master visual communication

with the most comprehensive online training series of 12 courses

covering over 500 design principles, rules and terms!

Master visual communication with the most comprehensive online training series of 12 courses covering over 500 design principles, rules and terms!

"WHat Am I missing?"

You might be good at using design applications like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign — the 'how.’ It is now time to learn the elusive side of graphic design, beyond skills — the 'why.’

The secret ingredient that can elevate your work is Graphic Design Theory. It’s the 'why' behind every decision you make as a graphic designer. It is the key to make a lasting visual impact on your audience.

The Graphic Design Theory Series was made to help you evolve from a mere user of design applications to a true expert of effective visual communication. The knowledge you can acquire here will help you whether you are a seasoned creative professional or just starting out as a graphic designer, and it will serve you for the rest of your life.

You might be good at using design applications like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign — the 'how.’ It is now time to learn the elusive side of graphic design, beyond skills — the 'why.’

Control the balance, rhythm and visual hierarchy to amaze your clients

This course will give you the knowledge to always make the right choices and make every single project a success.

You will clearly understand how to use focal points, proportions, contrast, colors, harmony, and rhythm—every element to create the exact effect you want for your viewers.

Learn how people react to visuals, what they find appealing, what grabs their attention and what will motivate them to buy or make a decision.

The most in-depth resource

What makes learning about design theory so difficult is not only that it is a vast subject, but that everything is related.

This is why I worked for more than a year on this series, creating the most extensive library on graphic design theory you will ever find, explained in a clear, to-the-point and practical way.

Within the course, there are about 100 creative exercises, with more than 80 inspiration boards. We also cover over 500 definitions and analyze more than 1000 design examples.

You can also test your knowledge with analysis worksheets, term glossaries and quizzes.

courses

100+

exercises

500+

terms

1000+

references

Training series, handbook or resource library — your choice!

The most unique feature of the Graphic Design Theory Series is that you can pick any lesson from any of the 12 courses and it will make sense on its own. You don't have to watch the lessons in any particular order.

You can use this vast resource of knowledge as your own graphic design theory library, where you will always find answers and inspiration whenever you feel stuck with a creative project.

Boost your confidence by understanding how to make engaging, clear and effective compositions and learn the language of design in order to communicate with clients, printers, developers and other creative professionals.

Liam C. Kelley

I've taken courses from Lynda, Skillshare, etc. and know my way around the various Adobe products. However, I am really learning a ton from Martin. Even when I watch basic videos like "drawing" in Illustrator, I find myself saying "Oh! I did not know that!!" This series is very well designed, and Martin is an excellent educator.

Whether you are starting out or want to make sure that you are really getting everything you can out of Adobe products, this is a great place to do it. Yes, Martin has a lot of stuff on YouTube, but the information in this series is structured and organized, so you can clearly progress and learn skills in an efficient manner.

Main topics we cover in this series:

Color & Contrast

Hue, chroma, saturation, value, tone, shade, tint, color spaces, color wheel, color temperature, meanings of colors, color harmonies, perception of color, color blindness, types of contrast, etc.

typography

Type anatomy, pairing fonts, legibility, readability, alignment, justification, ligatures, calligraphy, handlettering, leading, tracking, kerning, rags & rivers, orphans & widows, using text for visual interest, etc.

psychology of design

Gestalt principles: closure, continuity, figure-ground, common fate, simplicity, symmetry, past experience, similarity, uniform connectedness, common regions, proximity, etc.

unity & harmony

Repetition, consistency, visual tempo, random rhythm, alternating rhythm, flowing rhythm, progressive rhythm, variety, framing, pattern, motif, grouping, containers, holding devices, etc.

space

Depth, overlap, overlay, shape, form, texture, perspective, leading lines, negative space, white space, proximity, foreshortening, implied space, vanishing point, volume, micro/macro space, etc.

