Graphic Design Portfolio Course Online (Self-Paced)

This is the capstone course in the Graphic Design Certificate Program and requires prior knowledge of Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. The Graphic Design Certificate is open to beginners and includes four courses, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and the Graphic Design Bootcamp, offered at a 25% discount. The certificate also provides one-on-one mentoring with a professional design expert.

What You Will Learn

• Learn about the elements of design
• Develop and expand your graphic design portfolio
• Learn how to discuss your work and incorporate and evaluate critiques
• Broaden your understanding of graphic design concepts and processes, both formal and conceptual
• Upload your work to Adobe Portfolio (included with your Creative Cloud membership) to create your portfolio website

Course Outline

Section 1

What is Graphic Design?

• Brief overview and discussion
• Elements of design
• Gestalt Principles

Word Work

• Letterform Anatomy
• Type Classifications
• Speed design with limited source material!

Design Assignment: Logo Design

• Brief slide show on what makes a good logo
• Design assignment: Choice of logo redesign for an existing company or create your own personal logo design.
• Create two distinct design options for your logo.

Section 2

Design Process

• Explore ideation and the creative design process
• Logo exploration (Ritos del Sol, Vaya)
• Learn logo drafting using the template feature in Illustrator
• Introduction of Photoshop mock-ups
• Sketching exercise. Learn to work quickly and creatively within fixed parameters.

Color Interaction

• What do colors mean?
• How do designers use colors effectively
• Color palettes: we will explore how to choose appropriate color palettes for different assignments

Design Assignment: Identity System

• Finalize your logo to design an identity system using a "color study" and complementary typeface. Use this visual system to either create a stationery design or social media graphics.

Section 3

Typography

• Typographic Overview
• Type Selection
• Type Pairing
• Foundry Overview
• Optical Spacing

Design Assignment: Book/eBook Cover Redesign

• Create either a book or eBook cover design for a re-issue of a famous piece of fiction. Use type and imagery to create a visually appealing cover that will entice a reader.

Section 4

Historical Design Movements

• Arts & Crafts
• Art Nouveau
• Dada
• De Stijl
• Constructivism
• Bauhaus
• Swiss International

Design Assignment: Album Art Cover/Spotify Graphic

• Create cover art for a band to be used for online purchases of music or streaming music services. Use a mixture of typography, imagery, and basic graphic elements, with consideration for different screen sizes and resolutions.

Section 5

Information Hierarchy

• What goes first? Second? Last? And why?
• Are there rules? How can we be creative within these rules?
• We explore the who, what, where, when, and why of laying out information.
• Learn about grid systems.

Design Assignment: Event Poster or Email Announcement

• Students will design a poster or email announcement for an event. Designs should convey a concept relating to the subject, and use a clearly identifiable visual hierarchy.

Section 6

Design Hero Slide Show

• The instructor will show a brief slide show of past and present design visionaries

Portfolio Criteria & Revision

• Ten points to consider when developing a professional Graphic Design portfolio.
• Recommended book list
• Revision, completion and collection of any final revised exercises or projects.