Graphic design is an expansive and exciting skill set that includes far more than just putting some pictures down on a page.
You must also ensure your text flows properly on the pages, catches the eye, and intrigues your viewers. Thankfully, graphic design programs for high school students can help you prepare for a career in a vibrant and high-earning market. Here’s what you need to know about this skill and the courses that might best suit your needs.
Introduction to Graphic Design and Its Uses
Through the best graphic design courses for high schoolers, you’ll learn about this topic and its unique scope. Graphic design is the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experiences with visual and textual content. In other words, graphic design visually communicates certain ideas or messages. It can be used in many industries and applications, such as advertising, marketing, web design, television, animation, and product packaging.
Furthermore, graphic designers work through various media using typography, imagery, color, and form to solve problems and communicate ideas. The great thing about completing your course is that you can often pair it up with other types of classes, including coding and computer science, to improve your knowledge and become a better employee. Some teams even offer extra courses to further cement your knowledge and help you become a true master.
Popularity and Benefits of Learning Graphic Design for High Schoolers
Graphic design classes for teenagers and high schoolers can help prepare you for this popular discipline because of its vital role in the digital world. Learning graphic design offers high schoolers the chance to enhance their creativity and artistic skills and gain valuable technical skills in software and design principles that are sought after in today's job market, such as::
- Advertising and Marketing: Graphic design courses for teenagers work well for people interested in designing compelling marketing materials that communicate brand messages. As one of the most fascinating and rewarding career paths, learning these techniques can help you transition into just about any career: many firms have advertising departments.
- Web Design: Creating the layout and visual aspects of websites is rewarding as a part-time job, a side hustle, or a full-time position. Some even use these skills in their day-to-day life, such as crafting wedding sites for family members. No matter your interests, learning web design can give you a strong background in multiple skills adaptable to multiple experiences.
- Television and Animation: Do you like creating fun movies or cartoons and want to make them look even better? Using graphic design classes to learn how to utilize visual effects and animations that enhance video content can ensure you produce attractive work. You’ll learn to balance designs to make them more appealing and fascinating to your customers.
- Career Readiness: During your graphic design classes for teenagers, you’ll focus on building a portfolio that can open doors to various creative careers. Classes by teams like NextGen Bootcamps focus on hands-on activities that use real-world experience that cement your capabilities and ensure that you can use them properly when you finally graduate.
Typical Graphic Design Learning Program
A comprehensive graphic design program for teens should include varying program levels that slowly introduce you to these skills and build upon previous lessons. The goal here is to create a strong mastery level that you can build on with later courses in college and beyond. By understanding these subjects, it should be easier for you to become a graphic designer:
- Beginner Level: In your early classes, you’ll be introduced to design basics, including color theory, typography, and software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. By building on these techniques and expanding your vocabulary, you can prepare for more challenging subjects and become the graphic design specialist you want to become in your career.
- Intermediate Level: Your further skills will include development with projects involving logo design, branding, and more complex tools and techniques. These more challenging subjects are where things get really interesting. You’ll start seeing how beginning concepts work together to produce strong work.
- Advanced Level: At this point, your classes will focus on mastering sophisticated design software and techniques, real-world projects like full advertising campaigns, and understanding user experience (UX) design. When you finish, you should feel pretty good either signing up for entry-level jobs or starting a college course.
Careers in Graphic Design
Graphic design classes for teenagers like you can help you prepare for many great careers that might help you make good money. These job opportunities focus on the skills you practice in your courses and will provide an amazing opportunity to take your earnings to the next level. If you’re someone who loves visual design, graphic design programs can help you become a:
- Graphic Designer: As a graphic designer, you’ll use your skills when creating visual concepts to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers. With a high potential for advancement, this career should inspire you in many ways (depending on your interests).
- Web Developer: Web developers focus on integrating graphic design skills with coding to build and design functional websites. It’s one of the biggest and highest-earning careers on the market today, which makes it a fascinating opportunity for you to join the tech field.
- Animator: If you’re interested in designing visual animations for films, advertisements, and digital platforms, use your graphic design skills to become an animator. You’ll work with digital tools, such as computer animation programs, to produce engaging and unforgettable work.
- Visual Designer: Experts in this field focus on crafting the aesthetics of a website and its related materials by strategically implementing images, colors, fonts, and other elements. You might also work with branding companies and advertising firms to create appealing designs.
- Art Director: As an art director, you’ll focus on leading creative teams in producing all visual pieces, from magazines to product packaging. It’s a very rewarding job that will tap into all of your graphic design skills to challenge you in unique and fascinating ways.
NextGen Bootcamps for Graphic Design
NextGen Bootcamps offers targeted graphic design courses tailored to high school students, providing practical, hands-on experience in real-world design scenarios. They also let you build a strong portfolio of great work you can share online with colleges or potential employers. Taking place over the summer (just a few weeks, though, so you can still book that big summer trip with your family), these bootcamps can ensure you get the desired experience.
Graphic Design Summer Program NYC
Graphic Design Summer Program NYC covers basic graphic design theory and introduces you to essential Adobe applications. You’ll work with Photoshop, InDesign, and create real-world projects over a few weeks. When you’re done, you’ll have a profile and a completion certificate to show off your work. Graphic Design Summer Program Live Online is also available.
UX & UI Design Summer Program NYC
UX & UI Design Summer Program NYC uses real-world projects led by expert instructors to help you use graphic design skills to craft user interfaces and user experience projects. Utilizing Figma, a prototyping tool, you’ll produce interesting and attractive work for your customers. Try UX & UI Design Summer Program Online if you don’t live in the New York City area.
Digital Design Summer Certificate NYC
Digital Design Summer Certificate NYC will teach you the skills needed for graphic and UX/UI design careers. It covers all the good Adobe programs (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, etc.) and Figma to produce prototypes. Each class is interactive and led by a professor who truly cares about your work. Digital Design Summer Certificate Online is also available, if you like.
AP Graphic Design Courses and Their Complementary Benefits
While there is no specific AP "Graphic Design" course, AP Studio Art: 2-D Design can be valuable if you’re interested in graphic design. This course focuses on principles of design and problem-solving and requires students to create a portfolio that can be used for college applications and beyond. Taking these classes alongside other graphic design programs for high school teens provides many advantages, including:
- Boosting College Applications: A strong AP art portfolio can distinguish a student in competitive admission processes.
- Making College Easier: Earning college credit from AP exams can reduce course loads in art and design programs.
- Finding Internships: A robust AP portfolio can help secure internships by showcasing a student’s skills and commitment to their craft.
- Launching Careers: The skills developed and portfolio built during AP courses lay a strong foundation for a professional career in graphic design.
The best graphic design courses for high school students, such as those offered by NextGen Bootcamps, provide comprehensive instruction in design principles and professional software. Complemented by AP courses, these programs can significantly enhance a student's readiness for college and career success in the creative industry. Try them out if you’re ready to go to the next level professionally and think graphic design is the right path for your career.