FAQ - Udemy


Graphic Design Masterclass

I wanted to list some frequently asked questions here below. I will be slowly adding to this list
as time goes by!

A lot of your questions answered in one spot!!!

How do I gain access to the Adobe software needed in the course?

The three main Adobe software programs you will need to work through this program are Adobe
Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. You can access the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite (which
gives you access to all three and more) by visiting their landing page here on the Adobe website.
https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/pricing-info.html

If you are a student at a university or college you can check and see if you qualify for a student
discount price. Only certain university or college-level institutions qualify for the Adobe student
discount. This program currently does not qualify for a student discount. There is also video
about the Adobe software we will be using once the software training section begins.

I have had some students reach out to Adobe and ask for any current promos or offers and some
have received a discount. It is worth a try (No guarantees). The Adobe Creative Cloud subscrip-
tion gives you access to the three programs you need but also comes with free font access, a web-
site where you can create a portfolio and more. It has some nice perks that come along with the
subscription. Adobe used to offer their software without a subscription and as a one-time pay-
ment, but they switched to the subscription only model a few years ago.

( UPDATED!) I am having problems finding or downloading the course files or the .zip file

Some select students may have issues downloading the .zip file at the start of the course that con-
tains all the course files you need for the course (attached to the course guide lesson, section 1).
Some files are attached to the lessons without being zipped up which you can also access.

Udemy tells me that some of this is due to browser issues that are specific to the student. Trying
another browser, updating your browser or restarting your browser can solve some download is-
sues. Some students report that files in the .zip folder are damaged and they get a warning sign
when they try to open certain files. This is due to the .zip folder not downloading completely. I
would try downloading again to see if the issue is resolved.

Also MAC users may randomly encounter issues with downloading any .zip file from the inter-
net. If you find yourself having issues and you are a MAC user try following this link for some
ideas of things you can try. https://softwaretested.com/mac/what-is-error-79-inappropriate-file-
type-or-format/
Worst case scenario you can download the files from my personal google drive account. This is a
private link so try not to share this with anyone outside of the class! 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xJI0H2rDF7DUAViDVR4UZCyIFPYr8hxi?usp=sharing

Do you have a newsletter or way for us to keep us updated on anything new? 

Yes, I do! Make sure to join my e-mail list for a possible future monthly newsletter that keeps
you up to date on design trends, course discounts, news and industry happenings. https://confirm-
subscription.com/h/r/91B7DD7C2621FFCA

How do I get my certificate of Completion for this course?

This is something that Udemy sends out to any student who complete 100 percent of the video
lessons. No submitted homework or graded assignments are required in this course. After you
receive 100 percent completion marked for the video lessons Udemy automatically sends you the
certificate of completion to your e-mail on record. You can also download it. Instructions on how
to do it is right here below…

https://support.udemy.com/hc/en-us/articles/229603868-How-to-Download-Your-Certificate-of-
Completion

If I have technical issues with watching the course or accessing the course who can I con-
tact?

If you have any technical issues with accessing your account or if you require changes to your
account that you are unable to do yourself, you can go to this website link below to find technical
support from the Udemy team.

https://support.udemy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?type=student

I, Lindsay Marsh have very limited access to your accounts and cannot change anything for you
directly, but the Udemy tech support team are very responsive. Also, this support website can
answer further technical questions about your Udemy account and any issues you may run across
receiving your certificate of completion.

https://support.udemy.com/hc/en-us

What type of equipment or other items do you recommend for design work? 
Laptops or desktops work great. Laptops are good if you like to be mobile and work at a local
coffee house for example. I have personally used a MacBook Pro for 15 years as my main com-
puter to complete my design work. The biggest factor to make sure to think about when purchas-
ing a laptop or desktop is to make sure it has enough RAM to work smoothly and run multiple
software programs at a time (and that takes a lot of RAM!). My minimum recommendation for
RAM is 16GB. 32GB is ideal, but obviously It can be costly. Also make sure your screen has a
nice size for viewing those larger design projects. I use a 16 inch laptop but a 15 inch will work
just a fine too! 

I created an Amazon list of different equipment and design books I recommend below
https://www.amazon.com/shop/lindsaymarshdesign

Do I need a tablet or iPad for design work? 

