Summer Course in Graphic Design and Portfolio - IED Firenze

Language

English

Start date

June 2026

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

3 Weeks

Course Coordination

Marco Innocenti

Price

2.800 €

Through lectures, case studies, labs and site visits, you will enhance your theoretical knowledge and technical skills, in order to complete a creative portfolio, developed during this three-week experience.

The course in Graphic Design and Portfolio offers you the possibility to challenge yourself with a creative programme that combines traditional lectures and project work to approach the basic tools and techniques of graphic and visual design. 

The following topics are discussed during the program: historical background of graphics and design, elements of visual communication, basic design, page layout, font and color, fundamentals of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, image placement, save and exporting, development and update of a professional portfolio:

Basic Design: The course focuses on the basis of visual communication, giving an historical overview of graphics and communication, elements of semiotics and graphic perception, including the study of colour palette, families of fonts and typography.

VISUAL DESIGN LAB - Photoshop and Illustrator: The aim of this course is to enable you to use the essential graphic design softwares. You will learn how to use the tools necessary for graphic representations on different digital media. From the first steps in the world of vector graphics with the use of Illustrator, the program proceeds with Photoshop and the versatility of photo editing techniques. The learning-by-doing approach and the workshops will facilitate the comparison with your classmates, on various more and more concrete cases.

Information to decide

This course is meant to provide you with a hands-on introduction to graphic design principles and tools. Through theoretical lessons, the programme covers high-level concepts like layout, typography, and color. You will have the chance to get hands-on, using Illustrator to build a custom logo and practice the vector drawing techniques. Next, the course takes you into Photoshop, where you learn how to creatively adjust and retouch the images you will use in design projects. During the Final Project presentation, together with your fellows you will show the results of the work carried out through the course.

Summer course includes a strategic combination of theoretical lessons, case studies and workshops with industry professionals, as well as site visits to design studios and exhibitions. Site visits are an integral part of the program’s learning experience and are designed to complement what is acquired in the classroom as well as serve as an on-going orientation to the field.

This course meets from Monday to Friday on a full time basis (morning and afternoon) the course has a duration of 75 hours spread over 3 weeks.

The course is designed for aspiring designers who wish to acquire the fundamentals of graphic design in an intensive three-week program.This is an introductory course and no previous studies within the field are required. However we suggest students to familiarize themselves with the major themes that will be presented. 

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Marco Innocenti

Art Director

Laura Ottina

Professor    

Marco Peluso

Art Director & Brand Designer

Federico Cagnucci

Projects

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
My portfolio: feel, travel, music

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
My Portfolio

Graphic Design and Visual Communication

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
An Afternoon Mapped in Florence

News

17 July 2026

Priscilla Fois brings her art to Urban Break Korea

IED Roma alumna Priscilla Fois has been selected to participate in Urban Break Korea, one of the leading international festivals dedicated to urban art.

16 July 2026

This Is What the Future of Visual Arts Looks Like

Recent graduates from the IED Barcelona's Graphic Design, Advertising, and Motion Graphics and Video programmes presented their final projects at Barcelona XR Lab. Data, text, image and sound come together to explore the global order and reframe systems for navigating the world.

10 July 2026

Degree Show 2026 opens IED Kunsthal Bilbao to talent, design and the city

Once again, the Papelera Building opened its doors to the public, showcasing the work developed by students over four years of study and turning the school into a meeting point for design, culture, industry and institutions.

03 July 2026

July: Exhibitions, Installations and New Horizons for IED.60 Public Program

With the arrival of July, IED Graduation Days enter their busiest phase across IED’s Italian campuses, bringing with them a series of public events designed to showcase the ideas, projects and research developed by students.

01 July 2026

Forbes Next Leaders: the July cover by Elisabeth Arana

The collaboration between IED and Forbes Next Leaders continues through the project that engages students and alumni in the creation of the magazine’s monthly covers.

30 June 2026

This Was IED Madrid's Graduation Shows 2026: Two Days of Designing the Future

Under the concept Times New, IED Madrid's campuses hosted the final project exhibitions for Graphic Design, Product Design, Interior Design and Fashion Design, culminating in the traditional Avant-défilé.

23 June 2026

Best Thesis Awards 2026 – IED Barcelona

Fashion that evokes nostalgia through layered fabrics; a reinterpretation of retail as a living biological interface; an exploration of how Korean Wave (Hallyu) cultural products generate value within the luxury fashion sector; and an interactive digital experience that makes a previously hidden financial language visible.

15 June 2026

Eight ADG Laus Awards for IED Spain Students

IED Madrid, IED Barcelona and IED Kunsthal Bilbao won two Gold, four Silver and two Bronze awards at the 56th ADG Laus Awards, reaffirming the creative talent driving the next generation of designers.

15 June 2026

Three IED alumni among the winners of the iF Design Student Award 2026

Three alumni from IED Kunsthal Bilbao and IED Madrid have been recognised in the iF Design Student Award 2026, one of the world's leading international competitions for emerging design talent.