Design Fundamentals

Every strong design, from a social post to a brand system, rests on the same small set of decisions: what the viewer sees first, how the type reads, how the colors work together, and how the elements are arranged on the page. Most people new to design skip straight to the software and never learn why one layout works and another does not.

Design Fundamentals for Beginners closes that gap. In five live, instructor-led sessions you learn the principles professional designers rely on, practice them in hands-on exercises, and get real-time feedback on your work. You leave with a clear process for making and explaining design choices, and a foundation that carries into any design tool.

This class opens the Advanced Graphic Design and Digital Media Production certificate programs and is also open to individual registration for marketers, communicators, and anyone who creates visual content as part of their job.

This course includes

• 17.5 hours of live, instructor-led training over five sessions via Zoom
• Small class size with real-time feedback from the instructor
• Hands-on design exercises and a short applied project
• Class materials and lesson files
• Class recordings available on request
• Credit toward the Advanced Graphic Design and Digital Media Production certificates
• DWC certificate of completion

What You'll Learn at a Glance

• Apply the core principles of design, including contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity, and balance
• Build visual hierarchy so viewers see the most important information first
• Use color theory to choose palettes that support the message and the audience
• Select and pair typefaces for readability and tone
• Organize layouts with grids, margins, and white space
• Explain design decisions clearly and give and receive useful critique
• Apply these fundamentals to a short design project ready for print or screen

• No prior design experience required
• Basic digital literacy: comfortable using a computer, managing files and folders, and using a web browser
• Familiarity with common software such as Google Workspace or Microsoft Office
• Interest in design, visual arts, or digital media
• A reliable computer and internet connection that meet the DWC equipment and software requirements

Graphic Design Fundamentals Training: Design Principles, Color Theory, Typography, and Layout

This live online class gives beginners the visual design foundation that every design tool assumes you already have.

The class opens with the core principles of design and visual hierarchy. You study how contrast, alignment, repetition, proximity, and balance guide the eye, then apply them to short exercises that show the difference a single change can make.

From there the class moves into color and type. You learn how color theory shapes mood and meaning, how to build a working palette, and how to choose and pair typefaces that read well and match the tone of the message.

The final sessions bring everything together in layout and composition. You work with grids, margins, and white space, complete a short applied project, and practice presenting and critiquing design work the way design teams do on the job.

Design Fundamentals is scheduled with each Advanced Graphic Design and Digital Media Production cohort and is open to individual registration. Private sessions are available by request. Contact DWC to arrange a session for you or your team.

• Individual registration: $499 per person
• Included in program tuition for students enrolled in the Advanced Graphic Design or Digital Media Production certificate
• Private sessions for an individual or a team: quoted on request

Design Fundamentals is scheduled with each certificate program cohort and is open to individual registration. Private sessions are available by request. Request a quote