Chevron Left
Back to Fundamentals of Graphic Design

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

4.8
stars
18,387 ratings

About the Course

The Fundamentals of Graphic Design course offered by CalArts on Coursera provides a comprehensive introduction to the essential building blocks of visual communication. This practice-oriented program focuses on four primary pillars: imagemaking, typography, shape and color theory, and the principles of composition. Unlike software-specific tutorials, this curriculum emphasizes the act of making and the mastery of design principles. It encourages participants to transform abstract concepts into tangible design projects. Learners will explore diverse techniques for visual representation and gain a technical understanding of how to manipulate rhythm, pattern, and contrast to organize information effectively. Please note that this course focuses on conceptual and formal principles rather than technical software instruction. While projects may be completed using tools like Adobe Creative Suite, specific tutorials for Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign are not provided. The curriculum is designed to build foundational design proficiency that is applicable across any analog or digital toolset. By the end of the program, learners will have developed a core set of graphic design skills applicable to personal creative projects or further specialized study in professional design. This course serves as a critical first step for any aspiring communicator looking to master the universal visual language that shapes global culture and media....

Top reviews

EJ

Sep 5, 2021

I had a lot of fun in this course. I learnt some extra bits of information related to graphic design and I think it's a great start for beginners as well as good practice for intermediate and experts!

EC

Feb 1, 2018

Great opportunity to practice. Encouraged to make. First time using vector design program Abode Illustrator. Was hard to listen to all Contrast Section. It would be great if there was more diversity.

Filter by:

526 - 550 of 4,686 Reviews for Fundamentals of Graphic Design

By Ho N

Dec 19, 2022

Good course covering quite a few fundamental design concepts. One suggestion is to change those optional assignments from optional to required, such that learners will have to do all of them and get more designing experience.

By Danielle C

Apr 28, 2020

Great course, highly recommend. I was skeptical at first, but came away with a better understanding of how form, color, space, repetition, typography, and other elements of graphic design fit into the big picture of a design.

By Piyaporn K (

Apr 26, 2020

This course is very fun and eye-opening! You will not only learn about thr theory, but also get to through express your creativity through hands-on projects! Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in art and design :)

By Sarwar a

Jan 1, 2017

this course is so full of information in a deep manner of details and give best knowledge, instructions, guideline and education of graphic design. I'm so inspire from this course and take have a so many education from there.

By Thushera D

Oct 2, 2022

i have learned so much about basic knowladge about graphic desing even some of these name that used in graphic designs were new to but still the way these lectures teach us really helps us understand well thank you again <3

By Vesela

Apr 4, 2022

This is a fantastic course for learning graphic design basics. The instructional videos explain perfectly the theory. The assignments are also very well written, simple, however, they still challenge you to think creatively.

By Serikbol B

Sep 18, 2021

I loved the course!! It really did teach the must needed fundaments of graph. design. The thing I liked the most is how the speaker used his own examples to explain stuff, which made the explanation way eaesier to understand

By Rohan T

Sep 12, 2021

Fruitful. The course is truly foundational which equips you with foundational graphic design knowledge and skills. All assignments, graded or optional, boost your confidence and help showing your understanding of the course.

By Ilva A

Mar 4, 2021

I really enjoyed this course. Thank you for this interesting journey for myself. I enjoyed every week! What I would like to add - professional mentor commentaries and evaluation would be nice to see after assignments aswell.

By Ana C F

Aug 19, 2020

I loved this online course! It was my first contact with Graphic Design and I've learned a lot. I really appreciated the fact that we had to fulfil tasks and not only listen to videos. For sure, I want to keep learning more!

By Yue D

Feb 18, 2020

It is a very basic course of graphic design, which is very suitable for those who do not have a basic knowledge of graphic design, but generally it involves less knowledge, especially the interpretation of some proper nouns.

By Alberto A

Feb 12, 2020

For me, a non professional in design, but a lover, it was an exciting experience. Now I have more clarity with the main concepts, so I am grateful for the simplicity and enriching course. I also had much fun with the briefs!

By Eusebio S

Sep 23, 2019

This course was a great introduction to design that I can take and share with my students. I think it is great for beginners as it is easy to understand and well thought out. The activities are meaningful and worth the time.

By Charlie R

Apr 9, 2018

Greetings from Saipan, Northern Mariana Island. I am graphic designer by profession and I want to continue improving my skills. This is online course surely help me attained that goal. I intend to finish the rest of courses.

By Tatyana S

Dec 2, 2015

This is a great course to start learning graphic design. Though I expected to find a bit more profound information, I still recommend it to those who has never had any experience (or conscious experience) designing something

By Zhanna D

Nov 13, 2015

I like this course. It is great.

It is not the easiest course ever, but it gives a lot of important information.

I do like it has theoretical and practical assignments. So you will have Fun and Challenge :)

Highly recommended.

By Bethany T

Sep 13, 2022

I am brand new to this subject and this is the very first course I have taken regarding Graphic Design. I have learned so much and my understanding of the basics has increased dramatically! I highly recommend this program!

By Molly L

Apr 3, 2022

I really enjoyed this course. I had seen some comments in general forum about this being kind of basic, but for those who are just being introduced to core concepts, it is very valuable! I enjoyed the homework. Thank you!

By JOSEPH R M C

Apr 15, 2020

The course was greatly structured. I had great fun watching the videos and doing all the assignments. I think this is an amazing course for beginners. The strongest point of this course, in my opinion, were the assignments.

By Leonel I C

Jul 16, 2021

Es un excelente curso, pero lamentablemente no es para mí (Me interesa más la rama del IT) Sin embargo, no niego qué aprendí muchas cosas nuevas qué desconocía totalmente y me motivó a aprender más sobre el Graphic Design!

By Emanuel A

May 17, 2020

The course was a watershed in my career, because I didn't have design techniques in my head and of course practice outside the computer. This has improved the quality of my work and I am more motivated to create new things

By Akshid R

Dec 12, 2016

Great instructor and lessons. I love the organisation of the course and it really provides a great basis for looking deeper into aspects of graphic design! Looking forward to doing the other courses in this specialisation.

By Marina T

May 4, 2022

That's a complete course about Graphic Design. An amazing experience, during this course I was able to learn the theory and practice of the Design concepts. Though experimentation, I could discover and try new techniques.

By Wejdan H

Mar 8, 2021

I like the quality of the information. I like the tasks and I should participate even in the optional tasks. I like the instructor approach on emphasizing information. This a very needed course to begin in graphic design.

By Regine A

Oct 18, 2020

Thankful to have at least a month of taking a graphic design course in our homes, this course helped me improve my knowledge in making designs. Looking forward to more in-depth learning on other aspects of graphic design.