Education
Behavior, Culture, and Society
Teacher Feature
Interested in learning Digital Media? Check out this teacher feature with Professor Gomez-Holbrook. Professor Holbrook is passionate about her courses and the success of her students!
How long have you been teaching and how long at Coastline?
I started teaching in 2001 at Golden West College and specifically teaching full-time in 2016 at Coastline College. I became a fully tenured professor in 2020.
What do you love about working at Coastline College?
I love helping students, seeing their satisfied expressions when they master a particularly challenging skill. I get great satisfaction seeing the weekly projects that represent what students learned that week. I love that Coastline College Digital Graphics department's online courses offer flexibility for high school dual-enrolled students as well working adults for deadlines and to seamlessly fit their coursework into their busy schedules.
What made you interested in teaching digital graphics?
Since high school I've been interested in creating commercial art and studying graphic design. In college I studied computer languages and fine art. I found I had a knack at remembering the tools and skills and building projects that layered images with computer applications creating multiple layers of depth. I worked as a lab tech in the first Apple computer lab at CSULB graphic design dept helping BFA students with their computer skills. After college, I worked in a design studio helping graphic designers prepare their publication designs for the printing press. I found I enjoyed helping people. A student once asked me “where do I put the main subject/object in my composition. How do I know where to put it?” I became dedicated to helping students understand how to apply design principles to composition and not just use the applications. It's like a recipe with mixing and matching ingredients to create unlimited possible design solutions. I've been hooked ever since and strive to help each student learn the skills and apply design elements in my courses at Coastline Digital Graphics.
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What would you say to students who are interested in digital graphics and Adobe?
Adobe Photoshop allows you to create an image that is completely unique and original, utilizing vector images or photography and graphics. You will be ahead of your peers when you enter the working industry if you know Photoshop better than any of the other students in your design program. In our design program, you will learn how to think and become a visual problem solver with Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, and several other Adobe applications. You will learn sensitivity to spacing, composition, and successful alignment of the elements within your design. Your workflow will include sketches, revisions, and research. The skills you acquire with the projects will be valuable in a real-world situation resulting in creative design solutions. My suggestion is to practice, practice, practice.
What kinds of careers can be had in the world of digital graphics?
Digital Media Photographer, Drone Photographer, Video Editor, Animator, Graphic Designer, Digital Animator, Artistic Director, Commercial Artist, Web Designer, Photographer.
Check out Coastline's Digital Media Program
What can you tell students about your courses?
Design elements and industry experience are part of our digital media program. We offer flexible deadlines, weekly discussions, and study sessions with peers. Students learn a great deal by explaining their ideas to others in my classes and by participating in activities in which they can learn from their peers. Students develop skills in working collaboratively with others, giving and receiving feedback.
The Coastline DGA department offers an 18-unit digital media design certificate of achievement, animation and gaming certificate, multiple 9 unit stackable certificates and industry certifications for the Adobe applications.
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
Editing photos with photoshop, walking 3-4 miles a day, growing orchids and any other indoor/outdoor plants, yoga, walking my dog, trying new local restaurants.
The ongoing Teacher Feature Series at Coastline College highlights and showcases our great faculty members. Professor Holbrook gave us a great inside look into the world of digital media. Stay tuned for our next teacher feature by checking Coastline College social media.
