Graphic design is a growing field that you can easily become involved in. If you're making a start in graphic design or are looking for a time-efficient way to improve your skills, you should be thinking of taking an online course. With the huge number of these available, it can be difficult to choose a single one that fits your situation best.
Most graphic designers use programs made by Adobe such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. This is the industry standard. This sophisticated software is difficult to master, but there is no need to do so to become a good graphic designer. Most courses are very practical and will teach you just the essentials you need to make a start in this field.
We have collected the 7 best online graphic design courses to help you make an informed choice. They all vary in content, scope, focus, and price. They all have their strengths and weaknesses also, so read the descriptions to understand which one suits you best. To make things clear, we have given designations to each of the top 7 courses to indicate their focus.
Graphic Design Bootcamp: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign by Derrick Mitchell
Best course overallThe idea behind this course is "Design is for everyone". It was developed for beginners of all backgrounds and includes training on the use of three main graphic design programs from Adobe: Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. We selected this course as the best one overall because it covers both print and web design and provides a lot of relevant software practice. Knowing the various tips and tricks hidden in Adobe software will greatly improve your performance as a graphic designer.
You will receive over 15 hours of content to study in your own time. Course projects include creating business cards, designing an ebook, and many more. This is also one of the most popular and highest-rated graphic design courses out there, with over 100,000 students enrolled. The course is available for €89.99 at Udemy.
https://www.udemy.com/course/graphic-design-for-beginnersAdobe Photoshop CC For Graphic Design - Essential Training by Ahmed Al-Jabri
Most efficient courseIf you are looking for a crash course to make a start with graphic design using Photoshop, look no further. This course is designed to be focused and short, so in just a few hours of lectures, you will grasp the basics of Photoshop and will be able to create your designs using this program. In projects, you will practice creating icons, logos, flyers, and user interfaces. By the end of the course, you will gain a sufficient set of skills to take on graphic design projects.
Whether you are completely new to Photoshop or you have just never used it for graphic design before, if you are determined to quickly learn the basics and get straight to practice, this will be the best option for you. The course costs €19.99.
https://www.udemy.com/course/adobe-photoshop-cc-for-graphic-design-essential-training/Fundamentals of Graphic Design by Michael Worthington
Best free courseAs the first course in Coursera's Graphic Design Specialization, this option focuses on developing a core set of graphic design skills for beginners. You will learn the fundamentals of image-making, typography, and colors, among other things. The course goes quite deep into the theoretical principles of graphic design, and you will be able to immediately apply this knowledge to create your series of images. The course concludes with advice on building your design portfolio and can be expanded upon by following the next course in the same specialization. As with the previously mentioned courses, having access to the Adobe Creative Suite is highly recommended, along with some beginner's knowledge of these programs. The course takes 15 hours to complete and access is free.
https://www.coursera.org/learn/fundamentals-of-graphic-designGraphic Design in Canva - 2022 Canva Course for Beginners by Syed Nasir Ud Din
Best non-Adobe courseWhat if complicated and expensive software like Photoshop is just doesn't work for you? With this course, you are bound for a strong alternative start. This course proves that you can be a graphic designer without using Adobe software- by making use of the online graphic design platform Canva instead. This course will guide you through the interface and features of this platform and will show you how quick and effective graphic design is done. The author of the course assures that you can design anything on Canva: web design, images, animations. The platform features thousands of templates for quick and efficient design solutions.
This course will be optimal for those who want to see quick results without too much technical involvement, as is necessary with Adobe-focused courses. If you are determined to design your website or social media page, this is the simplest option to take. The course costs only €19.99 on Udemy.
https://www.udemy.com/course/graphic-design-in-canva-2022-canva-course-for-beginners/Graphic Design for Entrepreneurs...Who Can't Draw by Steve Cherubino
Most practical courseIf you're looking for ways to design a website yourself, but are not feeling so confident about your artistic skills and are a total beginner... You might find this one to be the most helpful. The idea behind this course is to enable non-artists to create professional-looking graphics without a hassle. No need for Photoshop or Illustrator: you will achieve your goals by the simplest of means. And of course, the content is intentionally focused on practical elements of graphic design: you will learn to make all sorts of useful graphical elements such as buttons, banners, and ads, as well as the basics of image manipulation. These skills will support your further beginnings and you will go on to make incredible graphics on your own. The course is available for free and over half of those who took it gave it a five-star rating.
https://www.udemy.com/course/graphic-design-for-entrepreneurswho-cant-draw/Adobe Illustrator CC – Essentials Training by Daniel Scott
The best introduction to Adobe IllustratorThis is a wonderful course from a certified Adobe trainer. If you believe that Adobe Illustrator will best suit your aspirations in graphic design, or if you would like to master this program specifically, this is the course for you. In 42 lessons you will learn a lot - you will understand the user interface, learn to use the sophisticated tools for image manipulation, and learn to export and use your visual creations for various means.
Adobe Illustrator is especially valuable to graphic designers because it enables vector image rendering, which is essential for posters and other scaleable formats. You will discover the power of this software and learn many neat tricks over the seven hours of lessons in this course. It is also complemented by projects in which you will be tasked with demonstrating knowledge from lectures in different design scenarios. If you're still not sure, take a look at examples of those on the course's web page - you will be impressed. Access to Skillshare courses is subscription-based, with a free trial available.
https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Adobe-Illustrator-CC-%E2%80%93-Essentials-Training/1986526776CG101: Graphic Design by Papa Georgio
Best short tutorialThis is a short introductory tutorial on the very essentials of graphic design. Don't expect too much of it - just the essentials. You won't encounter any software-specific training but will become familiar with vital terminology and concepts. We recommend taking this course if you are planning on learning graphic design - but need a preliminary introduction to the topic. Or perhaps you don't want to buy the Adobe Creative Suite yet, but feel like making a start. Then, go for this course, especially if you haven't had any prior experience with graphic design software. Access is through the Pluralsight subscription (€39/month), but the 10-day trial period will give you more than enough time to complete this tutorial and perhaps a few more.
https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/cg101-graphic-design-721