Graphic Design Masterclass: Learn Graphic Design in Projects (Udemy.com)
Graphic design principles, typography, & color mastery using Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. For beginners & more!
Created by: Chad Neuman, Ph.D.
Last updated May 2020
What you will learn
- Learn and apply graphic design principles to produce effective designs in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
- Learn and apply color theory and practices to produce effective designs in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
- Learn and apply effective typography to produce effective designs in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
- Design an online ad, design an infographic with effective color, create a gig poster with type as a design component, create an illustrative postcard.
Course Description
Learn and apply graphic design principles, color, and typography for better designs! Are you frustrated with the quality of your graphic designs, or wonder how graphic designers create effective content? Or do you simply want to learn more about graphic design or get started as a graphic designer?
In this course, you will learn and then apply design principles to create various graphic designs, including an online advertisement, an effective infographic, a gig poster with type as a design element, and an illustrative postcard design. You will learn how color schemes can be created and applied in graphic designs. You will also learn how effective typography can improve your designs as well.
You will use the industry-standard software for photo and raster editing (Photoshop), illustration and vector art (Illustrator), and publication design (InDesign) in this course to apply what you learn.
Course Structure
In the first few sections, you will learn about the overarching benefits of this course and then learn about various design principles such as proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast, balance, negative space, and rhythm. You will apply these design principles right away so you more effectively learn them. This will also allow you to learn design techniques.
In the color section, you will learn about effective color and then how to create color schemes in Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. You will create a color wheel using Illustrator.
In the typography section, you will learn type terminology in order to know how to apply effective type. You will also learn best practices in editing and applying type.
All support files are included for the follow-along exercises and projects on design principles, color, typography, and projects. Bonus files are also included, such as photo and Photoshop brushes.
Instructor Qualifications
I've worked in graphic design at newspapers, magazines, and an award-winning advertising design firm. I've been managing editor of two graphic design magazines and a freelance graphic designer. For the past eight years, I've also taught graphic design at the university level.
Let's get started learning and creating!
This course will enable you to be come a better graphic designer, whether you're new to graphic design or simply want to improve. I'll see you in the course!
Instructor Details
- 4.4 Rating
2,749 Reviews
Chad Neuman, Ph.D.
I love seeing students succeed in their designs, photos, productions, artistic work, and careers.
Do you want to learn become a better designer or communicator? Do you want to learn industry-standard editing and effects in Photoshop? Do you want to create logos for your brand or for clients? Do you want to learn new skills that are in demand in the new digital economy?
I'm passionate about communication, writing, art, and design education, and I'm currently a full-time professor of communication and digital media. I've developed curriculum and taught classes on design, photography, and writing for over a decade. My university students have become full-time, award-winning photographers, web designers, creative specialists, reporters, and layout designers. And now, you can learn from me as well!
Get started by enrolling in my courses, learning new skills and knowledge, and asking me questions in the courses and forums.
My Three-Part Qualifications to Teach You (Professional Experience, Education, and Experience Teaching):
More courses by Chad Neuman, Ph.D.
Photoshop In-Depth: Master all of Photoshop's Tools Easily (2024)
4.6 (8,041 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 5.3h
$89.99
Photoshop for Beginners: Zero to Hero in Photoshop (2025)
4.3 (6,623 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 3.1h
$124.99
The Complete Drawing Masterclass: From Beginner to Advanced (2020)
4.5 (3,359 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 19.8h
$109.99
Adobe Illustrator CC Mastery: Zero to Hero in Illustrator (2020)
4.5 (2,172 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 3.3h
$84.99
Logo Design Masterclass: Logo Design, Illustrator, Dimension (2025)
4.6 (1,929 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 7.8h
$119.99
Learn Adobe InDesign: Design a Magazine and More in InDesign (2026)
4.7 (1,688 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 8.8h
$79.99
More Graphic Design courses
Adobe Premiere Pro + AI Mastery: Beginner to Pro Editor (2026)
5.0 (48 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 8.6h
$44.99
Adobe InDesign - From Basics to Professional Level Designs (2024)
4.9 (320 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 11.4h
$84.99
The Adobe Illustrator CC Mastery Course: Basics to Pro + AI (2026)
4.9 (268 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 30.8h
$19.99
Adobe Certified Professional in Photoshop - Exam Guide (2025)
4.9 (42 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 8.3h
$19.99
Adobe After Effects Essentials VFX Training Course (2024)
4.9 (24 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 3.7h
$39.99
Kitchen Design in Blender 3D & Real-Time Rendering (2025)
4.9 (22 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 2.5h
$19.99
Reviews
By Drey B on 9/18/2025
I'm enjoying the course. I already know a good bit about graphics design, but I know there are things I don't know yet. And I've learnt a lot of knew stuff. The instructor teaches well. But I think he's a bit too fast. I've noticed this with many instructors though. I think it's just subconscious to talk at your normal pace. But please remember that you are teaching.
