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The Complete Graphic Design Theory for Beginners Course (Udemy.com)

Learn Graphic Design Theory and the Basic Principles of Color Theory, Typography, Branding, Logo Design, Layout & More!

4.6
22,082 reviews

Created by: Lindsay Marsh

Last updated April 2023

Our take

Based on the ratings of 22,082 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in April 2023. No course pays to be reviewed.

Lindsay Marsh and co-instructor Jeremy Deighan teach design theory to people who have never worked as designers. The syllabus runs about 10 hours over 81 lectures, with sections on color, typography, photography, layout, logo design and branding, and the legal side of using fonts and images. Photoshop and Canva appear on screen, but the course says following along in them is optional. It is a first look at the field, not a software class.

Reviewers like the teaching. One says Lindsay's voice is engaging enough to keep an easily distracted viewer off their phone, and another with no formal background found it easy to follow. The complaints are consistent too. Some want more guided practice and a clearer explanation of the tools, and one says the later sections lose anyone who doesn't know Adobe. Another says the instructor shows what she does but not the thinking behind each choice. One reviewer wants a newer version.

Nearly 4.5 hours of the runtime is design trends from 2020 to 2022, and the last update was April 2023, so that part ages fastest. The core theory sections hold up better. With a 4.6 rating across 22,082 reviews and more than 96,000 students, it is a safe, easy start for the curious. Pair it with a hands-on tool course if making things is the goal.

Best forCurious beginners who want the vocabulary and basic principles of design before they pick a tool like Photoshop or Canva.
Skip it ifYou want step by step software tutorials or guided exercises, since reviewers say hands-on practice is thin.

Pros

  • Instructor's voice is engaging enough to hold easily distracted viewers
  • Covers color, type, photography, layout, logos and font licensing in 81 lectures
  • Reviewers with no design background say it is easy to follow
  • Trend sections come with projects to follow along with

Cons

  • Nearly half the runtime is 2020 to 2022 trends, and the last update was April 2023
  • Little tool teaching or guided practice, so Adobe newcomers can get lost late on
  • Instructor shows her choices more than her reasoning, which confuses some beginners
Even though I have no formal background, I'm able to understand and easily follow along.
Robert Chambers, a student

Truly beginner: no design background or software needed, though the later sections lean on Adobe.

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

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What you will learn

  • You will have intermediate to expert level knowledge of graphic design theory that you will immediately be able to apply to your career, job, hobby, or company.
  • You will be given a major overview of the most common graphic design practices and the thought process behind these principles.
  • You will be given real-world, applicable projects that you can follow along with and practice.
  • You will achieve the experience and knowledge to take graphic design fundamentals and apply them in your everyday life.
  • You will learn color theory and how it applies to the world around us, from products and art to branding and advertising.
  • You will learn typography theory and how type plays a major role in both print mediums and digital media.
  • You will learn photography composition and how it interacts with graphic design elements to create stunning looking artwork.
  • You will learn layout, user interface and experience design, and composition to understand how to control what you want the viewer to see.
  • You will learn about logo design and branding, and the way that you or your company can use these ideas to get in the eyes of more people.
  • You will learn about past and current design trends that you can use as a source for creating your own original work.
  • You will learn about the legal side of design and how you can take safe measures to make sure you are following the proper laws of copyright and trademarks.
  • Learn the Step-By-Step process to becoming a graphic designer
  • NEW! Learn some 2021 design trends to look out for with three new student projects

Course content

13 sections · 81 lectures · 10 hours of video 1 article

  1. 1Welcome to Graphic Design Theory for Beginners 1 free preview1 lecture · 5 min
  2. 2NEW! How To Become A Graphic Designer - The Full Guide 1 free preview2 lectures · 23 min
  3. 3Color Theory 1 free preview9 lectures · 1.3 hours
  4. 4Typography Theory 1 free preview10 lectures · 1.1 hours
  5. 5Putting together A Simple Social Media Graphic1 lecture · 19 min
  6. 6Photography Theory 1 free preview9 lectures · 56 min
  7. 7Layout Theory 1 free preview8 lectures · 39 min
  8. 8Logo Design and Branding6 lectures · 27 min
  9. 9The Legal Side of Design - Properly Using Photos, Fonts, and Resources 1 free preview4 lectures · 19 min
  10. 10BONUS LECTURE1 lecture · 7 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • This course is specifically design for beginners interested in graphic design theory. Philosophies and practical projects are given so that you not only understand the reasoning behind the theory, but you also get a chance to practice it to.
  • This course is great for:
  • - Graphic Designers
  • - Website Designers
  • - Logo Designers
  • - UI / UX Designers
  • - Product Designers
  • - T-Shirt Designers

What you need before you start

  • This course is for beginners to graphic design theory and for anyone who wants to learn the basic principles of color theory, typography, layout design, photography, logo design, branding, and more as it relates to graphic design.
  • You will learn intermediate and advanced terminology that you can use to incorporate in graphic design, user interfaces, mobile app design, logo design, t-shirt design, and other digital or print mediums.
  • Though programs like Adobe Photoshop CC and Canva are used throughout this course, you will not need them unless you would like to follow along. The principles outlined in this course are transfereable to many applications, both digital and physical.
  • Project files and resources can be found in available lessons located directly in this course.

How it compares

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

  • Rating4.6 out of 5higher than 65% of them
  • Reviews22,082#3 of 414 by number of reviews
  • Length10.1 hourslonger than 75% of them
  • Last updatedApril 2023earlier than 69% of them

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Course Description

NEW SECTION! 2022 Design Trends and Practical Projects added! 

Learn Graphic Design Theory in this New Course!

Many people want to become designers but don't know the basic fundamentals of design at all.

