Design masterclass 6 days

At a glance

Central LondonOnline, Instructor-led
9.30am–4.30pm
Workbook & supportSupport
Lunch & refreshmentsVideo recording of course

6 days
Accelerated learning
Business: £837711+VAT
Charity: £711604+VAT (£853.20724.80)

Course dates

Remote

31 March–01 April 2025, 12–13 May 2025, 02–03 June 2025
09–10 June 2025, 16–17 June 2025, 07–08 July 2025
14–15 July 2025, 21–22 July 2025, 11–12 August 2025
18–19 August 2025, 01–02 September 2025, 15–16 September 2025
22–23 September 2025, 29–30 September 2025, 20–21 October 2025
27–28 October 2025, 03–04 November 2025, 24–25 November 2025

Course dates

Remote

31 March–01 April 2025, 12–13 May 2025, 02–03 June 2025
09–10 June 2025, 16–17 June 2025, 07–08 July 2025
14–15 July 2025, 21–22 July 2025, 11–12 August 2025
18–19 August 2025, 01–02 September 2025, 15–16 September 2025
22–23 September 2025, 29–30 September 2025, 20–21 October 2025
27–28 October 2025, 03–04 November 2025, 24–25 November 2025

Option to split dates when booking

We are not currently offering this course as classroom training

Book now

Overview

The design fast track course is perfect for those that are starting their design journey and are looking to gain skills in InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.

This course will be delivered through our Accelerated learning approach, allowing you to learn more information, easier and more efficiently than standard training approaches.

Target Audience

This course is for designers, marketers, developers or anyone looking to learn how create professional looking documents, images and illustrations.

Upon completion, you'll be able to:

InDesign

Navigate the InDesign interface and understand the core features
Design a variety of marketing materials for print, web and mobile
Use layers, paragraph styles, frames and more will become second nature
Take advantage of the core features that enhance productivity, managing data and more

Photoshop

Navigate the Photoshop interface and understand the core features
Understand how layers and layer masks work and how to adjust accordingly
Take advantage of the various export options, whether that's for web, print or other intents
Crop, create a composition, work with type, colour correction and lots more

Illustrator

Navigate the Illustrator interface and understand the core features
Master colour, basic shapes and how to get the most out of the layers panel
Take advantage of artboards, paths, the pen tool, graphic styles and more
Create documents for web or print and learn best practises for saving, printing and exporting

Accelerated learning

Our Accelerated learning approach at Certitec is unique within the Adobe training industry. Our focus is not on what you learn, but how you learn. Referred to as ‘Accelerated Learning’, this process allows you to digest a significant amount of information more quickly, and more easily than through other methods.

Accelerated learning

Establish a firm understanding on the learning process before embarking
Overcoming any learned helplessness by reframing what will be learnt upon completion
Sessions no longer than 60 minutes each to maximise how we learn
The use of course workbooks to strengthen memory retention (classroom)
Finding a balance between new and recap learning
Kinaesthetic (‘hands-on’) techniques
Video of entire course upon completion (remote)

Find out more about our Accelerated learning process.

Outline

What to expect from this course

This six day design masterclass will begin with two days of InDesign training, where you'll get to grips with the InDesign interface, before learning how to design a variety of documents, format with paragraph styles, work with layers, object styles and more.

Part two of the design masterclass is centred around Photoshop. You'll begin your journey by understanding the Photoshop interface and learn how to create new images, adjust colour on existing images, combine text and imagery, plus more.

The final two days are focused Illustrator. Like InDesign and Photoshop, you'll begin by mastering the Illustrator interface and learn how to create new images, adjust colour on existing images, combine text and imagery and more.

After the six days of training you'll be in the position to take full advantage of what InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator have to offer.

Show all Hide all

Day one – Laying down a firm InDesign foundation

Introduction to the workspace

Main menu bar
Workspaces
Control panel
Tool panel
Panels - pages, layers and links
Strokes and swatches
Document status
Page navigation, preflight profile and preflight menu

Designing documents

Creating a new document
Print, mobile or web
Number of pages
Facing pages
Columns
Margins
Bleed and slug
What type of document - intent
Setting up for print
Setting for web
Setting for mobile
Adding colours
Rgb and cmyk

Working with frames

What are frames?
The types of frames - text, graphic and unassigned
Creating text frames
Creating graphic frames
Creating unassigned frames
Working with frames
Creating text wrap

