15 Online Graphic Design Courses for Beginners, Businesses, and More

15 Online Graphic Design Courses for Beginners, Businesses, and More Images

Graphic design skills are currently in demand for many positions, especially companies looking to produce their own logos or create images for social media.

However, graphic design can also be a fun hobby and outlet for your creative side.

Luckily, you don’t have to be a computer wiz to get started. There are plenty of helpful online graphic design courses that can help you build your skills, even if you have zero experience with Photoshop or InDesign.

Below are 15 great options for every level of graphic designer, whether you want to apply your skills professionally or just have fun creating designs.

Online Graphic Design Courses: The Basics

If you’re new to graphic design, try one of these courses for a smooth intro that will fill you in on the basics.

1. Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design

online graphic design courses

With Graphic Design Basics, you’ll learn how to identify and discuss the 5 basic principles of design, as well as critique and evaluate your own work.

This course is directly inspired by the instructors’ textbook and class at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Key topics include:

  • Symmetry vs. Asymmetry
  • Hierarchy
  • Framing
  • Scale
  • Grids

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

2. Graphic Design Theory for Beginners: Introduction to Graphic Design

Graphic Design Theory for Beginners is designed to teach you the basic fundamentals and principles that go into creating graphic design artwork.

You’ll start with the basics, including what graphic design actually is, examples, and how you can use it in your career.

Key topics include:

  • What is graphic design?
  • Characteristics of graphic design
  • Examples of graphic design

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

3. Intro to Graphic Design: Expressing Emotion with Color Theory

This graphic design course on color theory teaches everything you need to know about color before applying it to your designs.

Discover the different ways of creating color, as well as the meaning behind certain colors and how you can use them to convey the message you want to your customers or followers.

Key topics include:

  • Color terminology
  • Color interaction
  • Sketching ideas
  • Building a color palette
  • Reviewing and editing colors

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

4. Graphic Design for Beginners Part 1

online graphic design courses

In this first section of Graphic Design for Beginners, instructor and graphic designer Chad Neuman will teach you how to apply graphic design principles, color, and typography for better designs.

Participate in various class projects to apply and show off your new skills, including an online advertisement, infographic, poster, and postcard.

Key topics include:

  • Getting familiar with the software
  • Graphic design as powerful, beautiful, visual communication
  • Elements of graphic design
  • Arranging for aesthetics
  • Negative space and white space

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

5. Graphic Design Bootcamp: Part 1

This Graphic Design Bootcamp is designed for beginners and will leave you with a clear understanding of how to work with Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator for both print and web projects.

After taking the course, you’ll be armed with the skills and confidence to create business cards, flyers, graphics, or whatever your imagination has in mind.

Key topics include:

  • Creating custom logos
  • Business cards
  • Brochures
  • Web graphics

Price: $199.99

6. Canva Course: Beginner’s Guide to Canva for Graphic Design

This Canva Course will teach you how to use Canva, a free software, to create awesome graphics and images.

Start by learning how to set up a Canva account and navigate Canva’s interface, before moving on to layouts, how to add artwork and text, and finally share your designs to social media platforms.

This course is ideal for entrepreneurs, marketers, advertisers, social media experts, and anyone interested in learning how to use this free software to create beautiful images.

Key topics include:

  • The Canva dashboard
  • The Design dashboard
  • Creating backgrounds
  • Adding artwork
  • Adding text
  • Putting it all together

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

Courses for Businesses

These courses are ideal for businesses or entrepreneurs looking to create their own logos or designs for social media.

7. Intro to Graphic Design: Create Unique Logos with Gestalt Principles

online graphic design courses

Intro to Graphic Design: Create Unique Logos is intended for designers, but it’s also an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in logo design to learn more about the craft.

However, some basic knowledge of Adobe Illustrator is assumed, so you may want to check out some brief introduction tutorials about the software before taking this course if you’re not very experienced.

Key topics include:

  • Sketching and research
  • Similarity and proximity
  • Continuation and closure
  • Symmetry and order
  • Color and typography

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

8. Graphic Design Mastery: The Complete Branding Process

Graphic Design Mastery: The Complete Branding Process dives deep into the logo design process.

You’ll learn to create and expand your branding standards, as well as produce a color palette and logo variations.

