For artistic high schoolers looking to expand their skills and explore their innate creativity, a graphic design course is an excellent opportunity. The sheer number of potential jobs available for skilled high schoolers after graduation makes this an exciting market. Even non-artistic learners might master this skill set with a little practice. 

However, even talented teens with deep, innate abilities should take a graphic design bootcamp to sharpen their skills. After all, there’s more to it than making pretty pictures. Teenagers must also master complex design theories and branding concepts to create consistent work that not only looks great but communicates meanings, emotions, and messages successfully. For any teen serious about this market, this in-depth guide can provide the information that they need.

What is Graphic Design?

Modern graphic design focuses almost 100% on digital production using high-quality software tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. At its base, however, it uses all the fundamental techniques utilized by designers for centuries. For example, the ancient Chinese poem Lantingji Xu was created in 353 using the same kinds of graphic design principles a professional taps into today. Medieval monks even used graphic design concepts to produce startling works of art. 

In fact, some historians argue graphic design’s roots run as old as humanity, with ancient cave drawings showing the same attention to detail, layout concepts, and graphical beauty seen in the best advertisements, websites, logos, and branding materials produced by today’s experts. Amazingly, after 2,000 years of changes in this skill set, it still focuses on the same underlying purpose: combining text, images, and concepts to communicate meaningful messages. 

Learn graphic design with hands-on projects at the top design bootcamp for high schoolers. In-person in NYC or live online from anywhere

Why Should High Schoolers Learn Graphic Design?

Graphic design is a versatile skill used in almost every industry today. That might seem like a stretch to some readers, but fields as diverse as marketing, advertising, web development, and publishing all need high-quality graphic design specialists to produce detailed work. This broad nature makes this skill set incredibly rewarding for teenagers of all ages to master. As a result, high schoolers should consider taking a detailed and exciting graphic design course to:

  • Enhance Creativity: Graphic design fosters creativity by encouraging students to think visually and solve problems through complex design practices. Even teenagers with little to no artistic skills can master graphic design and walk away confident in their abilities.
  • Prepare for Future Careers: As businesses increasingly rely on digital media, graphic design has become a critical skill in various professional fields. Most of these jobs are also future-proof, ensuring teenagers don’t have to fight for roles with AI.
  • Learn Valuable Technical Skills: High schoolers will master tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and other design software in their bootcamps. These and other programs are essential in the design industry in almost every market and field.
  • Master Soft Skills to Improve Their Lives: While most graphic design bootcamps focus on teaching critical theories and practical concepts, they encourage soft skill development, including communication, collaboration, and project management.

Considerations for Choosing a Graphic Design Course

With dozens of graphic design programs available nationwide, teens might feel overwhelmed by their options. As a result, they need to research very carefully when selecting a course. In fact, there are many factors that students should discuss with their parents to ensure that they learn graphic design successfully. The following points are just a few things students and parents should know to narrow down their options and ensure they’re satisfied with their training. 

Course Content

Students should look for a course that covers all the fundamentals (e.g., typography, color theory, layout) and practical software skills (e.g., Adobe Suite) needed to master graphic design. They can also choose a program based on market specialty, i.e., commercial or industrial.

Instructor Expertise

Teenagers deserve to learn in a program taught by an experienced professional with years of practical experience in graphic design. When researching these courses, teens should discover the teacher’s name, find their LinkedIn profile, and read reviews of their classes to learn more.

Class Duration

Graphic design courses might last a few weeks or even months, which can be a big time commitment for many teens. As a result, they should choose a course that fits their schedule. Summer classes often work best and provide a fun, camp-like atmosphere for serious learners.

Overall Costs

Mastering any career skill requires both time and cash investments. For example, some classes cost thousands of dollars, which might be challenging for many high schoolers to cover. Thankfully, financing options can help them and their parents minimize their initial investment. 

What High Schoolers Can Do With Graphic Design

Once students learn graphic design, the possibilities are endless, especially for ambitious and hard-working teenagers who aren’t afraid to put themselves out there after finishing their training. Teens may find themselves in high demand personally and professionally and are more than ready to tackle large-scale projects or prepare for further training. For example, they can:

  • Design websites, logos, posters, and logos for personal or professional use, often in a volunteer role, to sharpen their skills and spread their name as a designer
  • Work hand-in-hand with friends who know coding to produce video games, fun apps, and other software to help them break into a rewarding and high-earning market
  • Offer their design skills as freelancers, working on projects like social media content, advertisements, and branding even before graduating from school
  • Participate in online or regional design contests to build their portfolios, gain recognition, and even qualify for high-quality college scholarships later in life

Mastering fundamental graphic design skills in high school also helps students lay the foundation for their college careers. For instance, completion certificates and advancement placement tests may make it easier for teenagers to skip introductory courses in their Bachelor's Degree programs. That not only saves time but also cuts down on their educational expenses.

