ALT-2 How to become a Graphic Designer
The real secret to becoming a graphic designer at all (successful or not) is this: your portfolio speaks volumes...not your degree. There are many professional graphic designers in the world today that do not have college degrees, some do not even have high school degrees. Your talent, dedication, passion, and creativity are your paths to becoming a graphic designer. Education is not as key as your very talent and drive, remember that... because it is the first and most important step on the road to becoming a graphic designer. Anyone who tells you that you have to go to school is wrong. Graphic design takes skill...end of story. You can educate yourself or get a formal education, but it all comes down to your knowledge in the end; no matter how you acquire it.
This is not to say that school is never important. A formal education in graphic design is not what determines your success in the field, but it can help it greatly. No matter how you were educated in the field of graphic design, it is important to remember that your portfolio and your attitude towards your work is what is being hired. Some people forget this fact and rely heavily on their education and degree. If someone else with no degree applies for the job, the person with a degree figures they don't have a thing to worry about. This is dangerous thinking and the best way to ensure your very unsuccessful future in the business of graphic design. Your degree doesn't mean diddly if your portfolio sucks. That is the harsh reality of a job that requires more artistic skill than business skill.
My brother, sister, and I all have our Associates degree in Graphic Design. My brother is much more successful than both my sister and I. My sister does not even have a job in graphic design, she does not particularly enjoy it the way my brother and I do. She does not have the drive or passion for it and in the end, she holds a fairly useless degree. My brother, on the other hand, has gotten jobs over people with Bachelor's degrees simply because his portfolio was better. We are all prime examples that your education, your degree, means nothing if you don't have the skill and drive to back it up.
If you are thinking about becoming a graphic designer, ask yourself why. Some of the people I went to school with thought it was an easy job that paid a lot of money. They didn't have talent or passion and they thought graphic design was just pretty doodles made with a computer. They also thought that because it involved a computer, it must be easy. They lived under the assumption that the computer did all the work. They figured with an easy degree, they could get an easy job. As the months in school wore on, some people started dropping out. Eventually, most of the people that were there for the wrong reasons figured out they were wasting their time and money on a useless education. Those that decided to stick with it because they couldn't let go of their dreams of an 'easy job with a big paycheck' learned too late that their dreams would never come true. Graphic Design is not a get rich quick scheme.
Choosing a school is personal experience and an important thing to remember is this: because school is not the most important aspect of being a graphic designer...don't beat yourself up if you cannot afford to go to the best school. My school was mediocre at best, so was my brothers. Neither of us could afford to go to the school hailed as the best, but we worked with what we had. Anything you learn in school, in regards to graphic design, can be learned at home just as well for a lot less money. Do not stop yourself or hold yourself back because you cannot afford a great school, or even if you cannot afford school at all.
Your portfolio is what it all boils down to. There are many different branches of graphic design out there. Which programs are you most proficient with? Which areas do your expertise lie in? There is rarely a graphic designer out there who has a firm grasp on every aspect of the industry. Even for graphic designers that do have a firm grasp on every aspect of the industry, they rarely include 'it all' in their portfolios. Some people are better with Photoshop and some people are better with Illustrator. Some people are better at vector art and some people are better at photo-retouching. Graphic design is a vast field and choosing what you love best about it is the start to becoming a graphic designer. From logo design to photo-manipulation, the things you can do as a graphic designer are vast and numerous.
So, how do you become a graphic designer?
1. Educate yourself. It doesn't matter how you do it, just do it. Books like "The Savvy Designer's Guide to Success - Ideas and Tactics for a Killer Career" byJeff Fishercan give you so much information. "Photoshop - Secrets of the Pros" by Mark Clarkson and "Digital Illustration - A Master Class in Creative Image-making" by Lawrence Zeegen are also extremely great books. In the introduction to his book, Jeff Fisher explains that school didn't prepare him for the real world of graphic design...the real world of design is what prepared him. Jumping in is the best way to learn, another piece of evidence that you don't need the degree to make it.Darrell Prinsis a well known designer that does not have a degree at all. His secret is reading about and practicing it on his own.
The internet is plastered with multiple sites dedicated to teaching the core concepts that classes such asColor TheoryandTypographyteach. Google can be your friend in the education process.
If you do decide to go to a school, do not settle for the first school you look at. Check out multiple schools. I looked at three before choosing the school I eventually graduated from. All colleges and trade schools will give you information if you ask for it and they will all help you with the loan process if you need it. Shop around for the best school for you and make sure you make the right choice if you are going to go to school at all.