Using type and styles

Selecting type
Creating type frames
Selecting type
Insert place holder
Placeholder text
Formatting type
Paragraph styles
Character styles
Import styles from another InDesign document
Working with CC libraries

Working with graphics

Placing graphics into InDesign
Basic placement methods
Raster images (pixel based)
Vector images (mathamatically based)
Linked graphics
Embed graphics
Images for print
Images for screen/web
Positioning and resizing
Autofit graphics into an existing frame
Change size and position within a frame
Changing frame sizes
Transparency

Day two – Building on that foundation

Creating a multi page document

Create a new document
Margins and columns
For printed output
For PDF production
For delivery on the web or mobile devices
Page sizes
Orientation - landscape or portrait
Page format
Facing or non-facing
Bleed and slug
Master pages
Repeating content
Automatic page numbering

Working with layers

Why use layers
Locking layers
Creating layers
Layers panel
Moving content to different layers
Hide layer
Lock layers

Working with threaded text

Importing text
Formats of text
Copy and paste text
Import Microsoft Word text without style sheets
Import Microsoft Word text with style sheets
Placeholder text
Overset text
Threading text
Threading options

Day three – The key concepts of Adobe Photoshop

Introduction - basic concepts

Pixel resolution
Colour RGB v CMYK
Preferences - light or dark
Interface - panels, option bar and toolbox
Workspaces - saving
Concept of anti-aliasing

Navigation

Getting around an image
Zoom Tool
Hand Tool - Spacebar
Short cuts to views

Opening and closing

File formats available
Saving format

Digital Fundamentals

Resolution
Resizing and interpolation
Removing items with Generative Fill

Basic Brush Skills

Selecting a brush
Brush sizes
Painting with brushes

Introduction to selections

Geometric marque tool
Create new layers
Concept of masking
Layers and layer masks
Lasso and polygon lasso

Cropping and straightening

Crop tool
Non-destructive cropping
Straighten tool
Generative Expand

Day four – Understanding the bigger picture

Colour basics

Colour wheel
Compare RGB - CMYK
Colour settings
Proof colours

Basic Colour Correction

Assessing images
Auto correction
Adjustment layers
Creating greyscale images
Sepia effects

Creating a composition

Selections
Layer styles
Drag and drop
The story of silly leaf and smart leaf
Adjustment layers and masks
Painting v gradients masks
Place - link or embedded

Working with Type

Adobe type
Type 101
Point and area type

Blur and sharpen

Smart filtering for blur
Smart filters for sharpening

Export options

Understanding a PSD
Save-as or export
For web
For print
For Adobe Express

Create panorama

Photomerge
Retouching with Generative Fill
Remove Tool

Day five – Understanding basic Illustrator concepts

Essential Illustrator concepts

What are vector graphics?
Illustrator and Photoshop
Illustrator and Adobe Express

The Illustrator interface

Exploring panels and workspaces
Using the control panel
Navigation
Preview options
Setting up your document
Managing a custom workspace

Creating new documents for print or web

Advanced document controls
Modifying your document
Changing units of measurement
Working with grids
Working with guides
Smart guides

Working with colour

Adjusting Illustrator colour settings
Process or global swatches
Basics of the colour guide panel
The colour panel
RGB v CMYK
Defining swatches
Working with gradients

Selection essentials

The selection, direct and group selection tools
The lasso tool
Magic wand
Select same
Editing anchor points
The bounding box

Basic Shapes

Exploring the various shape tools
Understanding fills and strokes
Compound shapes
Pathfinder options
Duplicate objects
Fill and stroke attributes
Grouping

Transformation Tools

Scale
Rotate
Shear
Reflect

Alignment, distribution and spacing

Aligning, distribution and spacing to selected objects
Aligning, distribution and spacing to artboard
Aligning, distribution and spacing to key object

Understanding the layers panel

Visibility and locking
Selecting via the layers panel
Sub-layers
Deleting layers
Grouping and naming layers
Changing the stacking order
Moving objects from one layer to another
Copying objects from one layer to another
Adjusting layer previews

Object transformations and duplicating

Moving and copying objects
Rotating and scaling objects
The transform panel

Basic text editing

Creating point text
Creating area text
Text formatting
Creating text threads

Day six – Developing the understanding

Placing images

Working with images
Using the links panel
The basics of image trace
An introduction to live paint

Working with artboards

Working with different page sizes
Re-sizing and modifying artboards
Creating new artboards and copying artboards
The artboard panel

