Begin your journey as a professional graphic designer by learning the essential skills and tools used by industry experts. Gain hands-on experience in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, and create a stunning portfolio to showcase your talent to potential employers or clients.
Learn how to retouch and color correct photos, combine images, and create graphics in Photoshop. This course covers the basic and intermediate features of Photoshop such as color/contrast, photo retouching, layers, masks, filters, and saving files for web/video/print.
Learn how to design professional page layouts with text & graphics in Adobe InDesign. This course covers styling, importing, packaging, and advanced techniques like styles, master pages, and tables. Perfect for creating books, magazines, and ads.
Learn how to draw and edit vector graphics using Adobe Illustrator. This course covers the basics and advanced features, including the Pen tool, effects, layers, masks, and more. Perfect for creating logos, icons, and packaging.
Leverage the power of cutting-edge AI tools and features in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and other Adobe apps in this hands-on class.
Learn the fundamentals of graphic design as you get hands-on experience and produce real-world projects. Broaden your understanding of graphic design concepts, understand the elements of design, and expand your portfolio in this comprehensive graphic design course.
Master Photoshop from the ground up and prepare for the Adobe Certified Professional exam with expert-led training, hands-on projects, and personalized tutoring. This comprehensive program is ideal for aspiring designers, photographers, and creative professionals looking to earn industry-recognized certification.
Advance your layout and design expertise while preparing for the Adobe Certified Professional exam in this hands-on InDesign Certification Program. Through expert-led classes, personalized tutoring, and real-world projects, you'll gain the skills and confidence to create polished magazines, brochures, books, and more.
Build professional-level Illustrator skills and earn your Adobe Certified Professional credential through hands-on classes, private tutoring, and real-world projects. This certification program covers everything from vector drawing to logo design, giving you the tools to succeed on the exam.
Develop high-impact motion graphics and visual effects while preparing for the Adobe After Effects Certification exam through hands-on classes and private tutoring. This in-depth program covers beginner to advanced techniques, equipping you with the skills and credentials to stand out in animation and video production.
Master the art of video editing and earn your Adobe Premiere Pro certification through expert-led training and one-on-one tutoring. This comprehensive program prepares you for the certification exam while helping you build professional-level editing skills.
Broadly speaking, graphic design is the discipline of using images to convey messages to a social group. While the term itself originated in the 1920s, the concept has existed since the days of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Graphic Designers work in all major industries in the Charlotte area—entertainment, tourism, and manufacturing, among many others. They can choose to work directly for a company or in a freelance capacity. Graphic designers use images, text, and color to communicate visual messages. They use design apps such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign to create social media images, ads, logos, websites, and other graphics.
Becoming a Graphic Designer, however, requires more than just learning the tools of the trade. Students need to learn design theory, color theory, typography, and best practices in visual design. Graphic design bootcamps offer training in visual design and the relevant software. Oftentimes, these programs will cover graphic design from a user experience (UX) perspective and include lessons on usability, adaptability, and the navigation of websites and apps. Students will learn about typography, photo retouching, and vector graphics, as well as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
A graphic design bootcamp prepares students to work across various media, including print, web, digital, apps, and advertising. Both print and digital marketing are in-demand fields where the skills of a Graphic Designer will be needed on a daily basis. If you’re interested in a career that combines creativity with strategy, graphic design could be the field for you.
According to Berkeley College, there are eight different types of graphic design: web design, UI and interactive design, advertising and marketing design, motion graphics and animations, packaging design, illustration, and publication and typographic design. These eight types can give you an idea of what you could do with skills in graphic design. You could design captivating websites and apps, create graphics for various marketing campaigns, work in the television and film industry, or help bring an author’s vision to life through the design of their cover art and book design. A strategic yet creative eye is in high demand across a variety of industries, so opportunities await no matter which path you choose.
Graphic design is a creative and multifaceted field that requires a wide range of skills. Below are some of the tricks, techniques, and tools you’ll learn in a top-notch graphic design course. Armed with the below outline, you can confidently choose a course that meets your needs and covers all the essential topics.
