Best Graphic Design Bootcamps Houston, TX: Find Bootcamps & Certificates

Learn More About Houston Graphic Design Bootcamps

Graphic design involves combining visual elements such as text and images to communicate a particular message or idea. While art is often created for its own sake, graphic design typically has a specific purpose. Graphic design includes many different types of designs, from simple logos to complex advertisements and webpages. Graphic Designers utilize both non-digital mediums like paper and ink, and digital tools such as Adobe Photoshop. People who pursue careers in graphic design in Houston work across a variety of industries and in many types of media including print, web, digital, apps, and advertising.

Graphic design bootcamps offer training in visual design and the relevant software. Students study design, typography, photo retouching, and vector graphics, as well as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. These courses are grounded in theory—color, balance, and composition are all important elements of the instruction. Hands-on class assignments and projects allow students the opportunity to practice these concepts and receive feedback on their work. Many bootcamps also include career assistance.

Why Should I Learn Graphic Design?

Learning graphic design will give you skills that can be applied to many different careers. In today’s digital society, the ability to communicate with images is highly in-demand. In a July 2024 blog post by the Forbes Communications Council, the author explains, “The aphorism ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ couldn't ring truer when it comes to the role of graphic design in communication. Today's digitally-driven society, where content is consumed at an incredible speed, has positioned graphic design as a pivotal factor in cutting through the noise.” However, the author points out that if you want to be able to harness the power of graphic design, you need to start by formally learning how to use this tool. They state, “Just as language has grammar and syntax, graphic design also has its principles and rules…. Mastering it could mean the difference between a message lost in chaos and one that resonates deeply with its intended audience.”

What Will I Learn in a Graphic Design Class?

When you take a graphic design class, you’ll learn about the principles, theories, and best practices involved in design, including visual design concepts, typography, and accessibility. You’ll also learn how to use the tools that you’ll need to create a wide variety of different designs such as logos, packaging, publications, or advertisements. In addition, you’ll strengthen your creative skills and your communication abilities.

Visual Design

There are certain principles in visual design, which govern the way design elements are used to create a successful design. These include color, balance, proportion, spacing, and hierarchy. If a Designer does not follow the principles of design, then a design will not achieve its intended purpose. Graphic Designers learn how to utilize visual design elements in a way that creates an easy, intuitive, and comfortable user experience.

Typography

Typography is the art of arranging text so that it is clear, easy to read, and visually appealing. Graphic Designers consider the shape, arrangement, and spacing of the letters, and they use the right font and typeface, provide contrast, align everything correctly, and provide a hierarchy to lead the reader through the piece. Typography can be used for branding and to highlight and enhance certain parts of your design.

Images

As a Graphic Designer, you’ll use images to help you convey messages. When you take a class, you’ll learn about how to select your images, how to edit them, and how to work them into your designs. Some of the specific skills you’ll learn will be choosing the right image, resizing and altering images, placing images, and considering an image in relation to the elements around it.

Accessibility

As a Graphic Designer, you’ll need to consider accessibility in your designs. This means thinking about the needs of all your future users and making designs that will meet a wide range of needs. Accessibility considerations will impact many of your design choices such as color, navigation, and typography. Some examples of creating designs that are accessible include choosing typefaces that are easy to read and using strong color contrasts.

Graphic Design Tools

When you take a graphic design class, you’ll learn how to use a variety of different tools for creating your designs. While traditional tools like pen and paper are still used in this field, designers increasingly rely on digital tools for creating and manipulating their designs. For instance, Adobe applications like Photoshop and Illustrator are popular. These tools can not only save you a lot of time, but they can open up many more creative possibilities.

Creativity

Creativity is an important part of graphic design. A graphic design class won’t necessarily teach creativity; however, as you work on a variety of different designs, you’ll be learning how to better tap into your own creativity.

Communication

Communication is another skill that a graphic design class won’t cover specifically but is likely to improve as part of taking a class. Working as a Graphic Designer involves constant communication with clients and team members, so this is an important skill to develop. Many classes offer practice in working as a group, which helps students learn how to get their ideas across to others.

