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

Online Degree Programs in Graphic Design 2020

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

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.