Where to Learn Graphic Design, and How Long Does It Take?

I would say my graphics skills are only beginner to intermediate. I learnt everything I know just by doing. I didn't take any courses or the like. When I needed to do something I might look for a tutorial on Youtube and learn that way.

It's a never ending learning process.

I got my lesson in school. I also use Gimp and Photoshop to practice on .PSD files.

There are thousands of graphic design courses are available online but it depends on you how you want to learn. There are video tutorials, written tutorials. As there is no end of learning in graphics design, you can have basics through the tutorials and after practicing them again and again you will become an expert.

You can find valuable tutorial at Youtube. I learn many things about design at youtube.

if you can spend some time or dedicate some time you can easily learn graphics. there are different generic like webpage designing,logo designing,photo manupulation, 2d arts , 3d arts and vfx (visual effects) if you are into photo manupulation and 2d arts then dowload free graphic pack like Gimp and use online youtube video to learn the basic , for 3d graphics download Blender which is a free powerful software to generate 3d content and basic vfx the have a great online community and also free tutorials

I'm not a professional, but know my way around Photoshop to do what I need.

Graphic Design or Graphics Design?

I think people mix these two up and equate them as the same.

Owning photoshop and knowing how to make a few even nice looking graphics will not make you a graphic designer.

Here are just a "few" examples of courses that you would need to understand and be good at to become a graphic designer, and again, these are just a few for example sake.

Foundations of Design (teaches fundamental design concepts and principles)
Typography
Color Theory
Graphic Design I (in the following classes, you learn to use Adobe Indesign, Illustrator & Photoshop)
Graphic Design II
Advanced Graphic Design

Again, these are just a few courses you need to learn, understand and be good at. Meaning anyone can take these, but only if you excel would you ever be hired as a Graphic Designer.

There are many other courses that I did not mention, just for a 2 year degree in Graphic Design. Which is a Associates of Applied Science, A.A.S. in Graphic Design.

I went to school with many people who wanted to be graphic designers, who took these classes and even made good grades, but they would never be hired, because they had no creativity, they were just going through the motions so to speak, they didn't have an eye for design.

If you want to be a graphic"s" designer, meaning you want to learn how to design headers, banners, web graphics, etc..... you would need to learn quite a bit. I mean, you could look at other designs and try and imitate, and learn from people on youtube or lynda.com. But to be real honest, it takes lots of time, repetition, study, practice and a genuine eye for design to be great.

There are many people on this forum who can use photoshop and do ok with it, and may even make money, but they are not graphic designers, they are people who design graphics. A graphic designer has a degree in graphic design, and is trained in graphic design. I am not saying that you cannot learn graphic design, but I assure you, without real direction and without real student teacher and project situations, its really hard to learn and become great.

I personally am a self learnt designer, but I also went to school and have a degree in graphic design.

My suggestion to you would be to at least enroll in local university, even a community college which offers a graphic design degree. You will learn lots of things that you would never learn teaching yourself, plus you would get more confidence knowing you have been trained properly.

Just my suggestions.....

If you are not wiling to do the stuff mentioned above, more than likely you will just be a person who likes to mess with photoshop and may even become great at using photoshop which is just a tool of the trade.

I learned Graphics Designing using Adobe Photoshop by using the available tools on the net, such as YouTube tutorials and Photoshop Essentials blog. But I think you'll learn the rest of it by yourself. Books and tutorials can only get you so far - the rest will come from your own experience. Good luck!

Cam,

Alot of programmers are known for not being too artistic. Nobody does everything well, and the two types of people seem to often be different.

To learn what MOST people that know the tools know could take literally minutes. To learn what most of the best designers know, as far as how to create the images, could take a few hours. To learn everything if like PS? WELL, let's say it will take a while.

To have a library of good base images, be familiar with them, and have the talent to create something original that many will like, etc... Who knows.

Let's be fair. Colleges can say what they want, but not everyone can be a real artist.

Steve

I never took any course, just tried myself and taken help from YouTube and some other helpful site. It's all about practice and your creativity.