Picture this: you’ve got a knack for design and a passion for aesthetics, but you’re not quite sure how to elevate your skills to the next level. Or maybe you’re starting a new career path and want to learn the ins and outs of design theory without the commitment of a traditional design school. Either way, you’ve landed in the right place, my friend. Because in today’s blog post, we’re going to dive deep into the world of design theory online courses and help you find the perfect fit for your needs and interests.
Gone are the days when the only route to mastering design was through a formal four-year degree. The digital age has made it possible for us to learn, grow, and, quite frankly, become experts in various disciplines in the comfort of our own homes (or coffee shops, if you’re anything like me). So, grab your beverage of choice and buckle up for an exciting journey into the vast offerings of online design theory courses, from the essentials to experimenting with different design styles, all just a few clicks away. Let’s get started!
Design Theory Courses – Table of Contents
- The Complete Graphic Design Theory for Beginners Course
- Graphic Design Theory – Psychology of Design
- Graphic Design Masterclass – Learn GREAT Design
- Creative Advertising & Graphic Design Theories for Beginners
- Design Theory Blitz: Quickly Understand GREAT Design
- Graphic Design Theory – Typography
- Digital Design Masterclass For Graphic Designers
- DESIGN RULES: Principles + Practices for Great UI Design
The Complete Graphic Design Theory for Beginners Course
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.6 out of 5
Get ready to dive into the world of graphic design theory with this comprehensive and engaging new course, updated for 2022 with fresh design trends and practical projects. This course is thoughtfully designed for both beginners and seasoned designers looking to enhance their skills. With over 4.5+ hours of video content and practical projects to follow along with, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge to kick your graphic design skills up a notch (or several!).
This course covers everything from color theory and typography to user experience and branding, making it an invaluable resource for anyone in design or related industries. With its easy-to-navigate format, you can jump from topic to topic as needed or follow the course from start to finish, building your skills and understanding along the way. Plus, you’ll have direct communication with the instructors and a supportive community where you can ask questions, give and receive feedback, and participate in design challenges. Not satisfied with the course for any reason? No problem; you’re backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. So why wait? Enroll now and start mastering graphic design theory!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Understanding the basics of graphic design
- Mastering color theory
- Utilizing typography effectively
- Creating balanced layouts
- Developing strong compositions
- Enhancing user experience
- Crafting impactful branding and logo design
- Incorporating photography and modern trends in graphic design
Graphic Design Theory – Psychology of Design
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.7 out of 5
Dive into the fascinating world of Design Psychology with this online course! Throughout the series, you’ll explore the secrets of effective design and how it can be used to influence human behavior. You’ll gain a deep understanding of how people perceive the world around them and learn how to apply this knowledge to create more effective and persuasive designs. Regardless of current fashion trends, the underlying psychological principles driving human behavior remain constant. So, by learning these principles, you’ll be able to create designs that appeal to people globally.
This course is perfect for graphic, motion, UX, or interior designers who want to understand the universal laws of visual communication. By grasping these principles, you’ll gain confidence in making critical decisions, speeding up your design process and using a guideline throughout your work. Topics covered include the Gestalt principles, Closure, Continuity, Similarity, and Simplicity, all while exploring real-life examples to demonstrate how viewers interpret visual information. By the end of the course, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how the human brain processes information, and you can use this knowledge to create more effective visual designs. So, join instructor Martin on this eye-opening journey and explore the mysteries of human perception together!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Understand the universal laws of visual communication and confidently make design decisions.
- Master the effective application of Gestalt principles for visually appealing and highly effective designs.
- Learn about Closure, Continuity, Similarity, and Simplicity and their impact on design.
- Understand how viewers interpret visual information to create effective and pleasing compositions.
- Make critical decisions quickly and efficiently throughout the design process.
- Deepen your understanding of the human brain processes in relation to information and design.
- Build your portfolio with real-life examples from the course, showcasing various design principles.
- Apply Design Psychology to create lasting impacts in graphic, motion, UX, or interior design.
Graphic Design Masterclass – Learn GREAT Design
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.6 out of 5
The Graphic Design Master Class is perfect for those looking to learn all the essential skills and techniques required to create incredible designs! This comprehensive course covers a wide variety of topics such as typography, color theory, layout and composition, photo manipulation, logo design, and much more. One of the best aspects of this course is its practicality – you’ll not only learn through real-world projects but also work on mastering essential Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign tools.
