16 Learning Resources – Free and Paid
Should you use Photoshop to teach graphic design to children? If so, how to build an educational route: take courses, watch educational videos or play educational games? What difficulties might arise? Let's understand these and related issues.
We're at school Pixel We teach children to work with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator from the age of 8, and we implement two programs: the first is intended for primary schoolchildren and beginning teenagers, the second is for more experienced children. We believe that graphic design is a good choice if the child demonstrates creative abilities and creative thinking: learning design will become a means and tool for unlocking potential and self-realization. This is also a way to form the foundations of a future profession.
We want to offer paid and free resources for teaching children and teenagers Photoshop and the art of graphic design – a direction that is in demand in the world of information technology. Before considering the available options, we see it as reasonable to take a brief excursion into related topics in the form of frequently asked questions and their answers.
Graphic design for children: when to start studying, will it be difficult, what results to expect
So, let's decide on important points regarding age, likely difficulties and results: parents of our students often ask teachers relevant questions.
At what age is it best to start teaching children graphic design?
Here we are guided by our own methodological developments and boldly recommend studying from the age of 8. Junior schoolchildren, as evidenced by our practice, successfully master basic things, say, simple photo processing, and teenagers – more complex topics related to the visual components of social advertising, for example.
But there is a nuance. There is no point in trying to force a child to immerse himself in a direction that seems promising: a student may be interested in something else, say, creating games or 3D models. Therefore, first of all, you should make sure that computer design (graphic) and the prospect of confident work with Photoshop tools really attract the child.
Will it be difficult to learn to use Photoshop?
This is another question that interests parents year after year. We answer: yes, difficulties are likely. This is primarily due to the fact that Photoshop for children is relatively complex. Reasons:
Not a simple device. Like any other professional software, Adobe products are not intuitive. But gradually even a junior schoolchild will be able to figure it out;
Great functionality. This follows from the previous point, but you shouldn’t worry: as you gain practical experience, all Photoshop tools will become understandable to any child.
For the above reasons, we believe that for schoolchildren without at least minimal experience, Photoshop courses for children are better suited than self-study, but the choice is up to the individual child and his parents.
This is where the difficulties often end: when the structure of the program and its functions become clear, the most interesting part begins – the active stage of creativity and implementation of various projects. At the same time, the foundations for successfully mastering other editors are gradually being formed, which is a plus if further training is planned.
What results should you expect and how to move forward?
Results are a complex and complex topic. Using the example of Photoshop lessons for children that we conduct online, these are:
Development of creative thinking. If the basics are already in place, classes will help hone the relevant skills;
Immersion in design. Specialists proficient in Photoshop and Illustrator are in demand. One can argue and imagine the achievements of artificial intelligence, but in comparison with professional graphic designers, it is still a baby, requiring painstaking work, development and constant pointing out errors and imperfections.
Classes will help children learn:
Understand composition, correctly use styles, colors, fonts;
Create logos, moodboards – so-called mood boards, or collages of images. The latter in the professional field of graphic design are used to display the style and other aspects of future products;
Edit photographs and other images;
Make mockups – models of objects, or visual prototypes, showing how the preliminary design of something will look after practical implementation.
Step by step, the child will develop and approach marketing, social advertising, public relations – PR – and more.
With this, we’ll finish our consideration of common questions and move on to resources that will help creatively minded students begin to study the presented direction and get acquainted with Photoshop, as well as Illustrator.
First, we will present courses and video tutorials, and then games and simulators with a thematic focus on design and its individual components.
Video tutorials and Photoshop courses for children and teenagers
Let's start with courses, and then present video lessons: the first will help if you want to start with a mentor, and the second will be a good solution for self-study and free practice without the help of a teacher.
2 Photoshop courses for children and teenagers: from simple to complex
We would like to talk about two courses within the framework of graphic design using the example of using Photoshop and Illustrator: the first is aimed at primary schoolchildren, and the second – at beginning teenagers. In any case, you can start from scratch: competent teachers will help you master the necessary tools, teach you how to complete projects and achieve your intended creative goals.
1. Graphic design course for children 8–13 years old
During the classes, children will be able to learn the basics of working in Photoshop and Illustrator. These are raster and vector graphic editors used by professional designers to solve simple and complex problems:
Photo processing, collage creation;
Drawing on a computer for the purpose of preparing visual digital projects;
Work with animation;
Creating vector images such as icons, logos, stickers;
Adding various visual effects to projects, etc.
As a result of completing the course, children will master Illustrator and Photoshop, acquire design skills, and be able to improve their logic and creative abilities, which are useful in terms of creating graphics in the form of creative projects and visuals.
2. Graphic design course for teenagers 12–17 years old
The program is almost no different from the first version: you will get acquainted with the same tools and use them to complete simple and complex projects. There are blocks of theory and practice devoted to the following topics:
Social advertising and attracting the attention of the target audience to pressing issues;
Features of the design of advertising stands;
Subject retouching, backgrounds and objects;
Working with infographics and its design;
The essence and content of the USP – a unique selling proposition;
Listing in marketing, etc.
6 collections of free educational videos for children and teenagers of different ages
If you want to take the first Photoshop lessons for children for free, you can take a closer look at the collections and channels presented below. Here they are:
Lessons on the VideoSmile Junior channel. This is a short course in video format, including 7 videos. You will get to know the basics and complete your first project in the form of a colorful collage from scratch.
