Design Your Future: A BA Graphic Design Taster
Unleash your creativity through drawing, logo design, and animation. Build your first portfolio and explore graphic design skills.
Duration
5 weeksWeekly study
3 hoursLanguages
English, Italiano, Español, Français, PortuguêsEnglish, Italiano, Español100% online
How it worksDigital upgrade
Free
Design Your Future: A BA Graphic Design Taster
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Explore creative design skills and build your portfolio through fun projects
Curious about what makes great design work? Ready to unleash your creativity? This hands-on taster course invites you to explore drawing, logo design, and animation so you can start building your own mini portfolio.
You’ll learn drawing skills that sharpen how you see the world, play with design principles like balance and contrast, and create your own original logo. Plus, you’ll have fun with stop motion animation and pull everything together to showcase your creative journey.
Drawing and design fundamentals that shape how you see
Immerse yourself in drawing exercises that focus on tonal shading and composition.
You’ll develop your observation skills and understand how these fundamentals underpin professional visual communication. These aren’t just techniques, they’re ways of seeing and thinking that every designer needs.
Create logos, experiment with animation, and build your portfolio
Design a logo that actually means something and reflects real brand identity.
You’ll try your hand at stop motion animation to bring your ideas to life and see how movement adds another dimension to design.
Then pull it all together into a mini portfolio that shows off what you’ve learned and created.
Discover your creative voice through practical projects
Throughout the course, you’ll experiment with different techniques, make creative decisions, and develop your own design approach.
By the end, you’ll have practical skills, completed projects, and a clearer sense of whether graphic design is the path for you, whether as a career or a creative hobby.
Syllabus
Week 1
Seeing Like a Designer: Getting Started with Drawing
Introduction to Week 1
In this introductory activity, we take a look at what you will be learning this week.
Drawing with Basic Shapes
In this activity, we will explore how to break down complex subjects into simple geometric shapes such as circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles.
Rendering Form and Tone
In this activity, we will explore how light and shade bring drawings to life. This lesson introduces techniques for rendering tone and describing form with greater depth and realism.
Analytical Drawing
In this activity, we will explore analytical drawing as a method for understanding structure, proportion, and design intent.
Summary of Week 1
Finally, we summarise the first week of the course and recap on what we have covered.
Week 2
Poster Design: Layout & Composition
Introduction to Week 2
First, let's take a look at what we will be learning this week.
Design Fundamentals
In this activity, we will look at the basic principles of design which provide the foundation for any successful design composition.
Fundamentals of Composition Grids
In this activity, you’ll explore how grid systems can be used to organise visual information effectively in poster design.
Digital Poster Design – Using Canva
This activity introduces basic digital design skills and encourages you to translate your analogue ideas into polished, shareable visuals.
Summary of Week 2
Finally, we recap on what you have learned this week.
Week 3
Introduction to Logo Design
Introduction to Week 3
We introduce you to the third week and go over what you'll be learning this week.
Redesigning with Purpose
In this activity, we focus on the process of redesigning an existing logo, using design thinking and visual research to inform creative decisions, and exploring how logos communicate identity and intent.
Idea Development
In this activity, you will begin developing your redesigned logo by exploring ideas and visual possibilities.
Typography, Variation & Finalisation
In this final stage of your logo redesign project, you will focus on typography exploration, idea generation, and refinement to produce a polished logo design.
Summary of Week 3
We recap what you have learned in the third week of the course.
Week 4
Introduction to Animation: Storytelling Through Motion
Introduction to Week 4
We begin by looking at what you'll be learning this week.
Storyboarding Your Ideas
In this activity, you will begin planning your short animation by creating a 12-box storyboard.
Create a Stop Motion Animation from your Storyboard
In this activity, you’ll begin turning your storyboard into a short animation using stop motion techniques.
Adding Sound to Your Animation
In this activity, you will enhance your stop-motion animation by adding sound effects and audio to support the mood, narrative, and pacing of your sequence.
Summary of Week 4
Finally, we summarise what you have learned in Week 4.
Week 5
Working in the Creative Industries
Introduction to Week 5
We introduce the final week of the course and cover the topics you'll be looking at.
What is it like to work in the Creative Industries?
This activity introduces you to the diverse career paths available within the creative industries, with a focus on roles related to graphic design.
Putting Together a Creative Careers Plan
In this activity, you’ll begin shaping your future in the creative industries by developing a personalised career plan.
Showcasing your Work
In this activity, you will begin preparing to showcase your creative work and career ambitions.
Summary of Week 5
In this final activity, we summarise what you have learned in Week 5 and the course as a whole.
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Apply fundamental drawing techniques to create observational sketches using tone and form.
- Explore key design principles including colour, texture, line, and typography through collage and layout exercises.
- Investigate the history and purpose of logo design and design an original logo using visual identity principles.
- Create a short stop motion animation using storyboarding and digital tools, incorporating sound.
- Produce a mini portfolio and reflect on potential career pathways within the creative industries.
Who is the course for?
This course is ideal for aspiring designers, creative beginners, or anyone wondering if graphic design might be their thing—whether you’re considering it as a career or just for fun.
Who will you learn with?
Katy Fowler is Head of Design & Creativity at Arden University, leading distance-learning Design programmes and supporting inclusive, student-centred creative education.
Who developed the course?
Arden University
Arden University has a proud heritage in providing flexible and accessible higher education. We’ve grown and evolved from our beginnings in 1990 as the chosen online learning partner for universities across Britain, to offer a new kind of learning experience, providing both online and blended learning degree courses that meet the changing needs of modern life.
What's included?
Arden University are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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