Additionally, the course includes a mini-class called “Discover Your Design Niche,” which helps you explore different design categories and decide which is the best fit for you. Whether you’re a newcomer to design or an experienced professional looking to expand your skills, the Graphic Design Master Class has something to offer for everyone. Plus, with frequent updates and new content, you can trust that you’re learning the most up-to-date techniques and tools in the industry. So, if you’re ready to power through amazing projects and kickstart or enhance your design career, don’t miss out on this fantastic course!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Mastering basics of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
- Developing logo and branding design skills.
- Understanding typography, color theory, and layout principles.
- Creating engaging social media graphics and YouTube thumbnails.
- Designing print materials, such as event flyers and magazine layouts.
- Exploring various design niches, such as package design and UX/UI design.
- Enhancing photo editing and manipulation techniques.
- Effectively giving and receiving design critiques and feedback.
Creative Advertising & Graphic Design Theories for Beginners
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.6 out of 5
Dive into the fascinating world of creative advertising and graphic design with this comprehensive course! Covering essential concepts like creative thinking techniques used in advertising and marketing, you’ll learn from famous international advertising campaigns like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mercedes Benz, Nevia, and McDonald’s. Delve into the history of art and graphic design movements, such as Bauhaus, and discover how to use minimalism in your designs. Plus, you’ll explore the Gestalt theory to understand visual perception and learn how to deceive or trick visual systems.
This course doesn’t stop there – you’ll also study graphic design compositions and colors, typography, creating graphic design elements from scratch, and utilizing Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop during intensive training sessions. The practical part of this course will have you brainstorming an entire advertising campaign, using a space-time theme from Albert Einstein’s general relativity theory. Working with industry-standard applications like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, you’ll create a digital marketing campaign alongside your fellow learners. To top it off, you’ll gain access to a plethora of resources, including graphic design files, exercise files, and a creative Facebook group where you can get feedback, inspiration, and even job opportunities. Under the guidance of Khalil Ibrahim, a Chief Design Officer and Design Academy Founder with over 15 years of experience, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to think outside the box and become a creative professional. So, what are you waiting for? Enroll now and start your journey to mastering creative advertising and graphic design!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Creative Thinking Techniques in Advertising & Marketing
- Graphic Design Theories and Art Movements
- Graphic Design Compositions and Colors
- In-depth Typography
- Creating Graphic Design Elements using Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop
- Designing an Entire Advertising Campaign (Digital Marketing)
- Access to Resources, Community Group, and Potential Job Offers
- Learning from an Experienced Chief Design Officer and Design Academy Founder
Design Theory Blitz: Quickly Understand GREAT Design
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.4 out of 5
Dive into the world of Design Theory with this comprehensive online course that aims to provide you with a solid baseline to begin designing with confidence. While it’s impossible to condense every design theory into a single course, this one equips you with the tools and resources needed to further your learning on the essential theories and principles of graphic design. An art form that’s always evolving, graphic design requires a broad understanding of what makes a design eye-catching and pleasing, so you can develop relevant and on-trend designs.
As a bonus, with your enrollment, you’ll join a vibrant community of over 5,600 like-minded students and professionals in a private Facebook group. This group serves as an excellent place to post projects, receive insightful critiques, and network with individuals from all around the world. Plus, this ever-expanding course is always looking for student feedback to ensure the content is 100% relevant to your needs! So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn and grow through this well-rounded and engaging design theory course. Cheers!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Design Theory fundamentals
- Alignment techniques in print and web design
- Principles of contrast in design
- Effective color usage in design
- Creating eye-catching and on-trend design pieces
- Adapting to the ever-evolving nature of graphic design
- Gaining confidence in design skills
- Utilizing networking and feedback opportunities in the design community
Graphic Design Theory – Typography
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.6 out of 5
Welcome to the Typography course, the second part of the Graphic Design Theory Series! This course is perfect for designers and anyone who loves great typography, as it dives deep into the realm of fonts and teaches you the critical principles needed to support and enhance your design’s message.
Throughout the course, you’ll master vital elements in your creative career such as effective type picking and pairing, text alignment, font customization, and much more. By the end of the lessons, you’ll be able to masterfully set the tone of your design, establish a hierarchy within your composition, and develop a critical eye for the right font. The course is packed with practical examples and careful analysis of various designs, from posters to websites, to make your training fun and memorable.
