Photo Courtesy of Noble Desktop
Photo Courtesy of Noble Desktop
Photo Courtesy of Noble Desktop

Best Adobe Classes NYC: Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro, InDesign, & Illustrator

Whatever you want from the whole suite of Adobe products, these are the classes and courses you need

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As a global hub for technology, media, and design, professionals in New York City can find a wealth of training programs to enhance their Adobe skills. Whether you’re just starting a career or a seasoned professional looking to stay competitive and boost your existing skills, these classes are excellent for anyone working in web development, media production, marketing, or graphic design. The city offers classes for professionals of all skill levels, so more experienced learners can also find plenty of opportunities to learn advanced design techniques, explore the latest industry trends, and broaden their career prospects in the area. 

Many of these classes only take a few days to complete, so busy professionals can still fit them into their schedules as they work to achieve their goals. For added convenience, most of the classes listed below are available live online and in person. Whether you want to learn one Adobe program or several, dozens of classes in NYC will help you enhance your design skills. 

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Best Adobe classes in NYC

Adobe classes can range from a single day to multiple weeks. You can also find classes focusing on one Adobe program or targeted career certificates teaching students how to use several Adobe tools at once. No matter your current schedule, budget, or learning goals, there is an Adobe class in New York City that will meet your needs: 

Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp

Take your photo editing skills to the next level with this three-day bootcamp designed for beginners to Adobe Photoshop. This program focuses on using Photoshop to retouch and edit images, as well as create graphics and vector drawings. The curriculum starts with the complete basics, including navigating the interface and retouching and cropping photos. Lessons will progress and get more complex, covering topics like replacing backgrounds, sharpening photos, and running actions. No prior experience outside of basic computer skills is needed to register, and classes run both in-person in New York City and live online for those who prefer to learn from home. Supplemental materials are also available, both during and after the course, to help reinforce learning new Photoshop skills.

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Adobe Illustrator Bootcamp

This 18-hour bootcamp class dives into the basics of Adobe Illustrator to draw and edit vector graphics. Students who complete the curriculum will gain confidence using the Pen tool, as well as more complex tasks like creating graphics with gradients and blends. Registration includes live instruction, either in NYC or live online, and access to proprietary workbooks designed by experts in the design field. The lessons start with basic tasks to help students gain confidence with the fundamentals, such as using the Pen tool to draw corners and curves. The classes progress in difficulty as they go on, covering functions like masking, mapping symbols onto 3D objects, and merging paths. At the end of the course, participants should have a strong understanding of how to create complex shapes with basic drawing components. 

Adobe InDesign Bootcamp

Gain the skills needed to design professional page layouts in this InDesign bootcamp course, held in NYC and live online for remote learners. This is an ideal bootcamp for complete beginners to Adobe InDesign who want to gain the most relevant skills, as well as individuals with design experience who may need a refresher on the basics. The main topics covered in this course include incorporating text and graphics into layouts, using Master Pages when working with multiple-page documents and working with elements like anchored objects or libraries. There are six sections of study featured in this bootcamp, each covering several key skills needed to confidently work with InDesign. Those who complete the curriculum will leave with the ability to create professional designs for brochures, full-page ads, and even informative tables.

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Adobe After Effects Bootcamp

If you’re hoping to quickly learn basic animation skills, this After Effects class is for you. In just a few days or nights, you’ll be able to go from a beginner to a proficient animator able to produce professional results. The class begins with exploring the program’s interface and workflow so students can orient themselves to the most commonly used tools and find an organizational style that fits their preferences. Next, they’ll work with different opacity effects and blending modes before diving into basic animation effects. Students will also learn how to time their effects properly, sequence their edits, and work with animated text layers. The course also teaches students how to import files from Photoshop and Illustrator, making this a great introduction to other Adobe programs that creative professionals often use together.