Graphic Design Industries in Houston

A graphic design bootcamp is an excellent first step into the field of graphic design. Graphic design experts are in high demand and offer many career opportunities. In Houston, training in graphic design can lead to a career in one of the city’s major companies such as HPE and Sysco. According to the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston also ranks third among all U.S. cities for having the most Fortune 500 company headquarters. Fortune 500 companies headquartered there include ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, ConocoPhillips, and Sysco. The city is also home to many startups and design agencies where graphic design experts can look for work.

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and with no personal, state, or corporate income tax, it is a competitive place to do business, attracting a wide range of different businesses. In a webpage titled “Why Houston?” the Greater Houston Partnership talks about some of the area’s biggest industries. It says, “Houston offers a well-developed suite of key global industries – including energy, life science, manufacturing, logistics, and aerospace. As these industries digitize, Houston is a hotbed of rapid technological development thanks to our access to customers and expertise.” The city has a regional GDP of $490 billion, according to the organization, as well as an excellent quality of life and a fast-growing population.

What Specific Jobs Use Graphic Design?

Graphic Designer

With an education in graphic design, you can become a Graphic Designer. This job involves using images, text, and color to communicate messages visually. Graphic Designers work with both print and digital media, and they use tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Some of the products they create include ads, logos, brochures, websites, and social media posts. Graphic Designers need to learn about color theory, typography, layout, and working with images. The average salary for a Graphic Designer is between $61,000 and $66,000 yearly.

Visual Designer

Visual Designers use graphic design skills to create a variety of different visual designs such as websites, social media, and marketing designs. They often utilize applications like Photoshop, Sketch, Adobe XD, and Figma. Some Visual Designers focus on branding, while others work to improve the usability of digital products. Visual Designers earn approximately $77,000 to $82,000 annually.

Digital Designer

Digital Designers are focused on the design of digital products. For example, they might work on webpages, animations and motion graphics, and app design. Digital Designers work in several different industries including video gaming, web design, TV and video production, social media marketing, and advertising. The average annual salary for a Digital Designer is $72,000 to $100,000.

UX Designer

A User Experience Designer (UX) works to ensure that users of digital products like websites and mobile apps have the best possible experience. They conduct user research, create prototypes to test designs, and constantly work to improve products. Most UX Designers work in computing and software development. A UX Designer can expect to earn approximately $81,000 to $122,000 per year.

UI Designer

User Interface Designers (UI) are also focused on the user experience. They work to improve the visual and interactive elements that users interact with such as menus and buttons. UI Designers have an average salary of $91,000 to $93,000 annually.

Web Designer

A Web Designer is a Designer who focuses on websites and webpages. Some of the tasks involved in this job include creating and maintaining websites and webpages and testing them for functionality and user experience. Some Web Designers know how to code, while others only have minimal coding skills. The average salary for a Web Designer is about $53,000 to $69,000 per year.

How Long Will It Take to Learn Graphic Design?

Graphic design involves creativity and artistic talent; however, there are also a lot of skills and formal theories that need to be learned. For instance, you’ll need to learn about design theory. You’ll also need to learn to use several design applications like Adobe Photoshop. All of this takes time. You can learn many basic skills within a matter of weeks or months; however, mastering graphic design so that you can use it at a professional level may take years. If you already have some design experience, you’re likely to learn more quickly. Taking a live class can also help speed up the process because you’ll be able to receive regular feedback and answers to your questions. Practice is another essential part of mastering this field, and the more time you spend practicing, the more quickly you’re likely to learn.

Should I Learn Graphic Design In-Person or Online?

When it comes to learning graphic design, you may have the choice between an in-person and an online class. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. In-person classes have been the learning standard for years and remain popular because many people find them more engaging and a better format for mastering new material. When you learn in-person, you’ll be in a classroom dedicated to learning, with minimal outside distractions. You’ll be able to interact face-to-face with your instructor and fellow students, and you may have access to computers and design software. A downside to this format is that you’ll be limited to classes that run in your immediate vicinity. You’ll also need to commute to class, which may be inconvenient, depending on where you live.