composition & layout

Rule of thirds, golden ratio, golden spiral, direction, flow, silhouette, contour, outline, profile, line, tangent, reading gravity, primary optical area, open/closed composition, masthead, running head, etc.

balance

Visual weight, reflectional symmetry, radial symmetry, asymmetry, alignment, modular grids, spatial zones, colum grids, baseline grid, optical movement, medium disturbance, illusory motion, orientation, viewpoint, etc.

hierarchy

Focal point, entry point, information prioritization, dominance, emphasis, scale, position, proportion, exaggeration, propositional density, accent color, deep propositon, etc.

process of design

Stages of creative process, tools of the trade, creative brief, contract, research, moodboards, sketching, brainstorming, ideation, mind maps, presentation, client feedback, iteraton, delivery, design contests, creative portfolio, etc.

print design

Resolution, color separation, bleed, offset printing, digital printing, screen printing, foil stamping, coating, embossing, bindery, paper types, color management, logo design, brochures, posters, editorial design, packaging, etc.

web & digital design

Navigation, usability, file formats, screen sizes, responsive design, UX/UI design, app design, design systems, icon design, banner ads, social media design, digital publishing, motion design, AR & VR, etc.

graphic Design theory series

Available as a bundle for single purchase:

BUY for lifetime access | $197

or access with our

PLUS Membership

MONTHLY

subscription

$35 / Month

Access to the entire Graphic Design Theory Series
Access all our Graphic- & Motion Design MasterClasses
Access the Graphic Design Bootcamp and the Starter Community
Follow along with Exercise Files
Get Certifications when completing courses

Real design projects with feedback from the instructor? That is our Pro Membership for just $67/month!

Find Out More

Nunzia Terminiello

When I started this series three months ago, I had no experience in Graphic Design but thanks to Martin’s lessons and his advice, I’ve really learnt a lot. All the lessons are well organised and clearly explained and this has definitely given me confidence of developing the skills I needed.

Besides, I love the fact that he dedicates his time to review our works and gives a lot of precious insights. I’m really happy to be part of this group!

creatives, artists, bloggers, marketers -

PROFESSIONALs & HOBBYISTS
alike

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who would benefit the most by learning Design Theory

This training series is a perfect fit for any field where visual communication and aesthetic harmony are important.
For graphic designers in particular, this knowledge will begin to elevate everything you already do well, making your workflow more enjoyable and your end result much more satisfying. This course will suit you if:

You are a freelance graphic designer and you want to win clients over every single time.
You have a hobby or a little side project, which requires creating visuals (blog, vlog, social media profile, publication etc.)
You are an ambitious entrepreneur or marketer and you want to get the best value for your money when working with creative freelancers or agencies.
Your career would benefit from understanding design principles even without skills in design applications. You love aesthetics, whether in art, photography, a beautiful webpage, or a stunning video game — and you'd love to understand what makes some designs better than others.

The Graphic Design Theory Series is available as a single bundle purchase with Lifetime Access to all chapters. It is also included in our Plus and Pro Memberships.

Plus Membership

Access to all of our MasterClasses and Theory series

$35/ month

join now

Included in the Plus Membership

Everything from the Starter Membership, plus
Our new Graphic Design Theory MasterClass Series
All Graphic Design MasterClasses on Photoshop*, Illustrator*, Lightroom and InDesign
All Motion Design MasterClasses on Premiere Pro, After Effects and Cinema4D
A preparation guide to the Adobe ACA Exam

* These Applications have both a desktop and iPad version with seperate MasterClasses for each

Single purchase

Lifetime access to the entire
Graphic Design Theory Series

$197

buy now

What you will get

Lifetime access to our new Graphic Design Theory MasterClass Series (12 Courses)
All future updates and added lessons
You won't need an active membership to access the Theory MasterClass Series
Certifications upon each course completion

30 Days Money Back Guarantee

We want you to get the most from your learning experience with Yes I'm a Designer. However, if you change your mind for whatever reason, we offer a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Just get in touch with us so we can either help you get the results you need or give you a swift refund.
(We cannot process refunds to students who have completed more than 10% of any selected course.)

