Adobe Classes & Bootcamps Washington, D.C.

Gain hands-on experience across Adobe Creative Cloud applications through comprehensive bootcamps. Courses bridge creative concepts with production-ready skills.

Adobe Classes & Bootcamps

Adobe Certifications

First introduced in 1982, the Adobe Creative Cloud quickly became one of the most beloved software families for designers. You’re likely already familiar with Photoshop (by name, if not in practice), but Adobe tools like Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and Premiere Pro are just as popular among today’s design professionals. Together, these tools boasted 30 million subscribers in 2023.

This immense popularity is only fitting in light of the many versatile features these tools contain. In addition to editing images, you can use Adobe Creative Cloud tools for various creative tasks, including video production, web design, illustration, and sound design. What’s more, every Adobe app is compatible with the others, allowing you to seamlessly transition between tools when working on multimedia designs.

What Can You Do with Adobe Training?

Adobe proficiency will enable you to create immaculate designs of many kinds. There are more than 20 Adobe Creative Cloud apps, each bearing distinctive strengths that are useful for different projects.

Adobe will allow you to create the following:

  • Graphic designs.
  • Digital illustrations and art.
  • Websites and other digital interfaces.
  • Audio projects and sound effects.
  • Print layouts (popularly used for magazines and stationery design).
  • Video projects.
  • Motion graphics.

Designs created digitally can also be transformed into physical results such as stickers, stationery, t-shirts, business cards, and product packaging.

What Will I Learn in an Adobe Class?

There are many different types of Adobe classes, with some covering just one app and others covering multiple tools in the context of a skill set like graphic design. This variation among classes means that what you learn will likely be unique to the particular class you choose. In addition to software proficiency, the most frequent skills taught in Adobe classes are image editing, graphic design, motion graphics, video editing, user interface (UI) design, and user experience (UX) design.

Image Editing

Popular in fields like photography and marketing, image editing involves manipulating an existing image with a tool like Photoshop. While editing an image, a Designer may change subtle elements such as color and lighting, or make drastic changes like:

  • Removing background elements.
  • Adding new features or effects.
  • Altering textures (such as bumpy skin).
  • Crop or broaden the image frame.

Graphic Design

While graphic design is sometimes mistaken for image editing, the two skills are not the same. Image editing is performed on a pre-existing image, while graphic design generates brand-new images from scratch. These graphics are made up of quintessentials like color, shape, pattern, and text, and are most commonly created with Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. In a graphic design course, you may also learn principles from design theory that can make your designs more persuasive.

Motion Graphics

Graphic designs can be combined with motion, special effects, and audio to produce simple animations known as motion graphics. Created from a series of static images, motion graphics are much more rudimentary than traditional animation, which consists of numerous moving images. You may see motion graphics on dynamic websites, as well as in video media and games. In addition to coding, three-dimensionality, and storytelling, proficiency with Adobe tools like Premiere Pro, After Effects, Illustrator, and Photoshop can be put to use in motion graphics design.

Video Editing

Similar to image editing, video editing involves changing existing media rather than creating it from nothing. Intending to create a more cohesive and compelling video narrative, Video Editors use Adobe tools to cut and rearrange footage before making adjustments to color, sound, and lighting. From there, it’s about adding special effects and audio. The most popular video editing tools in the Adobe Creative Cloud include Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition.

UX Design and UI Design

While the other skills listed here involve static designs that people view, UX and UI design take on the ambitious challenge of creating designs that people can interact with. You’ve likely interacted with one of these designs in the form of a dynamic website, social media app, game menu, or software. Creating these types of user interfaces involves many different skills, including prototyping with software such as Adobe XD.

How Hard is It to Learn Adobe?

Most new learners agree that exploring Adobe can be exciting, but your learning process will be unique to you (that means your particular strengths and goals). Experts will tell you that getting comfortable with Adobe tools at an amateur level isn’t too hard, but point out that it may take much more dedication to reach the professional level.

What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Adobe?

Adobe apps typically utilize a myriad of features and layers to create a completed design. These details can be difficult to keep straight when you’re new to Adobe, but with dedicated practice, you’ll gain a muscle-memory-like understanding of these tools that will make things easier. In a similar vein, you might also look at the 20+ apps in Adobe Creative Cloud and struggle to decide what to learn first. For the most part, it doesn’t really matter, but your safe bet (if you need one) is going to be Photoshop.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Adobe?

