VISUAL DESIGNER

CAREER BLUEPRINT

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START YOUR ORIENTATION:

BEFORE YOU BEGIN!
Welcome to Skillcrush!

GENERAL OBJECTIVES CLASS GOALS

LEARN FOUNDATIONAL DESIGN

Learn how to craft a brand identity & PRINCIPLES LIKE TYPOGRAPHY,
apply it to multiple designs. COLOR THEORY, AND MORE.

L​earn how to give and receive design

LEARN TO USE PROFESSIONAL
feedback like a professional.
DESIGN TOOLS LIKE PHOTOSHOP,
ILLUSTRATOR, AND INDESIGN.

Learn how to concisely explain your

CREATE DIGITAL PROJECTS LIKE
design concepts to others. (It’ll make you
LOGOS, ICONS, AND WEBSITE
a huge asset to your future team!)
MOCKUPS.

VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS

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: S
​ imple 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

VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS

 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

VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS

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

VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS

SKILLCRUSH 307: V
​ ISUAL 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

VISUAL DESIGNER CAREER BLUEPRINT SYLLABUS