Adobe Premiere Pro Bootcamp

Aspiring video editors can check out this brief but intense Premiere Pro course designed to introduce participants to the program’s most essential tools and features. Over the course of three days or six evenings, students will take a simple video editing project from start to finish. The program starts with an introduction to Premiere Pro’s interface to help students get familiar with the editing workspace and learn how to keep themselves organized. Next, they’ll move on to making edits by fixing color, removing background noise, and ensuring the audio is correctly synced to the video. Students will learn how to add titles and transitions to their work and animate simple motion effects to make it even more dynamic. The course ends with a unit on how to appropriately export different file types, locating missing files, and a lesson on backing up files with the Project Manager.

Best Adobe certificate courses in NYC

Graphic Design Certificate

Professionals looking for a comprehensive education in the Adobe programs most commonly used by graphic designers can check out this class. This course aims to help students become proficient in editing and retouching photos with Photoshop, creating unique graphics with Illustrators, and designing beautiful page layouts with InDesign. Students will learn more about design fundamentals through a wide range of projects designed to reflect real-world assignments. The program closes with students creating their personal design portfolios through Adobe Portfolio, which is included in the Creative Cloud membership. Students can add projects completed during this class to their portfolio to ensure it’s a well-rounded representation of their abilities to create things like logos, social media graphics, and other high-quality artwork.

Video Editing & Motion Graphics Design Certificate

This certificate program is a wonderful choice for anyone working in video production who wants to enhance their skills through hands-on practice. The first section focuses on teaching participants how to edit video and audio files. This unit includes information on skills like adding music and voiceover, removing background noise, and adding sound effects. Next, students will move on to creating visual effects and animations. This section covers the removal of greenscreen, layering animations, and creating 3D models. Towards the end of the program, students will get to work on their demo reels. This is a compilation of the projects you’ve completed in class and is designed to highlight your skills for potential clients or employers. Instructors can also help students polish their resumes and provide tips to improve job interview skills.

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Graphic Design Certificate for High School Students

This summer course focuses on three Adobe programs most commonly used in graphic design–Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. The course starts with an exploration of fundamental design concepts like layout, typography, and color theory. Then, students will explore each software program in more detail. With InDesign, they’ll learn how to create professional-looking layout designs for projects like books, magazines, and brochures and prepare these files for print and digital output. In Illustrator, students will learn the fundamentals of creating graphics, logos, and icons for web and print. Finally, the Photoshop unit focuses on topics like photo retouching, color adjustment, and creating simple graphics. At the end of the program, each participant will leave with a portfolio of sample projects and a thorough understanding of the real-world uses of these essential design tools.

Best Adobe certification programs in NYC

Photoshop Certification Program

Professionals looking to demonstrate their expertise in a particular Adobe program can check out a class specifically designed to prepare participants for an Adobe Certified Professional exam. Noble Desktop’s Photoshop Certification Program provides 30 hours of classroom instruction and two three-hour private tutoring sessions. The course also provides students with additional videos to help bolster their education, and it includes the Adobe Certified Professional exam for Photoshop with a free retake. These certifications are an excellent way to set yourself apart from other professionals because they show potential employers that you have relevant experience and are able to navigate the program efficiently while producing high-quality work. Noble Desktop offers these exam preparation courses in several other Adobe programs as well, including After Effects, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro.

After Effects Certification Program

Make sure you’re prepared for the Adobe Certified Professional exam for After Effects by completing the After Effects Certification Program in NYC. This program provides 42 hours of hands-on training in After Effects and six hours of private tutoring to help reinforce everything you’ve learned. Registration not only prepares students for this exam but also gives each participant access to the certification exam with the option of one free retake. While designed to get students ready for this official exam, the course is suitable for beginners and teaches the very basics through more advanced techniques. The curriculum spans the school’s After Effects Bootcamp and After Effects advanced classes and provides the option to opt out of the exam and receive one hour of additional tutoring instead.

