If you want to become a graphic designer, the traditional route used to involve three long years at university and subsequent relocation to an urban area in order to intern at a design agency. This will disrupt your life drastically, and it can cost an arm and leg, with commutes quickly eating into your budget.
As we enter the 2020s, attitudes toward studying and working from home have significantly shifted. As technology advances, a greater number of people are taking education and labor courses remotely. So, what do you need to do in order to become a graphic designer while studying from the comfort of your home?
Take a graphic design course.
The first step in becoming a graphic designer is taking a course in the field. This can include anything from learning how to use the relevant software, such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, to understanding typography and color theory. Most courses will also provide learners with assignments. Sometimes, they are difficult to cope with. In this way, it is better to use one of the best assignment services. By getting help from a graphic design expert, you will understand how to deal with this or that task correctly.
Comprehend the essentials.
Oftentimes, non-designers think of graphic design as nothing more than having a familiarity with certain software programs – you may hear: “Sharon can make the brochure; she knows Photoshop.” This completely ignores all of the creative and strategic components that go into creating successful visuals.
Digging into the depths of graphic design, however, goes beyond simply familiarizing yourself with Photoshop. It’s about understanding the history and theory behind this craft as well as securing fundamental competencies like color choice, font selection, and creating a grid system. These abilities are essential to becoming an accomplished designer in today’s competitive industry.
In other words, studying graphic design isn’t solely about gaining knowledge. It’s also about applying that knowledge and honing your skills so you can meet professional design briefs with confidence. You should always be working on personal projects as well to hone your abilities in real time.
Get All You Need.
Instruments & Apparatus
According to teacher Bonnie Eichelberger, most creatives will find these items incredibly beneficial: a laptop stand or an adequate display for those who only have laptops available; Wacom tablets or iPad plus Apple Pencils. Lastly, yet importantly, she suggests investing in a printer as it can be indispensable for printing your own work within the comfort of your home to review sizing matters.
According to the teacher Rachel Broaders, there are a few essential items you must have when working remotely. A comfortable chair is key, as well as Spotify for background music and plenty of hard drives to store all your work. Additionally, if you’re anything like her—a “real granny”—you might find it helpful to organize yourself with an old-fashioned day planner or diary!
Books
If you’re setting up your home office, a bookcase is an essential piece of furniture. It not only makes you look good on video calls but also helps keep your workspace tidy and organized. What’s more, having the best design books will allow for plenty of ideas and inspiration, in addition to giving yourself a break from work-related stress when needed.
Helpful apps
To maximize your efficiency, in addition to physical materials, be sure to consider the apps that can help streamline processes and alleviate stress. Rachel highly recommends Miro—an online whiteboard tool—”It’s been a great asset for remote project collaborations,” she says.
Lovish Saini, Shillington Manchester teacher, also suggests Google Tasks/Notes as they promote organization while accessible through Gmail. Moreover, if you’re looking for time-management assistance, then Forest App is worth exploring; not only does it encourage a focus on essential tasks, but it helps avoid procrastination too!
Master the software for maximum efficiency.
Ultimately, you won’t become a graphic designer by just relying on software. There are still other tools that are essential to your success! With this in mind, what should be the first items for purchase?
Adobe’s iconic tools, Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, continue to stand out from the competition as industry-leading programs. Yet each program has many more features than just the basics; they’re also frequently combined in a single workflow to optimize output results.
Adobe Creative Cloud is the world’s leading industry leader in creative software, and its subscription model isn’t cheap. That said, if you’re a student taking an accredited course, then you can get access to amazing discounts of over 65%! With Adobe Creative Cloud, gain access to After Effects and Premiere Pro; creating content has never been simpler.
If you haven’t signed up for any course yet, there are still cheaper alternatives. The Affinity suite – including Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher is a great substitute to Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, but with a one-time low price instead of monthly subscription fees. A good number of professionals have already been using these tools in their workflow while still being able to output files in Adobe formats. And if budget isn’t an issue at all, then why not try out the free options like Figma, Canva, or Gravit Designer? These applications can help kickstart your journey into graphic design!
Conclusion
Graphic design is a complex art that requires the right combination of skills, equipment, and knowledge. As long as you’re armed with the basics—contemporary hardware, helpful apps, books for inspiration, and software to execute your vision, you should be ready to become an amazing graphic designer! So don’t wait any longer: start investing in yourself today!
Best wishes on becoming a successful graphic designer!