In Design Software Essentials, students cover the necessary functions of Photoshop and Illustrator. These are the two major 2D image creation and editing software. These programs form the foundation of digital imaging in both print screen and video graphics. Students will learn through several lab assignments that cover pixel manipulation, composing, adjusting, and resizing in Photoshop. In Illustrator, students will learn how to properly and efficiently manipulate vectors; how to create and use color properly, and finally how to efficiently output vector images for screen or print. Concepts learned in this course carry over into animation, motion graphics, 3D design, and more.