NEW

Language

Spanish

Start date

July 2027

Frequency

Part-time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

5 days

Credits

25 Hours

Price

1.300 €

Discover how to transform ideas into clear messages through visual tools that enhance creativity, communication and collaboration in any professional environment.

The Summer Course in Visual Thinking introduces you to a methodology that uses drawing, icons, visual maps and graphic metaphors to organise information, explain concepts and facilitate decision-making. It is not about learning how to draw well, but about learning how to think and communicate visually.

In a context where information is increasingly complex and abundant, the ability to synthesise, visualise and communicate ideas clearly has become a highly valued skill in fields such as design, education, innovation, communication and business.

Over the course of one week, you will discover the foundations of Visual Thinking and develop the skills needed to represent concepts using simple graphic resources. You will learn observation, synthesis, visual storytelling and graphic facilitation techniques that you can apply to creative projects, presentations, meetings and collaborative processes.

Through theoretical content and numerous practical exercises, you will overcome your fear of drawing, learn to develop your own visual language and experiment with tools such as sketchnoting, storyboarding, visual metaphors and concept maps.

Information to decide

A unique course in Bilbao to discover how drawing can become a powerful tool for communication, creativity and innovation, regardless of your previous experience.

The course is organised into different thematic blocks covering the entire visual thinking process: observing, drawing, synthesising, narrating and communicating ideas effectively.

The methodology is based on project-based learning, combining individual exercises, collaborative activities and practical applications that allow you to immediately incorporate what you learn into real-life situations.

The programme combines theoretical sessions with practical workshops led by Puño (David Peña Toribio), illustrator, author and internationally recognised figure in creativity and drawing, together with professionals specialised in visual thinking and graphic communication.

This course requires no previous knowledge of drawing or software, making it suitable for anyone interested in incorporating visual tools into the way they communicate, learn or develop ideas.

It may be of particular interest to:

  • Design students, graduates and professionals who want to use drawing as a communication tool.
  • People working in communication, marketing or advertising who are interested in conveying messages in a more visual and effective way.
  • Innovation, consulting and project management professionals who need to visualise processes, strategies or ways of working.
  • Educators, teachers and academic professionals who want to enrich their teaching resources through visual thinking.
  • Human resources, facilitation and teamwork professionals looking for new tools to energise meetings and collaborative processes.
  • Social workers and professionals working in organisations who need to represent processes or facilitate the understanding of complex information.
  • Anyone interested in developing a new way of thinking, organising and communicating ideas through visual resources.

The Summer Course in Visual Thinking is a unique offering in Bilbao that introduces a methodology increasingly used by organisations, companies and multidisciplinary teams to facilitate communication, innovation and problem-solving.

Its highly practical approach allows you to apply what you learn from day one and develop a transferable skill that is valuable for both creative profiles and professionals from any discipline.

Taking this experience at IED Kunsthal Bilbao also means learning alongside an international reference in the field such as Puño, at a school recognised for its commitment to creativity, design and innovation, in a city that inspires new ways of seeing, thinking and creating.

Syllabus

Drawing

The drawn presentation

Exercises to overcome the fear of drawing

Accidents as a creative tool

Conceptual drawing

Exploring the creative process



Observing

How to look

The discovery

The drawing safari

The graphic journal

Life drawing



Thinking

An introduction to Visual Thinking

Drawing and communication

Visual metaphors

Synthesis and icons

Tools and formats for Visual Thinking

Creating a personal visual library

The practice of sketchnoting



Storytelling

An introduction to visual storytelling

Tools and formats for visual storytelling

The tools

The storytelling laboratory

The storyboard



Making

News

05 October 2026

IED Kunsthal Bilbao opens the 2026/27 Master and Postgraduate academic year with Toni Segarra

The day combined an institutional welcome for new students with an open, intergenerational conversation on creativity, talent, teamwork and the transformation of the profession.

02 October 2026

AQU Catalunya grants favourable accreditation to IED Barcelona’s Bachelor of Arts in Design

Once again, IED Barcelona has received a favourable report from the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU Catalunya), certifying the quality of the Bachelor of Arts in Design (Título de Grado en Enseñanzas Artísticas Superiores de Diseño) delivered by the centre.

Two girls holding a paper program in front of a design festival poster

02 October 2026

Brut! 2026 brings two new creative voices from IED Barcelona to the stage

Visual Arts graduates Irina Kavtaradze and Kyla Henry took part in the event where leading design schools showcase their outstanding final degree projects, held on 1 and 2 October at Disseny Hub Barcelona.

Runners starting a mountain race

01 October 2026

A graphic design by IED Barcelona features on the 2026 Travessa Matagalls-Montserrat T-shirt

The design by Visual Arts student Hannah Bokelman was chosen for the T-shirt worn by the 3,000 participants in the event, a non-competitive endurance walk held on 19 and 20 September.

29 September 2026

Six emerging IED designers reach the final stage of the Arts Thread Global Creative Graduate Showcase 2026

Alumni Mariona Panés, Sara Vainer, Miranda Sanz, Malak Yahia and Victoria Escobar (IED Barcelona), together with Zuriñe Berrueta (IED Kunsthal Bilbao), are finalists in the competition, which last year attracted more than 5,000 creatives from 117 countries. Discover their projects and vote!

18 September 2026

Inclusion, equity and diversity: the journey continues

One year after achieving the UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering an increasingly inclusive, equitable workplace culture that values diversity.

Crowded stalls of an auditorium

15 September 2026

More than 200 students from 52 nationalities open the 2026-2027 academic year of the IED Barcelona

On 14 September, the Welcome Event welcomed a new generation of creatives and designers joining the undergraduate programmes.

14 September 2026

IED Brazil Coordinator Joins CDSA International Jury and Represents the Institution at Event in China

Eliane Weizmann took part in the official program of City Digital Skin Art (CDSA) 2026, a global initiative that connects art, technology, and urban space, bringing together experts from different countries.

11 September 2026

Issue 4: Material World - Plural Intelligences

What happens when we recognize the intelligence of materials and learn to work with it responsibly, collectively, and collaboratively?

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10 October 2026 - 11 October 2026

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17 October 2026 - 17 October 2026

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IED Barcelona is offering this workshop, where participants will discover, guided by architect and lecturer Gianfranco La Cognata – Laco 2, how design takes shape through illustration.

Exhibitions and Festival

06 November 2026 - 07 November 2026

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Mira Digital Arts Festival 2026

IED Barcelona returns as an artistic partner and will take part in the digital arts and contemporary music festival with “Ananke: A Liturgy”, an interactive installation by Motion Graphics and Video alumna Malak Yahia.