Join Martin, an experienced instructor with 15+ years of teaching graphic design and 20+ years of freelancing, in exploring the amazing world of typography in Graphic Design. So, why wait? Hop on board for this exciting journey and transform your designs with the power of typography!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Effective type picking and pairing
- Understanding key type anatomy and classification of typefaces
- Differentiating between typefaces, fonts, calligraphy, and lettering
- Mastering text alignment, grids, and positioning
- Professional font customization
- Creating visual interest and controlling perception
- Identifying and avoiding common typography mistakes
- Choosing the ideal text color
Digital Design Masterclass For Graphic Designers
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.7 out of 5
Are you a graphic designer looking to expand your skillset in the digital world? This course has got you covered! It’s massive, covering various digital design projects such as social media design (YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram), animated GIFs, digitizing sketches, creating digital brand assets, icon set design, Apple App Store icon design, e-book covers, web design using WordPress, and landing page design using Adobe XD. First, you’ll learn digital design theory and how to craft compelling social media posts, web layouts, and more. Then you’ll conquer popular digital design projects, including creating captivating YouTube thumbnails and entire social media campaigns.
Dig deeper into creating animated GIFs using Photoshop’s Timeline feature, designing eye-catching e-book covers, and how to work with sketching apps like Procreate to create modern, dynamic campaigns. If you have a knack for sketching or illustrating, you’ll learn how to digitize your work using Adobe Illustrator’s Pen Tool. The course also delves into icon design, teaching you how to create cohesive icon sets and highly detailed Apple store app icons. Plus, you’ll explore web design with Adobe XD and WordPress, learning how to prepare and export files for web design projects. This course is perfect for beginner graphic designers with basic knowledge of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. So, are you ready to level up your design game and explore the digital side of design? See you in the first lesson!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Social Media Design (Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram)
- Creating Animated GIFs
- Digitizing Sketches
- Developing Digital Brand Assets
- Icon Set Design
- Apple App Store Icon Design
- E-Book Covers Design
- Web and Landing Page Design using WordPress and Adobe XD
DESIGN RULES: Principles + Practices for Great UI Design
Platform:
Udemy
Rating:
4.6 out of 5
Do you want to improve your UI design skills and make things more than just visually appealing? This course offers you 50 lessons spanning over 5 hours, filled with timeless rules for good UI design that can be applied to any project. By learning how to create and apply hierarchy, color, contrast, typography, and gestalt principles, you’ll be able to design visual cues that guide users in making the right on-screen interactions—whether it’s tapping, swiping, or clicking.
But the course goes beyond aesthetics! It helps you make good visual decisions for even the most challenging applications, simplifying complex information and designing with data in mind. Once completed, you’ll be able to create strategic, impactful UI designs that communicate, guide, encourage, motivate, and educate your users. Forget about trends; you’ll be equipped to make UI elements relevant and useful to users, regardless of shifting trends. Get ready to design a UI that truly works for the people who use it—allowing them to navigate quickly, efficiently, and intuitively. Plus, it’ll still be beautiful!
Skills you’ll learn in this course:
- Apply timeless principles to create effective UI designs.
- Utilize hierarchy, color, contrast, typography, and gestalt principles to guide users visually.
- Design intuitive interactions that meet user expectations and goals.
- Simplify complex visual information and design with data.
- Make strategic UI design choices for communication, guidance, motivation, and education.
- Ensure onscreen interactions occur with explicit intent.
- Understand user motivations, expectations, environment, and possible actions in UI design.
- Create not only beautiful but also functional and user-centered interfaces.
In conclusion, taking online design theory courses is not only a convenient way to enhance your skills, but it’s also an investment in your future. As the world becomes more digital and interconnected, the demand for skilled designers across various industries continues to grow. The opportunities are boundless, and by building your knowledge on design theory, you can significantly improve your career prospects and set the foundation for your success.
Ultimately, remember to choose courses that are true to your interests, and always be eager to learn and apply your newfound knowledge in real-world projects. Embrace the growing list of online courses, and dive into design theory to make your mark in this ever-evolving industry. There has never been a better time to broaden your horizons and challenge yourself. So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring these online resources today, and embark on your journey to mastering design theory like never before.