Graphic Design from Coursera

Welcome to Graphic Design, the second course in the Effective Communications Specialization. Over 70 different companies have provided this specialization to their employees as a resource for internal professional development. Why? Because employers know that effective visual communication is the key to attracting an audience, building a relationship, and closing the sale.

This practical course gives you the tools to create professional looking PowerPoints, reports, resumes, and presentations. Using a set of best practices refined through years of experience, you’ll:

• make your work look fresh and inspired.

• apply simple design “tricks” to begin any project with confidence and professionalism.

• receive and respond to criticism and revise your project from good to great.

"This course is fantastic. It teaches a great amount of starter graphic design information but it is broken down into easily understood videos and quizzes. The quality was top notch and the interaction was as good as you would get in a brick and mortar school. I did not feel like I was missing anything by taking it online." - a recent Graphic Design student

All of the course assignments can be completed with basic presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Apple Keynote. You’ll also have opportunities to explore and apply more sophisticated tools, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Data Science (MS-DS) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The MS-DS is an interdisciplinary degree that brings together faculty from CU Boulder’s departments of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Science, and others. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the MS-DS is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience in computer science, information science, mathematics, and statistics. Learn more about the MS-DS program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/master-of-science-data-science-boulder.

What's inside

Syllabus

Getting Started

This week introduces you to the importance of recognizing good design as the starting place for creating professional, attractive work of your own. We will look to the ubiquitous world of graphic design to establish a vocabulary of successful design and to find inspiration for our own projects. We will also discuss course prerequisites and review a basic digital design glossary that will help you navigate your chosen application.

The Blank Canvas

This week will look at the blank canvas – the untouched rectangle that will become our design project. We’ll discuss the importance of working with a grid, understanding negative space, and using appropriate margins. This week will also explore the palette of elements which, when chosen and used wisely, ensure that the finished design project is successful. We’ll cover type, color, images, and graphic elements such as borders, bars, and backgrounds.

Tricks of the Trade

It's time to start designing! In this week, we'll discuss the process of composition. We'll use the palette items covered in week 2, and deploy common visual design “tricks” such as contrast, repetition, sublimation, tension, and more. To help see both the effect and the universality of these design approaches, we'll look at design examples from art history, film, and current media. We’ll also cover the strategy of composition. We'll see that providing an obvious target, maintaining a natural visual flow, and prioritizing information are all critical to clear visual communication.

Revision and Distance

As we've said before, designers don't work in a vacuum. Our work will be judged by others, and, as good designers, we will learn to take that judgement constructively and in stride. In this week we’ll talk about what it means to be confident, yet open to criticism. We’ll explore the importance of revision as an ongoing component of design, as well as the need to enlist feedback and maintain distance in assessing our own work.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Helps prepare learners for professional roles that require graphic communication

Teaches learners how to apply simple designs for any professional purpose

Gives learners hands-on experience and feedback to improve their work

Helps learners navigate the graphic design world through its vocabulary

Taught by an instructor with years of experience in graphic design

Can be taken as part of a degree program, showing its rigor

Reviews summary

Engaging graphic design exploration

Learners say Graphic Design is an engaging and informative course that covers the fundamental principles of graphic design. The course presents advice and best practices with a focus on practical application to help you improve your design skills and learn when your work is complete.

The instructor draws from their experience in the field to provide valuable advice.

"Le cours est bien construit, une liste de "bonnes pratiques" est fournie. Le tout étant motivé par l'expérience de l'enseignant."

Focuses on application of principles with a goal of developing design skills.

"teaches you principles of the art and tips for the trade and how to make you work better and know when it is done"

"Le cours est bien construit, une liste de "bonnes pratiques" est fournie"

"Creating through power point is difficult. It should be for those who already have experience creating graphics"

Appropriate for learners with basic design understanding.

"This course is not particularly helpful unless you have a firm grip on adobe or other programs. Creating through power point is difficult. It should be for those who already have experience creating graphics"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Graphic Design with these activities:

Review Color Theory

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Refresh your understanding of color theory and how it can be applied to graphic design projects.