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Premiere Pro Certification Program

Take the first steps in entering the film and video editing world with this certification program that’s designed to prepare beginners for the Adobe Certified Professional exam for Premiere Pro. There are no prerequisites for the program, as it starts with fundamental processes before moving on to more complex skills. Students can also choose to opt out of the exam that’s provided at no extra cost and receive an additional one hour of private training added to the six that come standard with registration. Classes start by covering the basics, including editing video footage, cleaning audio, color-correcting footage, and exporting content for social media. Next, lessons progress to more advanced tasks like creating custom transitions and adding special effects to clips.

Corporate Adobe training for employees

Businesses across industries can benefit from employees who are professionally trained in various Adobe programs. Whether you’re hoping to expand your team’s existing graphic design capabilities or provide a brief introduction to some entirely new skills, Adobe training can help your employees improve their digital marketing efforts and create more seamless branding across platforms. Corporate Adobe training options can be customized to meet your group’s unique needs. You can browse plenty of pre-existing courses that range from one-day crash courses to bootcamps that last for several days.

If you prefer, you can also create a unique training program targeting precise skills. These training programs are available at your office or virtually to ensure everyone receives the same information regardless of physical location. You can also purchase bulk vouchers at a discount for any existing Adobe course, allowing employees the option to attend training on nights and weekends for additional flexibility.

A quick guide to learning Adobe programs

What will you learn in an Adobe class?

Adobe Creative Cloud is a subscription-based suite of creative software programs that include Photoshop, After Effects, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Illustrator. These tools are commonly used in graphic design, video editing, photo editing, and animation, and proficiency in one or more of these programs is required to obtain a career as a graphic designer, animator, or video editor. These programs are designed to work seamlessly with one another, so learning to use one will make it that much easier to learn to use others. Below, you’ll learn more about what each program can do individually and which programs are most commonly used together.

Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is so ubiquitous it’s become a word people use whenever they want to describe a picture that has been heavily edited. In reality, the best use of Photoshop likely means a viewer cannot detect what changes have been made to an original image. Widely considered the gold standard of photo editing software, the program helps users add or remove components to their final image to ensure it aligns with their creative vision. Photoshop is also commonly used to create a composite of several different images or to quickly mock up the design of a product or logo so a client can see how a design looks before it goes into production. 

There are very few professionals who work with Photoshop alone. Most commonly, it is used in conjunction with Illustrator and InDesign. Images that have been edited or enhanced in Photoshop can be exported to InDesign for use in things like brochures, book covers, and magazine articles. Professionals like graphic designers often work with pre-existing images and create logos and other designs from scratch. Adobe Illustrator is the better choice when creating a brand new image, but the interfaces of both programs are similar, and they share many of the same tools, such as the various paintbrush and pen tools.

Illustrator

Illustrator is an application that is primarily used to create high-quality digital drawings and artwork. These images can be anything from complex logos and illustrations to simple graphs and diagrams. Illustrator is unique because it uses vector graphics to create images, which means they are not dependent on resolution and are created through mathematical relationships. Designs made with Illustrator can maintain their detail and quality regardless of size, so they are scalable to any project size. This allows businesses to save images like logos and repurpose them for anything from billboards to letterhead, maintaining brand recognition across a variety of platforms.

Illustrator is commonly used by professionals working in areas like publishing, illustration, and user experience design. People who use Illustrator in their work may also rely heavily on InDesign to complete their projects. An image created with Illustrator can be imported into InDesign for a digital publication, a physical book, or a magazine. Designs initially done with Illustrator can also be transferred to After Effects, where they can be animated for a video project. 

InDesign

If you’ve ever been struck by the simple beauty of a book cover or a magazine article, chances are that it was created in part with Adobe InDesign. This program allows users to generate visually appealing layouts for both print and digital media. The program contains numerous tools to add text and color to any design, making it a well-rounded product for anyone working in media. Users can also save their favorite templates so they can efficiently recreate a design at a moment’s notice. InDesign is also helpful in various personal endeavors, like creating a poster for a community fundraiser or garage sale. 

