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Graphic Design, Illustration and Visual Communication
Digital Graphic Design – an Introduction

Digital Graphic Design – an Introduction

Ages: 18+
Term: Autumn
Length: 10 weeks

Overview

Unlock your creative potential with Digital Graphic Design! You'll gain hands-on experience and practical knowledge that will support bringing your ideas to life across a range of projects.

To book your place today, simply click Book Now 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. 

Course information

Are you eager to dive into the world of graphic design and visual communication? Whether you're new to design or looking to sharpen your skills, this dynamic 10-week course offers an exciting introduction to the three pillars of modern graphic design: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Designed primarily for beginners, this course introduces the essential tools used by professional designers. Throughout the course, you’ll explore real-world case studies, practice key techniques, and develop a confident understanding of layout, composition, typography, and imagery. The course moves at a lively pace but offers plenty of support and insights for more experienced designers interested in portfolio building and creative feedback.

What makes this course truly special is its focus on your personal style and interests. You’ll be encouraged to bring your own experiences into your work, helping you discover and develop your unique visual voice. With a blend of digital workshops and guided feedback, you'll learn to craft impactful collateral, e.g. advertisements, and promotional materials – creating work that’s ready for real-world applications.

By the end of the course, you'll have built a diverse portfolio showcasing your skills in image editing, vector creation, layout design, and more. Join us to develop your design strategies, enhance your digital skills, and gain a critical eye for effective visual communication. Whether for personal projects or future professional pursuits, this course is your gateway to understanding and creating compelling digital designs.

Scope and nature of graphic design
Design fundamentals – line, tone, colour
Colour theory and applications
Typography
Illustration – methods and techniques
Photo re-touching
Package design
Magazine and book layout
Gradient meshing
Logotype and branding design
Layout design
Basic animation
Design systems and the design industry – design briefs, how to bid for jobs
Comparative design – lessons from other designers (lots of research)
Design project – a practical project applying everything prior to this

At the end of the course you'll:

Ongoing design guidance will be provided throughout the course
You'll have produced a complete graphic design portfolio
You'll have a sound working knowledge of a professional graphic designer

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 and offer essential guidance and feedback so you know how you're getting on.

What you need to know

Autumn term 2026

Monday 5 October – 7 December 2026 (10 Monday evenings, 18.00–21.00)

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

This is an introductory course and we have no formal academic entry requirements. However, it's essential that you have good general computer skills and knowledge.

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.

£375

Any additional costs 

You’ll need to provide your own USB flash drive. This’ll incur an additional cost if you need to purchase one for the course. Please refer to 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.

USB flash drive
Notebook and pens/pencils to take notes

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.

AUB Academy 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.

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AUB Academy booking T&Cs

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

Meet your tutor

Emily Melling

Emily is a Graphic Designer and AUB graduate with a BA in Visual Communication.

Book your place today

Book now

Graphic design gallery

Left-hand image shows three square cards, one of which has the text 'Hula hooping'. Right-hand image shows a card turned over out of a deck, showing illustrations of three different locations and the word 'Background' in the bottom-left corner.

Four posters stuck to a plain stone wall. Two have the text 'You are what you eat', the other two have the text, 'Food for thought?' A single chair sits in the centre.

Red coloured poster with text at the top reading "To be so dead". Poster shows a female figure flexing biceps whilst a male figure raises their arms in fear.

An assortment of marketing materials depicting fish and with text such as 'Pisces' and 'the future of fishing is bright' on it. A separate image shows a yellow flag flying against a cloudy sky. The text 'the future of fishing is bright' appears on the flag.

Several loose pieces of printed graphics within a folded case

Tutor giving student guidance on a computer

Image of a man sitting at a desk using Photoshop on an Apple Mac.

Beyond the course

This could just be the start of your creative journey! After this course, you could further your graphic design 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.