Paula Scher BBC Maestro Course Review: Worth It or Not?

Whether you accept it or not, graphic design is less about tools and more about how you think as a designer, but most of the courses only teach you about the tools rather than the fundamentals to become an exceptional graphic designer.

It happened with me as well, I tried jumping from Photoshop, Illustrator to Figma, and another tool without having a basic understanding of things like layout, typography, color, and balance.

The real reason is that with so many courses and platforms out there, it’s common to often feel stuck, but not anymore.

In this Paula Scher BBC maestro course review, I’ll share my personal experience and how this course helped me grow as a designer, step by step. Let’s dive in.

What Is the Paula Scher BBC Maestro Course?

The Paula Scher course on BBC Maestro is an online graphic design masterclass that teaches you everything that you need to know to become a successful graphic designer & make money from your skill.

It covers some of the important concepts like the principles of graphic design to iconic examples, and works of Paula for global brands.

Furthermore, it also dives deeper into the concepts of typography and tips on getting high-paying clients and the best team for collaboration.

Overall, it is a self-paced and structured way to learn from legends without needing any prior designing experience.

About the instructor: Who is Paula Scher?

Paula Scher is a renowned graphic designer, artist, and educator who is mostly known for her influential work in the field of graphic design and typography.

In her 50-year career, she has worked and crafted iconic visuals for brands like MoMA, Microsoft, and the Rolling Stones. Beyond that, she has earned over 300+ design awards and has taught at prestigious institutions like Yale.

Having followed her work for years, I can say that this course contains various helpful tools, such as the downloadable material, templates, real-life examples, and, most importantly, her decade of experience.

What does the Paula Scher BBC Maestro Course cover?

Paula Scher’s BBC Maestro courses cover everything you need to know to make a successful career in this industry. 

To be specific, this course consists of 21 lessons with a total duration of 4 hours, where Paula has different concepts from fundamental to advanced, including client hunting.

Here, I have breakdown the every lesson in detail to give you the clarity of what you can expect from this course.

Phase 1: Foundational Design Knowledge

It is the first phase and chapters that will introduce you to the world of graphic design with clear, straightforward explanations that you can understand easily.

Paula starts this lesson with a graphic design introduction where she breaks down what graphic design means —visual communication that solves problems through imagery and text. Here is what you will learn from this section.

• What does Graphic Design mean? (Not what you think)
• What is the foundation of Graphic Design?
• How does design shape our everyday experiences?

From my experiences, these starter lessons have established the right mindset from the start, giving you the view of how to think like a professional designer without overwhelming technical jargon.

Phase 2: Typography Mastery

This phase combines three lessons where Paula Scher introduces the fundamentals of typography and how letterforms shape design and identity. It begins with the history of type, tracing its evolution from ancient scripts to modern digital fonts. You’ll learn:

• How fonts express different emotions and personalities
• The role of letters and symbols in logos and branding
• How changing a font can alter the entire message
• How typography and imagery work together to create strong identities

Paula’s real-world examples make these ideas easy to understand and apply. After these lessons, I started noticing type choices everywhere—from ads to signage—and appreciating the thought behind every letter.

Phase 3: Brand Identity Elements

From my experience, this is one of the most important and engaging lessons, focused on symbols and logos. Paula Scher shows how powerful, simple, and meaningful good design can be. What stood out was how she revealed logos that balance simplicity with deep meaning. You’ll learn:

• How do visual symbols reflect identity across cultures and contexts?
• Why do certain logos remain timeless?
• What makes a logo truly effective?
• How to design logos that communicate, not just decorate?
  

She also shares examples from her portfolio, offering clear insights into what makes a logo work. This section completely changed how I view logos—not as cool graphics, but as tools for meaningful visual communication.

