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Graphic Design Masterclass - Learn GREAT Design (Udemy.com)

The Ultimate Graphic Design Course Which Covers Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Design Theory, Branding, Logo Design

4.6
74,014 reviews

Created by: Lindsay Marsh

Last updated November 2025

Our take

Based on the ratings of 74,014 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in November 2025. No course pays to be reviewed.

This is the broad survey of graphic design on Udemy, and it earned its place through sheer scale: about 32 hours, 239 lectures, 40 sections and roughly 305,000 students. Lindsay Marsh teaches design theory first (typography, color, layout, grids), then walks through Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign with a project in each, with logo and branding work in between. It's aimed at complete beginners who want the whole map before they pick a specialty, and reviewers who already work in design say it still filled in gaps.

Students praise the instructor's simple, detailed explanations and the practical examples; the syllabus ties each app to a project, like the cookbook in InDesign or the vector badge in Illustrator. Several working designers and design students said they picked up tricks they didn't know. The complaints are specific. The most serious is age: one recent one star reviewer said the lessons show 2020 era Adobe and the interfaces no longer match. A two star reviewer felt the early material was too basic and wanted a single project to follow through from start to finish. With 4.6 stars across nearly 74,000 reviews, those are minority views.

The saving grace on the age issue is that the course keeps getting patched. The last update was November 2025, with new lessons on Photoshop 2026, generative AI tools and an Affinity comparison, so the newest material sits next to older sections that are labeled as such. Compared with the single app Photoshop and Illustrator essentials courses it sits beside, this is the one to buy for theory, branding and three apps in one place, and the one to skip for a single tool taught deeply. Students need their own Adobe or Affinity license; the software is not included.

Best forComplete beginners who want theory, branding and all three Adobe apps in one place before picking a specialty.
Skip it ifYou already know the basics and want one app, say Photoshop, taught in depth on the current 2026 interface.

Pros

  • Design theory (typography, color, grids) comes first, then each app gets a real project like a cookbook or a vector badge
  • Still being updated: Photoshop 2026, generative AI and Affinity comparison lessons were added in late 2025
  • Reviewers with design degrees and working designers say they still learned new tricks
  • Downloadable guides on typography history, color theory, grids and font pairing

Cons

  • One star reviewer says lessons show 2020 era Adobe and the interfaces have changed; some sections are labeled older
  • Broad rather than deep; one reviewer wanted a single project to follow from start to finish
  • Adobe or Affinity software is not included and must be bought separately
The instructor is very knowledgeable and explains everything in a simple, detailed way. She covers all aspects of graphic design, making the course easy to follow and enjoyable.
Haytham Benziane, a student

Genuinely beginner friendly, but the syllabus assumes access to Adobe CC or the Affinity apps from day one.

Featured in our guide: The Best Graphic Design Courses on Udemy in 2026

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What you will learn

  • Have a deep understanding of typography, color theory, photos, layout, blocking and other design theory and skills
  • Understand and learn the essential tools and capabilities of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
  • Create logos and branding packages for potential clients
  • Learn photo editing and manipulation in Adobe Photoshop
  • Master the pen tool, shape builder tool and other essential vector design tools in Adobe Illustrator.
  • How to create editorial spreads and magazine layouts using Adobe InDesign
  • Understand solid logo design and ad design principles to create compelling campaigns and logos
  • Work through the entire package design process
  • Learn non-destructive editing techniques in Adobe Photoshop
  • Work through an event flyer design to understand strong type hierarchy, balance and overall design layout
  • Learn a few of the upcoming design trends for 2022 and how to create them!
  • Learn the history of fonts and typefaces and how to pair fonts
  • Learn the basics of Affinity Designer and learn the difference between Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer
  • Work through a 7 page vector tracing worksheet and feel confident creating a complex vector illustration by the end of this worksheet
  • NEW! Learn how to work with multiple page layouts in Adobe InDesign and create a cookbook cover and book
  • NEW! Learn the step-by-step process to becoming a graphic designer
  • NEW! Learn how to work with Photoshop Mockups to create great presentations
  • NEW! Learn word mapping and brainstorming techniques to increase your creativity in logo design and branding projects
  • NEW! Learn the Double Exposure Effect in Adobe Photoshop
  • NEW! Create Vector Art in Adobe Illustrator
  • NEW! Learn How to Encourage and Spark Creativity
  • NEW! How to create YouTube thumbnails and social media graphics
  • NEW! How to properly give and receive critiques and feedback
  • NEW! Understand how to create 3d objects and typography in Adobe Illustrator
  • NEW! Discover the latest 2022 updates to the Adobe software and understand the new artificial intelligence filters and tools
  • NEW! Learn how to predict future design trends and complete projects that use the most up to date trends
  • NEW! Learn about the history of graphic design styles in the last 130 years
  • NEW! Learn about Adobe Photoshop's generative fill tool and artificial intelligence, AI!
  • NEW! An Overview of Artificial Intelligence for Designers: Prompts, Programs and AI Ethics
  • NEW! Adobe Photoshop 2026 updates and Design Trends! AI Tools and more