InDesign is an essential skill for anyone working in print or digital media since it enables professionals to efficiently design symmetrical and appealing layouts of images and text. Like other Adobe programs, learning to use InDesign can also open the door to learning other tools more easily. For instance, InDesign and Illustrator are especially linked to one another. Once graphics have been created and perfected in Illustrator, they can be added to a long-form project in InDesign and published without sacrificing the detail and quality of the original image.

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After Effects

Adobe After Effects is a software that helps users create motion graphics and special effects for various video projects. With this program, you can design unique title sequences, create eye-catching transition graphics to move between scenes, and use greenscreen effects to add or remove elements from your project. After Effects also has stellar digital compositing capabilities, allowing users to assemble multiple video clips into a single product. It can be used to create graphics for film and television, web content, or more simple graphics for other business presentations. 

This program is commonly used in conjunction with several other Adobe tools. Users can modify existing designs within After Effects or create custom graphics in Illustrator or Photoshop before adding them to a video created with After Effects. Those working extensively with After Effects are likely familiar with Premiere Pro, Adobe’s video editing program. Anyone working in media production can assemble and edit raw video footage in Premiere Pro before exporting it into After Effects to add dynamic effects that make the project truly come to life. 

 

Premiere Pro 

Whether you want to work on short-form video advertisements or full-length feature films, Adobe Premiere Pro is a tool you’ll be required to learn. The program is well-known for having a comprehensive set of editing capabilities and tools that allow users to make precise and creative edits with relative ease. With Premiere Pro, you can edit or alter the colors in your videos and add things like voiceovers, background music, and audio effects to make the final product more dynamic to listen to as well as to watch. Premiere Pro also enables users to trim and reorganize video clips to create a more seamless and well-paced narrative. 

Professionals who work with Premiere Pro can also take advantage of other Adobe programs to add additional elements to their final project. At the same time, Premiere Pro shines at editing raw video footage, and After Effects can take any video from good to incredible with its array of animation and special effects capabilities. Premiere Pro also integrates well with Photoshop and Illustrator when professionals need to incorporate text and graphics into their videos. Things like title sequences and lower thirds can be created in Photoshop or Illustrator before being animated further in Premiere Pro. 

Is an Adobe bootcamp worth it?

If you’re someone looking to break into fields like graphic design or video editing, being skilled in various Adobe programs is key to success. Adobe software is considered an industry-standard in most design sectors and highlights these programs for their incredible capabilities. Still, even with this knowledge, you may be left wondering whether enrolling in an Adobe bootcamp is worth it. The answer depends largely on a lot of personal factors, like your budget, availability, and what your goals are for seeking professional Adobe training. 

  • Shorter Learning Time: Adobe bootcamps typically last a few weeks to a few months. This allows you to learn the most important skills to jump-start a new career without spending years in a traditional classroom setting.
  • Practical Training: Most bootcamps are designed to be interactive with projects and assignments that mirror the tasks you'd encounter in a professional environment.
  • Focused Instruction: Unlike broader educational programs, bootcamps zero in on the Adobe tools that are most relevant to your chosen industry to make sure you gain job-ready skills.
  • Flexible Payment Options: It’s common for bootcamp programs to offer different payment options, like installment plans, financing, and pay-in-full discounts. These help offset the initial cost and make design education more accessible.

There are countless Adobe classes and certificate programs available, and each one will offer a unique set of advantages to participants. If you need to learn the software quickly for a new job or career transition, a bootcamp can be one of the most effective ways to gain these skills. Still, be sure to research all of the learning options available to you so you can find the one that best aligns with your needs. 

