You want to venture into graphic design? Strap yourself up, because it is going to get colorful in here! It’s not just painting a beautiful picture; it means telling the message through visual communication. So, are you ready to learn how to get started with graphic design? Let’s jump right in! Join graphic designers here
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic design is an art of making everything cool. Imagine you have some bland text, and you sprinkle some magic on it in the form of colors, images, and fonts so that it is attractive and meaningful. That is what graphic design is. It finds use everywhere—from advertisements and websites to logos and maybe even your favorite cereal box, for that matter.
How It Works
Graphic design is creating visual content using software. These are currently Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Think of the tools as magic wands that will enable you to make stunning posters and sleek logos.
For example, Photoshop is ideal for image editing and creation of any digital art. Illustrator will help you make vector graphics, those types of images you can resize without losing quality. InDesign is used to design layouts like magazines and brochures.
Getting Started with Graphic Design
Starting to work with graphic design is much like learning to ride a bicycle. It may look bothersome in the beginning, but when you get the idea, you will soon get moving.
Learn the Basics
First of all, understand the three core design principles: color theory, typography, and layout. Color theory deals with the choice and usage of colors to evoke a certain mood or interest. Typography is choosing fonts and setting up text in a readable form but at the same time making it a pleasure to look through. In layout, one places elements on a page to achieve visual balance and become easy to follow.
There are tons of free resources online to learn these concepts. Canva and Adobe have websites that serve as tutorials to get started with graphic design.
Pros
Knowing these principles will give your work a professional outlook. It’s like knowing how to play the game.
Example: You are designing a flyer for a local bakery. Applying your understanding of color theory, you use warm colors such as red and yellow to stimulate feelings of hunger and joy. You choose a very readable font and then balance on the sheet the text and graphics so that everything appears balanced. There you go! You have utilized some of the simple principles of design to create an effective flyer.
Practice, Practice, Practice
As with any other skill, the major part of graphic design is practice. Begin with imitation. You can redo designs that you like. This is not copying; it’s learning—looking at what the designer has tried to do.
You can also start taking on small projects: design a birthday card for a friend, create a poster for a school event, or redesign your resume. The more you practice, the better you’ll become.
Pros:
Real-world practice helps you learn faster. And, you will have a portfolio to show to potential clients or employers.
Example: You are working on designing a logo for your cousin’s lemonade stand. In doing so, you fiddle around with fonts and colors until you come up with something fresh and fun. Your cousin likes it; you’ve added another project to your portfolio. Win-win!
Tools for Graphic Design
Now, let’s talk about the tools you’ll need to get started in graphic design. I mean, a designer is only as good as their tools—right? And, of course, their creativity.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud comprises a handful of holy grail graphic design applications, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. These tools are truly industry standards; therefore, getting familiar with them will put you way ahead.
Pros:
The tools Adobe provides are powerful and versatile; they’ll do anything a design job requires of them.
Example: In Illustrator, you will create logos that are crisp and scalable. In Photoshop, perfecting your photos is a work in time. And in InDesign, you will have an entire magazine layout sewn up.
Free Alternatives
If you’re just starting out, there are free alternatives you don’t need to make an upfront investment with Adobe Creative Cloud. GIMP is an excellent free Photoshop alternative. Inkscape can stand in for Illustrator, while Scribus is a replacement for InDesign.
Pros:
Free tools are budget-friendly yet still offer so much of what you’ll need to create outstanding designs.
Example: You are to design a charity event poster. You will use GIMP to manipulate photos and add some text. Inkscape will help you to create the vector graphics for the logos and icons. Scribus will allow you to place everything in a professional layout.
List
Building Your Portfolio
A portfolio’s like a shop window—ewhere you display your best work to attract clients or prospective employers. Building a robust portfolio is paramount when you’re starting out with graphic design.
Selecting Your Best Work
Select work that demonstrates skills and creativity. Remember, quality trumps quantity. Include a range of diverse work to prove your flexibility—logos, posters, web designs, etc.
Pros:
A solid portfolio demonstrates skill in doing a variety of design work.
Example: You’ve designed a logo for a local business, a poster for a school event, and a website layout for a friend. All these go into the portfolio because each shows a different skill set.
Creating a Digital Portfolio
An online portfolio is a must in this digital age. You could just upload your work to free online platforms like Behance, Dribbble, and Adobe Portfolio. You can even make your website using WordPress or Wix.
Pros:
Anybody can get access to an online portfolio from any location. This becomes a good means of making potential clients or employers realize your work.
You have posted your best designs on Behance. One potential client was surfing, really liked your work, and called to hire you for the project. Your online portfolio just got you the job!
Looking for Graphic Design Jobs
Now that you have learned the basics and built your portfolio, it’s time to seek out work. Whether freelancing or full-time, there is tremendous opportunity in graphic design.
Freelancing
It offers flexibility and exposes one to various projects. Websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer are good starting points. Be sure to make a profile, show off your portfolio, and bid on projects.
Pros:
Benefit to freelancing: Working from anywhere and taking up projects that interest one.
Example: Put up your profile on Fiverr and start offering logo design services. A small business owner commissions you to design a logo for their business for $100. You do your job, and the client loves it. You earn some money, and there you go with your portfolio.
Full-Time Jobs
If you prefer stability, then full-time positions in graphic design exist. Lists for the open position could be found in job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight relevant experience and skills.
Pros:
Full-time employment offers a stable income, benefits, and the opportunity to work as one entity of the team.
Example: You send your resume to a marketing agency for their open graphic design position. They invite you in for an interview, and you showcase your portfolio, sharing your experience. They are impressed and offer you the job for $50,000 per year.
Growing Your Graphic Design Skills
Even after you get started in graphic design, there is always room to grow. Stay updated on the latest design trends, and keep learning new techniques.
Taking Advanced Courses
Once you’ve learned the basics, take advanced courses. Really in-depth classes on different design topics are available on Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare.
Pros:
Advanced courses give you a run for your money, so you polish your skills and maintain relevance in the industry.
Example: You take an advanced course in Photoshop from Udemy and master some photo manipulation techniques that you were not aware of earlier. Now, you have applied those skills in your projects, making them all the more awesome.
Joining Design Communities
An online design community will keep you inspired and motivated throughout your work. Join online groups of designers, attend in-person design meetups, and participate in online forums.
Pros:
One of the best benefits is to network with other designers for the purpose of collaboration and useful feedback.
Example: You join a graphic design group on Facebook and post an image of your work inside the group, asking others for feedback. Other designers give you constructive feedback that will help you to improve your designs.
Conclusion: Get Started in Graphic Design
Getting started with graphic design is such an interesting journey. Learn basics, practice regularly, master key tools, build a strong portfolio, and find work opportunities. Be patient and you will be able to do it, since that’s very important. Soon enough, you will be a professional in graphic design.
Now, grab your wand (or mouse) and start designing! Enjoy the journey. After all, graphic design is limited only by your imagination. Happy designing!
