Online Graphic Designing Courses: 87 Top Courses to Consider

Online graphic designing courses can help people build their careers by:

• Designing promotional materials, such as digital content and movie posters
• Developing a website, social media presence, and other marketing assets for your films early in your career
• Creating graphic pieces included in the script, such as replicating the style of signs or newspapers in period pieces
• Practicing important visual art principles in other forms
• Pursing other creative work professionally as a freelancer

Online Graphic Design Courses

1. 99 Designs
2. A Brief History of Typography
3. ADMEC Multimedia Institute
4. AIGA: Graphic Design Theory
5. Alison Online
   1. Applying Design Principles
   2. Visual and Graphic Design
   3. Photoshop Essential Tools
6. A Short Introduction to Graphic Design History
7. Canva Design School
   1. Creativity
8. Computer Graphics by UC San Diego
9. Coursera
   1. Graphic Design by David Underwood
   2. California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
      1. Brand New Brand
      2. Graphic Design Specialization
      3. Fundamentals of Graphic Design
      4. Introduction to Typography
      5. Ideas from the History of Graphic Design
10. CoursesOnline
11. CreativeLive
    1. Thinking Like a Book Designer with Jessica Helfand & Michael Bierut
    2. Branding 101: The Complete Toolkit
    3. Invitations in Photoshop
    4. Basics of Packaging Design in Illustrator
    5. Colors and Their Relationships
    6. Graphic Design Fundamentals (5.5 hours)
    7. A Brand Called You—Debbie Millman (4.75 hours)
12. Creative Pro
    1. How to Move Vector Graphics
13. Duke Graphic Design Principles Index
14. Envato Tuts+ Illustration and Design Courses
    1. Make a Professional Invoice
    2. Make a Professional Resume
    3. How-to Tutorials
15. From Doodle to Logo
16. General Assembly
17. The Graphic Design School
18. GoSkills: Photoshop – Advanced
19. Interaction Design Foundation
20. Kadenze
    1. Introduction to Graphic Illustration
    2. Introduction to Graphic Design History (Maryland Institute College of Art)
    3. The Practical History of Typography (SVA)
21. LinkedIn Learning (previously Lynda.com)
    1. Introduction to Graphic Design
    2. Motion Graphic Design: Animation
    3. Graphic Design Foundations: Color
    4. Photography for Graphic Designers
    5. Designing an Infographic – Linkedin Learning
22. MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) OpenCourseWare
    1. Graphic Design Class
    2. Intelligent Web Design
23. Next-G Education
24. Shaw Academy
    1. Adobe Certified Online Graphic Design Course
    2. Budget Graphic Design Course
25. Springboard (UX Design / Business / Marketing)
26. Skilledup
27. Skillshare
    1. Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design
    2. Creating Brand Systems: An Overview of Combining Logos and Type
    3. Typography That Works: Typographic Composition and Fonts
    4. Brand Identity Design: How to Design Brands People Care About
    5. Logo Design with Draplin: Secrets of Shape, Type, and Color
28. Teach Yourself Graphic Design: A Self-Study Course Outline
29. Udemy (all Udemy Graphic Design courses)
    1. Introduction to Graphic Design
    2. Learn Adobe Photoshop from Scratch
    3. Professional Logo Design in Adobe Illustrator
    4. Graphic Design Bootcamp: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign
    5. Graphic Design Masterclass: The Next Level
    6. Graphic Design Masterclass (4 hours)
    7. Passive Income Course for Graphic Designers
    8. Business Branding (4.5 hours)
30. Veerle’s Graphic Design Blog
31. Zee Institute of Creative Art

Online Degree Programs in Graphic Design 2020

The following schools offer online graphic design degree programs you can start this year:

1. University of Maryland Global Campus
2. Savannah College of Art and Design
3. Southern New Hampshire University
4. California Baptist University
5. Liberty University
6. Independence University
7. Midway University
8. Kentucky Wesleyan College
9. Bellevue University
10. Maryville University

Overview of Top Courses

Introduction to Graphic Design

Learn the basics of this exciting field with Udemy’s Introduction to Graphic Design course. From the principles of design to the basic elements and more, you’ll gain an understanding of what really makes a good design. You don’t need prior knowledge of graphic design to work through this course and will actually learn how to use common graphic design software like Adobe Photoshop. Having skills with programs like Adobe Photoshop can easily translate to your film projects where you may use other Adobe software.

Graphic Design Specialization

In Coursera’s Graphic Design Specialization, you’ll move through a series of four courses that give you a thorough background in the field of graphic design, learning from instructors from CalArts. Start with fundamentals, continue with an introduction to typography, and then delve even more in-depth with an introduction to image-making. You’ll finish the series with a contextual look at the history of graphic design. The typography and image-making skills you pick up can help you market your future film projects.

Introduction to Graphic Design History

Looking for a deep dive into history? Try the Introduction to Graphic Design History course taught by faculty at Maryland Institute College of Art. After all, anyone who’s serious about learning more about designing needs to have a background in history.

You’ll broaden your knowledge about how different design fundamentals were developed. You’ll study the origins of graphic design and text along with subjects like modernism, photomontage, typography, and the avant-garde.

Graphic Design – Visual and Graphic Design

Get a window into what designers do in their day-to-day work with this free course from Alison. The Graphic Design – Visual and Graphic Design course teaches the fundamentals of graphic design as well as the process. The course touches on design principles, from composition to balance to contrast to hierarchy. You’ll also explore design elements such as texture, shape, form, and lines.

Duke Graphic Design Principles Index

This easy-to-use resource from Duke University covers all the basic design principles you need to know. The Graphic Design Principles Index is set up like chapters, all functioning like tiny classes.

You’ll gain insight into subjects like balancing positive and negative space, using color consistently, and so much more. Again, this knowledge is something you can use when considering how to film a scene as well as when designing promotional materials.

Logo Design with Draplin: Secrets of Shape, Type and Color

You can develop very specific skills through online coursework, too. Check out Skillshare’s logo design course, for instance. Taught by Aaron Draplin, an experienced American graphic designer who has designed for well-known clients like Nike and the Obama administration, this course gives you the core skills you need to design a logo.

Impactful logos come from their design techniques, and this course will show you how to do it. Learn about the process of researching and then structuring the design.

Canva Design School

You’ll find a treasure trove of lessons, resources, and tutorials perfect for new graphic designers at Canva Design School. Set up like long-form articles, each lesson in these courses includes tons of helpful information alongside design examples and resource links. Learn about (and spark your own) creativity, or explore the ins and outs of building a brand.

MIT OpenCourseWare

Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a free database of courses through its online OpenCourseWare. Professional academic teachers offer courses such as this one in graphic design. You’ll learn about graphic design techniques and concepts, including practical application, through this egalitarian education system.

While you’re training for a career in film, you can hone your graphic design knowledge. You can learn more about film and how you can improve your skills by applying to the Nashville Film Institute here.