Top industries that use Adobe

In this day and age, most businesses need an online presence to succeed, regardless of what industry they’re in. Adobe software skills can apply to nearly any field, but there are some areas where they’re more commonly required. Here’s a quick overview of these industries before we dive into them in more detail:

  • Marketing & Advertising: Create digital campaigns with tools like Photoshop and Illustrator for high-quality graphics and video content.
  • Publishing: Uses InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator to produce professional-grade publications with cohesive layouts.
  • Entertainment: Filmmakers, editors, and animators use Premiere Pro and After Effects to edit films and create special effects.
  • Information Technology (IT): Leverage Adobe tools for UX/UI design and accurate data representations.
  • Education: Teachers improve learning with video content using Premiere Pro and After Effects to create instructional materials.  

Because marketing and advertising rely so heavily on the visual appearance of a product or service, professionals in these industries use multiple Adobe tools to create compelling digital campaigns designed to capture an audience's attention and increase engagement with their content. Photoshop, for instance, is a crucial tool in these fields. Whether an image will be used in print or digital media, it will most likely be enhanced or edited in Photoshop before being published. Professionals can alter an entire image or make a few precise changes depending on the purpose of the image. Still, it can all be done quickly and efficiently, which is crucial in a world of fast-paced deadlines and rapidly changing trends.

Whether they deal with print publications or digital content, those working in the publishing industry rely heavily on several Adobe programs to complete their daily tasks. InDesign is the most widely used publishing tool. The program can handle large amounts of text and images, so it’s ideal for anyone working with more complex documents like textbooks or magazines. The program also contains advanced typography tools and ready-to-use layout grids so people can adhere to their company’s branding style across various documents. 

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Those in film and television production also regularly utilize Premiere Pro to cut scenes and arrange sequences to ensure the pacing of their video doesn’t drag in places and that the narrative is coherent. Because the program has the capacity to handle a wide range of formats and resolutions and import videos from multiple cameras, it can be used to produce anything from blockbuster movies to simple corporate training videos. Adobe After Effects can help filmmakers achieve effects or appearances that are too costly or difficult to create during filming, like explosions, weather, or composite imagery. 

While many roles in the information technology (IT) industry don’t rely on creative skills, Adobe programs can support people in more technical roles by helping them create visually appealing representations of complex data and information. These tools are particularly valuable in areas related to user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. With Photoshop and Illustrator, designers can import assets from these programs into other programs to help demonstrate various samples of design ideas to clients and other stakeholders. These tools allow designers to make multiple examples of a particular idea so the team can agree on the best option before moving into more complex production timelines. 

Today’s educators are becoming increasingly skilled at developing their own compelling graphics and videos to use in their classrooms. They use Premiere Pro and After Effects to help students visualize complex concepts and to provide additional instruction that a lecture or a slideshow can’t replicate. Adding animation and other interactive elements to an educational or instructional video ensures that students are more engaged with the material, making them more likely to retain the information and maintain curiosity about similar subjects. Educational video content can also be more accessible for students with learning disabilities.

Adobe careers and salaries

Now that you know more about what Adobe programs can do and which industries you can apply these skills, you can explore more details about specific career paths where proficiency in various Adobe tools will be expected. These positions also require additional skills, but learning more about Adobe programs is an excellent first step toward landing any of the roles listed below:

Graphic designer

Graphic designers are responsible for helping an agency effectively communicate its products, services, and values to customers across multiple digital platforms. Graphic designers can work on a range of projects, including branding, social media content, and print materials. Their job is to understand the client’s needs and help brainstorm different concepts that aim to capture the client’s vision. These roles require a solid combination of technical skills and creativity to ensure that the final product aligns with the client’s goals and resonates with their target audience. They can use Photoshop to retouch branding photos, Illustrator to create logos, and InDesign for marketing materials like brochures and magazine ads.

In terms of salaries, aspiring graphic designers can expect varying compensation depending on their location and experience. The average annual salary for a graphic designer in the US is currently $58,000, while digital designers earn closer to $90,000 per year. The demand for graphic designers who are highly skilled in software programs like Photoshop and Illustrator is expected to grow rapidly in the next ten years as companies increasingly prioritize their online presence over other forms of marketing and advertising. 