2. Get the equipment you need. You can go to school and be the best graphic designer in the world, but it won't be very helpful unless you have a computer and at least some of the software graphic designers tend to use. If you get hired for a company and they provide you with a workspace, that's all well and good; but it doesn't do anything for anyone if you need to take work home over the weekend and you lack the essentials needed to actually do it. For some people it is a choice between school or the necessary equipment. Money is tight and hard to come by for some people. If you want to be a graphic designer and you have to choose between school or the computer and software, go with the computer and software. Save up for school later or spend the hours you would have been in class doing your own study at home. Make it work and it will work.
3. Practice and hone your skills and BE CREATIVE. This is important because you can lose that savvy if you don't keep up with it. Other people who do practice every day will get the job over you because their work will look cleaner. You have to maintain your skills in this ever growing and ever changing industry because it will leave you behind if you don't. Creativity is a given, but I felt it was important to mention. Many people feel they are just not creative types, but they don't realize one can practice creativity. You can lose creativity and you can gain it, so work at it.
4. Go for it. That's it, go for it. You have the talent, you have the dedication, you have the tools for the job..........now all you need is the job.........then go get it. Do not let fear overtake you because the worst that can happen is that you won't get hired. That's it. People don't get hired everyday. It is never the end of the world. Even if it was the job you dreamed of your whole life, do not give up because when it comes to graphic design there is another job just like it somewhere else in the world. The great thing about this field is how impersonal it can be. You can work for a client that lives in another country thanks to email and the internet in general. You can do so much in the industry of graphic design, you just have to be willing to do some discovering. Be brave, get out there, market yourself, and make your dream come true.
5. For those of you who wish to do freelance work or start their own graphic design company or firm - make a name for yourself. Make a brand for yourself. Design your logo and have it describe you and what you do. One of our project assignments at my school was to create a mock graphic design company. We were to come up with a company name, design a logo, business cards, stationary, and a whole slew of other advertising items. That project is something you can do on your own at home, for real instead of practice. Register your name, copyright anything you need to copyright, trademark anything you need to trademark.
Remember that before you start to make your brand, you need your education first. Do not get ahead of yourself in your aspirations. Knowing what makes a good logo and what does not is the first step to making a logo at all. One person in my class used the name Cutting Edge Design and the logo they created was a rusty razor blade. It was one of the least popular 'companies' in the class because not only is there a graphic design company that already exists called Cutting Edge Designs, but a rusty razor blade is a terrible logo to use to represent a person marketing themselves as the cutting edge of design. A rusty razor blade is dull and useless, so that logo sends the message that the company it represents is dull and useless as well. Despite the name. The shapes and colors you use in your logo creation are all extremely important. It is also important to research ANY name you want to give your company unless it is your birth name i.e. John Doe Designs.
Becoming a graphic designer can be so simple for some, and so tough for others. In the end, the real key to making it is yourself. School, practice, tools, even talent are all meaningless if you do nothing with them. The step before the first step on the road to becoming a graphic designer is realizing you can do it if you actually want to...no matter what the odds.
Resources and tools that can help you on your road to becoming a graphic designer:
First and foremost, the best resource anyone can give you is this link toGD USA.GD USAis a free publication for creative professionals within the United States. I have a subscription, and I love it. It is wonderful and invaluable. The site also has links to other free stuff like samples from print companies, information, contests for designers, and more.GD USAis the first place you should go if you want to be a graphic designer.
Basic information about Graphic Design- These sites tell you a little about what graphic design is and what is used for.
About.com - About Graphic Design
Aiga.org - What is Graphic Design?
Wikipedia - Graphic Design
Color Theory - introductions and principles. These sites give basic lessons on one of the most important aspects of design, color and how to use it.
ColorMatters.com
Color Theory - A brief tutorial
Wikipedia - Color Theory
Basic Color Schemes - Introduction to Color Theory
Shapes in logo design. These sites explain the psychology and symbolism behind shapes used in logo design.
Logosharx.com - logo design tips - shapes
About.com - logo design
This page just has a lot of useful information on the basics of logo design including shape and color -iStockphoto.com article
Registering a business nameis important if you want to start your own business.
Here is the site of a successful graphic designer than I know personally. His work is simply amazing, and he started out with as little as you can start out with. His education was no better than mine, but he is one of the best designers I know.
Interrupt Design
And this is the splash page of a site that another up and coming graphic designer is still working on. Most of the links do not work, but this is a great example of a solid logo design and a very good splash page.
TJH Designs
