Courses

. Basic Graphic Design

. Illustrative Design

. Graphic Design for Digital Presentations

Ellen Oosterhof graduated from the Minerva Academy in Groningen. She works as an independent graphic designer & photographer and regularly gives workshops and courses in this field.

Basic Graphic Design

Discover the art of graphic design and learn to visually shape your ideas

In this course you will explore the basic principles of graphic design with elements such as shape, color, typography and layout. With the main goal: to use these to convey your message as effectively as possible.

Each lesson highlights an aspect using examples and you will work with this manually. By sketching and experimenting with different graphic techniques (including stencil, collage, stamp technique) you will explore the visual effects of image elements, materials, scale and composition. You will then use this knowledge when designing posters that you put together on the computer.

The following components will be covered:

Briefing
Concept development
Sketch phase
Elaboration

The course consists of 6 lessons and takes place on Thursday evenings from 19:00 to 21:00.

Price €239,-

Required materials:

Own laptop
Canva application (free) or CanvaPro
USB stick or external SSD drive with USB-3.2 connection to standard USB
Mobile phone with camera
Small scissors
Pencil, black pen, eraser
Magazines that you can cut out
Sheets of white drawing paper (A4 or larger)

The rest of the material we use is available.

The lessons are for anyone who wants to get acquainted with the essence of graphic design.

We work a lot analog and partly digitally. If you are mainly interested in using graphic design in digital form, take a look at the course ‘Graphic design for digital presentations’

This course will be followed by the illustrative design course in February 2025.

Illustrative design course

Are you curious about the world of illustration? Do you want to learn how to translate your creative ideas into unique images? During this course you will discover how to develop your own style and bring your creativity to life.

What can you expect?

In six inspiring weeks you will learn:

• Generate original ideas with association techniques.

• Explore different forms of editorial illustration (such as spot illustrations, covers and character design).

• Work with various techniques: from pencil and paper to stencils, collage and stamping techniques.

Each lesson starts analog with pencil and paper, after which we experiment with graphic techniques. Do you want to work out your design digitally later? That is possible, but that is entirely up to you.

For whom?

This course is suitable for everyone, with or without drawing talent. You will be guided at your own level, so that you can get the best out of yourself.

Why participate?

You will not only learn to illustrate, but also how to bring together image and story. Experiment, discover and be surprised by what you can create.

The course consists of 6 lessons and takes place on Thursday evenings from 19:00 - 21:00.

Price €239,-

Required materials:

Mobile phone with camera
Small scissors
Pencil, black pen, eraser
Colored pencils
Magazines that you can cut out
Sheets of sturdy white drawing paper (A4 or larger, from 120 grams)

The rest of the material we use is available.

Thursdays 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Karel Appel room

February 6, 2025

February 13, 2025

February 20, 2025

March 6, 2025

March 13, 2025

March 20, 2025

Graphic design for digital presentations

Turn your presentation into a visual masterpiece!

Did you know that the impact of a presentation largely depends on how the information is presented? In this course, you will learn how to convey your ideas efficiently and visually attractively.

What will you do?

In this course, you will design your own slideshow, completely tailored to your subject. Whether it is a project, research, product or service, you determine the content. Then you will build a powerful presentation step by step:

•Structure: How do you tell your story in a logical and attractive way?

•Design: Work with color palettes, typography, images and layout to create your unique style.

•Techniques: Develop a mood board, work out sketches, and learn how to add subtle effects and transitions.

You’ll end up with a complete, professionally designed presentation

Why this course?

The design principles you learn can be applied to any type of presentation—from school projects to business pitches. Discover how graphic design can make your message more powerful and inspire your audience with visual storytelling.

No prior knowledge required. This course is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their visual communication skills.

The course consists of 6 lessons and takes place on Thursday evenings from 19:00 - 21:00.

Price €239,-

Required materials:

Own laptop
Free Google account with Google slides
USB stick or external SSD drive with USB-3.2 connection to standard USB
Pencil, black pen, eraser
Note book / paper to sketch on

Thursdays 19:00 to 21:00

Meeting room

March 27, 2025 - 1st lesson

April 3, 2025 - 2nd lesson

April 10, 2025 - 3rd lesson

April 17, 2025 - 4th lesson

May 8, 2025 - 5th lesson

May 15, 2025 - 6th lesson