Design Theory Video Tutorials

Design theory is a system that explains how and why the various elements of design work together to influence an audience. Watching video tutorials online is a popular method of learning design theory. Videos are convenient to watch and rewatch and let students learn at their own pace and from any location. There is also evidence that videos are a particularly effective way to master the new subject material. This article will cover design theory videos, including what they teach and where to find them.

What is Design Theory?

Design theory is a system that explains how a design works and why it works that way. Every choice that a designer makes has a specific effect on the audience. For instance, a design can communicate, direct, invite, entice, or excite the viewer. Design theory is a way to understand how and why this happens. It gives designers a deeper understanding of how various design choices work together to communicate a specific message. 

When studying design theory, users will learn about design's key elements, including alignment, repetition, contrast, hierarchy, and balance. These elements all have a specific effect on an audience and are an important part of communicating a message in any design. For instance, contrast emphasizes particular aspects of a design or evokes certain feelings in the viewer. Balance can create a feeling of tension or stability, both of which affect the viewer in different ways.

Designers who understand design theory can make better creative choices because they know how these choices will affect an audience. They combine a knowledge of design elements with the specific purpose a design intends to achieve. Thanks to understanding how design works, designers can create a finished product that looks the way they want it to and does what they intend.

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What Can You Do with Design Theory?

Design-related careers exist in different industries, and design theory is an essential foundation for many jobs. Designers work in fields like advertising, video editing, magazine publishing, and website creation. They create an array of different products, including advertisements, website graphics, and product packaging. Some designers work on digital designs, such as social media graphics, while others design for non-digital products, like books or business cards.

Almost every industry needs designers, so there will likely be a design job to match every interest. Web design is one popular field that involves creating and maintaining websites. Motion design is another popular design career. In this job, designers apply graphic design principles to filmmaking and video production. Augmented reality design is a newer design field. Designers who work in augmented reality enhance the real-world environment with virtual content, helping to improve the way people interact with the world.

Why Are Video Tutorials Helpful When Learning Design Theory?

Some people believe that videos are an effective learning tool because they involve multi-sensory learning. When people watch videos, they look at images, hear sounds, and read text, which means they are engaging multiple senses at once. Proponents of multi-sensory learning argue that using all of these senses simultaneously helps students understand the topic more deeply.

Videos can also be a very convenient way to learn. Not only do they allow students to watch from any location or device and at any time, but videos can be paused whenever needed and rewatched as many times as desired. This allows students to learn at their own pace and more easily master a topic. 

Design theory is the study of visual concepts, so for this topic, videos can be a beneficial resource for students. In fact, it would be challenging to learn design theory without using videos and other visual aids.

Types of Design Theory Videos

Only some design theory videos on the internet have been created by a design expert. There are hundreds of different design theory videos online. Students can find online tutorials and seminars discussing every facet of design, particularly on YouTube. While users can benefit from so many choices, they need to look for videos that come from reliable sources.

Noble Desktop offers many free design theory videos on its own YouTube channel. These videos include overviews, such as Get Started in Design, which gives viewers a look at the many different types of digital design. There are also a number of videos that focus on specific types of design, such as Get Started in Video Editing and Intro to Adobe Creative Cloud.

Why Learn Design Theory?

By studying design theory, designers can learn to create better designs. This field of study gives students a deeper understanding of the different elements of an image and how these elements work together to influence the viewer. For instance, colors can be combined or contrasted in various ways to create certain feelings in the audience. With the knowledge of how color and all the other parts of design work, professional designers can make better creative decisions and produce designs that effectively communicate messages.

The principles of design theory can also help designers solve design problems. Every design project includes certain challenges or frustrations. Still, designers who understand why they are using various elements in their design are better equipped to solve any problems they encounter.

Designers who know design theory can talk about their designs confidently and knowledgeably because they understand how and why those designs work. This can be beneficial during a job interview because a designer can confidently explain a portfolio. It can also give designers an advantage when presenting designs to clients or employers. A strong understanding of design theory can also make designers more attractive to employers and clients because it allows them to present their work more effectively.

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How Difficult is It to Learn Design Theory?

Some people think that design is just about being creative or artistic, but designers need to learn many different skills and theories to start creating their own designs. Mastering these skills can take varying amounts of time, depending on the experience and persistence of the student. Some students might be able to learn design theory quickly, while for others, the process might take years. For all students, practice is an essential part of mastering design theory. Formal education is also necessary for most people.

Design theory has no formal prerequisites; however, some design classes may require students to have certain skills, such as knowledge of specific design programs or applications. Many design classes focus on a particular type of design, such as web or graphic design, so students will probably need to narrow their design interests to one of these fields to pick a class.

Just as the time required to master design theory varies widely, so does its cost. Many design classes include design theory instruction, so students wanting to pursue this field typically have some options. Certificate programs are one of the more comprehensive types of classes. They usually take longer to complete than other types of programs, but they give students a good understanding of the fundamentals. Certificate programs can cost up to $5,000; however, many schools offer payment plans.

Read about how difficult it is to learn design theory.

Learn Design Theory with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

No matter your schedule or learning style, you can find a design theory course at Noble Desktop. The school runs many different in-person classes at its Manhattan campus, as well as a variety of online courses. Whether online or in-person, all class groups are small and feature instructors who are experts in their fields. In addition, Noble offers a free retake option, where students can choose to retake a course once within a year. Students who opt for the free retake can gain additional design skills without paying for another class.

Design classes come in many different forms. Design bootcamps are one popular way to learn design theory and other design skills and can be a good way for students to master new skills quickly. Graphic Design Portfolio Bootcamp is just one of many different design bootcamps offered by Noble Desktop. In this class, students learn graphic design theory and techniques. For students interested in other types of design, Noble provides a long list of different bootcamps, including a Sketch Bootcamp and a UI Design Bootcamp.

A design certificate can be a good option for those who want more in-depth training. These courses generally run longer than bootcamps and provide a deeper level of design education. Digital Design Certificate is one of Noble’s many certificate classes in the design field. This course is intended to create well-rounded Digital Designers and includes vital design concepts and theory. Like many other bootcamps, it also provides job support.