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Visual Communication: Graphic Design Skills

A guide for Visual Communication students on finding & referencing high-quality academic books, articles and images, and well as resources for developing graphic design & data visualisation skills.

Handbooks & guides

 

The UTS Library book collection has a large collection of guides for inspiring & teaching graphic design. Search the Library Catalogue for what you want to learn. 

Suggested keywords: 

  • Graphic design
  • Visual Communication
  • Handbook / guide 
  • Design elements
  • methods / techniques

Design techniques

 

You can search for specific techniques or graphic design focuses to find materials that can help with particular aspects of your design practice (e.g. colour, typography, etc.).

For handbooks & guides, search in the Library Catalogue. For video tutorials, search in the LinkedIn Learning database. 

Suggested resources

Below are some suggestions for books & tutorials for some of the key design techniques. 

LinkedIn Learning Tutorials: 

  • Graphic design foundations: color
  • Introduction to Graphic design

Books:

LinkedIn Learning Tutorials: 

  • Typography: choosing and combining typefaces
  • Graphic Design Foundations: Typography
  • The 33 laws of typography

Books:

LinkedIn Learning Tutorials: 

  • Design Foundations: Physical Materials

Books:

LinkedIn Learning Tutorials: 

  • Layout and composition: marketing collateral
  • Graphic Design Foundations: Layout and Composition

Books: 

Storytelling

 

The Library has lots of resources to help with understanding & improving your storytelling ability when designing. Below are some suggestions for books & tutorials to use. You can also search the Library Catalogue & LinkedIn Learning to find more. 

Suggestions

Books:

LinkedIn Learning Tutorials: 

  • Storytelling for designers
  • Sequence and storytelling in design
  • Storytelling (from course: Universal principles of design) 
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Click the 'Sign In' button

On a LinkedIn Learning course or video, check the top-right corner. If you are already signed-in, you will see the UTS logo. If not, click the 'Sign In' button. 

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Use your UTS email address

Your student email should be your name or student number followed by @student.uts.edu.au.

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Continue to Single Sign-On

You should be prompted to sign in with Single Sign-On. To get this option, make sure you use your UTS email. 

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Log in to your UTS email

Sign in to your UTS account using your student email and password. This is the Single Sign-On process. 

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Finish

You should now be signed in to LinkedIn Learning on your UTS student account. Check the top, right-hand corner; you should see a blue UTS logo.