It can takes years to piece together different ideas to truly begin to understand how it even works.

but it doesn't have to be like that.

By understanding the foundations of color, typography, layout, composition, branding, and other fields of study in the graphic design realm, you can propel yourself from a beginner to an expert, just by having the right education.

You have found the perfect course for learning graphic design. It doesn't matter if you have no experience at all, this course was designed to teach you design theory in the most effective means necessary. 

With over 4.5+ hours (and counting) of video and practical projects to follow along with, this course is JAM PACKED with information to help you learn this graphic design theory!

The videos build on one another so that as you work through this course, you will understand more and more!

Pretty sweet, huh?  :)

Not only that, but this course is also designed so that if you already know some design theory and just need help with a specific principle, you can skip directly to that topic! 

So who can benefit from learning graphic design theory?

The fundamentals of design are useful for a lot of careers, industries, and hobbies. It doesn't matter if it's logo design, web design, social media, user interface design, advertising, product design, printing, or t-shirts. This course will cover ideas that can be used in any niche!

Each section goes into specific detail of the main principle being taught so that you get in-depth knowledge of that theory.

This course will cover:

  • The Basics of Graphic Design

  • Color Theory

  • Typography

  • Layout

  • Composition

  • User Experience

  • Branding

  • Logo Design

  • Photography in Graphic Design

  • Modern Trends and Themes

  • The Legal Side of Graphic Design

  • and much, much more!

Other great stuff you might want to know..

Not only will you get over 5+ hours of video content (and counting) and lessons, project files, and a new life skill, you will also have direct communication with the instructors to help you along.

This includes direct messages, discussions, and specialized projects in the course that will allow you to interact with the instructors and others. There is even a facebook group to connect with Lindsay and I and other students to ask questions, get feedback and participate in design challenges.

Feeling lost?  Don't worry, we are here for you!

As they say, "Come for the course, stay for the community."


What else is there to know?

Well there is that little 30 day money back guarantee thing.

That basically means that if you don't enjoy this course for any reason at all, you can get a full refund up to thirty days since the time you purchase it.

It's a win-win situation!

and we applaud winners.

So what are you waiting for?!

The time is now to stop procrastinating and begin learning graphic design theory so that you can take full advantage of everything that it has to offer!

Enroll now in this course and get started!
Read More Beginner Beginner Level product length iconTime: 10.1h

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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.

Read More

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Reviews

4.6

22,082 ratings on Udemy

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Write a review

By Kristine Anne Boligor on 8/11/2026

I really like the casdence of Lindsey's voice. It's not boring. It's very engaging. I'm someone who easily gets bored/distracted, but sitting through this course so far (at 11 pm in the evening) has not made me look through my phone lol. I really hope I can learn a lot and be inspired by this course!

By Ramon Perez Rodriguez on 7/22/2026

The grade of professionalism, attention for details, and the experience that the instructors paid in this course is just incredible. It is 100% worth to take it when starting on Graphic Design or related fields

By EMANUELE NIDASIO on 5/28/2026

I was expecting more space dedicated to graphic design theory, and analysis of why certain basic designs work and others don't. I would remove the old lessons on design trends, not because they are not relevant but just because they use a lot the Adobe products suite.

By Lindsey S Dhave on 4/5/2026

Yes l am enjoying the course so much and everything is being explained in a good manner with the pictures it becomes so easy to understand thank you so much.

By Berna Batuman on 3/24/2026

For absolute beginners, this was a great start into the world of graphic design theory! It gives you amazing knowledge and I feel like a lot of the things I learned, will help me to design things better. It would be great to get an updated version of some parts or design trends as new tools arise through time, as well as new trends. But all in all, great course!

By Natalia Sarmiento on 2/6/2026

En general todos los conceptos son muy interesantes y he aprendido mucho. Sí hay que tener mucha iniciativa para crear uno sus propios ejercicios para ir aplicando lo aprendido, si no, se queda muy en el aire la teoría.

By Swati Pethkar on 2/3/2026

i bought this course long back, i finally had the time to finish it. and it was totally worth it. i could see the design trends change, and as Lindsay was talking about it, i could totally recall the transition. being an architect this course has helped me to compose my drawings and presenting my work in a better way

By Kelly Sherrer on 1/28/2026

Good introduction to graphic design. I liked seeing the thought/design process the instructor goes through when designing for a specific project. I appreciated how they recommended some cheaper/free options for software, as well as show us where to get free graphics, fonts, etc. without needing a license. The part about the history of design trends was also interesting. One thing I did not like though was the English transcription/captions. There are some errors that make it hard to understand sometimes.

By Nupoor Bopche on 1/14/2026

I recently completed a beginner graphic designing course on Udemy, where I learned the basics of design such as color combinations, typography, layout, and using tools like Canva and Photoshop. Through small projects and assignments, I gained confidence in creating posters, social media posts, logos, and simple banners. This course helped me understand how to turn ideas into visual designs, and now I am excited to keep practicing and improving my skills.

By Paulina Kordos on 1/13/2026

Sooo rich! ..of information ...Best course I have ever seen on Udemy if it is going about giving the knowledge in a visual way! Lectors are perfect without any breaks in voice etc.

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Overall Score : 92 / 100

The Complete Graphic Design Theory for Beginners Course
Visit course on Udemy Write a review
  • Video Duration: icon 10.1h
  • Price: $199.99
  • Provider: icon Udemy
  • Updated: icon April 2023
  • Level: Beginner Beginner
  • Language: icon English
  • Certificate: icon Yes
  • Lectures:81 in 13 sections
  • Students:96,500
  • Subtitles:14 languages
  • Udemy badge:Bestseller
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