# Figma Bootcamp

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/figma-bootcamp>

## Overview

Figma is a modern design tool created specifically for the needs of today’s Web Designers, UX Designers, and App Designers. Unlike image editors such as Photoshop—originally built for print, photo editing, or illustration—Figma is entirely focused on designing user interfaces and user experiences. You can design visuals and transform them into functional prototypes all within a single app!

Figma uses frames (similar to artboards in other apps) to efficiently create web layouts for mobile, tablet, and desktop, as well as screens for apps. Being vector-based, it allows easy scaling for different screen sizes and exporting high-resolution (Retina) graphics for websites, apps, and more. It includes tools tailored for UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) design, such as components and integrated prototyping features.

In this class, you’ll learn to design and then convert your work into interactive prototypes that transition between screens, display navigation overlays, create scrollable areas within screens, and more. You’ll even enhance your designs with animations using smart animate!

Figma is fully cloud-based as a web app, so collaboration and file sharing are built in. While you can download the Figma desktop app, you can also log in through any web browser and start designing without installing anything.

## What you'll learn

- Create UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) designs for websites, apps, and more
- Design finished layouts that are optimized for mobile, tablet, and desktop screens
- Design on grids, extract image assets, share designs with clients/developers, and more
- Build interactive prototypes
- Make animations using smart animate
- Use components (including variants) to make updating your designs easier
- Work with Team libraries to share style and design components

## Curriculum

### Section 1

#### Creating a New Figma File

- Creating a new file
- Setting up frames (other apps call these artboards)
- Setting up a Layout Guide

#### Designing on a Layout Guide (like the Bootstrap Grid)

- Designing on a Layout Guide
- Adding text
- Creating colored backgrounds for text columns

#### Importing & Cropping Photos

- Importing & cropping photos
- Rounding corners

#### Vector Graphics, Colors, Shadows, & More

- Importing vector graphics
- Aligning & distributing layers
- Layer opacity vs. fill opacity
- Reusing colors (color styles)
- Adding a drop shadow

### Section 2

#### Components (Reusable Elements)

- Creating & editing components
- Overriding content in one instance vs. globally updating all components
- Setting Constraints
- Detaching from a component

#### Turning a Design into a Clickable Prototype

- Linking between frames (artboards)
- Previewing the prototype
- Creating an overlay
- Fixing the position of elements so they don’t scroll

#### Exporting Assets for Web: SVG, JPEG, & PNG

- Exporting individual assets
- Exporting frames (artboards)

#### Sharing Figma Files: Commenting, Testing, Developers, etc.

- Sharing a Figma file
- Sharing a Prototype
- Commenting on shared files
- Viewing a prototype for user testing
- Specs for developers

### Section 3

#### Auto Layout: Introduction

- Using Tidy Up for Even Spacing
- Using Auto Layout
- Alignment Constraints
- Spacing, Rearranging, & Adding Items with Auto Layout

#### Auto Layout: Deeper Dive

- Nesting Auto Layouts
- Auto Layout Gap Spacing & Padding
- Auto Layout Sizing & Constraints
- Negative Spacing & Stacking Order
- Ignoring Auto Layout

#### Linking Up/Down a Page, Scrollable Areas, & Hyperlinks

- Making Links that Scroll Up/Down a Page
- Making the Navbar Fixed to the Screen
- Adjusting the Position & Speed of the Scroll
- Creating a Scrollable Area Within a Page
- Adding Hyperlinks

#### Text Styles

- Opening Sketch files in Figma
- Handling missing fonts
- Creating, editing, & organizing text styles

### Section 4

#### Component Properties & Variants

- Component Properties (Text, Boolean, Instance Swap, & Variant)
- Creating & Using Component Variants

#### Hovers, Overlays, & Smart Animate

- Adding a Hover State to a Button (Using Variants)
- Opening a Pop-Up (Using an Overlay)
- Auto Animating the Hover with Smart Animate

#### Team Libraries (Shared Libraries)

- Publishing a Team Library
- Using Components in a Team Library
- Using Styles in a Team Library
- Swapping Team Libraries

## Schedule
- Jun 15, 2026 – Jun 16, 2026 — Live Online
- Jul 15, 2026 – Jul 27, 2026 — Live Online
- Aug 3, 2026 – Aug 4, 2026 — Live Online
- Oct 5, 2026 – Oct 6, 2026 — Live Online
- Nov 2, 2026 – Nov 3, 2026 — Live Online
- Dec 16, 2026 – Dec 28, 2026 — Live Online

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $695