I took 2 different classes with Michael this past week with NO prior experience with anything Adobe. I took the Photoshop Non-Designer Class on Monday & followed it up with the Illustrator Non-Designer Class on Tuesday. He worked with my co-worker and I to make sure we got the most out of his classes. He twerked his lesson plan to fit our needs and explain more in-depth the features of the program we found to be the most useful for what we needed to do. Michael was very personable and got to know who we were, what we did for a living, and asked a lot of questions about our business and what we needed to get out of the Adobe Creative Cloud. The class size was very small and it was almost as if it was a personal lesson. A lot of one-on-one time which was fabulous and packed in A LOT of information in just a mere 2 days. After taking these 2 basic non-designer classes with Michael I do feel confident enough to take on the tasks of designing and editing many of our companies marketing and promotional flyers and ads. read more

I took two classes from Michael and would not go to anyone else for training in Adobe software or design. Not only is he Adobe certified and up-to-the minute on the software, he's a working designer and a teacher at Columbia College. So you get a seasoned teacher who also understands work flow, interacting with other designers and clients, and how to work most efficiently. He's great at explaining HOW and WHY you do stuff, so that when you leave you won't feel like a trained monkey--you'll actually know how to make the software work for you. He gives you real world projects and then provides just the right of support so that you learn from your mistakes but don't get too frustrated. Finally, he's easy going and fun. The Oak Park training location is in a beautiful downtown office building a short walk from Metra and CTA. And, there are lots of cute lunch spots and shops everywhere. read more

I completed the InDesign Level I class last week. I did have some experience working in InDesign but never knew the detail of the panels, tools, creating new documents, working with text styles, manipulating images, color, etc. Michael is a great facilitator! I thoroughly enjoyed the class and learned a lot from him as he was very patient and informative. I liked the "hands-on" approach to learning and you could use a MAC or PC for training. Parking garage on 720 North Blvd., located across Oak Park Avenue was very convenient; $10/day for parking. I would highly recommend Digital DesignLab. read more

Michael is very knowledgeable in all aspects of digital design. He also has a very depth knowledge of print production as well as art direction. As a marketing specialist for a global brand, I was looking for a class that could be customized to meet my specific Adobe needs while providing excellence at a corporate level. Michael has done just that! He even took the extra time to help me with current projects that I have been working on for my company. I highly recommend Digital Design Lab for anyone who is looking for personalized training from a highly trained expert at affordable rates. read more

I recently just took the Non-Designer Design course, which covers photoshop, illustrator, in-design, and the basic components involved in design. It was a four day course and it was very beneficial experience. I learned so much over the four days. Michael is a great teacher, who really takes the time to make sure you understand the basic functionally for each program. In the course, he has set-up great workshops that allow you to work hands on with the programs after he teaches you. It was not only educational, it was fun. I would highly recommend this course. read more

I just finished Digital Illustration with Photoshop and Illustrator. Michael was a great teacher and did not just crank out boiler plate instructions, but really listened to why I was taking the class and then came up with a process using either program to achieve it. I was happy that I didn't have to sit through a recitation of features I will never use. It was completely tailored to how I will use it. Michael is experienced with Adobe and even knows the mistakes you are likely to make and gives you tips to set up your work to pre-empt them! Highly recommended. read more

I recently attended the course, InDesign for the Non-Designer. It was extremely beneficial. Having zero experience in the creative software world, I left the course with confidence to use the software. Michael was extremely personable and a wealth of knowledge. He took the time to get to know the class and was willing to tailor the course to ensure we got out what we needed. Whether you are a novice looking to properly learn creative software, or a seasoned designer looking for new tips and tricks, I would highly recommend Digital DesignLab. read more

I took the Non-Designer's class for Adobe Illustrator and Michael was fantastic! He covered all of the basic information for AI and also allowed time for practicing the new skills to ensure thorough understanding. He was extremely patient in walking through activities multiple times and even offered his contact information in case we needed to reach out after taking the class. He was very well-versed in Adobe and answered every single question I had. I would highly recommend taking any and/or all of his classes depending on what you want to learn. read more

I took the Adobe Illustrator Level I class and learned a lot. I had never worked with Illustrator before, although I do have some experience with other Adobe products. Michael was great--always gauging my level of understanding, very willing to go back and re-explain concepts, and always ready to help me learn the best way to design. I really liked that I was able to get hands on with the tool! Michael let me try my hand at a number of projects but was always there for guidance. Overall, a great class and a great way to learn Illustrator. read more

I just took the 4-day Non-Designer's Workshop with the Adobe Creative Suite. What a great four days. So much great information, so accessibly presented. I went home with my brain full and excited to work with the software. Michael is both very knowledgeable and a good teacher--not always something you find in the same person. Also, as a bonus for the out-of-town student, the Oak Park location is absolutely gorgeous with tons to see and do outside the classroom. read more

I just finished a class at Digital DesignLab in basic graphic design. The instructor was simply great: personable, knowledgeable and really good a explaining information in an accessible way. The daylong class went by very quickly, and I learned a LOT about basic principles of design that will help me in my job, where I create brochures, flyers and posters on a regular basis. The studio itself was easy to get to from I-90 and parking is right across the street. read more

I attended the InDesign for Non-Designers day-long workshop, and it was exactly what I hoped for - knowledgeable instructor, thoughtful content, hands-on work. Michael tailored instruction for what would be most useful for future projects. He uses all Adobe products frequently, and was able to help brainstorm and problem-solve for elements of anticipated projects I have coming up. I walked away with confidence (and excited about all I'd learned in one day!). read more

Took Photoshop Level 1. I've been using Photoshop at work for 2.5 years, but I'm completely self-taught. I took this class to try to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge. It was great! Michael really knows his stuff! You learn a lot but the pace isn't too fast, and the classes are small - there were 3 people in my class so we got lots of individual attention and help. I would recommend DigitalDesignLab to anyone who needs to learn Adobe products. read more

Just finished a 2-day Photoshop class with Michael and it was EXCELLENT. I was pretty familiar with PS - but I am walking away with so much more knowledge than I ever thought possible!! The tricks and the shortcuts alone was worth the class! He taught at our pace, made sure we understood each and every step before moving on and we could do things over again before moving continuing on. I would highly recommend Digital Design Lab. read more

I recently took the "InDesign for the Non-Designer' course with Michael. The class was extremely helpful and informative and Michael was very personable. With no experience in InDesign, Michael did a great job of introducing me to the software and making it feel a bit more approachable. I would definitely recommend this course for any marketing professional who works with designers. read more

Michael is a phenomenal instructor! He takes his time to walk you through every step to make sure you have the concept down pact. I took the 4 day non-designers workshop which covered Adobe Muse (an awesome website builder with no code), Photoshop, Illustrator, and design basics. Its an awesome class at a great price. I can start freelancing right away. Thanks Mike!!!! read more

I took the Photoshop Basics 1 class. The instructor is very attentive and helpful. He sets the right pace for your type of learning, and he makes sure that you understand the software completely. If you're looking to learn Adobe software for the first time, here's a good place to start. The area is nice with parking and CTA/Metra transportation nearby. read more

I attended the "InDesign for the Non-Designer" class recently and found Michael to be a great instructor. He covered a lot of information, but thanks to the small class size, we received a lot of one-on-one attention and were free to ask questions as they arose. I would most definitely return for additional classes! read more

Great content, great teacher, great location! I recently took the Photoshop Level 1 class with Michael and learned a ton in a short amount of time. Lots of individual attention, time for questions and real world exercises to reinforce the material covered. Take any of Michael's classes...you won't be sorry! read more