Top 10 Best Packaging Design Courses Online in 2022 (Free & Paid)
Discover the best courses on packaging design to level up your skills in 2021 and feel confident about your next product packaging project.
Do you ever wonder how to make all those beautiful boxes you can see on the shelves while shopping?
Some of these boxes are really trendy, and others are more iconic — but how do you actually design them?
How to become a packaging designer?
In order to become a packaging designer, you can enroll in a degree program in graphic design with a major in packaging, but you don’t have to.
An easier way (and most time/cost-efficient) is to check out some of the best packaging design courses available online and learn straight from the experts and at your own pace (self-paced courses).
To help you do that, I researched the best classes in packaging on popular educational platforms for creatives like Skillshare, Udemy, CreativeLive, and Domestika.
Here’s my list of top 10 courses for aspiring packaging designers:
10 Best Packaging Design Courses
- Basics of Packaging Design — Best for Beginners
- Creative Packaging Design — Most Creative
- Packaging Design School — Most Effective
- Designing Brand Packaging — Most Practical
- Product Packaging Design — Most Essential
- Packaging Label Design — Most Hands-on
- Packaging Tutorial (Materials) — Quick and Easy
- Packaging Design for Creatives — Best for Designers
- Packaging 101 for Entrepreneurs — Best for Entrepreneurs
- ABC of Packaging Design — Most Comprehensive
As part of your class, you will study brand development, typography, packaging materials, computer graphics, and sustainable design — everything you need to become a real professional.
With my list of packaging design courses, you can level up your skills without having to spend money on an expensive and time-consuming traditional school.
Most of these courses are very affordable and some you can even get for free (if you use a trial) — Just pick the course you like and study at your own pace.
What is packaging design?
Packaging usually refers to the design of a box, a can, a bottle, wrapping, or any kind of container.
Packaging design is the process of creating an exterior of a product.
It involves the choice of material, as well as any other graphics, colors and fonts, labels, etc., used on that material.
Packaging design basically involves creating everything that can compel a customer to browse through a grocery lane to pick up that product.
Attractive packaging can not only stand out on the shelf, but it can also communicate the value of a product and therefore win customers’ loyalty.
Moreover, the more captivating the design, the more attention it will receive which will ultimately lead to an increase in sales.
It is an integral part of a brand’s marketing strategy and a good packaging design can really make all the difference.
So whether you’re a creative who wants to learn packaging design from top professionals, or an entrepreneur interested in the process — here’s my list of top 10 packaging design courses to take in 2021.
1. Basics of Packaging Design
This course will make you learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to create visually stunning and captivating packaging while satisfying the needs of any demanding client.
A perfect course to learn the basics of packaging (Best for Beginners).
Ask anyone, and they will tell you that Adobe Illustrator is the go-to software for any packaging designer.
However, it can be pretty challenging to get the hang of it immediately and requires practice to develop some skills.
This packaging design course is best for beginners as it allows them to master Illustrator while creating some awesome packaging designs!
Consisting of six simple videos that take you step-by-step through each module.
Although this course is pretty short, it covers the basics of packaging design to get you started.
You will learn the terminologies used in the packaging and printing industry like dielines, live, trim, knockout, bleed, overprint, scores, folds, embossing, and more.
This class will show you how to set up a grid, create all the panels and flaps, make the measurements and produce a finished package that is ready to print.
You will also learn how to render the final designs and preview the package in real life.
It’s also a great deal and with a 100% satisfaction rate, this course is a must for those wanting to break into the packaging design world.
The author of the course, Jason Hoppe, has over 17 years of experience in the industry!
Jason is such a great instructor — very organized, clear, and straight to the point!
If you’re starting from scratch, this basic packaging design course is should be your top choice.
2. Creative Packaging Design
This creative packaging design course was carefully planned for effective branding to deliver a unique consumer experience.
The most creative among packaging design courses!
The famous quote “You only have one chance to make a first expression” explains why good packaging is important because it’s the first thing we see in a product.
Marion Bretagne will walk you through how to make a creative packaging design and share her expertise with branding to create unique packaging concepts.
Get to know more about her packaging design career as she gives you a brief introduction to the course and her journey to becoming an expert.
The course has almost a 4-hour runtime that will help you understand packaging design and its importance.
You will then be taught how to design your own packaging in a step-by-step process.
At the end of the course, you will be asked to make your own packaging concept to apply what you have learned.
To proceed with the course, the instructor recommended that you should have Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator software and you should know how to use them.
You will also need cardboard, different kinds of paper, a ruler, a bone folder, and scissors for additional materials.
Anyone who’s interested in creating awesome packaging concepts should definitely enroll.
3. Packaging Design School
The packaging design school uses Adobe Illustrator as its medium and is this super short and powerful course.
A short and simple yet effective way to learn packaging design easily (Most effective).
Taught by a professional graphic designer, this course can be the best deal you have ever taken.
If you enroll in the Packaging Design School, you will:
- learn how to choose materials.
- how to determine the perfect size and shape.
- how to apply design or print on it.
- How to confidently shape the box as you find fit.
This packaging design course is much more comprehensive as it grabs you by the hand and walks you through all the steps of creating your very first packaging box!
The videos are short, barely reaching a full 20 minutes, but the lessons are gold if you want to break into the packaging world.
It teaches you everything from choosing suitable materials to determining the correct shape and size of the product.
The course wraps up with various ways to customize the box’s design and, in the end, helps you find confidence in the package design you chose!
4. Designing Brand Packaging
This course walks you through a typical brand packaging design project explaining all the possible stages involved.
A great course to get the practical experience for mastering brand packaging (Most practical).
The instructor, Barney Bryant, is very passionate about packing and shows a lot of examples — extremely good to view and listen to.
In the Designing Brand Packaging course, you’ll learn everything from brand strategy and naming, to brand identity, packaging/label design to production.
This class is more hands-on compared to other courses, as it gives your practical knowledge in designing brand packaging.
Although this course does not provide a hands-on project, it does offer an optional project that you can do to hone your old and new-learned skills.
An absolutely essential course to get to know the ins and outs of packaging design in the most practical way.
Continue reading this article on my blog at: https://www.ebaqdesign.com/blog/packaging-design-courses#5
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