VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT

Transcription

1

2 VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT HAVE A QUESTION? ASK! Read up on all the ways we re here to help. CONFUSION IS GOOD :) Seriously, it s scientific fact. Read all about it! REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Join your Skillcrush classmates in the student community! CHAT WITH YOUR INSTRUCTORS Check in with us on live chat or by ! BEFORE YOU BEGIN! START YOUR ORIENTATION: Welcome to Skillcrush! GENERAL OBJECTIVES CLASS GOALS Learn how to craft a brand identity & apply it to multiple designs. L earn how to give and receive design feedback like a professional. Learn how to concisely explain your design concepts to others. (It ll make you a huge asset to your future team!) LEARN FOUNDATIONAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES LIKE TYPOGRAPHY, COLOR THEORY, AND MORE. LEARN TO USE PROFESSIONAL DESIGN TOOLS LIKE PHOTOSHOP, ILLUSTRATOR, AND INDESIGN. CREATE DIGITAL PROJECTS LIKE LOGOS, ICONS, AND WEBSITE MOCKUPS.

3 SKILLCRUSH 107: VISUAL DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS & TOOLS Learn the fundamentals of visual design in the digital age including user experience and user interface design, color theory, and typography, and more. Then put it into practice using the world s most popular design tools Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign to create professional-quality design projects you ll be proud to show off. TIMELINE: 3 weeks PROJECTS: Simple portfolio website design comp & business card WEEK 1 SKILL LESSONS Intro to Visual Design UX and UI Design Design Process, Project Goals, and Content Structure User Personas Sitemaps & User Flows Concept Sketching Paper & Digital Wireframing UXPin - Your Wireframing Tool Photoshop - Your Web Design Tool Grid Systems WEEK 2 SKILL LESSONS Designing Look & Feel Proportions & Use of Space Color Theory Web & Print Colors Typography & Type Scales Design Patterns & Layout Trends Styling Wireframes with Photoshop

4 WEEK 3 SKILL LESSONS All About Photoshop, Illustrator, & InDesign Design File Types Illustrator - Your Artistic Design Tool Creating Icons with Illustrator InDesign - Your Desktop Publishing Tool Creating a Business Card with InDesign Intermediate Photoshop Skills Preparing Design Files for Completion

5 SKILLCRUSH 207: BRANDING & IDENTITY DESIGN Deepen your design knowledge by creating a full-fledged brand identity. You ll learn how to build a brand just as you would working as a professional Visual Designer. In the end you ll have a cohesive brand, including logos, icons, and a style guide. TIMELINE: 3 weeks PROJECTS: Creative brief, style guide, logos, social media headers, icons, & CTA buttons WEEK 1 SKILL LESSONS Intro to Branding & Identity Design Personal vs. Corporate Branding Psychology of Branding Brand Personalities Target Audience Mission Statements Writing a Creative Brief WEEK 2 SKILL LESSONS Identity Design Styles & Trends Create a Logo with Illustrator Standout Logos Color & Typography in Branding Imagery in Branding Creating Image Collections WEEK 3 SKILL LESSONS Brand Style Guides Creating a Style Guide with InDesign Icons & Iconography Make an icon set with Illustrator Calls-to-Action (CTAs) Promoting Brands on Social Media Make Branded Headers for Facebook & Twitter Digital Brand Guides & Pattern Libraries

6 SKILLCRUSH 307: VISUAL DESIGN PROFESSIONAL A Visual Designer s job is to bring a brand s identity to life through its many customer touch points. Now that you know how to build a brand, it s time to take that brand from concept to digital reality! You ll learn how to plan, wireframe, and design a professional sales page that accurately communicates a company s brand to its target audience. TIMELINE: 3 weeks PROJECT: Sales landing web page WEEK 1 SKILL LESSONS Launching a New Brand Sales Landing Page Layouts & Trends Designing Responsively UX for Advanced Designs Digital Wireframes for Advanced Designs Grids for Advanced Designs WEEK 2 SKILL LESSONS Sales Page Best Practices Designing a Sales Page with Photoshop User Testing Iterating on Designs Polishing & Presenting Your Design Work WEEK 3 SKILL LESSONS Working on a Professional Team Common Team Structures & Roles Staying Relevant in the Design Field Overcoming Impostor Syndrome Common Career Paths for Visual Designers Finding & Applying for Visual Design Jobs & Gigs