Graphic Design with Photoshop and Illustrator

Graphic design continues to be a high-demand field across industries, with 20,000 job openings reported annually for professionals in this field through 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As businesses increasingly rely on visual communication to build brand identity, engage audiences, and drive marketing efforts, skilled designers are needed to create compelling visuals for web, social media, advertising, and print. This graphic design course aligns with current industry trends—including the rise of generative AI and the growing need for versatile, tech-savvy creatives—offering you a strong foundation in a dynamic and evolving marketplace.

Through hands-on projects and detailed instruction, you will master essential design principles like color theory, typography, and composition while building proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. This Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop course guides you in creating vector graphics, editing raster images, and developing branded marketing materials. Alongside technical skills, you will explore business practices, client communication, and portfolio development—culminating in a professional body of work that showcases your readiness to enter or advance in the graphic design industry.

Instructor(s):

Chad Walker

Chad Walker has been in the comic book and video game industry for over 26 years, with experience in all leadership positions and production fields, including art (graphic design, animation, conceptual design, and character design), design (world/gameplay), and coding.

Chad is well-versed in Adobe Suite packages, including Photoshop and Illustrator. He has worked on numerous projects in graphic design for print, car wraps, and websites using Photoshop for production-ready content.

Chad is a published author, grant writer, professional comic book illustrator, speaker, and former professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU) Guildhall for game development and Oral Roberts University (ORU) as head of game development. He has taught Graphic Design, Photoshop, and other Adobe products for over 20 years at the university level and in studio workshops. Most notable titles include "Age of Empires," "Age of Kings," and "Age of Conquerors."

Corie Seed

Corie Seed is an experienced graphic designer who has worked for major technology companies, government organizations, and small businesses to provide corporate branding, web design, marketing, and layout services. She has also taught various aspects of design at Algonquin College and Carleton University. Corie's undergraduate studies include graphic design, visual and creative arts, photography, and multimedia design. Her graduate studies explored industrial design, service design and in depth research on decolonizing design education through methods of critical self-reflection.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac. Chromebooks are not compatible.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 10 or later.
• Mac: macOS 12 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Microsoft Word Online.
• Adobe Photoshop (not included in enrollment)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• The Elements of Graphic Design by Alex W. White