“

I feel that you and your contributor in your company are very good instructors. You gave me a lot of experience in graphic design, Photography, Typography and Illustrations. It helps me near my other lesson in Belgium in graphic design. Thanks a lot for your tutorials!

Ellen

“

It was great starter course! I liked how it was short and sweet, straight to the point. Sometimes I find that online courses can have a lot of fluff just to make it longer to justify the price of the course. This was not like that at all. I will be taking more courses from Martin and the Yes I'm a Designer team.

Monique Partington

Which Membership is the best for me?

Please keep in mind that the Theory MasterClass Series is only available in the Plus and Pro tier.

Features	Starter $19 / month	plus $35 / month	Pro $67 / month $670 / year
Access to the Graphic Design Starter Bootcamp & Starter Community The Bootcamp is a 3-months-long guided learning program for beginner students or hobbyist designers with fun projects and a supportive community of like-minded students.
Certification for each completed course Both Martin (graphic design) and Ozgur (motion graphics) are renowned masters of their field, and among the best Adobe Certified Instructors globally. You will get a signed certificate for each course you complete.
Quizzes, downloadable exercise files & resources Test your knowledge by taking quizzes and practice everything you learn with structured exercises and useful training materials.
Creative community Be inspired by joining a thriving community of creative spirits. Share your work to get valuable feedback from fellow students.
All our MasterClasses and the Graphic Design Theory Series Choose from 9 complete MasterClasses to learn industry-standard design applications like Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro or Cinema 4D. You can also access all 12 courses of the comprehensive Graphic Design Theory series.	N/A
Access our entire course library In addition to our Masterclasses, you will have access to project-based courses such as the Character Design course or the 365 Days of Creativity, which help more experienced students improve their portfolios and create stunning design pieces.	N/A	N/A
Creative projects with personalised feedback Choose from various Career Paths like (Graphic Design, Illustration, UX & Web Design, Logo etc.) and get monthly feedback and guidance on your work from us.	N/A	N/A
Interactive webinars and priority support Take part in monthly live events and speak with Martin and his team of creative professionals.	N/A	N/A
Start Your Membership now ❯	$19 / month Starter	$35 / month plus	$67 / month $670 / year Pro

What our students say

“

I have been using I am a designer course for nearly a month and so far I can say that It is one of the best decision I have taken in the last months. After long thinking how to better my skills in photoshop and InDesign as well as Illustrator, and visiting a lot of online academy, I enrolled in this course, Yes Im a designer and very happy with my choice. The explanations are very clear and up to any level. Lots of example are provide as well as the quiz to rapidly assess yourself. Also, I love the idea of the assignment and getting a real feedback. I do believe that this last point will help me to take the right design decisions.

Maravillas

“

Hello (Ciao !) I have taken many online courses from Udemy to Domestika from Lynda to Plurasight but I find your courses to be the first. Everything is explained in a simple way. Martin is great ! and his voice guides the student in an excellent way; the voice of the teacher in online course is very important as well as the examples provided during the lesson. Everything is really well done!

Pierfrancesco Valgimigli

“

The Master Courses are awesome! The Teacher (Martin Perhiniak) is the professionalist, explains every detail calmly and clearly, with a lot of examples. It’s a real pleasure and fun to learn from you! Within the Standard membership I’ve received not only the Masterclass courses but also a bunch of Free welcome gifts (thank you Shumi :), exercise-files to fix the knowledge and just practice, and also quizzes - great way to test myself if I understood everything properly :) I’m in the middle of the Illustrator Master Class 2021, I can’t wait to go further with other courses! :) Thank you “Yes I’m a designer team”! I recommend your courses to everyone, not only beginners but also more advanced users to strengthen their designer’s skills and have a great fun with graphic programs. Wiewiorka_ojoj

Wiewiorka_ojoj

“

I am currently working through PS course. This is first time I am working with Photoshop. This course is an excellent guide for a very beginner as I am. Course is well designed divided into sections with a quiz at the end of each section. I am watching videos daily and practicing at the same time, The course provides a lot of useful information with examples. I am planning to take illustrator and In design to start with and hoping to manage some small projects between, to practice. There are plenty of other resources available on the website, as well and there are also some practice projects and webinars. Its a very well designed program and many hours of valuable videos. I am looking forward to my future projects and new ideas. I am inspired and I am fully satisfied with the content and the service.

