Graphic Design

This course is part of multiple programs.

Instructor: Adobe

Access provided by LTTS

77,799 already enrolled

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

335 reviews

3 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

335 reviews

3 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Understand and apply basic graphic design principles to create visually appealing and practical designs that captivate your audience.
Gain hands-on experience with Adobe Illustrator, mastering the tools and techniques you need to produce professional-grade artwork.
Build a stunning portfolio that showcases your graphic design and illustration expertise, making you a standout candidate in the creative industry.

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

11 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is available as part of

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.

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

Unleash your creativity with our Adobe Illustrator course. You'll master essential tools, explore color theory, and learn to create stunning vector art. Get hands-on with industry practices and complete a final project to include in your portfolio and share with the world.

Let's get started by becoming familiar with the Illustrator workspace and its primary functions. You'll learn the differences between raster and vector art and understand when to use Illustrator. We'll guide you through setting up your account and downloading the app, ensuring you're prepared for the hands-on activities throughout the course. As you progress, you'll explore various selection tools, navigate the app, and get to know the essential features of Illustrator. You'll also dive into the unique aspects of vector art, discover how to find inspiration for your designs and learn to organize your content effectively using layers and artboards. With expert tips and practical exercises, this module will equip you with the skills and confidence to create stunning illustrations and designs. Get ready to embark on an exciting journey into graphic design with Adobe Illustrator.

What's included

9 videos18 readings2 assignments1 plugin

9 videos Total 30 minutes

Get to know the app 2 minutes
Discover how Illustrator artwork is unique 3 minutes
Understand and navigate artboards 3 minutes
Create artboards 4 minutes
Edit artboards 4 minutes
Change the order of content 3 minutes
Understand layers 3 minutes
Create and edit layers 4 minutes
Organize content with layers 4 minutes

18 readings Total 180 minutes

Introduction to Adobe Illustrator for graphic designers 10 minutes
Course outline 10 minutes
Creative Impact: Your Illustrator Challenge Starts Here 10 minutes
How to find inspiration for your next design 10 minutes
Tutorial: Discover how Illustrator artwork is unique 10 minutes
When to use Adobe Illustrator 10 minutes
Tutorial: Get to know Adobe Illustrator 10 minutes
Introduction to vector art 10 minutes
Understanding different selection tools in Adobe Illustrator 10 minutes
Tutorial: Work with artboards 10 minutes
Tutorial: Organize content with layers 10 minutes
Illustrator keyboard shortcuts: Your creative superpower 10 minutes
The Tip Jar: Pro tips for Adobe Illustrator 10 minutes
Tip: Crop an image in Illustrator tutorial 10 minutes
How to think like a graphic designer 10 minutes
Key takeaways 10 minutes
Learning Paths and Certifications 10 minutes
Join the Adobe Community 10 minutes

2 assignments Total 80 minutes

Quiz: Adobe Illustrator basics 50 minutes
Quiz: Get started with Adobe Illustrator 30 minutes

1 plugin Total 15 minutes

New in Illustrator: A world of creative possibility 15 minutes

In this module you'll review the basics of designing in Illustrator, focusing on creating and combining shapes, adding color, and using selection tools.

What's included

21 videos21 readings3 assignments

21 videos Total 79 minutes

Explore shapes 2 minutes
Draw simple shapes 5 minutes
Create lines 4 minutes
Combine shapes 4 minutes
Trace to make shapes 4 minutes
Understand paths and curves 4 minutes
Draw with the Pencil tool 5 minutes
Draw with the Curvature tool 5 minutes
Edit paths and shapes 4 minutes
Join artwork together to combine paths 5 minutes
Create a flat illustration 3 minutes
Jump into color 3 minutes
Begin practicing color basics 2 minutes
Change the color of artwork 4 minutes
Create color swatches 4 minutes
Add dashed lines and arrows 4 minutes
Create color gradients 4 minutes
Change the color of artwork 3 minutes
Explore the basics of color theory 4 minutes
Develop a custom color palette 4 minutes
Explore color contrast and vibration 4 minutes

21 readings Total 210 minutes

Introduction to Adobe Illustrator for graphic designers 10 minutes
Tutorial: Explore shapes 10 minutes
Tutorial: Create and edit shapes 10 minutes
Tutorial: Create with drawing tools 10 minutes
Tutorial: Draw and edit curves 10 minutes
Tutorial: Create a flat illustration 10 minutes
Illustrations vs. Photographs: When to use each in design 10 minutes
What is color? 10 minutes
Tutorial: Jump into color 10 minutes
Tutorial: Begin practicing color basics 10 minutes
Tutorial: Change color and strokes 10 minutes
Color in branding 10 minutes
Tutorial: Explore the basics of color theory 10 minutes
Tutorial: Develop a custom color palette 10 minutes
Tutorial: Explore color contrast and vibration 10 minutes
Tutorial:Put your color skills into practice 10 minutes
The Tip Jar 10 minutes
Tip 1: Transform and edit artwork 10 minutes
Tip 2: Arrange and organize content 10 minutes
Tip 3: Discover ways to save and share 10 minutes
Key takeaways 10 minutes

3 assignments Total 110 minutes

Quiz: Design basics in Adobe Illustrator 50 minutes
Quiz: Illustrator fundamentals 30 minutes
Quiz: Color and gradients 30 minutes

You'll expand on Illustrator basics and learn to use intermediate-to-advanced tools, including the Pen tool and gradients, and you'll begin to explore generative AI features.

