions with students. She connects so well with others, understands how to teach at different levels of understanding, and cares about those in her classroom. I couldn’t recommend someone more for to teach or lead a team. I loved learning from her and I know her students did too.
I had the privilege of working with Michelle at BYU-Idaho, and from the beginning, I was impressed by her ability to articulate complex topics as an instructor in clear and engaging ways. Her proficiency in visual media, including photography, graphic design, videography, editing, and Adobe Creative Suite, enabled her to teach Visual Communication principles to her students. Her public speaking and presentation skills were evident in the engaging and informative presentations she delivered, positively representing our program.
Part II: As the semesters progressed, I noticed Michelle was leading students in creative discussions and helping them brainstorm and come up with ideas for projects. Michelle’s ability to actively listen to concerns and tailor communication ensured that her messages resonated effectively with all audiences. Her dedication to developing her own teaching plans and sharing those with others on the team was commendable. In every situation, Michelle seems to be able to analyze what is going on and then determine the best way to approach it. She clearly communicates her point of view and helps others move forward with her. She is a leader at heart and I am excited to see what she is able to accomplish in the future.
BRING REAL WORLD EXPERTISE TO YOUR TEAM!
Whether you need a guest lecturer, a design expert, or a communication strategist, I’m here to help your organization or classroom thrive. Let’s work together to shape the future of communication and design.