Course content

40 sections · 239 lectures · 32 hours of video 1 article

  1. 1Important! The Course Guide & Downloadable .Zip File! 2 free previews3 lectures · 10 min
  2. 2How to Become a Graphic Designer 1 free preview2 lectures · 23 min
  3. 3Graphic Design Theory 3 free previews24 lectures · 1.9 hours
  4. 4NEW!!! The History of Graphic Design Styles 1 free preview5 lectures · 32 min
  5. 5NEW! Design Trends 2026!1 lecture · 14 min
  6. 6NEW! AI in Design (Artificial Intelligence) - An Overview1 lecture · 17 min
  7. 7Adobe Photoshop - The Very Basics 1 free preview11 lectures · 1.4 hours
  8. 8Adobe Photoshop - Introduction to Photo Editing 2 free previews12 lectures · 1.7 hours
  9. 9NEW! How to Encourage and Spark Creativity 1 free preview1 lecture · 11 min
  10. 10Photoshop Intermediate Tools6 lectures · 43 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Anyone interested in creating compelling and GREAT design.
  • Those interested in learning Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign (Affinity Designer Too!)
  • Those wanting to understand graphic design basics and theory paired with real world projects and applications
  • Those looking to learn logo design and branding techniques and execution
  • Anyone wanting to become a graphic designer part-time or full-time, or those who need design skills to elevate their current careers.
  • Those looking for a solid graphic design foundations course with the depth of an intermediate level course
  • Those wanting to learn the basics of Affinity Designer and learn the difference between Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer

What you need before you start

  • Access to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator & InDesign (Or Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, Affinity Publisher as an Alternative). I will be using the Adobe Creative Cloud versions, but those with older version can still get a lot out of this class. Those wanting to take the course with Affinity products will find some tools and names do differ so Adobe is preferred.
  • If you use Adobe products, I highly suggest using versions CS6 or higher to have a more smooth experience with the course, but not a requirement.
  • Software not Included

How it compares

Against the other 413 rated Udemy courses in Graphic Design on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 65% of them
  • Reviews74,014#1 of 414 by number of reviews
  • Length31.8 hourslonger than 94% of them
  • Last updatedNovember 2025more recently than 58% of them

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Course Description

As you can see, this course is updated frequently with new lessons, projects and resources!