Balancing High School and Graphic Design Learning Demands

Taking a graphic design course can be challenging for busy high schoolers. For example, juggling high school coursework, sports practices and games, and a social (or romantic) life may create unnecessary stress and burnout for teens. However, that doesn’t have to be the case! Careful teenagers balance these demands and stay focused on their graphic design studies to walk away confident and ready to learn more. Here are a few tips that they can keep in mind.

Create a Schedule

Most teen-based graphic design bootcamps let students study at their own pace or set aside specific times for their work. As a result, teens could dedicate particular hours each week (such as extended study blocks on the weekends) to practice design skills and work on assignments.

Stay Organized

Finding time to master graphic design isn’t too challenging if teenagers use project management tools or to-do lists to stay on track. Scheduling their days down to the hour can help them meet their school and design course deadlines without burning themselves out in the process.

Utilize School Breaks

Honestly, most teenagers who want to learn graphic design should sign up for summer or weekend programs to dive deeper into mastering this subject. Sure, it’s rough for some teens to lose those precious vacation days, but most classes only require a few hours of daily study.

Find Learning Buddies 

During their training, teenagers will meet new friends who are likely interested in many of the same things as them, like graphic design. Tapping into this social network by building a study group will help teenagers stay focused and, honestly, make mastering graphic design fun.

Jobs Available After Learning Graphic Design

Studying graphic design isn’t just a fantastic opportunity to master new creative skills; teens can use these concepts and practical abilities to lay the foundation for their future success! After all, there are dozens of markets and industries that need professionals with expert-level graphic design abilities. High schoolers with these top-level skills open up various job opportunities after completing all their training. Just a few positions that may excite them include:

  • Visual Designer: A career as a Visual Designer focuses heavily on creating visual elements, such as banners, menus, graphics, and navigation bars for various products.
  • Digital Designer: Working as a Digital Designer includes creating graphics, animations, and special effects using detailed and high-quality graphic design skills.

Benefits of Taking a Graphic Design Bootcamp

A bootcamp offers an intensive, hands-on learning experience that can speed up the process of becoming proficient in graphic design. This highly structured approach gradually introduces students to new ideas using short lectures and intensive real-world projects. As a result, bootcamps are one of the best ways for high schoolers to master graphic design before taking a college program. The other benefits of taking courses like these for career training include:

  • Expert-led lessons that focus on real-world design projects and practical experiences to help students master graphic design and feel more skilled along the way
  • Next-level trainers who deeply understand graphic design and can help teenagers solidify their abilities and feel more confident with their career transition
  • A well-defined learning path that helps them master key concepts quickly by building on previously learned skills to craft more advanced design projects
  • The opportunity for students to connect with professionals in the field, receive even better training support, and open doors to internships or freelance work

Why Taking a Graphic Design Course is Better Than Learning for Free

While free graphic design learning resources like YouTube and blogs can offer valuable tips and problem-solving support, they’re simply not detailed enough for true mastery. In fact, they’re not even designed for that purpose; instead, they’re suitable as extra support for more intensive and structured courses. Though costly, these paid programs offer many benefits, including professional instructors giving personalized feedback and helping students improve their skills.

Even better, these courses cover everything from theory to software design tools to give students a complete understanding of this subject. So, while they may cost more to complete, they offer these benefits and access to premium materials, design templates, and exclusive software tools. That makes them well worth the expense. As a result, students on the fence about these classes should find a financing option that makes sense for their economic needs. 

Financing Options for Graphic Design Courses

High-quality graphic design bootcamps often cost thousands of dollars, making them very tough for students to afford. Therefore, if price is a concern, there are several financing options available that teens can use to pay for their graphic design courses. These tools can help high schoolers and their parents more easily afford their training and ensure that they get the in-depth education that they deserve. A few popular options available for teenagers include:

  • Scholarships: Some schools and organizations offer scholarships specifically for students interested in graphic design. These come directly from the school and don’t require repayment, which makes them very in-demand and often tricky to get. 
  • Financial Aid: Most training teams offer financial aid through loans, which come with fair interest rates and payment plans. Using this option is very affordable and can improve an individual’s credit score, but it also ultimately costs more over time. 
  • Payment Plans: Many online platforms or bootcamps offer payment plans to break down costs into manageable installments. Typically, this option includes 3-5 payments that may be broken down into monthly or even bi-monthly packages. 
  • Free or Discounted Programs: To help teenagers decide if graphic design bootcamps make sense for them, many organizations (such as Coursera) offer free or discounted courses to high school students through educational partnerships with their schools.

