What is the Fastest Way to Learn Design?

If you need to learn design quickly, you’ll find that the fastest training option depends on your specific objectives and current skill level. Whether you aim to familiarize yourself with basic design principles for a personal project or plan to launch a professional career in the field, streamlined classes are available to help you achieve your goals as efficiently as possible. This article will guide you through your design learning options, from free resources and introductory courses to certificate-granting programs and on-demand classes. By understanding the various course formats available, you’ll be able to choose the approach that best aligns with your personal objectives and time constraints, enabling you to start creating impactful designs sooner than you might think.

Free Resources: The Very Basics

Free learning resources may be the fastest option for individuals whose goals are extremely simple, such as gaining a quick overview of foundational design principles or working with layers in Photoshop. YouTube videos, podcasts, blogs, and online forums are just a few free online resources available that learners can use to answer quick design-related questions or stay in the know about the latest industry news. Design training schools like Noble Desktop provide exceptional free design seminars ideal for beginners who need a quick introduction to tools like Illustrator or Figma or skill sets such as motion graphics design or digital design. Similarly, Adobe provides free tutorials for learners who need a fast introduction to any Creative Cloud applications vital for design work today. While these free resources—along with library books and free design articles in Noble Desktop’s Learn Hub—are far from the fastest way to gain a comprehensive, professional level of design training, they can help learners answer basic questions and gain familiarity with simple topics in anywhere from a few minutes to two hours or so.

Introductory Classes: For Students Looking to Become Comfortable with Design

Short courses offered by reputable professional training centers like Noble Desktop can be the most efficient learning option for those seeking a swift yet detailed introduction to design. These classes, which typically span from a few hours to a few days, offer a concentrated dose of design fundamentals or focused instruction on specific design software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. This format is particularly suited to busy professionals or curious beginners who want to grasp design basics without committing to lengthy programs. The brief duration allows students to quickly acquire essential skills, often within a weekend, making it easy to fit into packed schedules.

These introductory courses generally cover foundational design principles, basic software skills, and standard design practices applicable across various projects. While they may delve less deeply into advanced techniques or complex design theory, they provide a solid groundwork for further learning. Students can expect to learn how to navigate design software, understand basic layout principles, and create simple designs. The flexibility in scheduling and frequent offerings of these short courses make them accessible to learners with varying time constraints.

For those interested in exploring specific design niches, introductory classes focus on areas like graphic design, web design, or user interface design. While these courses tend to prioritize practical skills, some may touch on design thinking and basic aesthetic principles, giving students a taste of both the technical and creative aspects of design work.

Certificate-Granting Programs: For Aspiring Professionals

For those whose design learning goals are launching careers such as Graphic Designer, Motion Graphics Designer, or Digital Designer, certificate-granting programs and career-focused bootcamps are the fastest path to their objectives. Certificate programs and bootcamps on skill sets like web design and UX design provide students with all the theoretical and practical training necessary to excel in an entry-level job in the discipline covered by the program. These classes typically run on a full-time schedule for a few weeks, though Noble Desktop and some other professional schools allow students to attend part-time over a few months. The most immersive design course format available, certificate programs teach the essential software of their discipline—often Adobe Creative Cloud applications—and ample support through hands-on projects to assemble a professional portfolio by the end of the class. 

While certificate-granting design programs don’t provide the depth and comprehensiveness of training as college degrees, their training is sufficient for preparing students to land their first job in the field. Comparing their costs and length—two to four years for a degree versus roughly six weeks to six months for a design certificate program—the latter is the class format of choice for those most interested in learning design as quickly as possible to land a job in any area of design. Design certificate programs also usually feature career support such as resume-building assistance and interview prep that can further expedite learners’ path to breaking into the design sector of their choice. 

On-Demand Courses: It's Hard to Tell

Also commonly known as self-paced classes, on-demand courses often catch the attention of individuals interested in learning design as quickly as possible due to their unique structure that allows students to move as fast or slow through the curriculum as they like. Due to the extensive number of variables in this course format, even offering a range of durations a learner may anticipate is a challenge. On-demand classes provide the benefit of no set schedule, meaning students can start the class immediately upon enrollment, which may be appealing to those who need to meet their learning objectives fast. However, the lack of access to a live instructor usually makes these classes take longer to complete than their live online or in-person counterparts, as students are likely to run into roadblocks and struggle to answer questions without an expert instructor's real-time guidance and feedback.

Platforms like Coursera and Udemy host on-demand design courses on most skill sets and tools of the field, with options ranging in size from introductory classes to bootcamps intended to prepare students to launch a new career in graphic design, UX design, and other sectors. Most learners will find that the live instructor, set schedule, and other features of live classes make them worth a higher price compared to prepackaged on-demand courses that can quickly become outdated in the always-evolving topic of design. However, on-demand design classes can be the fastest solution for some, especially self-driven learners needing something similar to but a bit deeper than what free resources can provide, such as an introduction to basic graphic design principles or an overview of using After Effects to bring 3D animation to motion graphics designs.

Learn Design Skills with Noble Desktop

Design and coding school Noble Desktop provides a vast menu of design classes led by live expert instructors whether you choose to attend in-person in NYC or live online from anywhere in the world. Their flexible scheduling options allow you to participate as a full-time or part-time student, ensuring you can meet your learning goals no matter your current calendar. Noble Desktop provides classes in a variety of scopes and design-related topics, from beginner-friendly short courses on tools like Photoshop or After Effects to comprehensive career-focused certificate programs in various design disciplines, including graphic design, web design, UX/UI design, motion graphics design, and video editing. Noble keeps their class size small to ensure all learners can receive personalized guidance and immediate feedback from their expert instructors, all of whom are experienced industry professionals invested in the success of their students. In fact, Noble Desktop’s dedication to helping their students achieve their goals is evident in its many perks, including verified digital certificates of completion, free retakes of all their courses within one year, and one-on-one mentorship in all career-focused certificate classes. 

If you’re interested in learning design skills to launch a career as a Graphic Designer, you may wish to enroll in Noble Desktop’s Graphic Design Certificate program. Students in this course will learn essential graphic design principles and turn them into practical knowledge through extensive hands-on projects, creating projects such as signage, infographics, product packaging, logos, and branded merchandise. Students will be job-ready by the end of the certificate program, having built expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and they will have a professional quality portfolio ready to showcase their design skills to prospective employers alongside their impressive verified certificate of completion for the program.

Noble Desktop’s Digital Design Certificate program will arm you with the design skills you need to work in digital design, user interface (UI) design, web design, or graphic design. In this certificate program, you’ll learn the core tools of the trade—Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma—and key digital design concepts and theory. With no coding required, this program allows you to focus on what matters to you—designing aesthetically pleasing and functional user interfaces, websites, and other digital products. Like all of Noble Desktop’s Certificate Programs, the Digital Design Certificate features one-on-one mentorship for career support, portfolio-building assistance, and a verified digital certificate of completion.

Noble Desktop’s Motion Graphics Certificate program offers practical training in motion graphics and visual effects using Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Audition, and Cinema 4D in After Effects. With the help of your expert instructors, you’ll develop skills in motion graphics design, animation, and video production. With career support, portfolio-building assistance, and a free retake option, students will be ready to impress hiring managers looking for a new entry-level Motion Graphics Designer.