November 2025 - NEW LESSON! Adobe Photoshop 2026 updates - Google Nano Banana in Photoshop + Upscaling with Topaz and more.
November 2025 - 2 NEW LESSONS! Adobe Illustrator 2026 Image trace tool comparison with Affinity V3 + Comparing AI tools between Affinity V3 and Adobe Photoshop 2026!
October 2025 - New Lesson! Design Trends 2026!
June 2025 - NEW Lesson! Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Design a Full Introduction! 
January 2024 - NEW Section! Photoshop 2024 Updates - Artificial Intelligence Generative fill tool overview and mastery!
January 2023 - NEW Resources! Design Book Recommendations and Resource on Graphic Design Pay
November 2022 - NEW Section! The History of Graphic Design Styles! 
August 2022 - NEW Section! Learn to Create a Custom Brand Presentation Mockup in Adobe Photoshop
January 2022 - NEW Section! Design Trends 2022! We will figure out how to predict future design trends and create three projects!  
November 2021 - NEW Sections! Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator 2022 update lessons and Adobe Illustrator 3D class Project! 
June 2021 - NEW Lesson! How to properly give and receive critiques and feedback
April 2021 - NEW! Section on how to create YouTube Thumbnails! 
March 2021 - NEW! Video on How to Encourage and Spark Creativity
March 2021 - NEW!  Section on The Double Exposure Effect in Adobe Photoshop 2021!
March 2021 - NEW!  Section creating vector art in Adobe Illustrator 2021 using the new repeat tool and the blend tool.
February 2021 - NEW!  Detailed section on Adobe Photoshop Photo editing basics - New projects added! 
January 2021 - NEW!  2021 Design Trends Section with three new student projects! 
November 2020 - NEW!  16 page History of Typography Guide, 16 Page Color Theory Guide and 8 Page Font Pairing Guide!
October 2020 - Updated Lessons!  Photoshop 2021 Neural Filter and Liquify Tools
August 2020 - Updated Lessons!  Logo Design and Branding Project
July 2020 - NEW!  How to work with Photoshop Mockups! 
June 2020 - NEW!  How to Become a Graphic Designer 14 page Resource Guide and Lessons!  
May 2020 - NEW!  InDesign Portfolio Builder Template!  
April 2020 - NEW!  Entirely new Adobe InDesign Section including a cookbook project
April 2020 - NEW!  Color Theory - Exploring Color Palettes Section
March 2020 - NEW! A Guide to My Favorite Fonts and Where to Download Them
Jan 2020 - NEW! Lessons: 2020 Design Trends: and how to create them
Nov 2019 - NEW! - Adobe Illustrator introduction and tools section (vector tracing worksheet)
Nov 2019 - NEW! - Photoshop section and Projects (including a new youtube thumbnail and book cover project)
Oct 2019 - NEW!  11 page downloadable resource - The Guide to Grids
Oct 2019 - NEW!  Color Theory and Color Harmony Lessons + new Downloadable Resources
July 2019 - NEW!  Affinity Designer Section! Learn The Basic Tools and Differences Between Adobe Illustrator And Affinity Designer
May 2019 - NEW! Downloadable Resources - the Anatomy of Typography poster and the Psychology of Color graphic! 
April 2019 - NEW Lessons: Finding Your Graphic Design Niche and Focus!

Graphic Design Master Class - Learn GREAT Design

Do you want to learn all the skills and techniques you need to create incredible designs? 

Do you want to know the process of creating logos and branding packages? 

Are you intimidated by learning photoshop, illustrator or InDesign and want to learn through practical real world projects? Than This class will be for you! 

We will extensively review Typography, color theory, layout and composition, how to use photos in design, photo manipulations and editing and magazine layout design, branding and logo design just to name a few. 

We also learn the basics of Adobe Photoshop, illustrator and InDesign and do projects with real world applications. Every designer needs to know and master these programs and this course makes sure you know the essential tools to power through amazing projects. 

In Adobe Photoshop, we will review photo editing and manipulation techniques like how to cut objects out, duotones, changing color on objects, the liquify tool and we will create a compelling YouTube thumbnail with our newly learned photoshop skills as well as an entire book cover design project. 

In Adobe Illustrator, we will master the pen tool by hand tracing simple and complex shapes. We will explore the power of the shape builder tool and In the end of this section, we will design a complete logo design. There is an entirely new introduction and tools section that has been added where we work through a 7 page vector tracing worksheet and in the end create a complex vector illustration using our newly learned illustrator vector tools. Lastly, we will put together an event flyer to practice our layout skills, and even work through the branding process and create a logo, business card and letterhead for a business.

We will will create a magazine layout in InDesign and learn the master pages tool to drastically speed up your design workflow when working with multiple paged layouts. 

We will talk about branding basics, what makes a good logo? How do you extend your logo or brand to other marketing materials? 
Read More Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 31.8h

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Instructor Details

Lindsay Marsh

If anyone has questions about which course may work best for them, please feel free to contact or message me.

I have had many self-made titles over the years: Brand Manager, Digital Architect, Interactive Designer, Graphic Designer, Web Developer and Social Media Expert, to name a few. My name is Lindsay Marsh and I have been creating brand experiences for my clients for over 20 years. As a freelance graphic designer, I have worked on a wide variety of projects both in the digital and print space. 

I have had the wonderful opportunity of taking classes at some of the top design schools in the world: Parsons at The New School, The Pratt Institute and NYU. 

I have had the pleasure of teaching over 600,000+ students globally online. I have provided private tutoring in the the area of design and marketing for over 8 years. I am also now a certified Canva Certified Creative.  

