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What would be the best way to learn graphic design?

tbe22

9:25 pm on Dec 8, 2012 (gmt 0)

I would like to spend some time (probably around a year or two) learning graphic design at home. I was looking at a website I found in Goolge (online school), and they cover the following topics (offer courses):

Color theory
Typography I
Drawing I
Photoshop I
English composition

Design and composition
Logo design I
Illustrator I
Digital photography I
Computer technology I
HTML and CSS I
Typography II
History of art
General psychology

Indesign I
Graphic design I
Intro to marketing
The study of graphic design
Business and technical writing

Dreamweaver I
Print production
Branding and identity
Logo design II

Layout design
Packaging design
Graphic design II
Design business
Capstone project
Portfolio review

I would like to go through something like that, but with books from somewhere like Amazon.com, and other sources online. Can you recommend some good / professional sources / wesbites / books to get started with learning graphic design?

(I am not totally new to this, I've been making websites for a while now. I know HTML, CSS, Photoshop; I am thinking more about things like color theory <I read about it several times too, things like colorschemedesigner.com etc>, typography, drawing, design and composition, logo design, history of art, graphic design, layout design)

Thank you.

[edited by: tbe22 at 9:46 pm (utc) on Dec 8, 2012]

SevenCubed

9:37 pm on Dec 8, 2012 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member

10+ Year Member

Begin with a local meetup group if you are near a large metropolitan region where folks get together and chat about their passions of graphic design. They will at least help to point you in the right direction. You may even be fortunate enough to find a mentor. But do beware that many meetup groups are a front for sales people promoting their particular product.

limbo

12:23 pm on Dec 9, 2012 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member

10+ Year Member

I'd skip all the stuff about illustrator/photoshop/css etc. These are skills and can be learnt as you go. What you need (IMO) is a grounding in the principles - and there's not much better there than buying/loaning some good books - here's some classics I'd recommend (some are pricey so a trip to the library might be in order):

Grids:
Grid Systems in Graphic Design - Josef Muller-Brockmann (dry read, but is THE book on grids)
Making and Breaking the Grid - Timothy Samara (more accessible)

Typography:
Typography Formation + Transformation - Willi Kunz
Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, and Students - Ellen Lupton
Stop Stealing Sheep and Find Out how Type Works - Eric Spiekermann

Other Goodies:
How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul - Adrian Shaughnessy (essential reading)
A Smile in the Mind - Beryl McAlhone & David Stuart (to me, the essence of design is encapsulated in these pages)
Colour Mania - Viction:ary (good to see how other desigenrs use colour)
Symbol - Angus Hyland

tbe22

11:21 am on Dec 10, 2012 (gmt 0)

Thank you. Some other good books are listed here:

[creativelatitude.com...]

[graphicdesignforum.com...]

[graphic-design.com...]

JackSons

5:39 am on Apr 11, 2013 (gmt 0)

(Tbe 22)
Dear If you want learn more tricks and Tool so visit the these website

[lynda.com...]
[alison.com...]

these website very help for your graphic designing becasue in the web site lots of Graphic Learning Tools available but some free of cost..

dukelips

1:01 pm on Jun 1, 2013 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member

the best way to learn graphic design is plunging in. Get trained in the basics first , then copy the works by others and after a while beginners will copy your work.

i remember a book The Non-Designer's Design Book giving me a lot of confidence after I learnt photoshop