Many factors can alter how fast you learn Adobe, but if you’re like most people, you’ll feel comfortable at the three-month mark. If you plan to master Adobe skills at the career level, you should plan to commit up to a year to learning. While a year is standard, you may need more time if you plan to learn many Adobe tools or don’t have former design experience.

Should I Learn Adobe in Person or Online?

Everyone has unique learning needs, and you may discover that yours are met more adequately by one training format than another. Both online and in-person training provide high-quality experiences with plenty of benefits that are worth taking advantage of. To find which works best for you, compare the pros and cons of each training style below.

In-person classes:

  • Offer face-to-face interaction with easy access to instructor support.
  • Provide a highly social experience.
  • Require scheduled time commitments.
  • May demand more time and energy for commuting to a physical location.

Live online classes:

  • Use digital software like Zoom to offer real-time interaction similar to in-person classes (including instructor support).
  • Provide the flexibility to learn from home.
  • Don’t necessitate commutes, but do require scheduled time commitments.

On-demand (or asynchronous) online classes:

  • Don’t provide live instruction or feedback.
  • Supply pre-prepared study materials that you can explore at your own pace.
  • Usually only cover beginner topics.
  • Offer the most flexibility in terms of where and when you learn.

Can I Learn Adobe Free Online?

Thanks to the internet, beginners can get started learning Adobe free of cost. You can get the hang of basic app skills from Adobe video tutorials and even sit in on free online design seminars to explore design theory. Many free Adobe resources are offered by Adobe along with vocational schools like Noble Desktop.

Here are several cautions to keep in mind when learning for free:

  • Free content may be produced by amateurs, even when presented as coming from experts.
  • You’ll miss out on instructor-provided feedback, along with the growth that comes with it.
  • Exploring an uncurated assortment of sources can leave you with big knowledge gaps.

What Should I Learn Alongside Adobe?

With so many uses for Adobe tools, many skills can complement your app skills. Experts advise choosing complementary skills according to what you plan to do with your new skills. If, for instance, you hope to become a Web Designer, you’ll discover that basic coding skills can help you communicate more effectively with IT professionals. Alternatively, you might be a Web Designer who wants to climb your career ladder. In this case, adding project management skills can qualify you for more responsibility.

Skills that complement Adobe well include:

Industries That Use Adobe

As a toolset with many applications, Adobe is an accessory to many different jobs and industries. In addition to being popular in the design industry proper, these tools also make regular appearances in fields like information technology, business, marketing, and medicine, where they are in constant high demand.

Design

The design industry is perhaps the most obvious place for Adobe users to sell their services, as Adobe is used in practically every professional design role. Though design isn’t Houston’s largest industry, this field still plays an important role in the local community. Dedicated to this purpose, The Houston Design District features local design businesses ranging from classy design showrooms and interior design companies to fabric stores, wallpaper sellers, and full-blown architectural studios.

Digital Technology

Technology is an important part of Houston’s economy, producing $1.6 billion per year across more than 9,000 companies. In addition to serving as a base for major organizations like NASA, Houston’s tech industry also supplies technology for companies like Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, and Oracle. Adobe-proficient workers support the tech industry by creating digital interfaces, graphics, and marketing materials for tech initiatives.

Business and Marketing

Houston is self-dubbed the “headquarters capital” of America, drawing attention to its status as the densest collection of corporation headquarters in the nation. In addition to 26 Fortune 500 company headquarters, the city also houses more than 175,000 other businesses. No matter what they’re selling, these businesses share one thing in common: they all need Adobe. With competition for customers peaking across the city, graphics, digital advertisements, and websites are some of the best ways for businesses to stand out.

Medicine and Life Sciences

It may seem unexpected, but Adobe tools are also crucial to the healthcare industry. Adobe Creative Cloud tools are often used to help produce more user-friendly apps and websites, create medical brochures, and edit PDF files. Combined with education, healthcare is considered Houston’s largest industry, with roughly 15,600 workers and an annual growth rate of 4%. The city’s 1,100+ life science facilities and 25 research centers regularly contribute toward developments in biotechnology, gene therapy, cell therapy, and molecular diagnostics.

Adobe Job Titles and Salaries

When compared to more historic art fields (such as poetry, sculpture, or painting), design jobs that utilize digital technology (like Adobe) pay top dollar. To put this into perspective, Houston-based traditional artists only earn about $48,000 per year (much less than the average American), while Designers with Adobe skills earn salaries in the range of $65,000 to $103,000. Because many designers specialize in a niche, however, these numbers can vary a bit.