The thing I enjoy most of all about being a teacher is seeing my students flourish and to be able to start careers that are passionate and rewarding. 

I have a Facebook group dedicated to helping my students thrive and start new freelance design businesses. I want to get to know my students and provide additional challenges that get them ready for wonderful opportunities in the design world.

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Reviews

4.6

74,014 ratings on Udemy

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By Sanchali Mestry on 8/11/2026

This course was an amazing learning experience for me. It helped me improve my understanding of Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, design theory, and logo design. I learned a lot about design principles. I've gained a lot of knowledge. Highly recommended!

By Haytham Benziane on 8/6/2026

The only course I would recommend to someone who is completely new to graphic design. The instructor is very knowledgeable and explains everything in a simple, detailed way. She covers all aspects of graphic design, making the course easy to follow and enjoyable. It is absolutely worth it. I just finished the course, and I highly recommend it!

By Udemy User on 8/3/2026

I had a positive experience taking this course. The lessons were easy to understand and well organized, and the practical examples helped me apply what I learned. It was a good match for my interests and career goals, especially because I wanted to improve my skills and learn something useful for my work. Overall, I found the course valuable and would recommend it to others with similar goals.

By zbroman z on 6/23/2026

Was more engaging than my uni adventure for sure not even close.Did go over some of the stuff that I already know and learned a thing or two.Not gonna lie bought the class but did not take it seriously until some time later.Thank you for giving me more knowledge than a monotone University teacher ever did.I hope you see this and have a wonderful life!

By Kevser YILMAZ on 6/4/2026

Cok temel seylerden bahsediyor hala bir projeye baslayip takip ederek deneme yapabilicegim bir sey yapmadi.

By Rocio Almeida on 6/2/2026

Yes, the course gives enough information and confidence to start exploring on your own right away. Also the instructor encourages you every step of the way. I like that she reminds you to give yourself grace when something seems complicated and that grace helps you keep going.

By ROYAL GAMING on 5/29/2026

i did a diploma in multimedia 2024 and after i finished it i went back to do som other stuff, now im getting back to Graphic Designing and this is exactly the thing i needed. so easy to understand and so much information in one place, lv it.

By Iga Tkaczyk on 4/21/2026

Truly the best course to get yourself into graphic design. I am so impressed by the immense work that the creator of this course put into it. It is extremely engaging, and well conducted, starting off with theory and then getting into the necessary graphic design programs deeper and deeper. It is also a plus that you don't need to have the Adobe subcription - the course is do-able with Affinity, a free substitute. Sure, some things there are done differently than in Adobe programs, but a quick google search helps. The only thing I didn't like is the ammount of videos/exercises focused on generative AI. I guess I just had this anticipation of learning how to do some awesome photoshop tricks to make well crafted pictures, but instead I got a tutorial 'how to write prompts so AI could do that for you,' which is pretty disappointing considering the quality of some of the generated images and the horrendous impact that gen AI has on the environment. Nonetheless, I decide to leave 5 stars on this course, because the creator simply shows how the Adobe programs work, and they do have AI tools, so I guess it makes sense to show them off. Lastly, I am thankful for the last portion of this course, where we get a helpful sheet considering our future in the graphic design business. It is great that we end the course with some kind of guidance, and we don't have to feel lost so suddenly.

By Daniela Vega on 2/19/2026

Great course in all aspects and perfect for beginners. It covers the most used Adobe softwares and tools with practical projects so you can try and explore some of the niches that exist, as well as the theory and basics of graphic design. Well organized and explained. My skills and knowledge improved significally. Your time and money will not be wasted.

By Zulfiqar Al-Hashimy on 2/17/2026

بالرغم من الدورات السابقة التي درستها بشكل عملي عن طريق الانترنت او مشاركة المعلومات في التواصل الاجتماعي الا اني اشهد بأن هذه الدورة هي قمة بالروعة و استفدت منها كثيرا اي ما يعادل سنوات من محاولة التعلم . لا املك الا ان اقول شكرا للاستاذة ليندسي مارش من القلب و ان كل دولار دفعته في هذه الدورة هو قليل بحقها .

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Overall Score : 92 / 100

Graphic Design Masterclass - Learn GREAT Design
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 31.8h
  • Price: $174.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon November 2025
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:239 in 40 sections
  • Students:305,500
  • Subtitles:18 languages
  • Udemy badge:Bestseller
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