Interested in taking your software/design skills to the next level? I am a huge fan of LinkedIn Learning, previously known as Lynda.com. LinkedIn Learning is an online video course provider with thousands of business, technical, and creative courses presented by industry experts. The content is well organized with each course broken up into small 2-10 minute video chunks that are easy to digest. It cost about $20-30 a month depending on the plan you choose, but you can get a one-month free trial to check it out.

If you’re a student at JSU the university provides free access to LinkedIn Learning for all students so be sure to take advantage of it while you can.

Here’s a running list of video courses I recommend for both beginners and advanced users. In each section, I’ve attempted to list courses in the order I would recommend watching them, but you can jump in anywhere you feel comfortable.

Adobe Illustrator/Vector Illustration

Illustrator 2022 Essential Training by Tony Harmer
The essential course for Illustrator newbies. LinkedIn Learning puts out a new Essential Training course every year. 2022 is the newest one.

Illustrator One on One: Fundamentals by Deke McClelland
An even more in-depth look at Illustrator for newbies and advanced users.

Illustrator One on One: Advanced by Deke McClelland

Illustrator One on One: Mastery by Deke McClelland

Drawing Vector Graphics by Von Glitschka
Any course by Von Glitschka is going to be great. He’s an excellent illustrator and instructor. One of the most helpful segments of this course is the section Building Vector Art which demonstrates different approaches to building vector art.

Adobe InDesign/Page Layout

InDesign 2021 Essential Training by David Blatner

Designing a Book by Nigel French

Graphic Design Foundations: Layout and Composition by Sean Adams

Layout and Composition: Grids by Sean Adams

Working with Grids by Ina Saltz
A thorough look at different types of grids.

InDesign: Interactive PDFs by David Blatner
This is super helpful for learning how to create interactive PDF forms.

Ebooks

Ebook Foundations by Anne-Marie Concepción

InDesign CC to EPUB by Anne-Marie Concepción

InDesign: EPUB Typography by Nigel French

InDesign: Creating Fixed-Layout EPUBs by Anne-Marie Concepción

Graphic Design

Learning Graphic Design: Things Every Designer Should Know by John McWade
Tips on creating better designs.

Logo Design

Logo Development: Identity Design and Discovery by Bill Gardner
This course focuses on proper research and preparation before beginning a logo design.

Logo Development: Identity Development by Bill Gardner
Part two of the Logo Development series. This part focuses on logo development and presentation.

Graphic Design: Logo Design Tips and Tricks by John McWade

Logo Design: Techniques by Nigel French

Logo Design: Illustrating Logo Marks by Von Glitschka

Creating and Adapting a Logo by Deke McClelland
A walkthrough of the entire logo development process.

Typography

Graphic Design Foundations: Typography by Ina Saltz

Learning Graphic Design: Set Perfect Text by John McWade
This is one of my favorites. Great tips for creating professionally set text.

Learning to Set Display Type by John McWade

Misc

Copyright for Creatives: Protecting Your Work by Von Glitschka
A helpful course for understanding copyright and a guide, plus templates, for handling infringement.

Understanding Trademarks: A Deeper Dive by Dana Robinson
Super helpful. This really made me feel a lot more confident about the trademark process.