Graphic Designer

Graphic Designers produce images designed to convey sophisticated emotional messages. Salaries for Graphic Designers living in Houston usually range between $47,000 and $85,000 per year.

Digital Designer

There are many different types of Digital Designers, with specialty job titles including ​​UI Designer, UX Designer, and Web Designer. Though each specialization focuses on unique segments of the design process, all Digital Designers share the goal of producing dynamic user interfaces (which may include websites and apps). In Houston, Digital Designer salaries fall between $57,000 and $136,000, roughly 23% more than those of most other occupations.

Motion Graphics Designer

Also known as Motion Designers, Motion Graphics Designers create simple animations for projects involving video, gaming, and web design. In the Houston area, Motion Graphics Designers can anticipate salaries in the range of $63,000 to $85,000 per year.

Design Director

While workers in most industries earn roughly $65,000 per year, Design Directors earn much higher wages (averaging $110,000 to $127,000 each year). Adobe proficient designers who take the time to gain experience with project management can qualify for this senior position.

Adobe Classes Near Me

Ready to start your design training journey? Houston has a sundry array of Adobe courses, with options for learning online as well as in-person. In addition to specifying the length of your course (full-time, part-time, or short workshop), you can choose from a variety of topics. While some classes explore beginner skills in just one app, others cover multiple apps along with other job-specific skills to help you start your career.

Noble Desktop is one of Houston’s best-kept secrets for all things design training and offers classes covering individual Adobe tools as well as immersive training programs aimed at aspiring professionals. In the latter category, the ||CPN548|| is a live online course that covers the comprehensive range of tools and skills you’ll need to start your career as a Graphic Designer (including Adobe). Centered around hands-on learning, this course is full of assignments that will help you learn skills, acquire experience, and compile a portfolio. By working one-on-one with an industry expert, you’ll also have additional opportunities to improve upon what you learn in class. Thanks to the school’s career support services, you won’t be left on your own when you graduate but will have a host of resources at your disposal.

Want to land a job in the video production industry? Noble Desktop also has a Video Editing and Motion Graphics Certificate that covers the most cutting-edge tools, from Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Cinema 4D to Adobe Audition, and Photoshop. Like all Noble Desktop courses, this comprehensive class takes a practical approach to learning. Rather than listening to a lecture or completing simple assignments that you’ll never look at again, you’ll master video production by creating a professional-grade demo reel that you can use to get a job. In one-on-one mentorship meetings, you’ll have the chance to receive feedback that can improve your demo reel even further.

At the University of Houston, locals can enjoy a fully online Adobe Certified Professional course that includes vouchers for certification exams. This on-demand course allows students to take training at whatever pace suits them as they complete independent projects. On their own time, participants will explore popular Adobe tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Animate. In addition to beginner skills, each software unit is designed to teach advanced skills covered in certification exams.

To build foundational skills without diving too deep too quickly, students can try their hands at Ledet Training’s short classes. Join Adobe Photoshop 101—Photoshop Intro for a chill initiation into photo editing. In this course, students explore basic Photoshop features along with techniques they can start applying right away. After learning introductory skills, students then have the option to move on to one of the school’s upper-level short courses. For convenience, this beginner-friendly course is available both live online and at the Ledet Training’s Houston location.

If you’re interested in comparing additional training options, Adobe classes are also available through General Assembly, Lumenbrite Training, Princeton Photo Workshop, NYIM Training, Inc., Borough of Manhattan Community College, Ed2Go, The Knowledge Academy, NYC Career Centers, Kathy Adams Clark Photography, New Horizons, ONLC Training Centers, Key Code Education, and Certstaffix Training.

Adobe Corporate Training

For a creative way to bring professional design into your company, consider providing employees with sponsored Adobe training. Noble Desktop’s onsite and corporate Adobe training programs, can bring experts right to your company doors or even provide host training online.

As an alternative, Noble Desktop also offers discounted group vouchers that let your employees take classes independently. In addition to giving them more freedom to choose how they learn, this option also has the potential to free up more time during the work day. To get more details about Adobe corporate training or group discounts, send Noble Desktop a brief email at corporate@nobledesktop.com.

Yelp Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Twitter Instagram