# Graphic Design Portfolio Bootcamp Canonical URL: ## Overview This bootcamp is the capstone course in our [Graphic Design Certificate](https://www.nobledesktop.com/certificates/graphic-design), designed for students who already have a working knowledge of Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. The focus here is not on learning the tools but on learning how to design, pushing your understanding of design concepts and processes while building a body of work you are proud to show off. Throughout the course, you will produce a range of portfolio projects including logos, social media graphics, stationery, book and eBook covers, album covers, event posters, and email announcements. Work is critiqued in class by both the instructor and your peers, and you will incorporate that feedback into your projects before uploading everything to Adobe Portfolio, which comes included with your Creative Cloud membership, giving you a fully realized portfolio website by the time you are done. If you still need to get up to speed on [Photoshop](https://www.nobledesktop.com/classes/photoshop-beginner), [InDesign](https://www.nobledesktop.com/classes/indesign-beginner), or [Illustrator](https://www.nobledesktop.com/classes/illustrator) before enrolling, our full suite of graphic design courses has you covered. You can pick up whichever app you need or work through all of them to become a well-rounded designer. Taking this bootcamp alongside those three courses also qualifies you to earn a New York State-licensed Certificate in Graphic Design, and enrolling in the full certificate gets you all four courses at a 25% discount plus one-on-one mentoring with a design expert. ## What you'll learn - Learn about the elements of design - Develop and expand your graphic design portfolio - Learn how to discuss your work and incorporate and evaluate critiques - Broaden your understanding of graphic design concepts and processes, both formal and conceptual - Upload your work to Adobe Portfolio (included with your Creative Cloud membership) to create your portfolio website ## Prerequisites Students should have strong working knowledge in [Photoshop](/classes/photoshop-beginner), [InDesign](/classes/indesign-beginner), and [Illustrator](/classes/illustrator). ## Curriculum ### Section 1 #### What is Graphic Design? - Brief overview and discussion - Elements of design - Gestalt Principles #### Word Work - Letterform Anatomy - Type Classifications - Speed design with limited source material! #### Design Assignment: Logo Design - Brief slide show on what makes a good logo - Design assignment: Choice of logo redesign for an existing company or create your own personal logo design. - Create two distinct design options for your logo. ### Section 2 #### Design Process - Explore ideation and the creative design process - Logo exploration (Ritos del Sol, Vaya) - Learn logo drafting using the template feature in Illustrator - Introduction of Photoshop mock-ups - Sketching exercise. Learn to work quickly and creatively within fixed parameters. #### Color Interaction - What do colors mean? - How do designers use colors effectively - Color palettes: we will explore how to choose appropriate color palettes for different assignments #### Design Assignment: Identity System - Finalize your logo to design an identity system using a "color study" and complimentary typeface. Use this visual system to either create a stationery design or social media graphics. ### Section 3 #### Typography - Typographic Overview - Type Selection - Type Pairing - Foundry Overview - Optical Spacing #### Design Assignment: Book/eBook Cover Redesign - Create either a book or eBook cover design for a re-issue of a famous piece of fiction. Use type and imagery to create a visually appealing cover that will entice a reader. ### Section 4 #### Historical Design Movements - Arts & Crafts - Art Nouveau - Dada - Destijl - Constructivism - Bauhaus - Swiss International #### Design Assignment: Album Art Cover/Spotify Graphic - Create cover art for a band to be used for online purchases of music or streaming music services. Use a mixture of typography, imagery, and basic graphic elements, with consideration for different screen sizes and resolutions. ### Section 5 #### Information Hierarchy - What goes first? Second? Last? And why? - Are there rules? How can we be creative within these rules? - We explore the who, what, where, when, and why of laying out information. - Learn about grid systems. #### Design Assignment: Event Poster or Email Announcement - Students will design a poster or email announcement for an event. Designs should convey a concept relating to the subject, and use a clearly identifiable visual hierarchy. ### Section 6 #### Design Hero Slide Show - The instructor will show a brief slide show of past and present design visionaries #### Portfolio Criteria & Revision - Ten points to consider when developing a professional Graphic Design portfolio. - Recommended book list - Revision, completion and collection of any final revised exercises or projects. ## Schedule - Jun 17, 2026 – Jul 13, 2026 — Live Online - Jul 2, 2026 – Jul 30, 2026 — Live Online - Jul 19, 2026 – Aug 9, 2026 — Live Online - Jul 31, 2026 – Aug 28, 2026 — Live Online - Sep 18, 2026 – Oct 9, 2026 — Live Online - Sep 22, 2026 – Oct 8, 2026 — Live Online - Oct 30, 2026 – Nov 20, 2026 — Live Online - Nov 16, 2026 – Dec 14, 2026 — Live Online - Dec 6, 2026 – Dec 27, 2026 — Live Online ## FAQ ### Do I need to bring anything to the class? No. We provide computers (Mac or PC) with Adobe Creative Cloud installed. Choose your operating system at checkout. ### What is the focus or goal of this course? This course covers graphic design theory and techniques and helps participants develop and apply skills to projects. This course does not focus on how to use any particular design application. If you are interested in learning professional design apps (Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator) in addition to developing portfolio projects (which you do in this class), we recommend our [Graphic Design Certificate Program](/certificates/graphic-design). ## Pricing **Tuition:** $1295