Every Graphic Designer needs a strong understanding of design principles to help them strategically use various elements to convey intended messages. You’ll need to know how to bring together lines, color, shape, space, texture, typography, scale, dominance, emphasis, and harmony to create engaging and well-structured designs.
While not required of most Graphic Designers, UX and UI skills can help you improve your work and stay competitive in an ever-changing field. UX and UI can help you create designs that are both visually appealing and functional, with a focus on the customer’s experience. Plus, Graphic Designers often work closely with UX and UI Designers, so understanding the fundamentals will help you collaborate and communicate with team members better.
Most courses in graphic design will begin with industry-standard tools and software like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma. You’ll learn to edit and retouch photos, create vector graphics, design page layouts, and design user interfaces with the help of these commonly used tools. Nearly any graphic design role will require you to be familiar with at least a few of these software programs, so you can expect to cover at least one in any graphic design class.
Graphic Designers often build or maintain branding for their client or employer. When working with a brand, they need an in-depth understanding of what makes that brand unique. Then, they need to bring that brand to life through logos, colors, typography, illustration, photography, graphic elements, and more. Graphic Designers should be able to create work that is consistent across platforms and that speaks to the right audience.
The design field is often collaborative, requiring you to work with a variety of team members (UI/UX designers, copywriters, project managers, etc.). You’ll also work with stakeholders who may not be experts in your field. Proper communication skills will ensure that these important relationships are successful, allowing you to work well with others, receive and incorporate feedback, and present your work with confidence. You may need to explain the strategy behind your work, advocate for budgeting for future projects, and talk through any changes with your team members, so communication is key as a Graphic Designer.
Graphic design is considered a relatively straightforward skill set to learn, but you may encounter some challenges. Studying graphic design requires creative thinking, an aptitude for art and design, as well as time and dedication. It also requires an understanding of design theories and knowledge of various tools (previously mentioned above). If you naturally possess a creative mind and have the right amount of passion and determination, learning graphic design should be fairly easy.
While graphic design is considered easy to learn, there are some challenges you may encounter. If you aren’t already familiar with various tools used for graphic design, like the Adobe Creative Cloud or Figma, learning their features and functionalities can be difficult. These tools will be essential to your success as a Graphic Designer, so it’s important to take the necessary time to confidently master the basics.
With new software and advances in artificial intelligence (AI), the design industry is constantly evolving. It’s crucial you stay up-to-date by continually investing in professional education. Set aside time to identify these trends and follow up on them with active learning approaches.
Mastering graphic design will depend upon several factors, but you can tackle the basic tools in only a few weeks. There are many tools that you’ll typically master in a graphic design course: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma, to name a few. These programs are considered fairly user-friendly (at least for the fundamentals), but if you struggle to master one or more, it may take you longer to learn graphic design overall.
Mastering graphic design requires repeated practice and training, so depending on your learning style, focus, and determination, it can take anywhere from a few months to over a year to fully grasp all the concepts and tools. Attending a graphic design training course offers you a better chance to learn as much as possible in a shorter time frame, regardless of whether it’s an in-person or online course.
There are several factors to consider when answering this question. First, you’ll want to consider what learning environment is best suited for you. Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where you can interact with your peers and receive in-the-moment feedback from your instructor? Or, do you prefer a more solitary learning environment, perhaps one where you can learn at your own speed?
You’ll also want to consider how much time you can dedicate to your education and what level of flexibility your schedule needs. Are you looking to immerse yourself in an intensive program? Do you work full-time and need your classes to be scheduled for evening and weekend hours?
In-person courses offer face-to-face interaction with both your fellow students and your expert instructor. This collaborative environment is available for both full-time and part-time classes and provides structure and accountability, two things that can help you succeed. Online classes may lack this in-person interaction, but they make up for it with increased flexibility. Live online classes still offer instant feedback from your instructor and interactions with other students, while on-demand virtual courses allow for the most flexibility since you can decide where and when you learn.
The good news is that, no matter which option you choose, you can obtain a quality education with a top-notch curriculum and expert instructors.
There are several things you can learn alongside graphic design to help bolster your professional appeal. Most courses will cover at least one Adobe product, whether that’s InDesign, Photoshop, or Illustrator. Learning the remaining Adobe products not covered by your chosen training can be extremely helpful.
