Graphic Design Foundations

taught by Lindsay Marsh

Learning the Fundamentals of Graphic Design

Duration: 4.85 hours

Back in the early days of the Internet, graphic design seemed like “Rocket Science” and was reserved for the techies with a creative flair. Today, the landscape has completely changed with the advent of low-cost graphic design apps that have simplified the process of creating cool designs. But, to be a top-notch graphic designer, there are some key fundamental skills that are important to know and apply. In this course, our resident Graphic Design instructor, Lindsay Marsh, will cover such important topics as typography and fonts, working with photography in design, the use of color in design, design layout and blocking, as well as free and paid graphic design tools and apps. This course will equip you to create a whole variety of graphic design projects for your business and for your clients!

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Course curriculum

1

Module 1: Introduction to Graphic Design
- Lesson 1: Meet Your Instructor
- Lesson 2: Intro to Graphic Design Foundations Program
- Lesson 3: What is Good Graphic Design?
2

Module 2: Canva - The Basics
- Lesson 1: Why Canva?
- Lesson 2: Design Types and Shapes
- Lesson 3: Photo Editing
- Lesson4: The Layering System and Working with Templates
- Lesson 5: Opening and Saving Documents
- Lesson 6: What's New with Canva?
3

Module 3: Typography and Fonts
- Lesson 1: Type Styles
- Lesson 2: Using Typography Layout and Design
- Lesson3: Font Pairing
- Lesson4: Creating a Poster Using Only Typography
- Lesson 5A: Type Hierarchy
- Lesson 5B: Create a Business Card and Practice Type Hierarchy
4

Module 4: Working with Photography in Design
- Lesson 1: Photography and Design
- Lesson 2: Cropping Photography
- Lesson 3: Photo Filters and Effects
- Lesson4: Book Cover Part 1
- Lesson 5: Book Cover Part 2
5

Module 5: Color
- Lesson 1: Color Theory
- Lesson 2: Colors and Emotions
- Lesson 3: Finding the Right Color Palette
- Lesson 4: Logo Design Part 1
- Lesson 5: Logo Design Part 2
6

Module 6: Layout and Blocking
- Lesson 1A: Basic Layout Principles
- Lesson 1B: Effective Layout Tips
- Lesson 2: Create a Social Media Graphic
- Lesson 3: Create a Flyer
- Lesson 4: Create a Brochure Part 1
- Lesson 5: Create a Brochure Part 2
7

Module 7: Graphic Design Tools & Resources
- Lesson 1: The Legal Side of Photos
- Lesson 2: Free Graphic Resources
- Lesson 3: Paid Graphic Resources
- Graphic Design Tools Guide
8

Module 8: Your Design Projects
- Four Design Projects
9

Module 9: Start Your Design Portfolio
- Lesson 1: Portfolio Building Basics
- Lesson 2: Displaying Your Projects
- Lesson 3: Creating Your Cover Page
- Lesson 4: Creating Your First Project Part 1
- Lesson 5: Creating Your First Project Part 2
- Lesson 6: Experimenting with Other Project Presentations
- Lesson 7: Free Online Portfolio Option
10

Final Course Survey
- Graphic Design Foundations Survey

Instructor

Lindsay Marsh

Graphic Design Instructor

I have had many self-made titles over the years: Brand Manager, Digital Architect, Interactive Designer, Graphic Designer, Web Developer and Social Media Expert, to name a few. My name is Lindsay Marsh and I have been creating brand experiences for my clients for over 12 years. As a freelance graphic designer, I have worked on a wide variety of projects both in the digital and print space.I have had the wonderful opportunity of taking classes at some of the top design schools in the world: Parsons at The New School, The Pratt Institute and NYU.I have had the pleasure of teaching over 10,000 students globally online. I have provided private tutoring in the the area of design and marketing for over 8 years.In my free time, I enjoy being with my one year old daughter and my three year old son. I am an avid runner and yoga enthusiast. The thing I enjoy most of all about being a teacher is seeing my students flourish and to be able to start careers that are passionate and rewarding.