Visual Identity Online Short Course
Course description
Course overview
Look beyond logo design and develop a fundamental understanding of the principles of visual identity on this short, online course. You will learn how to establish an identity across a variety of applications and broaden your perspective on the possibilities of style, format, and medium. We will take an in-depth look at the core ideas surrounding visual identity, discuss the importance of research and of building a strong conceptual foundation, and explore how visual elements like form, colour palette, and imagery all work together to tell a brand's unique story.
The course features a series of practical assignments which will take you through the stages of creating a visual identity and will help you to develop your visual vocabulary in context. You'll complete work between classes and then present and discuss it with the group. You'll be able to exchange ideas and feedback with the other students both during and after each class, through our online classroom and forum.
By the end of the course, you will understand and use elements of visual identity with confidence.
Who this course is for
This course will be invaluable for designers, aspiring designers and other creative professionals who want to explore visual identity, with input from an industry expert. It will also be useful if you are starting, or want to start, your own brand, and want to learn a process to create a unique visual identity for your brand.
You may be new to the world of visual identity, but you will benefit more from this course if you have the basic foundations of design. This course is not suitable for those wishing to learn software - students are expected to be familiar with creative software to complete their assignments.
Key information
Topics covered
- Introduction and historical context
- Elements and principles of visual identity
- The visual identity brief
- Visual research and mood boards
- The design stages behind a visual identity
- Using colour, typography, and other graphic components
- Refining and contextualising
- Brand expression and art direction
- Photography, illustration, and other visual language
Learning outcomes
- By the end of the course, you should;
- Understand and utilise the elements that make up a visual identity
- Understanding of the differences between brand, identity and logo design
- The ability to recognise successful brand identity applications
- Grasped a variety of possible visual identity approaches
- Designed and developed a visual identity across a range of platforms and applications
- Received personal feedback from your tutor on assignments you have submitted
- Receive a digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
- Notebook and pen
For more information on materials, please see our Guide to taking online short courses.
Tutor
David Cuesta
David Cuesta is the creative director of London Design Agency CR&D. He has been practising graphic design professionally for over 20 years. Before helping to set up Creative Research and Development, he worked in many studios both in Canada and the UK. He began his career in Vancouver studying at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, before moving to England to study at Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. David believes in an explorative and research based design process. His areas of expertise are typography, visual communication, and technical design production. Consultancies in London have seen him work on projects for John Lewis, Sony Playstation, JCB World Brands, Diageo, Body Shop and Margaret Howell.
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