EdX

Graphic Design Essentials (edX)

Offered by LCI Education,
Graphic Design Essentials (edX)

Acquire the essential skills to become a working Graphic Designer from the basics of color theory to presenting a project to a client. This online course from LaSalle College Vancouver will introduce you to the basics of design, graphic and visual communication, image making, typography and the overall creative process, starting from the client mandate to the final presentations.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see EdX's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Upon completion, you will be able to apply the rules of visual language and visual composition to create a meaningful visual design.
This short course is for anyone looking to build or switch towards a rewarding Graphic Design career.
LaSalle College's graduates have been recognized by the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), a testament to the excellence we bring to the field of graphic arts.
This course is part of the Introduction to Graphic Design Professional Certificate.

What you'll learn

  • Apply the rules of visual language and visual composition to create a meaningful visual design.
  • Use visual language, understand composition, create presentations and communication plans, interpret and design a visual composition.
  • Analyze a client mandate and develop ideas

Syllabus

Module 1: Visual Design
Discover the world of graphic and visual design. Learn about the communication process to better understand how to communicate visually, and how to conceptualize ideas.

Module 2: Elements of Visual Communication
Become familiar with the main elements of visual communication. Explore the use of lines and shapes, as well as the basics of typography. Discover some of the factors that can impact image choice in a project.

Module 3: Colour
All about colour. Through an introduction to colour theory, gain a better understanding of both the roles and meanings of the various colours.

Module 4: The Origins of a Project
Discover the different tools used to get a project off the ground, such as a communication plan and project specifications. Learn how to analyze a mandate and better understand the client’s needs and their target audience.

Module 5: The Exploration Phase
Learn about researching visual references and creating a mood board. Begin the visual exploration of a project using exploratory sketches.

Module 6: Refining the Concept
Learn how to refine and improve the concept developed during the exploration phase. Become familiar with the notion of a plan and the rules governing its components.

Module 7: Creating a Mock-up
Learn about creating a mock-up and organizing the layout with its different components.

Module 8: Presenting your Work
Become familiar with the process of presenting a mock-up, which includes an adjustment phase following the presentation. Learn how to follow the natural evolution of the project and how to remain open to change.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Human-Computer Interaction I: Fundamentals & Design Principles (edX) EdX
Georgia Institute of Technology,GTx

Human-Computer Interaction I: Fundamentals & Design Principles (edX)

Learn the principles of Human-Computer Interaction to create intuitive, usable interfaces, with established design principles like feedback cycles, direct manipulation, affordances, signifiers, and more. This course takes you through the first eight lessons of CS6750: Human-Computer Interaction as taught in the Georgia Tech Online Master of Science in Computer Science program.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Introduction to 3D Modeling (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

Introduction to 3D Modeling (Coursera)

On this four-week practical course from the University of Michigan, you’ll not only learn how to use the Rhino software to create your 3D models, but you’ll also gain basic design skills to help bring your imagination to life. This course will guide you through 3D modeling within Rhino, so you’ll cover the fundamentals of the software as well as 3D modeling in general. You’ll first look at how to navigate the user interface and the different tools that you’ll be using to create models throughout this course. You’ll familiarize yourself with the 3D space and 3D objects before jumping straight in to create your own objects and building blocks.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks
Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies (Coursera) Coursera
University of London,Royal Holloway, University of London

Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies (Coursera)

This course is a short taster on the topic of the use of Images, Film, and their use in historical interpretation in the 20th century. It is primarily provided for those who have a general interest in history that draws on photojournalism as primary evidence, and films based on historical events.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Le prototypage UX (edX) EdX
HECMontrealX,HEC Montréal

Le prototypage UX (edX)

Devenez un virtuose du prototypage! Propulsez votre équipe créative de l’étape des maquettes papier au développement de prototypes interactifs haute fidélité, en utilisant les méthodes et outils les plus récents. Le prototypage tient à la fois de l’art et de la science. Dans ce MOOC, vous apprendrez comment les critères ergonomiques (ancrés dans la psychologie cognitive) s’articulent au sein du design d'interface utilisateur (design UI).

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Field Operations and Administrative Tools in Construction Management (edX) EdX
University of Maryland, College Park,University System of Maryland - USM,USMx,UMD

Field Operations and Administrative Tools in Construction Management (edX)

Learn the Construction Management tools needed to manage the people and the project, including estimating and scheduling. These tools combined with methods of control will ensure effective feedback and create a powerful system for delivery on-schedule and under budget.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Urban Ecology Design (edX) EdX
Delft University of Technology,DelftX

Urban Ecology Design (edX)

Learn how to contribute to a more biodiverse, nature-inclusive and sustainable built environment by using nature-based solutions in your designs and policies. As our urban habitats become increasingly complex, the need to address the challenges of accommodating a growing human population becomes ever more pressing. These challenges, intricately intertwined with the built environment and its wider surroundings, encompass the perils of heat stress, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, flood risks, and the urgent need to adapt to a changing climate.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Designing for Textiles (edX) EdX
Smithsonian,SmithsonianX

Designing for Textiles (edX)

The Designing for Textiles workshop provides those who work in traditional crafts-based media with an introduction, or refresher, to design education through the lens of Armenian textiles. Based on an in-person training program that took place in 2018 through the My Armenia program, this workshop is a series of lessons and extension activities that build upon one another and encourage you to innovate in your own textiles-based design work.

Self Paced
Self-Paced