Jumpstart your creative journey with Canva Design Essentials Pt. 1: Core Tools & Layouts, led by award-winning designer and educator Dan Scott. This beginner-friendly course is your foundation for mastering Canva, equipping you with essential tools, design principles, and layout strategies to create stunning visual content with confidence.
Canva Design Essentials Pt. 1: Core Tools & Layouts
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Canva Design Essentials Pt. 1: Core Tools & Layouts
This course is part of Canva Design Essentials Specialization
Instructor: Skillshare
Included with 
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
8 hours to complete
3 weeks at 2 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Skills you'll gain
Details to know
Shareable certificate
Add to your LinkedIn profile
Recently updated!
July 2025
Assessments
7 assignments
Taught in English
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This course is part of the Canva Design Essentials Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 7 modules in this course
Begin your Canva journey by getting familiar with the platform and preparing for your course project. In this module, you'll explore Canva’s core interface, learn how to access design resources, and create your first design brief. You’ll gain clarity on the purpose of your design and the audience it’s meant to serve—essential steps for any design workflow.
What's included
3 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
This module focuses on building confidence with Canva’s design tools. You’ll learn to start a design from scratch or from a template, work with free and premium images, and apply essential cropping techniques—including using frames—to improve your visual compositions. By the end, you'll be ready to manage image elements effectively and customize your projects with precision.
What's included
4 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Good design starts with an organized workspace. In this module, you’ll explore Canva’s interface beyond the canvas, including tips for naming, sorting, and accessing your designs. You’ll also learn how to upload your own media and discover reliable sources for free design assets, so you can personalize your creations and streamline your workflow.
What's included
4 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Take your design skills to the next level by learning to use shapes and layers to build clear, balanced compositions. This module guides you through essential layout tools and introduces best practices for exporting your work in various file formats. You’ll complete your first guided project using foundational shape and positioning tools in Canva.
What's included
3 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
In this color- and type-focused module, you’ll enhance your visual design fluency by working with Canva’s color palettes, text formatting tools, and design styles. You’ll explore how to mix your own colors, apply pre-made themes, and stylize fonts for impact—all while maintaining a cohesive look and feel across your project.
What's included
4 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
Refine your typographic and layout skills with advanced Canva features. You’ll explore techniques like grouping and locking elements, curving text, and adding effects like drop shadows to enhance clarity and visual appeal. These techniques will help you elevate the professionalism and polish of your designs.
What's included
3 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt
In the final module, you’ll apply everything you've learned to design a visually striking Instagram post. You’ll experiment with shapes, icons, lines, and brand elements to create content that’s optimized for social media. This hands-on project will help you practice real-world skills in hierarchy, composition, and platform-specific formatting.
What's included
4 videos1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
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Frequently asked questions
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
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