Visual Identity (Online)

Look beyond logo design and develop a fundamental understanding of the principles of visual identity on this short, online course. You will learn how to establish an identity across a variety of applications and broaden your perspective on the possibilities of style, format, and medium. We’ll take an in-depth look at the core ideas surrounding visual identity, discuss the importance of research and of building a strong conceptual foundation, and explore how visual elements like form, colour palette, and imagery all work together to tell a brand's unique story.

The course features a series of practical assignments which will take you through the stages of creating a visual identity and will help you to develop your visual vocabulary in context. You'll complete work between classes and then present and discuss it with the group. You’ll be able to exchange ideas and feedback with the other students both during and after each class, through our online classroom and forum.

By the end of the course you will understand and use elements of visual identity with confidence.

This course will be taught over University of the Arts London's online platform. Each session time is UK time (please check your local time when you book). To find out more about how online courses are taught please visit our dedicated Online Courses page.

Topics Covered

• Introduction and historical context
• Elements and principles of visual identity
• The visual identity brief
• Visual research and mood boards
• The design stages behind a visual identity
• Using colour, typography, and other graphic components
• Refining and contextualising
• Brand expression and art direction
• Photography, illustration, and other visual language

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course you should be able to:

• Understand and utilise the elements that make up a visual identity
• Know the differences between brand, identity and logo design
• Have the ability to recognise successful brand identity applications
• Grasp a variety of possible visual identity approaches
• Design and develop a visual identity across a range of platforms and applications

Who Should Attend

Designers, aspiring designers and other creative professionals. This course is great if you are a designer or aspiring designer who wants to focus on visual identities, or someone who might want to start their own brand and would benefit from understanding the process behind it.

It's perfect for you if you are running your own business or working in a marketing communications role and have some experience of design.

Level

Intermediate: you may be new to the world of visual identity, but you would benefit more from this course if you have basic foundations of design.

This course is not suitable for those wishing to learn software - students are expected to be familiar with creative software in order to complete their assignments.

Follow On Courses

After completing this course you may be interested in finding out more about User Experience Design (Online) or Confident Copywriting (Online).