Learning UI design is also recommended for Graphic Designers, as it provides a more holistic understanding of the creative process. You’d take the graphic designs created in programs like Photoshop and Illustrator and transform them into interactive digital assets for webpages or mobile applications. You’d also design layouts for websites using tools like Figma and Adobe XD, giving you an even more complex canvas on which to work and opening up new career opportunities.
Known as the Queen City, Charlotte is a thriving city full of Southern charm. Home to nearly 900,000 residents (and growing), Charlotte has many robust industries that bolster the booming local economy, and many of these will have a continual need for graphic design experts. Below are a few of the top industries so you can get an idea of the fields in which you may find work.
Manufacturing has been around for more than one hundred years. Today, the Charlotte region is home to more than 3,500 manufacturers employing more than 145,000 professionals with growth in sectors like automotive parts, plastics, advanced textiles, biomedical, and energy manufacturing. Its strategic location on the East Coast of the United States, equidistant between New York and Miami, allows the city to have the infrastructure to move goods and people efficiently, regardless of the mode of transportation.
Home to the second-largest banking center in the U.S., Charlotte has the fastest-growing employment rate in financial services among major metropolitan areas in the past five years. The industry employs 105,000 residents, contributes more than $28 billion to the region’s economy, and is home to the operations of global financial institutions like Bank of America, Truist, and Wells Fargo.
Another top contender is the life sciences industry, employing 22,000 employees with 22% growth in the last five years. More than 20 higher education institutions provide training programs specific to life sciences, ensuring a strong talent pool for future growth. And, with more than 60 innovation and research centers located in the region, there are plenty of career opportunities available for those fresh out of college and those established in the field.
With over 67,000 employees and counting in the tech industry, Charlotte is continuing to attract interest from major tech-focused companies across the U.S. and the globe. Large and small companies alike can benefit greatly from the experienced IT consulting services offered in Charlotte. Solutions like cloud computing support, automation support, network augmentation and monitoring, and data center management can all be provided by the robust local tech industry.
Charlotte’s diverse industries have formed it into one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. and make it an ideal place for experts in graphic design to work and live. Below are a few of the most common job titles available, as well as a brief description and salary expectations, to give you an idea of what opportunities await.
The most obvious career is a Graphic Designer. As a Graphic Designer, you could work on everything from magazine layouts to graphic illustrations to product packaging. You could also design company logos or branded merchandise. The average salary for a Graphic Designer in Charlotte is around $52,000-$68,000, but you can make much more in a senior role.
A User Interface (UI) Designer manages how an application or webpage looks and feels by using colors, fonts, patterns, textures, icons, and buttons to improve the user’s experience. You’ll most likely collaborate with User Experience (UX) Designers, Developers, Project Managers, Product Managers, and clients when designing the interface of a product or service. You can expect to make around $80,000 in this role in Charlotte.
UX Designers are similar to UI Designers, except they focus on prototyping, user research, and usability testing to ensure that digital products offer a seamless user experience. UX Designers work closely with Computer Programmers who will build the actual product or service, and rely on feedback from research and testing to improve the usability of their design. The average salary for a UX Designer in Charlotte is $121,000.
With some experience under your belt, you could become a Design Director. In this role, you’d manage creative professionals who curate the look and feel of a product or project through the production of visual strategies. This position includes a bit of everything, like meeting with team members, pitching new clients, meeting with current clients, responding to RFPs, designing a product or project, hiring contractors, delegating tasks, developing deliverables, or reviewing team members’ work. The average salary for a Design Director is $163,000, depending on your level of experience.
Offered by Noble Desktop, this is a 72-hour online bootcamp that covers graphic design fundamentals and processes, as well as in-depth practice with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students create designs, edit and retouch photos, vector graphics in Illustrator, and layout documents in InDesign. They learn about composition, typography, color, and design theory, and create projects including social media graphics, logos, and cover art to showcase clients or employers. This program also comes with one-on-one mentoring sessions.