This is an intermediate-level course, and it teaches the step by step process to creating brand standards to present to clients.

Key topics include:

  • Logo design
  • Typography
  • Mood boards and colors
  • Developing branding standards
  • Brand assets

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

9. Animation for Graphic Designers: How to Animate a Logo

online graphic design courses

Animation for Graphic Designers will show you how to take your designs to the next level and bring your logos to life with animation.

Learn how to make an animation plan, break down a logo, make transitions, and create a final loop.

This is an intermediate-level course for designers looking to introduce movement to their work, although every tool is broken down into clear and simplified terms, so it’s suitable for most beginners as well.

Key topics include:

  • Planning your animation
  • Arranging layers in Illustrator
  • Transitioning to After Effects
  • Building the guiding object
  • Building the brand element

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

10. Anyone Can Design: Create Awesome Graphics for Social Media

Anyone Can Design will teach you how to create breathtaking graphics for your social media posts.

You’ll learn how to use the tools of the trade, including graphic templates to expedite the design process. Finally, get helpful tips for idea generation so you can avoid frustrating creative blocks.

Key topics include:

  • Graphic designs for social media
  • How to schedule posts on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms
  • How to use graphic templates
  • Idea generation for social media graphics

Price: $19.99

Courses for Professionals

Already know your way around PhotoShop? Check out these courses on careers in graphic design and ways you can boost your design game.

11. How to Become a Graphic Designer: A Quick Start Guide

online graphic design courses

How to Become a Graphic Designer offers must-know information for anyone considering a career in graphic design.

Learn what it takes and how you can get started by understanding which programs you should master first, the best resources for design elements, and the importance of learning each program in the designer triad.

Key topics include:

  • The Designer Triad
  • A day in the life of the designer
  • Where to start learning
  • Where to find the best design resources
  • How much can you make?

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

12. 10 Tips to Become a Better Graphic Designer

10 Tips to Become a Better Graphic Designer offers practical advice for graphic designers of all levels looking to improve their craft.

One common problem that creatives run into is insecurity about their own talents and capabilities. This course will help you overcome that problem by teaching you how to work outside your comfort zone.

This brief course is broken up into 10 bite-sized lessons to help you boost your confidence as a designer and create your best work yet.

Key topics include:

  • Working outside of your comfort zone
  • How to value criticism
  • Enemies vs. Competitors
  • How to create conceptually

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

13. Graphic Design Inspiration: Idea Generation

online graphic design courses

Graphic Design Inspiration: Idea Generation will help you move past that dreaded creative block by providing you with a variety of idea generating tools.

This course is designed for all levels, though beginners can certainly follow and benefit from the idea generation strategies.

Key topics include:

  • Supplies
  • Digital thumbnails
  • List making
  • Mind mapping
  • Pinterest
  • Mood boards

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

14. Graphic Design Theory: Photography in Design

If you really want to understand how to become a great graphic designer, you first need to master the basics.

This Graphic Design Theory course will help you do just that by introducing the foundations of color, typography, layout, composition, branding, and more.

Even if you have zero experience in design, this course will help you to understand all of the fundamental elements on a deeper level so you can apply your new skills or continue learning with confidence.

Key topics include:

  • The basics of photography
  • Composition and layout
  • Color theory
  • Typography
  • Where to find images
  • How to cut out a subject
  • Create an advertisement in Canva

Price: $15/month for a Skillshare subscription

15. Graphic Design Masterclass: Learn GREAT Design

This Graphic Design Masterclass will help you to develop a deep understanding of typography, color theory, and other design skills so you can create logos and branding packages for potential clients.

You’ll learn non-destructive editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop, as well as photo editing and manipulation.

This course requires access to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Key topics include:

  • Creating logos and brand designing packages
  • Ad design principles
  • Photoshop editing techniques
  • Creating editorial spreads
  • Photo editing and manipulation

Price: $194.99

Become a Better Graphic Designer

No matter your level of expertise, it’s always a good idea to continue learning new skills if you want to stay ahead of the pack.

Try one of these 15 online graphic design courses to continue learning from the comfort of your home.

What are some new skills that you’d like to learn? Let us know in the comments below!

 

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