Helena

“

I know I'm only in week 1. But I have done more with photoshop this week than ever done previously. And I never thought I would grasp the essentials of indesign and illustrator as quickly as I have (because I have never used them before). Martin is a fabulous instructor. I was wary about taking the 'design' step. I am so glad I have - after this week I am A LOT more confident of smashing this. Amazing Martin - thank you!

Emma

“

I purchased the Illustrator Master Class and am nearing the end of the course. I have really enjoyed Martin's clear and straight to the point explanations. I have tried other courses but never found them to be of this caliber. I would certainly recommend either Illustrator, or any of his other courses for that matter, to anyone looking to get up to date with Adobe applications. Sr. Sabina Tokyo

Sabina

“

Professional and engaging course. Some of the tips were a review for me, as I took many classes with Adobe products back in college. More of the newer features were of great value to me, as well as getting a refresher on some shortcuts and less used features such as 3D or video. Quizzes were a great way to make sure I got all the content too.

Desiree

“

I've completed 2 Martin's big courses this year - Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop Masterclass and I really enjoyed them. I've learned many new things and got excellent explanations on how certain things work. I would recommend to anyone interested in the design to check out I'm a Designer website and find suitable courses for them. Thank you Martin

Juri No987

“

I actually took Martin's InDesign Masterclass course several years ago when I started working in communications, and I came out of it with the ability to be extremely efficient with one of my recurring tasks (monthly PDF newsletter). When the opportunity for professional development came up at work this year, I decided to go back to Martin's courses after having tried to up-skill other Adobe software using our company's Pluralsight subscription and not being too happy with the results. I was so glad to find out that Yes I'm a Designer now offers Premiere Pro and After Effects courses along with Illustrator and Photoshop, which made the monthly subscription a better sell for me at work (when I took InDesign, I only signed up for that course instead of going with the subscription, since there were much fewer courses back in the day). I just finished the Illustrator Masterclass and am working my way through Photoshop, and I can recommend the Masterclasses even for people who already use the software regularly but were initially self taught, so perhaps didn't know all the tips and tricks that can end up saving a ton of time on a project and make the tasks more fun. Obviously, if you're a beginner (like I was with InDesign back in the day), these courses are also perfect.

Layla

“

This was such a clear and well paced course. I appreciated that the instructor would always say the shortcuts he used as a reminder of what was learned in previous lessons. It definitely helped me remember and I’m excited to start using the program instead of feeling intimidated by it.

Sarah C

Some of the brands learning from our courses

Find out more about our other Membership options:

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Pro Membership

Are you a beginner and Want to
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By signing up you agree to receive educational content, extra course support, updates and offers by email from Yes I'm a Designer (this is necessary to receive the Designer Survival Kit email lessons). You can unsubscribe from these separately and it will not affect your access to the video lessons. For more info please read our Privacy policy.

More experienced?

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Meet Your Instructor...

Martin Perhiniak

Martin is a graphic designer, illustrator and an Adobe Certified Instructor. He was recently voted one of the Top 10 Adobe Instructors in the World.

Before launching Yes I'm a Designer, Martin worked as a designer for Pixar, BBC, Mattel and Accenture, and taught teams at Transport for London, Google, Ben & Jerry's and Oxford University Press.

Martin regularly speaks at industry events; most recently Adobe MAX, the ultimate creative conference.

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master visual communication

with the most comprehensive online training series of 12 courses

covering over 500 design principles, rules and terms!