I prefer to do most of my work on a desktop or laptop but it is possible to do "some" design
projects using a tablet like an iPad for example. Doing more complex layout projects with multi-
ple pages or a logo design can present you with some challenges when your only option is a
tablet. I find I work much faster on a laptop but you may find yourself more comfortable with a
tablet. A tablet is not required as a tool to complete most design projects. It is helpful though if
you are interested in creating more custom vector objects or hand drawn elements for your de-
sign. Wacom tablets are a lot more affordable (some less than $99) and allows you to plug it right
into your laptop/desktop to give you more precise control over your mouse.

Is anything graded? How do I share my work?

There are no graded assignments in this program as it is a "move at your own pace" style course.
There are several places you can post your work so you can show others your progress. Remem-
ber there are the Facebook groups which have wonderful communities of fellow students happy
to give you help and feedback along the way.

There are several ways to show off your work (not required, though, and totally optional!).

1.) You can post in any of the student Facebook groups for feedback. Facebook Group Link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/322408981502020

2.) You can tag me on Instagram @LindsayMarshDesign (I love to share student work on my
profile and my stories!).

3.) Create a Behance.com portfolio and start posting your work there.

4.) Post on your own website or social media account and share the link.

5.) Post in the Q&A section of the course with any type of project work. It will be shown to the
rest of the students in the course.

How long does it take to work through the program?

That could vary based on the time you have available each day.

The course has around 20+ hours of video content. There are student projects along the way and
depending on how many you decide to do, that can add another couple weeks of work applying
what you learned in the videos. Just a guess on pacing. I have students do it all in a few weeks
and some who take a few months to work through the material. Never feel the pressure to finish
in a certain time frame.

Do I have to go in order?

Yes, and no. This program is designed in a certain order to make it easier to learn on a specific
pathway. This is a "move at your own pace" course, which means if you decide to skip a project
or lesson it is OK. I want this program to be flexible and match up with your unique learning
style. Never feel the pressure to complete the course in a perfect order, although I have designed
this course to move from beginner level topics to more intermediate topics toward the end.

Can I use Affinity Suite of Products and take your courses?

I do teach the entirety of this course using Adobe software. Although I do have a brief section
that reviews Affinity designer software and it’s differences between Adobe Illustrator right after
the first Adobe Illustrator section.

I have a few students using the Affinity Suite right now to work through the Graphic Design
Masterclass and so far they are able to work around it. They have had to find a few alternative
tools for tools I use in Adobe that may not be presented the same way in Affinity.

As you know Affinity can do about 90 percent of what Adobe can, but there is still just a few re-
ally minor things you may have to find slight workarounds for (content aware tool in Photoshop,
3d tools and animated gif options). As long as you know, if I go over a specific tool in Illustrator
(the curvature tool for example) Affinity designer does not have a separate tool for that but they
do have a tool that is similar but it is built right into the pen tool (which would be your convert
options). Just little things like that.

It does require a bit of googling to find comparable tools at times and it may not be a match for
some students who want a seamless experience. I do teach an Affinity Suite course that goes over
Affinity software specifically if further instruction in that software is needed.

Do not forget to download the course resources as many questions about design theory and
graphic design resources are answered there.

What type of computer do I need?

Where do I find fonts to download?
What different types of design projects are there?
Who can I follow on social media for inspiration?

In the “course resources” folder in the .zip resources file, there is one that contains a graphic de-
sign resources pdf, “The Resources Guide for Graphic Designers pdf”, that has links to my fa-
vorite place to find vector graphics, fonts and more. I even have optional book recommendations,
instagram accounts to follow and computer recommendations for graphic designers. There is also
a “How to Become a Graphic Designer” pdf that also answers additional questions about graphic
design in the first folder of the zip file.

For extra student challenges and updates follow me on social media

Instagram: @LindsayMarshDesign

Facebook: @LindsayMarshDesign

YouTube: @LindsayMarsh

We just completed a great extra 5 day student challenge that I have added as a lesson in the
course (and you can start this at anytime). We did this together as a student group on various so-
cial media platforms (we had over 1,000 student project submissions!).

I hope to see you in the next student challenge. I try to hold them once a month and they are op-
tional and not required. I also post in the announcements section of the course when I start a new
challenge.

Will I be able to download the videos?

You have a lifetime access so you will be able to login at any time to view videos. The videos are
not downloadable currently on the desktop version of udemy, but if you download the Udemy
app there is a feature to download videos and watch them on the app offline if needed.