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DCG (Design & Communication Graphics)

DCG is a follow-on subject from Junior Cycle Graphics.

It is assessed in the following two areas.

1. Student Assignment/Project 40%

2. Terminal Exam 60%.

 

Design and Communication  Graphics has taken the place of technical drawing for the Leaving Certificate  and provides students with the opportunity for visualizing and comprehending  information presented verbally or graphically.  

 

Pride is taken when drafting with traditional drawing concepts. Problem solving and creative thinking skills are developed through the analysis and solution of  both 2- and 3-dimensional graphics. Skills such as investigation, research, formatting/layout, free-hand sketching, 3D modelling, concept designing and portfolio skills are developed during their time in DCG. 

 

There is a great emphasis in the Leaving Certificate course on comprehension, analysis and  problem solving. In simple terms, you must be able to understand what has to be done, analyse how you are going to approach it and then proceed to solve the  problem. It is a very suitable subject for architecture/engineering/product-design; it  is regarded as a useful asset if you are thinking of a technical course.


 It is recommended that you have completed Junior Cycle Graphics prior to picking DCG for senior cycle. If you are interested in selecting DCG without completing Junior Cycle Graphics, discuss this with your DCG teacher. If you decide to pick up DCG it is strongly advised that you study the Junior Cycle course and become familiar with the basics before beginning in 5th Year. It will guide you through the basic concepts learned in Junior Cycle Graphics.

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Course Content

The course is broken into three principal areas of study: design and communication graphics, plane and descriptive geometries, and applied graphics.

 

The final assessment is divided into two sections:

  • 60% - Terminal Exam.

  • ​40% - Project. Students research a design problem, investigating existing solutions and then creating their own design. The project involves freehand drawing, graphic design and 3D modelling (10-14 page portfolio that can be used for college entry courses). Previous years involved the designing of such objects:

    • 2009 – MP3 Docking Station

    • 2010 – Games Controller

    • 2011 – Sat Nav

    • 2012 – Perfume/Aftershave Bottle

    • 2013 – Lectern

    • 2014 – Water Bottle

    • 2015 – Torch

    • 2016 – Tap

    • 2017 – Juicer /Smoothie Maker

    • 2018 – Computer Mouse

    • 2019 – Drone / Quadcopter

    • 2020 – Gaming Headset

    • 2021 – Dash-cam

       

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Examples of previous students' work:
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Who would this subject suit at Leaving Certificate?

Students who have complete Junior Cycle Graphics and have enjoyed this experience. Students who take pride in solving-problems and in their work. Who would like to develop the skills in this subject. Students who are working towards college courses like architecture/engineering/product-design/game-design/VFX /web-design and so on.

It is recommended that you have completed Junior Cycle Graphics prior to picking DCG for senior cycle. If you are interested in selecting DCG without completing Junior Cycle Graphics, discuss this with your DCG teacher. If you decide to pick up DCG it is strongly advised that you study the Junior Cycle course and become familiar with the basics before beginning in 5th Year. It will guide you through the basic concepts learned in Junior Cycle Graphics. Free-hand sketching is a main component of the core topics. Therefore, Junior Cycle Art, Materials Technology / Wood Technology would serve as an advantage in this area. A basic knowledge of ICT skills is also beneficial. Students must also appreciate that work completed must conform to a high standard of neatness and draftsmanship.

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Is this subject a requirement for any college courses?

You should discuss with your teacher and/ or check specific course requirements, but those that really enjoyed the subject could very easily follow on into a career involving any amount of graphic design/ creative design work. This area is growing at an incredible rate and should be taken into consideration when thinking about career options, as these careers are no longer niche areas and now require a huge amount of creative, enthusiastic young designers. This encompasses anything from the obvious product design, architecture, etc. to the areas of app development, web-design, game-design, VFX (visual FX for film/tv), and graphic design for marketing, etc. 

Resources

DCG Solutions: https://www.dcgsolutions.ie/

Solidworks: https://www.solidworks.com/

Onshape: Students have their own account for 3D Modelling: https://www.onshape.com/en/

https://www.t4.ie/Assessment/DCG/2020%20Guide%20To%20The%20Student%20Assignment%20booklet.pdf

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