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Graphic Design

Graphic Design

This course is part of Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization

Instructor: David Underwood

166,827 already enrolled

Included with

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

3,368 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

3 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

3,368 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule

3 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Apply inspired design ideas to your own work.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Editing
Category: Graphic and Visual Design Software
Category: Design Elements And Principles
Category: Color Theory
Category: Design
Category: Design Strategies
Category: Creative Design
Category: Typography
Category: Graphic and Visual Design
Category: Design Reviews
Category: Visual Design
Category: Graphic Design
Category: Layout Design

Tools you'll learn

Category: Design Software
Category: Graphical Tools
Category: Adobe Creative Cloud
Category: Adobe Photoshop
Category: Graphics Software

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

5 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

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.

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.

What's included

12 videos7 readings1 assignment1 peer review

12 videosTotal 32 minutes

(Optional) Introduction to the Specialization (For New Learners)3 minutes
(Optional) What's So Great About The Capstone? (For New Learners)4 minutes
From Writing to Design; the Handoff2 minutes
The Importance of Designing Well1 minute
Course Overview2 minutes
Course Prerequisites3 minutes
Glossary of Design Terms5 minutes
Professionalism in Design2 minutes
Designing with a Critical Eye2 minutes
Developing a Design Vocabulary2 minutes
The Importance of Inspiration1 minute
Unexpected Places Yield Unexpected Results5 minutes

7 readingsTotal 66 minutes

Course Updates and Accessibility Support1 minute
Earn Academic Credit for your Work!10 minutes
Course Support10 minutes
About the For-Credit Version of this course 10 minutes
A Few Important Points About This Course10 minutes
A Glossary of Design Terms15 minutes
Developing a Design Vocabulary10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Glossary20 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Making a Unique and Inspired 'PowerPoint' Slide120 minutes

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.

What's included

15 videos5 readings2 assignments3 discussion prompts

15 videosTotal 65 minutes

The Necessity of Structure3 minutes
Introducing the Grid5 minutes
The Grid and Audience Perception4 minutes
The Power of Negative Space2 minutes
Introducing the Palette1 minute
Type Is the Message6 minutes
Type Anatomy6 minutes
Type Families8 minutes
Type Formatting9 minutes
Creating with Type4 minutes
Color and Its Meaning4 minutes
Color and the Natural World3 minutes
Image Treatment3 minutes
Creative Cropping4 minutes
Graphic Elements3 minutes

5 readingsTotal 210 minutes

Practicing Building Grids90 minutes
Practicing Negative Space90 minutes
Why Designers Use Templates10 minutes
Practicing Templates10 minutes
Practicing Cropping10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 50 minutes

Typeface20 minutes
Seeing Design 'Tricks' in Action30 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 160 minutes

Choosing a Typeface60 minutes
Choosing Color40 minutes
Photographic Layout60 minutes

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.

What's included

12 videos4 readings1 peer review6 discussion prompts

12 videosTotal 34 minutes

Design "Tricks"1 minute
Designing with a Closed Set of Elements: The Clarity Guitars Ad1 minute
Contrast4 minutes
White Space4 minutes
Repetition in writing, design, and presentation1 minute
Rhythm or Repetition2 minutes
Sublimation3 minutes
Interlocking Elements3 minutes
Introduction to Tension6 minutes
Tension and Movement4 minutes
Targets and Portals3 minutes
Establishing Priorities2 minutes

4 readingsTotal 160 minutes

Using the Closed Set10 minutes
Practicing Contrast 260 minutes
Practicing Tension45 minutes
Practicing Logos45 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Design Critique120 minutes

6 discussion promptsTotal 300 minutes

Practicing Contrast60 minutes
Practicing White Space45 minutes
Practicing Repetition0 minutes
Practicing Sublimation45 minutes
Identifying Targets30 minutes
Designing a Cover120 minutes

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.

What's included

4 videos2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

4 videosTotal 14 minutes

Your Work Is Not Precious; Your Ability Is5 minutes
You Are Your Own Worst Critic3 minutes
Looking Back at Best Practices4 minutes
Moving Forward: Public Speaking1 minute

2 assignmentsTotal 90 minutes

Rubric Training Quiz 145 minutes
Rubric Training Quiz 245 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 240 minutes

Poster Design240 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 90 minutes

Designing with Criticism90 minutes

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(891 ratings)

David Underwood

University of Colorado Boulder

5 Courses192,273 learners

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Learner since 2018

"To be able to take courses at my own pace and rhythm has been an amazing experience. I can learn whenever it fits my schedule and mood."

Jennifer J.

Learner since 2020

"I directly applied the concepts and skills I learned from my courses to an exciting new project at work."

Larry W.

Learner since 2021

"When I need courses on topics that my university doesn't offer, Coursera is one of the best places to go."

Chaitanya A.

"Learning isn't just about being better at your job: it's so much more than that. Coursera allows me to learn without limits."

Learner reviews

5 stars
80.99%
4 stars
15.62%
3 stars
2.43%
2 stars
0.44%
1 star
0.50%

Showing 3 of 3368

Reviewed on Apr 21, 2021

Hello my name is Jemima Clarke , I took a few of these courses that you all have to offer and Graphic Design was one of the . I appreciate the knowledge I obtained. Thanks you guys

Reviewed on Sep 26, 2021

I learned a lot from this course. There's structure now to all the creative ideas that I have. I'm sure I'll be able to use the lessons here throughout my professional career. Thank you so much.

Reviewed on Apr 10, 2020

I loved it its not on photoshop or any application but on the practicality on how to use everything is any design related work or mediumgot to learn on maybe new minute things I used to ignore

Frequently asked questions

Learners need some familiarity and access to presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Apple Keynote. Although it is not required, design students may also use programs like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign.

To access course materials, assignments, and earn a Certificate, you'll need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. Eligible learners may also have the option to start with a Free Trial. Some courses may also offer a Full Course, No Certificate option. This lets you access course materials, submit required assessments, and receive a final grade, but you won't be able to earn or purchase a Certificate.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.

Graphic Design

Graphic Design

What you'll learn

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Build your subject-matter expertise

There are 4 modules in this course

Getting Started

What's included

The Blank Canvas

What's included

Tricks of the Trade

What's included

Revision and Distance

What's included

Earn a career certificate

Instructor

Offered by

Why people choose Coursera for their career

Felipe M.

Jennifer J.

Larry W.

Chaitanya A.

Learner reviews

Frequently asked questions

What kind of software will I need to complete this course?

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?