Video classes on the channel “Irina Pochemuchka”. The peculiarity of this option from the point of view of self-study in graphic design is the presence of examples of a number of interesting projects that can be completed as you get acquainted with the training videos.
Video for beginners by Sia Anikeeva. An excellent option for children with no experience. The collection contains lessons that will help you learn how to create your first simple digital drawings.
Channel “Maria Tudemi”. To be honest, this playlist is not exactly for beginners. The author offers a large-scale course for children and adults without much experience, but we recommend starting with other and simpler options.
Lessons on the channel “Illustrator Oleg Gert”. Another relatively complex playlist, but you can cope with it if you have at least basic skills in graphic design.
Video training on the Photoshop channel. The advantage of the collection comes down to its scale: the author offers many lessons. But there is a subjective disadvantage in the form of being tied to small tasks. Structuring suffers; structure according to the principle of courses is not provided. However, in order to improve specific skills in computer design, the selection is suitable.
Now we want to move on to games, some of which are designed as simulators. They will help you start from scratch or update your knowledge and improve the skills you acquired earlier.
Thematic games dedicated to computer design and designed to immerse you in the field in a playful way
We would like to talk about additional tools for learning. It is noted that these are something like improvised simulators: they will help improve and even significantly upgrade narrow skills such as working with fonts, colors and more.
We have prepared 9 options in total: choose the one that suits you or move in the order presented. The last scenario is better: you will be able to understand the totality of various topics, and not just something specific.
1. Can't Unsee
To put it simply, this is a simulator that is popular in certain circles – among novice designers, amateurs and professionals. The user's task comes down to making the right choice between a pair of interfaces. They are visually similar, there are only minor differences, but sometimes it will be difficult.
Advantages:
The opportunity to earn virtual currency for every correct choice, which involves you in the process and hints at the simplest gamification;
Availability of explanations. After selecting a specific option, you can click on Compare: the system will tell you what exactly was done unsuccessfully or successfully.
2. Color
This is a simulator that will help you determine how developed your color recognition skill is. We still have to work on assessing hue, saturation, and more.
Additionally, there are various color schemes for analysis: you won’t be bored. At the same time, you will be able to relax and appreciate your own ability to recognize different shades and their combinations.
3.Designercize
This is a good option for teenagers, as well as a simulator based on random number generation and designed to develop creative thinking. Plus – the opportunity to start from scratch: there is a choice of difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard). Additionally, you can set an internal timer: it will help you choose a time that is comfortable for passing conditional tests.
Here it is advisable to know English at least at a basic level: if previous games are intuitive, then Designercize is a tool not intended for beginners. A similar postscript will be valid for a number of the following options: we will not duplicate.
4. Hex Invaders
A distinctive feature and complexity of the browser-based simulator is the basis in the form of hexadecimal color codes. But everything is not as complicated as it seems at first glance: the game form is implemented. The user will have to cope with the alien army of aliens with the help of bright and colorfully designed missiles.
So, Hex Invaders is a non-boring and quite entertaining simulator in the form of a simple game.
5. What the Hex?
This is another online game that will help you learn to understand the hexadecimal color code. The so-called HEX value will be displayed on the screen. The user's task is to determine the color hidden under the combination. It is advisable to have the appropriate knowledge: without it it will be difficult.
Plus – the ability to choose the level of complexity: there are options with two, four and more colors, up to several dozen.
6. It's Centered That
This game was created specifically to evaluate the skills of designers, but in a narrow sense: you will need to determine whether a point is in the central part of a particular figure. If it seems like yes, you need to click on the smiling emoticon; if not, click on the animated icon on the right.
Plus – highlighting correct and incorrect options after making a choice.
7. The Font Game
To put it simply, this is a font quiz: the user is offered the name of a specific style, and there are spelling options. But everything is not as simple as it seems: you will need to look for the right points, which without minimal knowledge will become a problem.
The advantage comes down to the fact that if you get 50% correct answers, you can get a small discount on fonts presented in the developer’s store – on the I Love Typography marketplace.
8. The Bezier Game
A distinctive feature of the simulator is that it simulates working with the Pen tool, commonly used in Photoshop and Illustrator. There is a movement from simple to complex: at first the figures will be standard (lines, curves, etc.), and as you progress through the conditional levels, objects with unusual geometry will begin to appear.
9. Kern Type
This is a remarkable game in the form of a series of exercises on knowledge of kerning – selectively changing the distance between letters. Thanks to the browser application you can:
Understand the features of a number of fonts;
Come to an understanding of composition and hone relevant skills.
The goal of the game is to move the letters to achieve maximum harmony and compliance with the conventional standard. You can check yourself by clicking on Done: the system will show the user’s accuracy and display the correct arrangement of letters.
And we want to summarize and once again emphasize that you can start teaching children graphic design and working with Photoshop and Illustrator tools even at the age of 8. But this is only reasonable if there is a corresponding interest and a minimum basis in the form of creative abilities, an inclination to create something new using digital drawing and graphics editing tools.
How to move is up to the children and their parents to decide. Possible paths:
Registration for courses. A plus is the presence of a mentor: he will help you understand the programs and their tools, eliminate errors if they arise, and also complete the first projects, which will be a plus if you lack knowledge and skills in graphic design;
Self-study using videos and simulators directly in your browser. We have reviewed some remarkable resources for this: choose the one that suits you and feel free to get started.
In conclusion, we would like to ask a question: do you consider the direction of graphic design appropriate for teaching schoolchildren? If not, what alternatives do you use for additional education for your children?
