VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT HAVE A QUESTION? ASK! We’re here to help by email, during weekly Office Hours, and in our private community anytime.
CONFUSION IS GOOD :) Seriously, it’s scientific fact. Read all about it!
REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Connect with your Skillcrush classmates in the private Google Group for Visual Designers!
STAY TUNED TO YOUR INBOX Your daily class emails will keep you on track and in the loop!
BEFORE YOU BEGIN!
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
Learn how to craft a brand identity & apply it to multiple designs. L earn how to give and receive design feedback like a professional.
Learn how to concisely explain your design concepts to others. (It’ll make you a huge asset to your future team!)
START YOUR ORIENTATION:
Welcome to Skillcrush
CLASS GOALS LEARN FOUNDATIONAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES LIKE TYPOGRAPHY, COLOR THEORY, AND MORE. LEARN TO USE PROFESSIONAL DESIGN TOOLS LIKE PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR, AND INDESIGN. CREATE DIGITAL PROJECTS LIKE LOGOS, ICONS, AND WEBSITE MOCKUPS.
SKILLCRUSH 107: VISUAL DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS & TOOLS Learn the fundamentals of visual design in the digital age including user experience and user interface design, color theory, and typography, and more. Then put it into practice using the world’s most popular design tools–Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign–to create professional-quality design projects you’ll be proud to show off. DATES: June 6th - June 25th PROJECTS: Simple portfolio website design comp & business card WEEK 1 SKILL LESSONS
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Intro to Visual Design UX and UI Design Design Process, Project Goals, and Content Structure User Personas Sitemaps & User Flows Concept Sketching Paper & Digital Wireframing UXPin - Your Wireframing Tool Photoshop - Your Web Design Tool Grid Systems
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Designing Look & Feel Proportions & Use of Space Color Theory Web & Print Colors Typography & Type Scales Design Patterns & Layout Trends Styling Wireframes with Photoshop
WEEK 2 SKILL LESSONS
VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS
WEEK 3 SKILL LESSONS
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All About Photoshop, Illustrator, & InDesign Design File Types Illustrator - Your Artistic Design Tool Creating Icons with Illustrator InDesign - Your Desktop Publishing Tool Creating a Business Card with InDesign Intermediate Photoshop Skills Preparing Design Files for Completion
VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS
SKILLCRUSH 207: BRANDING & IDENTITY DESIGN Deepen your design knowledge by creating your first, full-fledged brand identity. You’ll learn how to build a brand from the ground up, just as you would working as a professional Visual Designer. You’ll walk through every step of a real-world design workflow and, in the end, you’ll have a cohesive brand, including logos, icons, and a style guide to show for your efforts. DATES: July 11th - July 29th PROJECTS: Creative brief, simple brand style guide, logos, social media headers, icons, and call-to-action buttons WEEK 1 SKILL LESSONS
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Intro to Branding & Identity Design Personal vs. Corporate Branding Standout Branding Psychology of Branding Brand Personalities Target Audience Mission Statements Writing a Creative Brief
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Identity Design Identity Design Styles & Trends Create a Logo with Illustrator Standout Logos Color & Typography in Branding Imagery in Branding Creating Image Collections
WEEK 2 SKILL LESSONS
VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS
WEEK 3 SKILL LESSONS
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Brand Style Guides Creating a Style Guide with InDesign Icons & Iconography Make an icon set with Illustrator Calls-to-Action (CTAs) Make a CTA with Illustrator Promoting Brands on Social Media Make Branded Headers for Facebook & Twitter Digital Brand Guides & Pattern Libraries
VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS
SKILLCRUSH 307: VISUAL DESIGN PROFESSIONAL
I A Visual Designer’s job is to bring a brand’s identity to life through its many customer touch points. Now that you know how to build a brand, it’s time to take that brand from concept to digital reality! You’ll learn how to plan, wireframe, and design a professional sales page that accurately communicates a company’s brand to its target audience. DATES:August 8th - August 26th PROJECT: Sales landing web page
WEEK 1 SKILL LESSONS
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Launching a New Brand Sales Landing Page Layouts & Trends Designing Responsively UX for Advanced Designs Digital Wireframes for Advanced Designs Grids for Advanced Designs
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Sales Page Best Practices Designing a Sales Page with Photoshop User Testing Iterating on Designs Polishing & Presenting Your Design Work
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Working on a Professional Team Common Team Structures & Roles Staying Relevant in the Design Field Overcoming Impostor Syndrome Common Career Paths for Visual Designers Finding & Applying for Visual Design Jobs & Gigs
WEEK 2 SKILL LESSONS
WEEK 3 SKILL LESSONS
VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS
