12-WEEK BEGINNER PROGRAM
Bring your imagination to life — on purpose.
A twelve-week path from complete beginner to creative business owner. Graphic design, branding, custom product production and the business skills to sell it — taught through YouTube lessons and live TikTok demonstrations.
Graphics Design
Branding
Custom Product Production
Creative Entrepreneurship
TRAINING OUTCOME
A complete client-ready branding project and a 30-day business launch plan
The Course Promise
This course turns beginners into reliable creative-business owners.
Every week moves you one step further along the same three-part arc.
01 - Learn
Learn
Computer skills, design principles and production basics — the fundamentals every job depends on.
02 — MAKE
Make
Real flyers, brand kits, shirts, mugs and product proposals — work you can hand to an actual customer.
03 - Sell
Sell
Price jobs, serve customers and market a creative business — so the skill turns into income.
By 12 weeks, you'll have
A complete client-ready branding project and a 30-day business launch plan.
The Path
Twelve weeks, in a deliberate sequence.
Each phase builds directly on the last — you can’t shortcut into production or business skills without the foundations underneath them.
PHASE 1
Design Foundations
Weeks 1–4
01 WEEK
Digital Foundations
02 WEEK
Software & files
03 WEEK
Design Principles
01 WEEK
Print media
PHASE 2
Craft & Production
Weeks 5–8
05 WEEK
Brand identity
06 WEEK
Client workflow
07 WEEK
DTF apparel
08 WEEK
Mug sublimation
PHASE 3
Business & Launch
Weeks 9–12
09 WEEK
Embroidery
10 WEEK
Equipment
11 WEEK
Pricing & service
12 WEEK
Marketing & launch
The Path
Twelve weeks, in a deliberate sequence.
45-75 MINS
Watch
No more endless scrolling. We vet everything before it reaches you.
60-120 MINS
Do the work
Only real discounts, verified coupons, and genuine freebies get posted.
WEEKLY
Improve
Every product is hand-picked by a working designer and decorator.
Week by Weeek
Twelve weeks of learning objectives and practical work.
Open any week to see what you’ll learn and exactly what you’ll produce.
Week 1- Digital Foundations
Learning Objectives
- Use hardware, folders, browsers, email and cloud storage confidently.
- Create a professional job-folder structure for every customer.
- Apply safe passwords, backups and file-sharing habits.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Build and email a correctly named sample customer job folder — with Source, Proof, Print and Final folders, consistent naming, and the right final file sent by email.
Week 2 - Softwares & Files
Learning Objectives
- Choose Canva, CorelDRAW, Photoshop, CapCut or ChatGPT for the right task.
- Know when to use PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, EPS, CDR and PSD.
- Set dimensions, bleed, resolution and RGB/CMYK correctly.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Build and email a correctly named sample customer job folder — with Source, Proof, Print and Final folders, consistent naming, and the right final file sent by email.
Week 3 - Design Principles
Learning Objectives
- Use hierarchy, contrast, alignment, repetition and spacing.
- Pair readable fonts and build controlled color palettes.
- Correct weak layouts through purposeful critique.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Redesign a weak promotional post and explain five specific improvements — then build a new promotional graphic from a brief and sketch through to a balanced, customer-ready composition.
Week 4 - Print Media
Learning Objectives
- Design flyers, business cards, postcards, brochures, banners and stickers.
- Use trim, bleed, safe margins, folds and high-quality images.
- Proofread and complete a preflight check before printing.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Create a coordinated 5×7 flyer and 3.5×2 business card, ready for print.
Week 5 - Brand Identity
Learning Objectives
- Clarify mission, values, audience, personality and positioning.
- Develop logo variations, color rules and a font system.
- Present concepts professionally and respond to feedback.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Create a mini brand kit with a logo, palette, fonts and three mockups.
Week 6 - Client Workflow
Learning Objectives
- Turn vague requests into clear briefs, scopes and timelines.
- Manage deposits, revisions, proofs and approvals.
- Use production, quality-control and delivery checklists.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Submit a brief, quote, mockup, approval message and delivery checklist — then role-play turning a real client conversation into a clear job specification, confirming scope, timeline and payment before production.
Week 7 - DTF Apparel
Learning Objectives
- Prepare transparent artwork and efficient gang sheets.
- Choose suitable garments, colors, sizes and placements.
- Control time, temperature and pressure; inspect adhesion and finish.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Produce one branded T-shirt (or an outsourced-production pack) — measuring and aligning the transfer, pressing to verified settings, then peeling, repressing and inspecting the result.
Week 8 - Mug Sublimation
Learning Objectives
- Design a correctly sized, mirrored mug wrap.
- Use coated blanks, sublimation supplies and safe press settings.
- Prevent ghosting, fading, uneven transfers and moisture problems.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Produce one personalized mug — sizing and mirroring the artwork, securing the wrap without movement, then pressing, cooling, inspecting and packaging it.
Week 9 - Embroidery
Learning Objectives
- Prepare an effective digitizing brief and select thread, needles and backing.
- Hoop polos, caps and scrubs accurately.
- Bundle embroidery with useful promotional products.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Create an embroidery-ready logo brief and a three-product gift proposal — simplifying the logo for thread, choosing backing and placement, then hooping, stitching, trimming and inspecting.
Week 10 - Equipment
Learning Objectives
- Weigh Design + Outsource against Finish In-House and Full Production.
- Buy machines only once demand, space and cash flow justify it.
- Understand the ventilation and maintenance a real shop requires.
KEy idea
Map your own shop’s growth path against the three-stage equipment ladder — see the Startup Machines section below.
Week 11 - Price & Service
Learning Objectives
- Calculate materials, labor, overhead, waste, fees and profit.
- Set retail, bulk, rush and minimum-order prices.
- Use clear quotes, invoices, deposits and payment terms.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Prepare a profitable quote and invoice for 25 printed shirts.
Week 12 - Market & Launch
Learning Objectives
- Define target customers and a clear service offer.
- Use a website plus one or two social platforms consistently.
- Publish before/after work, behind-the-scenes videos, testimonials and product showcases.
PRACTICAL EXERCISE
Present the capstone project and commit to a 30-day launch plan.
The DG Concept Standard
Design with purpose. Produce with care. Build relationships.
Graduates leave ready to solve customer problems, protect quality, price profitably, and grow one reliable order at a time.