What's included

14 videos26 readings3 assignments

14 videos Total 58 minutes

Get to know the drawing tools 4 minutes
Start creating with the Pen tool 7 minutes
Practice creating with the Pen tool 6 minutes
Edit paths you draw 6 minutes
Level up your shape-building skills with Pathfinders 5 minutes
Create and align artwork with guides 5 minutes
Creatively transform your artwork to bring it to life 5 minutes
Use gradients to add depth to your artwork 4 minutes
Take gradients to the next level with color blends that flow 6 minutes
Change the color of artwork effortlessly 2 minutes
Welcome to Generative AI in Illustrator 1 minute
Creating Patterns with Text to Vector Graphics 2 minutes
Explore creating stunning patterns with Text to Vector Graphic 3 minutes
Quickly experiment with color using Generative Recolor in Illustrator 3 minutes

26 readings Total 260 minutes

Tutorial: Get to know the drawing tools 10 minutes
Introduction to the Pen tool and Pathfinder panel 10 minutes
Tutorial: Start creating with the Pen tool 10 minutes
Tutorial: Practice using the Pen tool 10 minutes
Path tools: Choosing between curve and pen in Illustrator 10 minutes
Tutorial: Edit paths you draw 10 minutes
Tutorial: Quickly join and trim paths 10 minutes
Tutorial: Level up with Pathfinder 10 minutes
The importance of attention to detail in design 10 minutes
Tutorial: Create and align artwork with guides 10 minutes
Introduction to gradients and Generative AI features 10 minutes
Tutorial: Creatively transform your artwork 10 minutes
Tutorial: Use gradients to add depth to your artwork 10 minutes
Jumpstarting your creativity: Overcoming design overwhelm 10 minutes
Tutorial: Color blends that flow 10 minutes
Tutorial: Effortlessly change artwork colors 10 minutes
Harnessing Generative AI in graphic design 10 minutes
Tutorial: Create patterns with Text to Vector 10 minutes
Tutorial: Generate artwork with Text to Vector Graphic 10 minutes
Tutorial: Use brand colors with Generative Recolor 10 minutes
The Tip Jar: Pro tips for Adobe Illustrator 10 minutes
Tip 1: Explore different ways to select artwork 10 minutes
Tip 2: Draw, edit, and re-edit shapes easily 10 minutes
Tip 3: Make beautiful art using blends 10 minutes
Tip 4: Create pixel-perfect designs 10 minutes
Key takeaways 10 minutes

3 assignments Total 110 minutes

Quiz: Advancing your skills in Adobe Illustrator 50 minutes
Quiz: Pen tool and Pathfinder 30 minutes
Quiz: Gradients and Generative AI features 30 minutes

You'll explore typography and graphic design principles to apply some of the other lessons you've learned in a professional context.

What's included

14 videos21 readings3 assignments

14 videos Total 50 minutes

Learn how typography feels 4 minutes
Add a line of text 3 minutes
Format text 4 minutes
Place text on or inside a path 2 minutes
Re-shape text 4 minutes
Add paragraphs of text 2 minutes
Guide readers through information 4 minutes
Catch attention with display text 8 minutes
Get started with your own creative process 3 minutes
Create a concrete brief to share out in the discovery phase 3 minutes
Explore concept ideation with a collage 4 minutes
Explore a creative approach using color variations 2 minutes
Make and refine the project 4 minutes
Put your creative process skills into practice 2 minutes

21 readings Total 210 minutes

Introduction to typography for graphic designers 10 minutes
Tutorial: Learn how typography feels 10 minutes
Tutorial:Add text to your designs 10 minutes
Tutorial: Design eye-catching text using formatting options 10 minutes
Picking the right font for your designs 10 minutes
Tutorial: Guide readers through information 10 minutes
Tutorial: Catch attention with display text 10 minutes
Pulling it all together 10 minutes
Tutorial: Get started with your own creative process 10 minutes
Tutorial: Create a concrete brief to share out in the discovery phase 10 minutes
Tutorial: Explore concept ideation with a collage 10 minutes
Using digital collaging for creative inspiration 10 minutes
Tutorial: Explore a creative approach using color variations 10 minutes
Tutorial: Make and refine the project 10 minutes
Tutorial: Put your creative process skills into practice 10 minutes
Key takeaways 10 minutes
Final stretch 10 minutes
Final project 10 minutes
Final project exemplar 10 minutes
Turn your final project into a creative portfolio with Behance 10 minutes
You did it — now share the love 10 minutes