Design for Non-Designers

In the course, students analyze real case studies in design and layout.

Need to think like a designer? This course gives you a primer on the basic elements of design: typography, images, color, and layout.

Through a series of real-life case studies, you'll go inside the design process and learn how to evaluate designs using such time-honored principles as consistency and alignment. Through interaction with the instructor and other students, you'll with develop your ability to critique design — identifying what's right and wrong, and how to fix it.

Though primarily created for professionals who work with designers — directors, marketers, and media publishers — this course also provides an effective conceptual grounding for students just starting out in design.

Tuition: $252 US

Instructor:
Yeesan Loh is an interior designer, photographer, painter, and graphic designer.
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Course Developers:
Morten Sohlberg is a veteran designer and art director ... get bio
Christina Jackson is a director of design evangelism at Aquent ... get bio

Develop an understanding of the purpose of design and the critical steps in the design process.

Compare and critique two brochure designs, evaluating each design in relation to the design brief.

Identify and discuss four elements in design: typography, images, color, and layout.

Compare and critique two brochure designs, evaluating how each designer handles typography, image, color, and layout.

Apply principles for evaluating the effectiveness of type, image, color, and layout in a design project.

Identify and discuss the application of four principles of design: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity.

Compare and critique three Web sites, commenting on how each designer handles typography, image, color, layout, and principles of composition.

Outline:

LESSON 1 The process of design In the first lesson, you'll begin constructing your working knowledge of design. Through an amusing case study, you'll get an overview of the design process. Comparing before and after shots will help you build your ability to critically evaluate designs. We'll introduce you to the four basic elements of any design, then focus on key issues in typography.

LESSON 2 The elements of design Here you'll expand your design bandwidth by looking at the role of images, color, and layout in design. How does an image enhance a project's "look and feel"? Why should a piece's audience or environment affect a designer's choice of colors? How can the composition of a layout create a hierarchy of importance? You'll address these questions and more, then integrate this knowledge using a case study.

LESSON 3 The principles of design What makes a design really work? To grow your ability to evaluate design, you'll look at the four underlying principles or "virtues" of design: contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. These subtle nuances of composition spell the difference between a successful design and...a successful non-design! Finally, you'll integrate these ideas with a focus on the exciting world of Web design.

Tuition: $252 US