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Edition 2026Active Merit Badge

Graphic Arts

Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition

Graphic Arts explores visual communication design, typography, prepress technology, modern printing methods, and postpress finishing. You will review five printing processes (offset lithography, screen printing, digital, relief, and gravure), distinguish continuous tone from line art and halftones, design an original printed piece with considered typography and layout, execute a production run, explore postpress finishing and bindery methods, tour a print plant or design school, and research graphic arts careers.

Key Requirements Covered:

  • Typography, Layout & Design Principles
  • Color Theory & Digital Prepress
  • Printing Processes: Offset, Screen & Digital
  • Finishing, Binding & Industry Careers
5Printable Pages
7Requirements
2026Reqs Revised

What is on the worksheet: Graphic Arts Requirements

Every requirement for the Graphic Arts merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.

1

Five Printing Processes and Sample Collection

Review with your counselor the processes for producing printed communications: offset lithography, screen printing, electronic/digital, relief, and gravure. Collect samples of three products, each one produced using a different printing process, or draw diagrams to help you with your description.

2

Continuous Tone, Line Art, Halftones, and Digital Images

Explain the differences between continuous tone, line, and halftone artwork. Describe how digital images can be created and/or stored in a computer.

3

Design a Printed Piece

Design a printed piece (flyer, T-shirt, program, form, etc.). Explain your decisions for the typeface or typefaces you use and the way you arrange the elements in your design. Explain which printing process is best suited for printing your design. If desktop publishing is available, identify what hardware and software would be appropriate for outputting your design.

4

Produce the Design

Produce the design you created for requirement 3 using one of the following printing processes:

  • a Offset lithography. Make a layout, and produce a plate using a process approved by your counselor. Run the plate and print at least 50 copies.
  • b Screen printing. Make a hand-cut or photographic stencil and attach it to a screen that you have prepared. Mask the screen and print at least 20 copies.
  • c Electronic/digital printing. Create a layout in electronic form, download it to the press or printer, and run 50 copies. If no electronic interface to the press or printer is available, you may print and scan a paper copy of the layout.
  • d Relief printing. Create a layout in electronic form, download it to the press or printer, and run 50 copies. If no electronic interface to the press or printer is available, you may print and scan a paper copy of the layout.
5

Postpress Finishing and Binding

Postpress Operations. Do the following:

  • a Discuss the finishing operations of padding, drilling, cutting, and trimming with your counselor.
  • b Collect, describe, or identify examples of the following types of binding: perfect, spiral, plastic comb, saddle stitch, and case.
6

Printing Plant, Design School, or Website Exploration

Do ONE of the following, and then describe the highlights of your visit:

  • a Visit a newspaper printing plant. Follow a story from the editor to the press.
  • b Visit a retail, commercial, or in-plant printing facility. Follow a project from beginning to end.
  • c Visit a school's graphic arts program. Find out what courses are available and what the prerequisites are.
  • d With your parent or guardian's permission, visit three websites that belong to graphic arts professional organizations and/or printing-related companies (suppliers, manufacturers, printers). Print out or download product or service information from two of the sites.
7

Careers

Find out about three career opportunities in graphic arts. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

Two dates, two different things

Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date

Scouting America last revised the Graphic Arts requirements in 2026. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.

Verbatim Fidelity & Verification

This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/graphic-arts/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.

Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.

Spotted a discrepancy on this sheet? Tell us and we will re-check it against the official requirements.

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