Also from Noble Desktop, this training covers the fundamentals of UX and UI design and Sketch, Photoshop, and Illustrator. It is a popular choice for those who not only want to learn to design websites but also want to make informed decisions about how to set up a website based on user experiences. You’ll master the fundamentals and then get familiar with conducting user research and testing. The last portion of the course is a series of projects where you’ll design websites and apps and build clickable prototypes. These projects can be added to your portfolio at the end of class, giving you an upper hand in the job interview process.
This class from Noble Desktop prepares students to retouch and color-correct photos, combine images, and create graphics. It will also cover color and contrast, photo retouching, layers, masks, filters, and saving files for web, video, and print. The class is hands-on and interactive, and you’ll work on a wide variety of projects that you can then add to your portfolio for future job interviews. This short course is also part of Noble’s Graphic Design Certificate and Digital Design Certificate, should you wish to pursue further education.
Also from Noble Desktop, this quick course focuses on Adobe Illustrator, which is used to produce high-quality vector graphics like logos and icons. You’ll learn to resize a graphic without losing quality while mastering the secrets of the Pen tool, learning how to draw shapes, and using colors, layers, brushes, and even tracing images. Ideal for beginners, this class has no prerequisites.
If you’re looking to offer in-person or online training to your office or team, Noble Desktop can help. It offers a variety of corporate training programs, including in graphic design. You can order vouchers in bulk at a discount, choose which courses are available to employees, and even let your employees choose their own schedule. Plus, you can choose to have your training hosted at a location of your choosing, live online, or at Noble Desktop’s Manhattan office.
With a top-notch customizable curriculum and instructors who are experts in their industries, Noble Desktop’s corporate training is designed to cater to your business or organization’s needs. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, you can reach out to Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com.
Charlotte is a city full of opportunity for professionals looking to grow their skills in tech, design, business, data, and more. Known as a major hub for finance, energy, and technology, the Queen City is home to numerous banks, investment firms, and insurance companies, including Truist and Bank of America, as well as Duke Energy, the region’s leading electric company. In a city like Charlotte, where companies compete to capture the attention of consumers, knowing how to make your work visually engaging can give you a real edge. Graphic design skills let you turn ideas into a compelling visual communication that helps establish an online presence, a brand identity, or a more connected relationship with the intended audience. Noble Desktop offers hands-on training with expert instructors who are not only willing, but excited, to help you take your skills to the next level. These instructors have decades of experience and know what it takes to succeed in the field that you wish to explore. All in all, you can learn how to enter the professional landscape and thrive in your role, no matter what that may be. In a city like Charlotte, the opportunities are abundant, so professional training is well worth the time and effort.
Henry Gonzalez is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and seasoned educator with over 30 years of experience working for the federal government as an Engineer, Manager, and Executive. During his time as an Executive, his main focus was program management of advanced technology programs in naval warfare, air traffic management, and homeland security. Now a retired senior official based in Charlotte, Gonzalez provides training in project and program management, leadership, and strategic planning to students and clients across sectors worldwide. He has achieved great heights in his career, obtaining the highest level of federal certification in acquisition program management and systems engineering. He also contributed to the Project Management Institute’s Standard for Program Management as a member of the original update team.
Based in Charlotte, Adrianna is a retired federal Human Resources (HR) Senior Leader with over 32 years of experience. She holds a Master’s Degree in Management Technology and Human Resource Management and is a certified Senior HR Professional by the Society for Human Resource Management. Throughout her career with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Adrianna worked everywhere from headquarters to regional offices, giving her ample experience with mentoring professionals all across the organization. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with others, now working as an instructor to help others further their understanding of human resources and professional development.
James Campbell is an independent federal financial management consultant and seasoned instructor with over a decade of experience developing and teaching courses in finance and accounting at Graduate School USA, including subjects like budgeting and auditing. His career includes senior consulting roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC and IBM Consulting Services. He’s also performed extensive audit and review work at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, where he served as an Assistant Director. James has also designed and updated numerous financial management and auditing classes, drawing on his expertise as a former CPA. His academic background also positions him to be an excellent instructor. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from East Tennessee University, an MPA from Georgia State University, and completed executive development training from George Washington University.