Graphic Design for Fiction: Visual Identities with Stories
A course by Tom MullerGraphic Designer and Creative Director
A course by Tom Muller, Graphic Designer and Creative Director
Learn to translate powerful stories into memorable brand identities with a unique narrative spin using Adobe Illustrator and InDesign
Tom Muller’s love for comics started at a young age. Since then, he’s found a way of combining that love with his passion for graphic design, by creating brand identities for iconic fictional titles including Marvel’s X-Men.
He’s collaborated with Magnum Photos, DC Comics, and Sony Pictures, using his experience as a creative director to design cohesive brand identities from start to finish. He aims to infuse his work with powerful narratives, and uses a storytelling approach to his creative process which he calls ‘branding stories and designing fiction.’
What do you get from this course?
“In this course you will learn the art of graphic design for fiction. For your final project you will have the opportunity to translate your favourite story into a brand identity for a book package”
• Learn the art of graphic design for fiction. • Discover the creative process behind X-Men’s branding. • Create a unique brand identity from start to finish, including logos, typography, and colors.
What will you learn in this online course?
22 lessons & 11 downloads
What Is Designing for Fiction?
11 minutes, 20 seconds
Designing For Fiction: Case Studies 1
13 minutes, 21 seconds
Designing For Fiction: Case Studies 2
18 minutes, 43 seconds
Tools and Software
2 minutes, 9 seconds
The Brief
17 minutes, 50 seconds
Mood Board and References
16 minutes, 8 seconds
What's included in this course?
Explore what designing for fiction is, take a look at the materials needed for the course, and dive into two of Tom’s favorite projects, X-Men and VS.
Learn to define a brief, create a mood board, and gather references, before creating your initial sketches on paper and digitizing them in Illustrator.
See Tom’s process for fine-tuning a logo and title treatment, enhancing a visual language with typography, and developing a cohesive color scheme for your project. Then bring all of these elements together to design your final cover before moving on to the interior pages.
Discover the best ways to share your work online and discover tips and tricks for new designers on collaborations, briefs, and more.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a brand identity for a book package based on your favorite story.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone with an interest in exploring graphic design in the world of fiction.
Requirements and materials
Knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and InDesign is required. Experience with Photoshop is a bonus.
In terms of materials, you will need access to a device with the above software installed, as well as pencils and paper for the initial sketches.
Reviews
- 1 month ago
gostei
- 11 months ago
Super recomendable y muy interesante como proyecto.
- 1 year ago
Amazing content, filled with inspiring work
- 1 year ago
Beginning to end, it was a great course!!
- 2 years ago
great course
His clients include Marvel Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Images Comics, Darren Aronofksky, 2000 AD, Star Wars, Disney, Google, WIRED, and Diesel. He is also the recipient of multiple awards including the Brand Impact Award for his design of X-Men’s Dawn of X[i], and his work has been recognised by The Eisner Awards, The Harvey Awards, [i]Entertainment Weekly, Wired, New York Magazine, and The Guardian.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Designing for Fiction: What Does It All Mean?
- What Is Designing for Fiction?
- Designing For Fiction: Case Studies 1
- Designing For Fiction: Case Studies 2
- Tools and Software
- U3
Creating the Visual Language: Concept and Design
- The Brief
- Mood Board and References
- Sketching with Pen and Paper
- Exploring the Title and Logo Design 1
- Exploring the Title and Logo Design 2
- Exploring the Title and Logo Design 3
- U4
The Final Design
- Designing the Logo in Illustrator 1
- Designing the Logo in Illustrator 2
- Extending the Visual Language with Type
- Colour Scheme 1
- Colour Scheme 2
- Colour Scheme 3
- Building the Cover Design 1
- Building the Cover Design 2
- U5
The Presentation
- Presenting the Final Cover Design
- Tips and Advice for New Designers
- FP
Final project
- Graphic Design for Fiction: Visual Identities with Stories
What to expect from a Domestika course
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate graphic designers interested in exploring comic book, pop culture, and publication design techniques, blending modernist principles with narrative-driven branding and layouts.
You should have basic familiarity with Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, and fundamental graphic design principles. Some experience with sketching and digital workflows is recommended for best results.
You'll learn how to merge illustration and typography, create bold visual languages for comics, design publication layouts, and develop cohesive branding and narrative-driven design systems using both analog and digital methods.
Yes, the course includes detailed modules on designing comic book covers and publication layouts using Adobe InDesign, including setting up documents, organizing assets, and exporting for print and digital formats.
Absolutely. The course teaches you how to create custom wordmarks, design franchise typefaces, and build modular icon systems tailored for comic series and narrative branding.
You’ll analyze and apply Swiss modernism principles—like grid systems, clean typography, and minimal layouts—to balance bold pop culture visuals with structured, professional design.
Both hand-drawing and digital skills are useful. The course encourages freehand sketching for ideation and shows how to transition sketches into refined digital graphics using Illustrator and InDesign.