Browse courses on Color Theory

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Review the color wheel and color schemes
Identify the psychological effects of different colors
Experiment with color combinations using a color palette tool

Gather Design Inspiration

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Develop a collection of inspiring design examples that you can refer to for future projects.

Browse courses on Visual Communication

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Identify design inspiration platforms (e.g., Pinterest, Behance)
Create a collection of images, articles, and videos
Organize and categorize your inspiration for easy reference

Review Understanding Comics

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Review the foundational principles of visual communication and the role of comics and graphic design in everyday life.

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Read Understanding Comics
Identify examples of visual communication in your daily life
Analyze how visual communication is used in marketing, advertising, and news media

Five other activities

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Attend a Graphic Design Workshop

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Gain hands-on experience and learn from experts by attending a graphic design workshop.

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Research upcoming graphic design workshops
Register for a workshop that aligns with your interests
Attend the workshop and actively participate
Network with other designers and instructors

Practice Typography Exercises

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Develop proficiency in typography and improve your ability to select and use fonts effectively.

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Identify different typefaces and their characteristics
Experiment with different font pairings and sizes
Create typographic layouts and posters

Design a Visual Presentation

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Apply the principles of graphic design to create a visually appealing and informative presentation.

Browse courses on Visual Communication

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Use presentation software to create slides
Choose a topic and gather information
Create an outline and storyboard
Select appropriate visual elements (e.g., images, fonts, colors)
Practice delivering your presentation

Develop a Personal Style Guide

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Create a set of guidelines that define the visual identity and ensure consistency in your graphic design work.

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Define your target audience and design goals
Identify key design elements (e.g., colors, fonts, imagery)
Create a style guide document
Apply your style guide to future design projects

Create a Design Portfolio

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Develop a portfolio that showcases your skills and helps you stand out in the job market.

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Gather your best design work
Create a website or online portfolio
Write compelling project descriptions
Get feedback and refine your portfolio

Career center

Learners who complete Graphic Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Graphic designer

Graphic Designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. This course may be useful to Graphic Designers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create professional-looking graphic designs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic designer

Presentation Designer

Presentation Designers create visual presentations that communicate information in a clear and concise way. This course may be useful to Presentation Designers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create effective and engaging presentations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Presentation Designer

User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers research, design, and evaluate the user experience of products and services. This course may be useful to User Experience Designers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create user interfaces that are both visually appealing and easy to use.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Designer

Curriculum Developer

Curriculum Developers design and develop educational programs and materials. This course may be useful to Curriculum Developers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing and effective educational materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Curriculum Developer

Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers create and develop educational materials and programs. This course may be useful to Instructional Designers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing and effective educational materials.

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Web Designer

Web Designers create and maintain websites. This course may be useful to Web Designers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing and effective websites.

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Learning and Development Manager

Learning and Development Managers plan and implement training and development programs for employees. This course may be useful to Learning and Development Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing training materials.

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Multimedia Artist

Multimedia Artists create art using a combination of different media, such as photography, graphic design, and video. This course may be useful to Multimedia Artists, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing multimedia projects.

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Educational Consultant

Educational Consultants provide advice and guidance to educational institutions and organizations. This course may be useful to Educational Consultants, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing presentations and reports.

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Sales Manager

Sales Managers lead and motivate sales teams. This course may be useful to Sales Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing sales presentations.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers plan and execute marketing campaigns to promote products and services. This course may be useful to Marketing Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing marketing materials.

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Public relations manager

Public Relations Managers manage the public image of organizations. This course may be useful to Public Relations Managers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing public relations materials.

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Art Director

Art Directors typically plan and oversee the production of visual materials, such as brochures, posters, and websites. This course may be useful to Art Directors, as it teaches the basics of graphic design, including how to use color, type, and images to create visually appealing designs.

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Trainer

Trainers provide instruction and guidance to individuals and groups. This course may be useful to Trainers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing training materials.

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Teacher

Teachers instruct students in a variety of subjects. This course may be useful to Teachers, as it can help them to develop the skills needed to create visually appealing lesson plans and presentations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher