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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Ideas from the History of Graphic Design by California Institute of the Arts

4.7
stars
2,434 ratings

About the Course

This condensed survey course focuses on four key periods or themes from the history of design in the West. Together we’ll trace the emergence of design as a recognized practice, why things look the way they do, and how designers approached specific design problems in their work. Students will develop an understanding of where the wide variety of today’s design practice comes from. By participating in this survey of the works of innovative groups and individuals, we outline the process by which graphic design moved from a purely instrumental practice, to becoming a demanding creative and hybridized field. Each week, a short quiz will test your knowledge of concepts, and a short reflective assignment will give you the opportunity to analyze the questions designers ask themselves today. This is an essential course for emerging designers entering the field, or for students interested in learning more about visual culture and analysis. No previous experience is required. A note about this course: This course is taught from the perspective of contemporary design, to connect ideas that helped formulate design practice from the 1850s through the 1960s to the ways that designers think today. The relationship of words and pictures in graphic design is looked at through the ever-changing social and cultural contexts, technologies, aesthetics, and politics of their eras. The definition and practice of graphic design includes all public visual communications, which is a global practice. It was the evolution of mass production and communication in the West that specifically redefined graphic design as a professional practice and is this course’s particular narrative. We hope students will consider how to connect the themes and ideas offered in this course to your own culture....

Top reviews

P

Nov 26, 2016

Its been a great course, many info and points that are fantastic in the learning or adding new knowledge always. I will always recommend this course for those who want to know more and learn design.

ER

Mar 21, 2022

I was a little bit nervous about this course, I always hated History in school, but surprisingly this was very good! I enjoyed it! The assignments were easy to understand and managebale to complete.

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76 - 100 of 515 Reviews for Ideas from the History of Graphic Design

By John R W

Mar 11, 2020

Loved the discussions and examples of different schools of graphic design thought. For me, this was the most intellectually stimulating of the four courses I have taken so far in pursuit of the Graphic Design Certificate.

By Mohammed A

Jan 23, 2023

This course opens my eyes a new perspective on Graphic Design. I am very thankful to Coursera to providing me such a course, it just did not provide me only knowledge, but a new career, life, a whole new confidence.

By Lakhi K D

Aug 12, 2020

The course is quite well-structured in 4 weeks. I couldn't relate much with the 4th-week topic 'Subcultures in Graphic Design. Maybe a global approach to that instead of focussing only on America would be helpful.

By Itika A

Aug 5, 2020

I'm a person who's afraid of history as a subject but this was so insightful and interesting!! Researching was the best part about this course which helped me connect the present and the past of graphic designing.

By Chito I A B I

Jul 3, 2022

The lesson in this Graphic Design history course was very helpful to me. It gave me an additional knowledge of the previous graphic design style that affects the current practice of graphic design profession.

By Ragia A S I R

Sep 17, 2023

I enjoyed the course ... thank you ... It added a lot to me and opened a way to the history of Graphic Design which can help me a lot and I can be inspired by...

Thanks again, It's a great course.

Ragia Rashed

By Aurileide A

Dec 28, 2021

As promised, the course takes some ideas from the Graphic Design History to explain key concepts of basic elements of design like color, grid, shapes giving excelent examples and with very nice pictures.

By Carla B

May 26, 2021

This course is very interesting because it demonstrates in the historical line how the techniques and proncipios of Graphic Design were developed, inaugurated and applied over time. I loved! Thank you !

By Анжеліка Т

Jul 9, 2022

Wonderful introduction to the history of graphic design. The course emphasize main ideas of 20th century deisgners and provides you with additional information to enable you to do your own research.

By Eva R

Mar 22, 2022

I was a little bit nervous about this course, I always hated History in school, but surprisingly this was very good! I enjoyed it! The assignments were easy to understand and managebale to complete.

By Pablo B D (

Nov 27, 2016

Its been a great course, many info and points that are fantastic in the learning or adding new knowledge always. I will always recommend this course for those who want to know more and learn design.

By Bonnie K

Sep 30, 2021

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phic design history. The classes would easy to understand and assimilate. The assignments were very helpful to understand the lessons. Many thanks!

By Sreyas S

Apr 7, 2018

Fantastic Course! It helps you build a deep insight into the evolution of graphic design and also as a process of the assignments helps you understand local graphic practices and subculture!

By Sanda L

Jul 15, 2016

A more theoretical Cours that I really enjoyed and made me search for different artists. I started researching more and discovered how valuable this can be. Thank you for all the resources.

By jose l t o

May 27, 2023

experiencing such a diverse range of art history in general has been a very rewarding experience for me because of the process that we can have personally from home thanks for the course <3

By Suzanne A V

Nov 8, 2020

This is another awesome course that I enjoyed thoroughly! I loved and enjoyed learning about the awesome people and institutions of the past that made graphic designing what it is today.

By Martin S

Aug 23, 2017

This course gives us opportunity to explore within us that creating a project based task for a client or own startup. It can also be used as our portfolio. Opens up door for the career.

By Sue H

Jul 20, 2020

I really enjoyed this course. The lectures were interesting and I have a better understanding of design styles and their influences. I enjoyed completing the assignments too. Thank you!

By Jen A

Oct 23, 2016

very informative course, it's very good to know the inspiration of contemporary art cultures. it opens up more creativity and out of the box thinking for new artists like me. Thank you

By Loven P

Sep 13, 2020

It was extremely educational and helpful for me to learn design from its earliest forms up to the modern era that are all applicable for use in contemporary design forms and factors.

By Amy C

Nov 7, 2018

This should be one of the first courses. Students, especially English Language Learners need the front loading of the topic. It would ideally help clarify the idea of graphic design.

By Mohammad A H

May 30, 2020

It was amassing course for amateur learner. Historical development of design and contemporary designing concept. As it is essential for a designer to understand concept of design.

By Michael N K S M

May 20, 2020

I love the materials and how they are structured along with the quizzes and the assignments. They really help students to grasp the concepts of design history and design studies.

By Assel N

Sep 10, 2016

This course gave me a lot of important information about the birth and rise of the Graphic Design as a stand alone profession. It was a great opportunity to fulfil my knowledge.

By Mangazico A

Oct 29, 2017

it was one of the best online courses that has coursera the lectures are really enjoyable i had a great time and most important I earn a lot about the history of Graphic design