12 Best Free Computer Graphics Courses and MOOCs 2024 [Updated]

Get ready to dive into the world of computer graphics with the help of our carefully curated Computer Graphics courses. These courses are perfect for budding and seasoned designers alike.

Key Takeaways

• Access to courses that cover everything from basic to advanced techniques.
• A chance to learn to create stunning visual content.
• Suited best for graphic designers and digital artists.

What are the best courses for learning computer graphics?

This list of best computer graphics courses offers comprehensive training and helps learners understand how to create digital images and animations through Blender and Adobe Illustrator.

Computer Graphics Courses Evaluation & Selection Criteria

Our list of best computer graphics courses has been finalized after carefully analyzing curriculum quality, technology used user feedback, and instructor expertise. Our aim is to provide learners with such courses that not only teach fundamental theories but also teach to incorporate the latest technological advancements in graphics design.

List of 12 Best Computer Graphics Courses:

Computer Graphics

• • • University of California, San Diego via edX
    • 72 hours of effort required
    • 101,821+ already enrolled!
    • This course is part of Virtual Reality(VR) App Development Professional Certificate

With this course, you can learn to create a variety of computer-generated images of 3D. Furthermore, you’ll also learn to make a real-time scene viewer, create realistic images with raytracing, and more. The course starts with simple examples of viewing a teapot from anywhere in space. And then moves to give an understanding of the basic mathematics of virtual camera placement. Similarly, you are also going to understand how you can use real-time graphics programming languages to create your own scene viewer.

We all know that graphics is a central part of our lives. You can see the use of computer graphics everywhere, from movies and games to imaging products and cameras. This will teach the basics of computer graphics. In this basic study, you will also get to learn about programming languages like OpenGL and GLSL.

Computer Graphics with Modern OpenGL and C++

• • • Ben Cook via Udemy
    • 12,428+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★☆ (1,811 Ratings)

A perfect course for you to learn the theory and the code that is behind the modern OpenGL graphical applications. The course aims to make you capable of making games, simulations, and more with modern OpenGL and C++. After completing this course, you would have learned a lot of concepts. For example, how you can create 3D graphical applications with C++ and OpenGL. Similarly, what is GLEW and GLFW, and how to use it? Moreover, you’ll also learn the interpolation to streamline 3 D applications and much more. Check out our complete list of 100+ Best Programming Courses here.

Learning 3D Graphics on the Web with Three.js

• • • Engin Arslan via LinkedIn Learning
    • 11,279+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★★ (51 Ratings)

This intermediate level course explains how you can use the three.js JavaScript library for creating 3D graphics for the web in a very engaging and fun manner.

• The reason why we chose this course is its focus on explaining how to customize 3D object’s properties and build particle systems.
• This course is for those who wish to gain technical and conceptual understanding of how to create advanced visuals with three.js.

Animation and CGI Motion

• • • Columbia University via edX
    • 120 hours of effort required
    • 38,846+ already enrolled!
    • This course is part of Artificial Intelligence (AI) MicroMaster Program

Do you have this passion for creating realistic animations? If you are that person then you have definitely landed onto the right course. You will be taught to focus on the technical aspects of CGI animation to create lifelike animations. Furthermore, you’ll also learn to integrate ordinary differential equations to predict the motion of a dress in wind. How you can artistically control physically-based animations will also be taught. Different concepts like fluid simulation, continuum mechanics. Finite elements, rigid bod simulation, and much more will be learned.

In this course, you will get to pursue your passion for creating realistic animations. You will learn to predict the motion of materials, ad loon onto the technical aspects of CGI animation. Moreover, you will gain the experience of what it is like to work in a studio.

Learn Modern OpenGL Programming

• • • Game Institute Inc. via Udemy
    • 3,059+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★★ (380 Ratings)

A course that will help you learn a practical level of programming using modern OpenGL. You’ll understand how to set up an OpenGL window using both GLFW and OpenGL API. Furthermore, you’ll learn to render simple textured rectangles to complex 3D models with realistic lighting. Similarly, as you go further you’ll also learn different types of lighting so as to make the models look more realistic and lively. By the end of the course, you will be independent enough to set up and control a virtual camera to move around and view objects.

Unreal Engine 4 Materials Fundamentals

• • • Shaun Foster via PluralSight
    • ★★★★★

This “Unreal Engine 4 Materials Fundamentals” course helps you learn the material fundamentals for Unreal Engine 4 and how you can make many materials.

• The reason why we chose this course is its focus on exploring the core nodes for building materials and masking techniques.
• This course is for those who wish to develop a flexible toolset of skills for building a wide range of materials but from the comfort of their home.

