Is Graphic Design your hobby?
If you’re good at graphic design, this is a niche that you can
fill. Respond to ads on various sites, and even consider setting up your own
website explaining what you can do, and providing samples of your work.
You can even start on a site called 99Designs.com.
If you have a real talent for it, you can rise above the
competition and make money at it.
The
talented hand of the graphic designer is seen everywhere. It can be a
rewarding, challenging career. Ideas to help set you on that path:
Make some
decisions. For
example, are you interested in advertising, web development, multimedia (ex.
the TV industry), print design, or animation? These can be different forms of
graphic design. Narrow your focus on an area that appeals to you.
While graphic design is
fundamentally the same whether in print or online, there are also key
differences in resolutions, color space, and other variables that are specific
to the medium you want to focus on. Though you can certainly do both, it's best
to focus on one to begin with.
The
industry standard applications for graphic design are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. (If you
plan to go all-out, the full Adobe Creative Suite includes Acrobat,
Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Premiere, Photoshop, InDesign and After Effects.)
While both applications are designed to be easy to use from the start, they are
very rich and will require a great deal of focused effort to master them.
To get started, play around with free alternatives like Gimp,
Scribus, Inkscape, and Pixlr, all of which will help you learn the ropes until
you’re willing and able to drop big bucks on the real thing.
Focus on
books that teach design fundamentals, then study as though you were taking a
college course. Instead of working for a grade, however, your reward will be a
career that you love.
Learn
how to use the valuable tools in conjunction with developing a marketable
design sense.
Practicing
at home is a great, safe way to learn the ropes, but eventually, you need to
put yourself out there so you can get feedback. Though it may be painful at
first, keep your ego in check and take the tips seriously; the payoff will be
enormous.
Additionally,
it’s important to see what other people are doing so that you’re exposed to
more than just one or two styles.
As with any business, networking is important in graphic design,
especially if you intend to freelance. Make friends, keep in touch, be willing
to learn, and you might just get work out of it.
Academic
settings can be inspiring and networking with others in your field is always a
good thing.
On top
of that, many people won’t hire a graphic designer without seeing some proof
that they’ve been properly trained. Consider these options:
If you want a degree that will lend you credibility but don’t have
much time or money, get an associate’s. This is typically a two-year degree and
can be acquired at a community college or trade school. The emphasis will be
more on computer skills than art theory, but it’s a good place to start.
If you want a degree with some weight to it, get a bachelor’s. This
is typically a four-year degree that can be acquired at a college or
university. In addition to learning all the necessary computer skills, you will
also be trained in art and design.
Get a bachelor’s of arts degree, not a bachelor’s of fine arts.
Though both are great for this type of work, a B.A. is less focused than a
B.F.A., covers more general education, and makes it easier for you to change to
a wildly different major should you choose to pursue something else.
If you already have a B.A. or B.S., do post-baccalaureate work in
graphic design. These courses may even earn you a certificate, credential, or
second bachelor’s degree.
If you’re dead-set on being a graphic designer, get a graduate
degree. If you haven’t done so already, you will first have to get a bachelor’s
degree. Consider minoring or getting a second major in a business-related field
if you’re also interested in freelancing.
If you
are compelled by ornate designs with florid script and bright colors, focus on
that. If you love that style, focus on developing that design sense. If your
passion is for the clean, well-balanced line, with simple color schemes and
powerful graphics, make it your own.
Graphic design books can be really helpful and will speed up the
process of your education.
Hunt
down and devour the designs featured in newspapers, magazines, the Internet,
and anywhere else you spot graphic design (hint: it will be everywhere you
look).
Don't limit yourself to what is traditionally considered
"graphic design," but expand into other areas as well, such as
industrial designers like Makota Makita & Hiroshi Tsuzaki; or architects
such as Santiago Calatrava or Frank Gehry.
Draw inspiration to foster your own creativity.
Don't just look in the likely places. Check out wine stores, for
example: label design is a key part of the industry. Also check out fashion
websites, book stores, music labels, even product design packaging.
People
who get into typography are a whole other breed. They agonize over book print,
street signs, and movie credits. They have serious opinions about serifs. They
mock your Comic Sans. A good graphic designer should understand the importance
of typeface, leading, kerning, and everything else that goes with creating
effective text.
You want
people, when they see your designs, to recognize and know that it is your work.
The more they know, the quicker things will work for you.
Whether
it’s a t-shirt, a pamphlet, a food label, a postcard, or a poster, collect
anything and everything that excites and inspires you. Study them, note what
you like and don’t like, and tuck them away so that you can use them as
references whenever you feel stuck on a project.
Even if you hate something, swallow that lump in your throat and save it. When you feel strong enough, look back over your old work with a fresh eye. What worked? What didn’t? How much has your style grown? You might even be inspired to redo some of your older projects and turn them into masterpieces.
See a
terrible design somewhere? Take a photo or save a copy and rework it for fun.
See a fantastic design? Even better! Challenge yourself to add something that
the original artist missed.
Just as
the aspiring music student studies the masters, and learns what they did, by
working within other people’s designs will you be able to truly understand what
does or doesn’t make it tick and why.
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