Review: Great online courses for creative students

Advice

I’m a freelance brand designer, currently working predominantly on logo designs. It’s a fun job. I’ve always enjoyed creating small sketches, collages, and models, probably because the small size allows time to be spent on the little details.

The first time I considered more than the face value of a logo was around three years ago, a little after finishing college. Whatever flipped this switch definitely got me interested, the mix of art, simplicity, and symbolism stood out. With time to fill and the desire to do something, I searched for a course to get me started. The first one I completed is linked below, and I am very lucky it was the first.

Mastering Logo Design Gridding with the Golden Ratio

by George Bokhua

Find it here: https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Mastering-Logo-Design-Gridding-with-the-Golden-Ratio/774191846?via=user-profile

I believe the first time you hear something, the first person you learn from, the first thing you create, has the most significant impact on you. I am not sure if it’s a fact, but it feels true. This is why I believe I am so lucky the first logo design course I took was George Bokhua’s.

It really is a guide to mastering the process of creating a logo. From finding references, to finally adding colour. This course, and the other two of George Bokhua’s on Skillshare, are where you should go to learn how to create a logo.

For a while, after completing the courses, it felt like all I was learning about logo design was building on the framework established by these courses. But soon enough, I started to notice some missing knowledge. That a logo couldn’t just be perfect from only a visual perspective. That a logo was only perfect if it aligned with the planning and reasoning behind it. This left me dissatisfied with some of the logos I previously loved and caused me to re-evaluate the merits of logos I previously disliked. I felt like I was back to square one.

In contrast to the head start in the technical process of creating logos, it was a struggle to find the information I needed to develop a framework around the planning and reasoning behind a logo, something defining what makes it good or bad. It took me two and a half years to find a couple of courses that stood out and gave me a clear framework for the missing information.

Logo Design: From Concept to Presentation

By Sagi Haviv

Find it here: https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/1049-logo-design-from-concept-to-presentation

Both courses are less about the technical process of creating a logo and focus more on what occurs before and after creating a logo. The first is by another logo design master Sagi Haviv and focuses on the strategy and client process behind a logo. The second is by Paula Scher, a managing director at Pentagram and focuses more on the design side of branding as a whole, and presents alternatives to a consistent logo.

Dynamic Brand Identity: Designing Logos That Evolve

By Paula Scher

Find it here: https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Dynamic-Brand-Identity-Designing-Logos-That-Evolve/239606488?lessonsTab=on&via=user-profile

Considering the process described in these three courses, then completing the practice projects set out will provide a complete foundation in logo design, more so than any other courses I have found. And they come to a total of £17.90, which goes down to £10.90 with a free Skillshare membership.

The above courses on logo design and branding show the potential of distributing sites like Skillshare and Domestica. However, from my experience, I have come across more stand-out from courses by independent providers, the best of these are below.

For Design & Business:

The Futur.
The makers of the YouTube channel under the same name that most designers must have heard of by this point. If you couldn’t tell by the quality their YouTube channel, The Futur has high standards and their courses exemplify this. Perfect for those wanting to learn about creative skills or business fundamentals, forming a strong base in graphic design and branding. They also offer some great resources for freelancers and agency start-ups.

For Creative Software:

I recommend Bring Your Own Laptop run by Danial Scott.
BYOL is the first place I can remember going to learn Adobe software and I still go back to this day. Originally found when looking for website design courses, this treasure trove of technical learning provides courses on introductions, new feature highlights and software mastery for 8 Adobe and 2 Microsoft programs, all for a subscription of $12 a month.

For Web Design & Webflow:

Flux, by Ran Segall is amazing.
Whether you are getting started, learning the latest and greatest web tools, or want to be charging 20k for a website, Flux is the place to go. The videos and courses provided on the Flux YouTube channel are valuable and well explained. If you want to take this too another level his paid courses look like a great option with comprehensive structures and outstanding testimonials.
https://learn.flux-academy.com/

For 2D & 3D Motion:

I have heard that Motion Design School is a place to go.
The Motion Design School is a more recent find for me and a site I will soon be completing free and paid courses on in preparation for my final year at University. This is a site recommended to me by friends, who say the courses they have taken are well worth the money. They are straightforward and easy to follow while completing the examples.