Graphic design is a creative process that is connected to everything we do every day – from websites to application interfaces to product packaging, the talents of graphic designers can be seen everywhere. This is a rewarding and challenging career. The following methods can help you embark on the path of becoming a graphic designer.

Learn the Basics

Choose a field of graphic design. Before you become a graphic designer, you have to make some decisions. For example, are you interested in areas such as advertising, Internet development, multimedia (such as the television industry), print design, or animation? These are all different forms of graphic design. Focus on an area that interests you.

• While graphic design for print and web is essentially the same, there are many differences when it comes to resolution, color space, and other variables for the specific medium you want. Of course, you can do both, but it’s best to focus on one or the other initially.

The industry standard applications for graphic design are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. (If you want to be more comprehensive, the Adobe Creative suite includes Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Premiere, Photoshop, InDesign, and After Effects.) Although both applications are designed to be easy to use, they are very powerful. It is rich and requires a lot of concentration to learn to fully master its use.

• These programs are not cheap. When starting, there are free alternatives like Gimp, Scribus, Inkscape, and Pixlr that can help you learn graphic design until you are willing and able to spend money on real tools.

Buy textbooks. Use books that teach the fundamentals of design, and study them as you would a college course. This time you don’t study hard for grades, the reward you get is a career you like.

Take some graphic design classes. Taking these courses is not only to be proficient in using tools such as Photoshop and Illustrator but also to learn how to use these valuable tools for design and at the same time develop a market-oriented design awareness.

Join a design group. Practicing at home is the best and safest way to find your way, but ultimately, you need to push yourself out so you can get feedback. Although it may feel a little painful at first to have others look at you and learn your skills, the rewards are great. Another very important point is to see what others have designed so that the design styles you are exposed to are no longer just those of one or two.

• Regardless of the business, social networking is important in graphic design work, especially if you want to freelance. Make friends, stay connected, be willing to learn, and you might get a job offer.

Are you really interested in graphic design? Then consider pursuing a degree. The academic environment is stimulating, and it’s good to connect with others in the same field. But most importantly, when hiring a graphic designer, many people require proof that they are well trained. Consider these options:

• If you want a credible degree but you don’t have much time or money, consider an associate’s degree. This degree is usually a two-year degree and can be obtained at a community college or vocational school. The focus is more on computer skills than art theory, but it’s still a good starting point.
• If you want a more substantial degree, pursue a bachelor’s degree. This degree is usually four years long and can be earned at a college or university. As well as learning all the necessary computer skills, you’ll also get training in art and design.
• Not 100% sure graphic design is the career for you? Then get a bachelor’s degree in art, not a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. While both are great for graphic design jobs, the art degree does not have a fine arts degree major. An arts degree covers a more general education, with the advantage that it’s easy to switch to a completely different major if you choose to pursue something else.
• If you already have an art or science degree, study a post-baccalaureate program in graphic design. These courses may lead to a diploma, certificate, or second bachelor’s degree.
• If you’re determined to become a graphic designer, pursue a graduate degree. Of course, if you don’t already have a bachelor’s degree, you must first obtain one. If you’re interested in freelancing, consider a minor or a second major related to business.

Develop Your Own Style

Make the design you like. If you like to do flashy designs with flashy scripts and bright colors, focus on this kind of design. If you like this style, focus on cultivating this sense of design. If you like a clean and balanced design with simple color schemes and strong graphics, design your style.

Read graphic design books. These books will be very useful and will speed up your learning process.

Research professional stuff. Find and study graphic design that appears in newspapers, magazines, the Internet, and elsewhere (hint: you can see it everywhere).

• Don’t limit yourself to “graphic design” in the traditional sense, expand into other fields, such as industrial designers Joe Iros or Makota Makita & Hiroshi Tsuzaki; or architects Santiago Calatrava or Frank Gehry, etc. Get inspired and boost your creativity.
• Don’t just look at the pretty places. Also check out wine shops, for example: label design is a crucial part of the industry. Also look at fashion websites, bookstores, record packaging, and even product design packaging.

People who do typesetting are a completely different group of people. They racked their brains on the printing of books, road signs, and the design of film and television works. They have a big problem with serif fonts. They’ll also laugh at your comic fonts. A good graphic designer should understand the importance of fonts, line spacing, word spacing, and other things that make up effective text.

Carve out a unique style. You want people to know immediately when they see your design that it’s yours. The more they know, the faster you will improve.

Collection of interesting designs. Whether it’s a T-shirt, a brochure, a food label, a postcard, or a poster, collect anything that inspires you. Study these things, notice what you like and don’t like, and keep it in mind so you can use it as a reference when you’re working on a project.

Don’t throw away any of your work. Even if you hate something, endure it and keep it. When you feel you are strong enough, look at your past work with new eyes. Which ones are good? What’s bad? How much has your style changed? You might even be inspired to redo old pieces, transforming them into masterpieces.

Redesign other people’s work. See some horrible design? Take a photo or save a copy to redesign a fun version. See a fantastic design? That’s even better! Challenge yourself and add something that the original creator missed. Just as aspiring music students study the works of the masters, study what made them successful. Reworking someone else’s work allows you to truly understand what worked and what didn’t work and why.

Create a portfolio. If you want to make real work, you need a portfolio; in addition, creating a portfolio will challenge your ability to make critical judgments about your work. Which works are your best? Why? Which ones didn’t meet the standards? Is there a theme? ——If so, can it be shown in the portfolio? If you want to work digitally, display your portfolio on a website.

Tips

• Use different types of software. Get familiar with the project!
• The two main ways to become a graphic designer are: through school or self-taught.
• Always remember that creativity is the best design tool you have.
• Don’t be a hermit and sit in your studio all day. Join a community of designers, network with other designers in the field, and showcase local culture in your work as you develop your style and techniques. If you have a favorite band, movement, or politician – ask them if they want a poster.
• No design will appeal to everyone, so research what your target market will be interested in. Research accounts for 3/4 of design work.
• Don’t be afraid to be different: Visually explore fresh ideas and reinterpret existing styles (especially if you’ve studied your design principles in detail).