Working with paths and the pen tool

Understanding vectors - paths and anchors
Drawing straight segments
Adding curvature
Working with open and closed paths
Joining and averaging paths
Adjusting control handles
Using pathfinder

Working with brushes

The calligraphic brush
The scatter brush
The art brush
The pattern brush
The bristle brushes

Graphic styles

Exploring the appearance panel
Creating graphic style

Working with symbols

What are symbols?
Using the symbols libraries
Using the symbol sprayer tool
Creating new symbols
Breaking the symbol link
Redefining symbols

Working with type

Creating a grid with guides
Working with point type
Working with area type
Formatting text
Tracking and kerning
Saving time with keyboard shortcuts

Working with images

Embedding images into Illustrator
Masking images
Deeper into image trace
Using live paint and fixing problems
Clipping masks

Saving, printing and exporting

Saving to legacy formats
Saving templates
Saving for the web
Creating bitmap images
Using Illustrator files in InDesign and Photoshop
Creating PDF files
Libraries
Brand Libraries and Express

Classroom trainint

Advantages of classroom training

Classroom training has many advantages over other formats of training since in-person interaction and communication plays an extremely important part to absorbing information.

Classroom training allows you to get trained in a safe, quiet, clean environment, away from the noise and pressures of the office or home. The classroom environment provides the important “human touch,” which is often missing in technology-based training.

You can’t beat real life interaction when asking important questions and receiving immediate feedback.

Other benefits of classroom training include:

Group interaction. People learn from one another as well as from the trainer
Training groups can be large or small
Classroom training also teaches us how to interact with one another in a professional, productive, cooperative way, which is something that other forms of training often don’t provide

Remote training

Remote professional Adobe training allows high-quality training to be delivered anywhere globally.

In addition to the positive aspect of no travel, our remote training courses also allow you to interact with the trainer and ask questions just like you were right in front of them.

Our remote training courses include videos, which makes them extremely valuable when you wish to review some or all of the courses you just completed to keep things fresh and thus increase memory retention.

FAQs

Is the training just 'watching', or is it interactive?

The training is interactive, just like in the training room with the trainer. You will download the training files and work with your experienced instructor through modular exercises.

Is there any pre or post-study required before undertaking any course?

No, there is none. - If you have booked an 'Adobe certified' course with us, you can view some sample documents we send before your exam. However, this might only affect your scoring by a couple of percent.

What if I am unwell on the morning of my course?

This is just fine from a course perspective since you can re-arrange it again (according to our course schedule) for no fee.

What are the training times?

We start at 9.30 am and finish at 4.30 pm with plenty of breaks and 40 minutes for lunch.

Can I jump immediately to an advanced course?

Delegates attending an Advanced course must already possess at least 85% of the knowledge of the (previous) Introduction course. This is so you are not out of your depth in the Advanced course, and other delegates might not be affected.

Can I work on my agenda during the training?

Our courses are scheduled and run with the same outline and objectives. While our trainers can answer some ad hoc questions, we cannot provide specific information on your project.

Do I receive a video after my course is completed?

You will receive a video of the applicable course for future playback when you complete your course.

Is there any technical support afterwards?

We don’t leave you high and dry after your course. Our technical support is provided for a lifetime.

Will I get a certificate for attending?

Yes - your certificate of attendance will be emailed after completing your training course.

How do I obtain the Adobe Creative Cloud software?

Adobe offers a free trial for each application if you wish to try before subscribing.

What is Adobe certification?

Become an Adobe certified professional, build a unique portfolio, and gain a professional certification communicating your advanced Adobe knowledge. That’s what becoming Adobe certified is about.

What if I fail my Adobe certification exam?

Should you not pass the first time, you can retake the exam (up to 2 separate free attempts are allowed) for no charge when the course runs again in our schedule.

I become Adobe certified a couple of years ago. Does this mean I'm still Adobe certified?

When you pass an Adobe certified professional (or the retired Adobe certified associate) exam, you will always be approved in the specific version of the exam you undertook.

For example, if you become Adobe certified in Premiere Pro CC2022, you will always possess this accreditation.

However, as time passes, Adobe will release more recent versions of the exams (e.g. CC2025, etc). Therefore, you must pass the latest Adobe certified professional exam version to remain current.

Course Enquiry

Interested in one of our courses but need a couple of questions answered first?

Use our simple form below to send a message directly to our consultant trainers. We value great customer service and will endeavour to get back to you within the hour inside normal business hours.

If you require an immediate response then please do not hesitate to call 0800 112 5432.