About Graphic Design Courses

Considering a Graphic Design Course? 

If your dream job is to be a graphic designer, it is a brilliant idea to do a graphic design course. A graphic design course will teach you everything you need to know about working as a graphic designer. This can be a fun job that allows you to get creative and let out your artisitic flair. The great news is there are so many graphic design courses currently available. They offer great flexibility too for those leading busy lives. Graphic design courses are available in full-time, part-time, evening class and online options making them easier to fit into hectic schedules.

What is Graphic Design? 

Graphic design, in simple words, is the art of creating graphics or producing visuals on a surface. This can be done on the likes of a canvas, pottery, stone or on a computer screen which is probably the most recognised method of graphic design today. With so many different media to work with, the artistic method of graphic design covers visuals from symbols and drawings to charts and graphs, custom logo design, book cover design and much more.  

A Brief History of Graphic Design 

The roots of graphic design certainly trace back to 15,000 BC, when the first known visual communications rose. These symbols and pictographs are present in the Lascaux caves in Southern France. Fast-forward several thousands of years later and you will discover the Blau Monument which was the first known artifact to use both pictures and words on it.  Although these designed pieces are far from what we think when we hear ‘graphic design’ today, they helped to spark the idea of placing images on surfaces, putting us toward things such as posters, banners, drawings and much more.  

Although this time period represents the roots of graphic design, the growth of graphic design came about in the 1900s as did most things. Graphic design had been easy its way into businesses practices since the industrial revolution and in the 1900s, its use truly exploded. In 1901, Frank Llyod Wright released ‘The Art and Craft of the Machine’ which included basic principles still referenced in modern design. With the growth of colour printing and the advertising industry, businesses began to create logos to help in branding their company. 

 With a custom logo design, your company’s brand became more than just a name, it became a memorable and attention-grabbing piece of art with shape, colour and composition all working towards making an impression on consumers. Graphic design became widely used in advertising and various other industries. It involved almost everything design wise from posters to t-shirts, record covers and so much more.  

As computer technology was invented throughout the late 1900s, designers became comfortable with using digital tools such as Photoshop to create their design images. These digital tools are what revolutionised the field. In summary, today, graphic design has earned a worthy place, seen as an essential element in the business world.  

What Will I Learn? 

All graphic design courses vary in terms of what they cover. However, you can expect to learn how to use the four main Adobe applications – Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat. You will also grow an understanding of how the print industry works and how to send files to print as this is a popular area to work in once people have completed a graphic design course. You will also learn about designing for businesses. You should expect upon completion that you will be familiar with the entire process of design from coming up with ideas to getting your designs printed or uploaded. 

If you’re serious about doing a graphic design course, check out courses near you in the Nightcourses.co.uk national course finder.