If you can’t—or don’t want to—commute to class, but you want all of the benefits that come with a live instructor, then you might find a live online class to be a better fit. Live online classes run in real time, just like in-person ones do, and you have a live instructor who runs the class, answers questions, and gives students feedback. Unlike an in-person class, you don’t have to leave your house to attend. Instead, you can simply log on via computer. When you learn this way, you’re likely to have access to more class options. A downside is that you’ll need to provide your own equipment, and you may have to deal with technological issues on occasion.

On-demand is another type of online learning, but unlike a live online class, an on-demand one does not have a live instructor. Instead, class material is pre-recorded, and students access it at their own pace. This is the most flexible way to learn since you can stop and start whenever you need to, and even fast-forward or rewind the material. On-demand classes tend to be much cheaper as well. The biggest downside is that there is no live instructor to answer your questions. This format also tends to require more focus and motivation since you have more control over the pace of your learning.

Can I Learn Graphic Design for Free Online?

When you start researching graphic design classes, you’re likely to discover that there are many different free online resources in this field. You might begin to wonder whether you can learn to be a Graphic Designer for free online. Free online resources do have many uses. They can be a good way to gain a better understanding of the field. For example, Noble Desktop offers a free seminar called Graphic Design Fundamentals, where you can learn more about what Graphic Designers do and the apps that they use. Free resources can also be an easy way to pick up a new skill or troubleshoot a problem. If you’re serious about learning graphic design though, you’ll probably need to enroll in a paid class where you can be guided by a professional. When you take a class, you can be confident that you’re receiving accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date information, and you can get feedback and answers to your questions. Many classes also come with a certificate of completion, which you can add to your resume.

In-Person Graphic Design Bootcamps in Houston

Graphic design bootcamps can be taken in-person or online. In-person bootcamps are a good choice for learners who benefit from the structure of a live class with the added benefit of a live instructor who can answer questions as they come up. Graphic design, however, is a broad term that can be applied to both print and digital/visual design. Interested students might also look for visual design bootcamps that cover digital design such as website elements or graphics for social media, and even UX design bootcamps that focus on product design with elements of visual design but don’t require coding.

There are several schools in and around Houston that offer in-person graphic design bootcamps. General Assembly offers a multi-week, hands-on UX Design Immersive course designed to help individuals with little to no UX learn the common tools and concepts to launch their UX career. Students learn the foundations and fundamentals in UX, like the design process, affinity mapping, rapid prototyping, and usability testing.

ONLC Training also has a graphic design bootcamp that covers apps in the Adobe Creative Cloud. While classes are offered at their Houston location, the class is led by a remote instructor who is not in the same room as the class participants. However, students benefit from using the school’s computer lab.

Live Online Graphic Design Bootcamps

Noble Desktop offers many different live online bootcamp courses on graphic design. This school is based in New York City and is licensed by the New York State Education Department. The Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp covers working with photographs. You’ll learn the basics of Photoshop to retouch and correct the color in photos, create graphics, and combine and manipulate images. In the Adobe InDesign Bootcamp, you will learn how to layout pages including text and graphics to create publication covers, packaging materials, and advertisements. You can learn to draw vector graphics and edit them with the Adobe Illustrator Bootcamp. The course covers using the Pen tool and creating effects, masks, and layers.

An eye-catching design portfolio is the best way to start a career as a Graphic Designer. Noble's Graphic Design Portfolio Bootcamp will teach you the basic design concepts of graphic design, using Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. The assignments in the course are planned to help you put together a collection of work to show prospective employers. Assignments will be critiqued by instructors and classmates.

If you are looking for more extensive training, Noble Desktop offers certificate programs to help you start a new career as a Graphic Designer. Noble's Graphic Design Certificate covers graphic design fundamentals and processes and includes in-depth practice with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Students create designs, edit and retouch photos, create 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 to clients or employers. This course includes six one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Another certificate option is the Digital Design Certificate, which covers the essential Adobe applications, plus Figma and key design concepts and theories to get you started on a career as a Digital Designer. In this course, you’ll learn to create great designs and you’ll also create a digital portfolio to showcase your work. Eight one-on-one mentoring sessions are included.