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User experience (UX) designer

If you’re hoping for a creative career that also requires technical expertise and market research, UX design could be the path for you. Folks in these roles are responsible for understanding user needs and creating intuitive and efficient interfaces for various digital products. They usually start by conducting extensive research into their target audience and studying market trends to understand the needs of their potential customers. This research helps inform the design process, where UX designers will use tools like Photoshop and Illustrator to create prototypes and simulate different design options. They usually collaborate closely with other essential stakeholders to ensure their design aligns with the requirements and goals of other departments.

UX design is a rapidly growing field due to a growing need for user-friendly interfaces in an increasingly digital world. The average annual salary for a UX designer is around $98,000. However, this can vary widely depending on location, experience, and which industry they work in. For example, UX designers working in finance earn closer to $120,000 per year, while those working in advertising or other public relations earn just under $72,000. Designers in leadership roles also earn more as well, and since the job growth for UX design is projected to grow faster than average, now is an excellent time to gain experience in this field if you’re looking for a secure career that will continue to provide creative challenges and growth opportunities. 

Web designer

Web designers work with their clients to understand their business needs, create mockups of websites, and then refine those designs based on feedback. Their daily responsibilities typically include tasks like creating the layout of a website, designing dynamic visual elements like clickable icons and graphics, and collaborating with web developers to ensure their designs are implemented accurately. They use Adobe programs like Photoshop and Illustrator to produce their graphics and designs, but many are also proficient in basic coding with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript since these skills allow them to design and program various website functions. 

These days, web designers in the US enjoy an average annual salary of $98,000, though this can vary depending on location. For instance, a web designer in Atlanta or New York City will earn more than one working in a smaller city. Job growth in this field is also projected to rise quicker than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This growth is likely driven primarily by the expanding digital economy. As more companies seek to grow their target audience by enhancing their online presence, the demand for well-trained web developers will likely continue growing. 

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Marketing specialist

Professionals who work in digital or social media marketing help develop strategies that promote a brand and engage with their target audience. They can use Adobe programs like Illustrator and InDesign to create static content like social media posts and website banners, and they’ll use Premiere Pro and After Effects to curate engaging video content like promotional videos and client testimonials. In addition to Adobe skills, aspiring marketing professionals will also need to learn more about researching and analyzing performance to ensure they can pivot their campaigns if needed. 

Someone hoping to land a job in social media marketing can look forward to a competitive salary, with the average salary for marketing specialists being $74,000. Those with enough experience to advance to a management position can likely earn over $100,000 per year. Careers in marketing are also expected to grow at a faster rate than the average for other occupations, partly due to the ever-changing landscape of social media platforms. Consumers increasingly rely on social media to learn which businesses to trust, so professionals skilled in a combination of visual storytelling and analyzing research are likely to enjoy a positive job outlook for many years to come. 

Video editor

Whether they work on major Hollywood films or short videos for social media, video editors play an essential role in the final look and feel of any professional video project. They review hours of raw footage and then use Premiere Pro to assemble these clips into a coherent narrative. Next, they can use After Effects to add various visual effects to ensure their audience remains engaged throughout the video. In addition to being highly skilled in using After Effects and Premiere Pro, video editors should also be well-versed in Adobe Audition. This program is used to clean up sound, mix audio tracks, and add sound effects to produce a more dynamic listening experience. 

With the demand for video content growing across all social media platforms, video editors can expect their job prospects to rise by about 7% in the next decade. Video editors in the U.S. earn an average annual salary of around $61,000, but this can vary widely depending on location and which industry they work in. For instance, a video editor working in film or television will earn more than one who works for the government or other professional services. Regardless, there is likely to be an ongoing need for skilled video editors across industries and locations, making this an exciting and diverse career path. 

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