GIMP Computer Graphics For Kids and Beginners of any Age

• • • Wicky Watson via Udemy
    • 522+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★☆ (99 Ratings)

Want to learn all about computer graphics and have fun at the same time? Take this computer graphics course now as it will help you master GIMP. Totally suitable for beginners of any age and even kids to enroll in this course and have some fun while learning GIMP. The skills that you will be gaining from this course will make learning any other graphics software much easier. Thus the best way to learn to use all the GIMP tools to create fun and useful graphics projects.

The Extensive WebGL Series! – Part1: Low Level Graphics

• • • Ahmed Fathy Hagar via Udemy
    • 3,078+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★☆ (215 Ratings)

This course is a suitable way for you to understand the mathematical and practical foundations of 3D computer graphics using Opengl’s WebGL. A concept like creating amazing 3D scenes that run directly on the browser inside HTML elements will be learned. Similarly, you’ll understand the right way to write code that runs directly on the GPU. With that, you’ll learn to communicate this code from the GPU. Thus you will be able to understand the low-level mathematics related to the computer graphics and much more from this course. For those interested in diving deep into hardware acceleration, our GPU Architectures and Programming Course Review offers an in-depth look at both the theory and practice.

Interactive Computer Graphics

• • • The University of Tokyo via Coursera
    • 12 hours of effort required
    • 57,923+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★☆ (238 Ratings)

A complete course that will introduce you to the various interactive tools in computer graphics with their design rationales and algorithms. You will be learning all about enhancements to graphical user interfaces. With that, you’ll also understand authoring tools for 2D drawings and 3D animations. What is an interactive computer-aided design system and robotics and much more will be learned engagingly. The course assignments will help you gain insights and skills you need to design and implement tools.

3D Programming with JavaScript and the Three.js 3D Library

• • • Tim Buchalka’s Learn Programming Academy, Shay Tavor via Udemy
    • 4,855+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★☆ (758 Ratings)

This is a type of course that will help you understand 3D programming and JavaScript precisely yet completely. You’ll learn to design 3-dimensional logos, animations, and texts in a fun way. With that, you also learn how you can incorporate them into your own page, game, or application. The course contains instructions that will help you write simply to complex 3D applications using 3js in JavaScript. Furthermore, you’ll learn to apply geometry skills when you write large, complex, and structured programs. This and more will be learned from this course that will make you competent enough to become an expert in this field. We have a separate curation for basic computer courses for beginners.

OpenGL and GLSL fundamentals with C++ (Practical Course)

• • • Serhii K via Udemy
    • 4,849+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★☆ (128 Ratings)

In this course, you are going to master the OpenGL and the GLSL shading language through writing code. The course starts by covering the basics and then takes you to an advanced level gradually. You are going to explore the modern rendering pipeline and shaders. With that, you’ll also learn to make engaging procedural computer graphics and much more. Similarly, how to do 3D transformations that include rotation, scale, and perspective projection will also be learned.

Learn the Vulkan API with C++

• • • Ben Cook via Udemy
    • 2,006+ already enrolled!
    • ★★★★★ (256 Ratings)

Learning the fundamentals of the popular Vulkan API has never been this easy before. With this course, you’ll learn to use Vulkan API for modern graphics rendering using C++. You’ll understand what Vulkan API is and how to set it up to work on a GPU. Similarly, you can learn to create 3D graphical applications using both C++ and Vulkan API. Moreover, other concepts like creating essential Vulkan elements like SwapChain, Pipeline, and command buffers will be learned. The lecture videos will also help you understand how you can use textures, how to implement a depth buffer, how to load in models from the external files, and much more.

Great course. Vulkan is a moderately new tool, and there are very few instructional tutorials. There aren’t much good explanatory video for Vulkan in general. Ben for me is a stunning educator, he clarifies the ideas quite well and offers great help in the inquiry and answer segment. I 100% recommended this course (Jesus Guio, ★★★★★).

Computer Graphics Course FAQs

What are the best computer graphic courses?

There are several best computer graphics courses that are exclusively available at takethiscourse.net.

• Computer Graphics
• Computer Graphics with Modern OpenGL and C++
• Animation and CGI Motion
• Learn Modern OpenGL Programming
• GIMP Computer Graphics For Kids and Beginners of any Age
• The Extensive WebGL Series ! – Part1 : Low Level Graphics

Which software is used for computer graphics?

Many software are used for computer graphics like;

• Adobe Illustrator
• InDesign
• Photoshop
• Inkscape
• CorelDraw
• Microsoft Paint
• Paint.Net

How do I become a computer graphics programmer?

• You need a degree in computer graphics, computer programming or any relevant field.
• Next, you need to build a portfolio and create work that you can show to employers.
• To develop more skills, you must enroll in a computer graphics course. It is your job to find out where you lag and which course is suitable for you. Takethiscourse.net offers the best computer graphics courses that you can consider.
• Become active and get to know people of this industry by attending different events and introducing yourself there.
• Then search for different jobs that match your criteria.

So take your time and go through the list carefully and then pick the most suitable course for yourself to enroll in it. And don’t forget to stay safe and never stop learning.