Owensboro Community & Technical College will be offering two new graphic design courses beginning in August.

ART 251 Graphic Communication and ART 252 Typography will be online-only courses under the instruction of Joseph LoCicero.

LoCicero earned a bachelor’s of fine arts degree in film and television from New York University and a master of arts in communication arts from the New York Institute of Technology. He specializes in print, collateral and branding projects including advertising, book design and educational marketing. LoCicero is an online instructor at Kentucky Wesleyan College and Bellevue University.

Meredith Skaggs, department head of Humanities and Fine Arts at OCTC, said the two courses were added because the college wanted to diversify the visual arts program.

“We also hope to partner with four-year institutions so students will be able to transfer their credits if they decide to do so,” Skaggs said. “A lot of our students are active in the community, and some start their own businesses, so we want to make sure they’re able to sharpen their skills the best they can.” 

The graphic communication course will look at how layout, design and color are used to communicate messages, such as with logos and advertisements. The typography course will allow students to create their own fonts and learn about their usage in media.

“We would love for students to walk away with more confidence in their skills and abilities,” Skaggs said. “We want them to be able to market themselves effectively.”

Skaggs said there are financial options available when using the software for these classes, such as monthly subscription fees rather than paying for the entire software up front.

For more information about the graphic design courses and the fine arts department at OCTC, email octc.startcenter@kctcs.edu or call 270-686-4522.