Graphic Design

What is Graphic Design?

Graphic design is everywhere, in print as well as on screen. Images, letters, colours and shapes are consciously put together to perform all sorts of functions. Logos and stationery, advertisements in magazines, billboards and shop windows, brochures, book covers and interiors, invitations, newsletters, product packaging, web sites, film and television graphics... the list goes on and on.

All of this requires the skills of a graphic designer. Using an array of visual elements and design techniques — including type, colour, shape, photography, illustration, painting, digital imagery and so on — graphic designers work with their clients to deliver the required message in the most effective way.

Learn Graphic / Print Design

At TCST we can teach you all the necessary skills for the trade. If you have no previous experience, we can give you a crash course in Design Principles and Typography and then teach you the necessary software packages you need. Learn to create layouts in Adobe InDesign or QuarkXPress, draw logos, illustrations, graphs and more in Adobe Illustrator and retouch photographs or create collages and photographic effects in Adobe Photoshop. Understand how to get your files ready for print and how to use Adobe Acrobat Pro for a better workflow.

For those with previous knowledge in the field, we can cater courses to any speciality. From using Adobe Illustrator for Fashion Design, to creating Infographics or using Adobe Photoshop for Product Photography and much, much more.

Below is a list of all related courses and software we teach, but please do contact us if you need training in any other software or subject that is not on this list. We have a vast pool of certified trainers and will always match you with a trainer who has expert knowledge and industry experience in your chosen subject.

Design for Non Designers

Even if you have learned the whole Creative Suite inside out, creating a lay-out from scratch can be extremely daunting without any formal design training. Most likely you do not have the time and luxury to take 4 years off work to go to art school and enrol in a graphic design degree. But no worries. At TCST, our trainers are qualified award winning designers who can teach you all the creative skills you need in a 1-2 day crash course.

We can teach you the 5 principles of design, how to choose the correct typeface and work well with type, colour theory, design do's and don'ts, colour theory and much much more. We will look at samples of good and badly designed literature and learn how to make sure that your documents convey the message beautifully and stand out from the crowd.

As with all our courses, your trainer will contact you beforehand to find out what knowledge you already possess and which areas to focus on. Based on this consultation we will then develop your course outline.

Below is a list of software applications and topics you might consider covering in your path to becoming an accomplished graphic designer.