Phase 4: Editorial and Print Design

Editorial and print design is one of the essential components of design, and that’s what this chapter is all about. In this lesson, you will understand how to organize content clearly and attractively, especially for print design. Here is the list of things you will learn from this section:

• How do you design layouts for magazines, newspapers, brochures, and books?
• What design choices help readers move smoothly through content?
• What is visual hierarchy, and why is it important?
• How do grid systems help in layout design?

After understanding this concept, I have even redesigned my resume and other documents using these principles learned this section and to be honest they look way better.

Phase 5: Visual Communication Through History

This lesson is all about visual communication, where you will learn the history of design and how it still influences what we create today. Here is the list of the concepts covered in this section: 

• How has design changed from the 1800s to now?
• What can we still learn from old design styles today?
• Can vintage design techniques help with modern projects?
• Why did major design styles like Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, Swiss Style, and Postmodernism appear when they did?

Overall, all these lessons show Paula’s love for design history, which makes everything even more exciting. She turns what could be a boring topic into something super inspiring and useful.

Phase 6: Real-World Project Walkthroughs

The sixth phase, “From Sketch to Finish,” is where the course truly shines, as Paula shared her exact process for client projects from rough ideas to finished and professional designs. Here is what you will learn from this section: 

• How does Paula begin her design projects?
• What’s the story behind Citibank’s iconic logo?
• How do you modernize a traditional brand like the Metropolitan Opera?
• What are the challenges of designing digital interfaces, like Windows 8?
• How do you design for theaters and cultural spaces?
• How can a brand identity work across different platforms?
• What does the design process look like, from start to finish?

Overall, this lesson gave me more confidence in my work. I learned that he doesn’t need perfect ideas right away; what matters is taking the process and refining as you go.

Phase 7: Environmental Design & Motion Graphics 

This section is the combination of two chapters, where you will learn about the environmental design and motion graphics. Beyond that, you will also understand the screen and paper, and here is what you will learn from this section

• How does design extend into real-world spaces?
• What makes a space easy to navigate and visually engaging?
• How can graphic design come alive through motion?
• Do you need to be an animator to create motion design?

To sum up, this lesson has taught me to see design as an experience rather than just in subject, and this lesson is full of practical examples and case studies, which have made this concept a lot easier.

How Did the Paula Scher BBC Maestro Course Help Me?

After using the principles learned from this course, I have noticed a significant improvement in my design approach and thinking process. Previously, I used to think that graphic design was all about knowing multiple tools.

From my experience, it received my approach to creativity and helped me to understand the foundation of graphic design.

Most importantly, I liked the section on sketching to finish the lesson that helped me to refine my ideas and develop a unique style.

Overall, I liked this course and the concepts it contains, along with the various downloadable materials and practical exercises.

How Much Does the Paula Scher BBC Maestro Course Cost?

Unlike any other platform, getting access to this course also requires investment; Currently, this platform offers two types of membership that you can consider based on your budget and needs.

Feature	One Course Plan	Every Course Plan (Best Value)
Price	$89 / year	$120 / year
Access To	1 course (e.g., Paula Scher only)	44+ courses (including Paula Scher)
New Course Releases	Not Included	Included
Downloadable Course Guide	Yes	Yes
Money Back Guarantee	14 Days	30 Days
Watch On	Computer, TV, phone, or tablet	Computer, TV, phone, or tablet
Cancel Anytime	Yes	Yes

If you just want to get access of these course then it would be better for you to choose one course plan as it is more budget friendly but if you are a curious learner who want to access to 40 plus expert lead courses across multiple feed including future releases then buying the annual plan can be a perfect investment for you.

Is It Worth Considering the Paula Scher BBC Maestro Course?

Speaking from my experience after completing this course, I can say that this course is worth the investment, both for beginner and intermediate designers.

The value comes not just from learning techniques but from understanding the philosophy and creative process of Paula, a legend of the design industry.

In fact, this course transformed the way I look at designing projects, and she also taught me ways to dealing with client and build strong team.

Lastly, the decision is yours, if you’re serious about elevating your design skills beyond software tricks to truly meaningful visual communication, invest in this course today.