# Graphic Design Portfolio Bootcamp

Canonical URL: <https://www.nobledesktop.com/classes/graphic-design-bootcamp>

## Overview

This bootcamp is the capstone course in our [Graphic Design Certificate](https://www.nobledesktop.com/certificates/graphic-design), which means it's designed for students who already have a working knowledge of Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. The focus here isn't 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're proud to show off. Throughout the course, you'll produce a range of portfolio projects including logos, social media graphics, stationery, book and eBook covers, album covers, event posters, and email announcements. Work gets critiqued in class by both the instructor and your peers, and you'll 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're 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
- May 21, 2026 – Jun 19, 2026 — NYC
- Jun 17, 2026 – Jul 13, 2026 — NYC
- Jul 2, 2026 – Jul 30, 2026 — NYC
- Jul 19, 2026 – Aug 9, 2026 — NYC
- Jul 31, 2026 – Aug 28, 2026 — NYC
- Sep 18, 2026 – Oct 9, 2026 — NYC
- Sep 22, 2026 – Oct 8, 2026 — NYC
- Oct 30, 2026 – Nov 20, 2026 — NYC
- Nov 16, 2026 – Dec 14, 2026 — NYC
- Dec 6, 2026 – Dec 27, 2026 — NYC

## Instructors

### Dan Rodney — School Director, Instructor, & Senior Course Developer

Dan Rodney has been a designer and web developer for over 20 years, creating coursework and leading innovative training initiatives at Noble Desktop. He teaches courses covering Figma, HTML & CSS, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and Power BI. Dan has also been at the forefront of integrating AI into design and business workflows, spearheading Noble Desktop’s latest AI course offerings. In addition to teaching and curriculum development, he writes custom scripts for InDesign (Make Book Jacket, Proper Fraction Pro, and more) and works with automation and AI-driven tools in his free time. You can find Dan on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, and at danrodney.com.

Learn more about [Dan Rodney's](/dan-rodney) background and expertise.

### Jerron Smith — Program Director & Senior Instructor

Jerron has more than 25 years of experience working with graphics and video and expert-level certifications in Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator along with an extensive knowledge of other animation programs like Cinema 4D, Adobe Animate, and 3DS Max. 

He has authored multiple books and video training series on computer graphics software such as: After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash (back when it was a thing).

He has taught at the college level for over 20 years at schools such as NYCCT (New York City College of Technology),  NYIT (The New York Institute of Technology), and FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology).

Learn more about [Jerron Smith's](/jerron-smith) background and expertise.

### Eugenio Solis de Ovando — Senior Instructor

Eugenio Solis de Ovando is a Senior Instructor at Noble Desktop in New York City, specializing in graphic design, web design, and visual communication. With over 20 years of experience in the creative industry, Eugenio is passionate about helping students develop strong technical skills and a solid design foundation across print, digital, and web platforms.

Eugenio teaches a wide range of courses, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, WordPress, UI Design, and Artificial Intelligence for Graphic Design. His classes are known for their clear, hands-on approach, blending technical mastery with creative exploration to help students bring their ideas to life with confidence and precision.

He holds a Ph. D. in Artificial Intelligence with a specialization in Human Performance Technology, where his research focused on integrating emerging AI technologies into adult education and training. 

As an Adobe Certified Design Master and Licensed Private Career School Teacher in New York State, Eugenio is dedicated to delivering high-quality instruction and sharing best practices in digital design workflows. He brings real-world insights into the classroom, guiding students through professional techniques in layout design, typography, color theory, image editing, and responsive web design.

Learn more about [Eugenio Solis de Ovando's](/eugenio-solis-de-ovando) background and expertise.

## 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