Skills High Schoolers Learn in Graphic Design Courses

Since graphic design is a complex subject, bootcamps typically cover multiple related topics to help teens build their skills and become even more competent. Just as importantly, these intensive courses teach high schoolers various skills, theories, concepts, and practical abilities that prepare them for college studies and entry-level careers. The following skills are just a few of the most critical things that teens will study and perfect through their graphic design courses. 

Design Principles

During their early studies, students will study concepts like design balance, alignment, contrast, and unity, which are essential for creating practical styles. These ideas form the foundation of their intermediate and advanced studies and ensure that they know what they’re doing. 

Software Proficiency

As they advance their skills, students will learn industry-standard programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. These popular software tools make it easier to achieve graphical excellence and simplify transitioning to using similar design products.

Portfolio Development

One of the best things about bootcamps is their portfolio-building exercises. During these activities, high schoolers will create a professional portfolio highlighting all their best work. In this way, they can more easily showcase their design projects and abilities to potential employers. 

Problem-Solving and Creativity

Graphic design encourages students to think creatively to solve visual problems for clients or projects. Just as important, it can give them the opportunity to produce more exciting, intricate, and detailed artwork to bolster their resume, expand their portfolio, and improve their career.

How Easy Is It to Learn Graphic Design?

Mastering graphic design involves building artistic skills while understanding complex layout concepts, color theory, and other essential concepts. That said, while learning graphic design can be challenging, it is accessible to most students. Those with an artistic eye will find it particularly rewarding, especially with the right tools and guidance. With practice, patience, and a little trainer support, most high school students will improve and become proficient designers.

How Long Will It Take To Learn Graphic Design?

The time it takes to learn graphic design depends on the course structure and the student’s dedication. For high schoolers, an introductory course might take one semester or their summer break. These classes typically build the foundational skills necessary to advance. That said, expert-level ability will take a year or more. Thankfully, most bootcamps provide extra training support through project work and videos that will help students speed up their learning process.

Best Graphic Design Courses for High Schoolers

Teenagers looking to transition into graphic design training can choose from dozens of high-quality courses. These include in-person programs led by skilled professors with years of experience, as well as online classes with similar quality. No matter what a teen needs to succeed, there’s a lesson available for it! To make this decision easier, here are two schools and three courses that students nationwide can use to sharpen their graphic design skills.

NextGen Bootcamp

NextGen Bootcamp provides next-level training expertise from a team of highly trained professionals who deeply understand how to connect with teenagers. Set up specifically for high school learners, courses focus on building fundamental skills to prepare learners for more advanced learning. Typically, students get 1-on-1 mentoring, high-quality portfolio-building exercises, and a completion certificate highlighting their skills to potential learners. 

Graphic & Web Design Summer Program Live Online

Graphic & Web Design Summer Program Live Online teaches high schoolers basic graphic design theory, how to use Adobe applications, and effective HMTL and CSS practices. Part one focuses on solidifying these fundamental skills while building a portfolio of attractive work. The second part helps teens build a website with high-quality graphics using tools like Sketch. When they’re done, learners should feel comfortable applying these skills to their classes.

Digital Design Summer Program Live Online

Digital Design Summer Program Live Online helps teenagers learn all about the foundations of graphic design and UX/UI to advance their skills and prepare them for exciting careers. They’ll study Adobe programs like Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop alongside Figma and other tools. Once they’re done, they’ll have a portfolio of work and a digital completion certificate to share. They’ll also know how to create logos, icons, and other easy-to-scale items. 

Cass Academy of Mastery 

Cass Academy of Mastery is an online training team that’s helped around 2,500 children learn various skills. It uses interactive activities with personally tailored courses offering hands-on experiences that help build student knowledge and expertise. Classes focus heavily on creating a “fun” atmosphere that works well for pre-teens and teenagers studying various tech skills. Live sessions help students who need a little more help get the support that they need to thrive.

Be a Graphic Designer: Beginner to Advanced in 10 Weeks | Digital Art

Be a Graphic Designer: Beginner to Advanced in 10 Weeks | Digital Art teaches teens about graphic design in a little over two months. Each week has one class, meaning teenagers shouldn’t have difficulty attending. In their lessons, teens will complete projects, participate in live video sessions with a teacher, get assessments on their work, receive a letter grade (to share with their teachers, if they like), and a completion certificate highlighting their hard work.