Noble Desktop also offers a UX & UI Design Certificate. This covers the fundamentals of UX and UI design and also includes instruction in 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. Those who would prefer to focus on design without learning about coding might be interested in the UI Design Certificate, in which participants learn how to design user interfaces based on graphic design concepts. Both of these courses come with several private mentoring sessions.

Choosing a Graphic Design Bootcamp

Generally, graphic design bootcamps are hands-on learning experiences in which students acquire a solid base of knowledge in a short period of time. Students often walk away with a work portfolio they can show potential employers. One of the advantages of taking a bootcamp is the job support that is often included in the program. Many bootcamps provide career services, whether it be one-on-one mentoring, job search guidance, or networking opportunities.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a graphic design bootcamp such as cost, duration of the bootcamp, and area of focus. Graphic design bootcamps can take up to six months to complete and cost between $1,000 and $8,000. Many bootcamps offer payment plans, monthly payment plans and income share agreement payment options, which means students don’t pay until they’ve secured a job. Students can also look for scholarships and employer reimbursements.

Graphic Design Classes in Houston

For those who are not quite ready to commit to an entire bootcamp but want to start learning about graphic design, a shorter graphic design class in Houston is an excellent choice. A practical place to start is with a class that focuses on one of the popular graphic design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or Lightroom Classic. Sketch is also a good choice for those who think they might go into UX or UI design.

Noble Desktop offers several short Adobe classes. Photoshop in a Day prepares students to edit and enhance photos and create original graphics. The class also covers common tools including paint brushes, textures, and filters. Illustrator in a Day focuses on using Adobe Illustrator to produce high-quality vector graphics such as logos and icons. Students learn to resize a graphic without losing quality. InDesign in a Day introduces students to designing and producing print materials, layout, and graphic design.

Other schools, including Ledet Training, New Horizons, and Lumenbrite, offer multiple courses that focus on graphic design skills. Like Noble Desktop, these schools offer their courses both in-person (for certain locations) and online and are taught by industry experts.

Corporate Training

No matter what type of company you have, you’re likely to benefit from employees with graphic design skills. If you’d like to train a group of employees in graphic design, you can schedule a corporate graphic design training session through Noble Desktop. Noble’s skilled instructors can provide either onsite or virtual classes, and they offer a variety of flexible scheduling options. Virtual classes run through Zoom, WebEx, or a similar platform. Participants will also receive comprehensive support materials after the completion of the training such as access to premium training videos, which help reinforce what they have learned. Alternatively, you can choose to buy vouchers so that your employees can enroll individually in Noble’s regular group graphic design classes. This option gives them more scheduling flexibility. Noble Desktop offers a discount for bulk voucher purchases. Contact Noble Desktop to find out more about corporate training.

Corey Ginsberg

Corey Ginsberg is a professional writer with two decades of experience creating and editing content. She earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, graduating with honors. Corey also holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Florida International University and served as the editor of Gulf Stream Magazine. She has worked with clients such as the Dick’s Foundation, colleges, invention companies, Nike Swim Camp, The Pentagon, The Pittsburgh Robotics Institute, and major design firms. Drawing from a broad creative, technical, and professional writing background, Corey currently writes about a range of technical topics, including computer programming, data analytics, and computer-aided design.

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Key Insights

Learn More About Houston Graphic Design Bootcamps

Why Should I Learn Graphic Design?

What Will I Learn in a Graphic Design Class?

Visual Design

Typography

Images

Accessibility

Graphic Design Tools

Creativity

Communication

Graphic Design Industries in Houston

What Specific Jobs Use Graphic Design?

Graphic Designer

Visual Designer

Digital Designer

UX Designer

UI Designer

Web Designer

How Long Will It Take to Learn Graphic Design?

Should I Learn Graphic Design In-Person or Online?

Can I Learn Graphic Design for Free Online?

In-Person Graphic Design Bootcamps in Houston

Live Online Graphic Design Bootcamps

Choosing a Graphic Design Bootcamp

Graphic Design Classes in Houston

Corporate Training

Houston Graphic Design Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Houston Graphic Design
Corporate & Onsite Training