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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Fundamentals of Graphic Design by California Institute of the Arts

4.8
stars
17,110 ratings

About the Course

Graphic Design is all around us! Words and pictures—the building blocks of graphic design—are the elements that carry the majority of the content in both the digital world and the printed world. As graphic design becomes more visible and prevalent in our lives, graphic design as a practice becomes more important in our culture. Through visual examples, this course will teach you the fundamental principles of graphic design: imagemaking, typography, composition, working with color and shape... foundational skills that are common in all areas of graphic design practice. I don't just want you to watch a video of someone talking about design, I want you to MAKE design! If you want to be a designer you have to be a maker and a communicator, so this course will offer you lots of opportunities to get your hands dirty with exercises and with more practical projects. At the end of this course you will have learned how to explore and investigate visual representation through a range of image-making techniques; understand basic principles of working with shape, color and pattern; been exposed to the language and skills of typography; and understand and have applied the principles of composition and visual contrast. If you complete the course, along with its optional (but highly recommended) briefs, you will have a core set of graphic design skills that you can apply to your own projects, or to more deeply investigate a specialized area of graphic design. To succeed in this course you will need access to a computer. You can complete this course without one but it will be tougher. Access to, and a beginner's level knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite programs, such as Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign will help you, especially if you want to complete the optional briefs....

Top reviews

FS

Jul 13, 2020

Excellent course to learn and refresh about fundamentals of design....It applies to all spheres of MULTIMEDIA..Highly recommended... As a suggestion course and notes should be available in PDF format.

CS

May 9, 2018

An ok course for beginners. A bit too basic for someone who has already had experience in design, but is great anyway cause it breaks things back down to the simplest parts to help you remember roots.

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676 - 700 of 4,418 Reviews for Fundamentals of Graphic Design

By Anjani

Dec 22, 2022

This course was the best out of the whole specialisation. The peer reviews were acceptable and the theory was explained very well. The courses after this one were qualitatively less good.

By Lolah A

Nov 14, 2022

I am filled with joy and hope at the end of this course, as a new door opens for me.

I sincerely appreciate the teacher and the assistance I received.

willing to enroll in all five courses.

By Ronalynne S

Jan 27, 2022

The course was excellent. The assignments, whether optional or graded, were a big help in learning the fundamentals more. I am happy I found this course and complete it. Highly recommend.

By Anushka M

Oct 26, 2020

Had an exceptional experience learning about graphic designing. Very simple and exploratory course. Loved all the exercises and how they came together in the end as a part of the project.

By ANGELINA S S

Oct 24, 2020

Really helping to know the basic of graphic design and some principle of it. Clear explanation and instruction with the visual example to understand about the abstract principle and logic

By Angelica U

Sep 15, 2020

Un curso muy completo, saca la creatividad adelante y siempre destaca que no hay una sola técnica exacta o un patrón a seguir sino que los elementos se adapta a tu visión, me gustó mucho.

By Anastasia H

Mar 25, 2022

I`m very satisfied this course. I knew a lot of useful information about Graphic Design. I recommend the course to everyone who wants to improve their skills and learn more about design.

By Dorsa R

Dec 31, 2021

I loved everything about it. the studies were detailed. the classes were helpful and so was the grading system. I learned alot from this course and I look forward to more from CalArts :)

By Isabel M

Aug 15, 2021

After learning some fundamentals in this course, I remade my CV being careful with the typography and the hierarchy of the elements, after that I got a job. Thanks for all the teachings.

By siddhant m

Aug 4, 2020

This course incorporate the best way of learning that is to get your hands dirty. The course enhances the learning process by practical approach rather than just one sided communication.

By Maria I F A

Jun 28, 2020

I had a lot of fun creating in this course. I learned a lot about the fundamentals of design, and I believe this will help me a lot in the future. Thank you very much to the instructors.

By Sonali K S

Jun 1, 2020

Fundamentals of Graphic Design has helped me refresh my old school memories after 26 years. It's an amazing course for all beginners and people who wants to refresh their skills like me.

By Gashinskaia V

Apr 13, 2020

Very helpful course! Made me look at the design from a different angle! The way the lecturer delivers information and encourages you to CREATE is amazing! Thank you for this opportunity!

By karan s

Apr 16, 2017

Learnt quite a few new techniques, methods and concepts. I recommend it for anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of design in a step by step lucid and easily understandable manner.

By Alice G

Mar 4, 2016

Absolutely loved this class. Found it to be very helpful and worth my time and money. I think the professor did a great job with his lectures and I enjoyed the assignments.

Thank you.

By Trang P

Feb 19, 2016

This course was organized in a very easy manner for all types of learner. As someone who have had experience with Graphic Design, I thoroughly enjoyed this class and all the assignments.

By Md T S

Nov 1, 2023

Before I enrolled to this course i never thought this Online course would be such a effective for me. I'm surprised to take part in this course as successful completion of this course.

By OTTRO E (

Apr 3, 2023

gracias por la oportunidad de participar en este maravilloso mudo de conocimientos en los cuales he aprendido demasiado, me gustaría seguir aprendiendo y seguir utilizando la plataforma

By Nirmal E R

Aug 28, 2021

This is a great course giving fundamental, theorretical aspects of Graphic design that will help anyone help in design ideas and the elements of graphic design and their relation ships.

By A_62_ M A

Apr 5, 2021

The course is very well designed. Having all the inputs required to start with and experience the joy of graphic designing. Wonderful course for beginners who are completely new to art.

By darshan b

Feb 21, 2021

Fundamentals of Graphic Design is a excellent course it covers most of the basic topics for designing, it's a good and helpful course for beginners entering into the field of designing.

By Angela S

Dec 6, 2020

Very basic and easy to follow course for people new to the field. Many of the things discussed were things I already knew but he just helped me put them in context. Nice course overall.

By Dayanne L F P

Oct 6, 2020

Amé este curso. Te enseñan los conceptos y te animan siempre a divertirte con lo que creas. Pensé que no sería buena porque no tengo muchas habilidades, pero entendí todo y di lo mejor.

By sriram p

Aug 10, 2020

This course is a good one for beginners, this gives a brief introduction fore the topic of graphic design its really useful if your gonna pursue in further courses in the specialization

By Alejandra S Q

Mar 27, 2019

Excelente Profesor. Explica la toería de forma amena y clara. Propone trabajos prácticos muy acordes y enfocados a la experimentación de diferentes técnicas de diseño. Muy recomendable.