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Visual Merchandising

Visual Merchandising

Ages: 18+
Term: Spring
Length: 10 weeks

Overview

This 10-week course will introduce you to the essential elements of visual merchandising – you’ll explore effective visual merchandising and how it works within a store context.

To book your place today, simply click the 'Book Now' button to be taken to AUB's secure online store, where you can complete your booking. You can also sign up to our newsletter for short course updates.

What you need to know

Spring term 2026

Monday 12 January – 16 March 2026 (10 Monday evenings, 18.00-21.00)

Please be aware, you’ll be expected to undertake some self-study and additional project work between course sessions to support your development throughout the course. Make sure that you'll have time for this.

Age

Suitable for adults aged 18+.

Level

Beginners or anyone with some experience who want to refresh or develop their skills further.

Experience or qualifications required

None – this is an introductory course. We have no formal academic entry requirements for our short courses.

If you'd like to discuss if this course is suitable for you, get in touch with us: academy@aub.ac.uk or 01202 363222.

£359

Any additional costs

You'll need to provide some art materials and study equipment. This'll incur an additional cost if you need to purchase it for the course. See the 'What to bring to class' section below for full details.

Additional materials and resources will be provided by AUB and is included in your course fee.

Notebook and pens/pencils to make notes
A3 sketchbook
Set of drawing pencils
Drawing equipment (rubber, sharpener etc.)
Rulers
Magazines/newspapers

A student stands painting two cherries in a sketch book.

Suggested Suppliers

Information about resourcing specialist materials/consumables that you may need to bring these with you

A flower and a pair of sunglasses rest on a pair of boxes. A stiletto heel shoe and a handbag are sitting in front of another box. The other stiletto heel shoe is on top of one of the boxes.

Short Courses FAQs – Evening and Weekend and Saturday Art School

If you have any questions about our Evening and Saturday Short Courses, you may find the answers in here.

A person leans in and looks closely at a big display board with assorted pieces of graphic design work.

Short Courses booking T&Cs

Please read our Terms and Conditions carefully before booking onto our Evening and Weekend courses.

About this course

This course is ideal for beginners as well as anyone wishing to develop their skills and practice in the art of visual merchandising. You’ll examine successful interpretation of brands and how they’re key to the future success of a company’s brand and how this is communicated visually to potential customers.

On this course you’ll have the opportunity to devise and generate ideas for a window display scheme and in-store promotional activities. You’ll have the chance to discuss your ideas in the process of applying visual merchandising theory and principles that govern a successful outcome.

You’ll be introduced to relevant case study examples of branded spaces and how visual merchandising operates as a strategy to encourage customers into a store and, ultimately, to enjoy a positive shopping experience. You’ll analyse what motivates customers to buy certain products based on how well visual merchandising communicates the brand through the narrative that surrounds the product.

Commercial space planning and zoning for visual merchandising
Prop-making for window display features
Principles of product placement
Customer targeting
Fashion styling and trends
Brand positioning map and competitors
SWOT Analysis
Colour theory and material investigation
Mood boards
Visual merchandising principles and theory
Window display systems
Insight into branded spaces and communication strategies
Visual merchandising fixtures and fittings
Seasonal themes in visual merchandising
Case studies of branded environments
Promotion and store navigation graphics
Social media and technology
Storytelling and brand narrative
Research engagement and library use

At the end of the course you'll:

Possess enhanced 2D drawing skills and 3D modelmaking to scale in crafting and communicating a visual merchandising scheme for a branded space, developed as a result of set projects and studio workshop activities.
Possess the skills needed to construct window schemes and in-store features to promote seasonal themes to entice customer interest.
Be able to select, edit and refine visual merchandising elements for a chosen brand and apply these into a commercial space.
Be able to critically evaluate your findings and test and apply relevant information through research and investigation.
Have an informed awareness of window display design and branded store environments.
Have increased confidence in your own skills and feel inspired.
Have boosted creativity and imagination.
Possess the foundations to continue creating beyond this course.
You can request a certificate to confirm your achievements, providing you've a 100% attendance record. To request a certificate please get in touch with us at academy@aub.ac.uk and confirm your name and the title of course you've completed.

Will I be assessed?

No, there's no formal assessment. As the course progresses your tutor will measure your overall performance from your practical tasks, assignments, and portfolio work, and will offer essential guidance and feedback, so you know how you're getting on.

Book your place today

Book now

Meet your tutor

Julie James

Julie James is an accomplished art and design practitioner in both an academic teaching setting and in a professional capacity.

Beyond the course

This could just be the start of your creative journey! After this course, you could further your artistic skills with another short course or look to the future and explore our creative qualifications that can prepare you to further your current career, enable you to retrain to an alternative career path or prepare you for future creative arts studies.