Artists trade brush strokes for key strokes

Angelique Flores

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- Computers aren’t just for the technology-minded

anymore.

They’re for artists too.

Coastline Community College’s new digital visual art program teaches

artists how to use computers as creative tools.

Graphic arts is now a highly sought-after career, and classes are

drawing more and more students.

And Coastline is meeting the demand.

The digital visual communication program emphasizes the graphic

production process, creative concepts and development, design skills, and

marketing skills.

It teaches students the tools in such programs as Adobe Illustrator

and Photoshop.

“Companies used to hire a technical person and an artist to work

together on a project,” said the class’s instructor, Kate Shelley. “Now

they just want to hire an artist who knows the programs.”

This is the only graphic arts program of its kind in the state because

it requires students to take art history and history of design classes.

The courses, as many others at the college, are also scheduled in the

evening or on the weekend to allow flexibility for full-time workers.

Gabriele Bitter, a student who lives in Huntington Beach, works as a

Web designer. She hopes the classes will further her career and allow her

to delve more into the creative aspect of Web page design.

“I’m more artsy,” she said.

Bitter is not the only one.

Nancy Hooper, an artist from Seal Beach, is learning about graphic

design to use as another artistic medium.

“If you have the artistic ability, the computer is just another type

of brush,” she said.

Hooper was apprehensive at first about taking the class because of her

fear that it would be too technological.

“All my fears are gone now,” she said after her first graphic design

principles class.

The computer lab has state-of-the-art hardware and software. However,

Shelley’s instruction is easy enough to follow by almost anyone -- even

someone who has never touched a Macintosh computer.

Maggie Stover, a Huntington Beach student, had never worked with a

Macintosh before her digital arts class Tuesday. After taking a few Web

page design classes, she decided she wanted to go in the visual arts

direction.

“I’m going to really enjoy it,” she said.