By Aastha Mehta on 7/8/2020
Hi Dr. Chad. I have edited my review for your course. I read your comment and i did expect the course to be a little advance as it said we could "master design principles". Nevertheless, the reason i had given 2 stars earlier was because it was too beginner level for me. But you have mentioned that clearly. Sorry for the trouble, and thank you for teaching me everything which was still valuable!
By Stewart Anderson on 1/4/2020
i struggled with some aspects of the course as i had to work out tool bar brush adding. got there in the end and followed the instructions to the T. I HAVE LEARNT A LOT IN THIS COURSE SO FAR, brilliant stuff. So now i have completed the course... i have learned sooo much stuff. i had no idea how to use the platforms in CC. I DO NOW! i will be taking more courses with Chad. great teacher... THANK YOU
By Elena Del Castillo Sanchez on 3/26/2019
Just way to basic. I would say even the exercises are not challenging enought. and the results you get are not something you would like to display in your portfolio or not even with a special purpose. I get you have to practise alignmenet etc but I do beliueve it can be done in many other ways. The speech is clear and instructions as well but I do find it super basic for what it announces.
By Audrey Felix on 11/22/2018
I am afraid that rating reflect a degree of frustration that I experienced as I tried to follow varieous instructions given to achieve certain results. my progress is slow and I feel uncertain about the program since it feels quirky. (Even if in reality it is just vast with numerous ways to accomplish a single task.) Variations in the menus and displays have at times left me wondering what to do next. I often seemed to take a very long time to accomplish the slightest change or complete the instructions. I have nonetheless learned quite a bit from the course. It is however easier to retain information when it is less frustrating. I will likely come back to this course in the near future.
By Boris Burashov on 2/13/2018
It was actually the second course on design I've taken. The previous one was more of an introductory academic course on the overall principles of graphic design and its history through the evolution of technology, techniques and ideas, whereas with this course I've managed to learn a handful of tips, tricks and hands on particular solutions for different objectives you have to handle being a designer. Perfect. Liked it a lot. It was also very useful to understand how to use all the Adobe instruments together working on a single project. Thanks!
By Ankur Jalota on 10/19/2017
I feel this course is a good complement with Derek Mitchell's "Graphic Design Bootcamp" course. I'm going to compare the two because both were sold to me as a bundle. This course goes a bit into color theory, and it was useful to learn about the color guide. The graphics we created weren't as aesthetically awesome as the graphics in Derek's course (just sayin'). Derek's course is good for actually producing work and assets to work with clients. He didn't focus on color theory as much, so that's why this course makes a good complement.
By Dave Scott on 1/3/2017
First, this course was very helpful to me; very good. I have now finished the course with the exception of one video that has a known problem. I have downgraded my rating because of that and because things did seem more rushed toward the end. Still very pleased overall however. Immediately learning skills that will help me. UPDATE: Still feel very good about the course and the five star rating. :) Very helpful; I have been doing many of these things for years with apps other than Adobe; this course is extremely helpful moving to Adobe CC subscription. And I am self-taught so this is filling in some (lots of) holes. Again, very helpful. Immediate help in my illustrations as I teach.
By Jeff Thomsen on 8/24/2016
I really enjoyed this course. I've been a professional graphic designer for over 25 years and this course really inspired me. I'm self taught on Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign so I learned a lot of new design techniques and refreshed some of the concepts I learned in my college courses. I would recommend this course for anyone interested in learning graphic design or anyone that needs some inspiration and wants to become the best designer they can be.
By Anonymized User on 5/30/2016
This was my second course with Chad and I loved every minute of it. Never boring and always pushing new horizons with fresh techniques and ways to design. Since I already knew the basics of Illustrator and Photoshop, this course definitely helped me expand that knowledge and also showed me the workflow between the various Adobe programs used for design. I would definitely recommend this course!
Quality Score
No CourseDuck member has rated this course yet. Taken it? Give each part a thumbs up or down.
Overall Score : 88 / 100












