According to an estimate by IBISWorld, The global market size of Graphic design as an industry has been growing by 3% per year since 2018 and this percentage will just keep on increasing making graphic design a pretty lucrative field to make a career in, but most of the beginners in this field face issues with getting started in graphic design.
In this article, we will cover everything you should know to get started with graphic design.
Getting Started With Graphic Design
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic Design is the process of designing graphics for an application, website, billboard, advertisement, etc. as well as implementing those graphics in the overall design in order to communicate a message in the form of visual elements.
Graphic design combines typography, imagery, color, and layout to communicate messages effectively and aesthetically. At its core, graphic design is about solving problems and making concepts visually compelling and understandable.
How to learn Graphic Design
Starting your journey in Graphic Design can be challenging. Here are the steps you can follow to learn Graphic Design easily:
1. The learning mindset
The first step to getting started with Graphic design is pretty similar to what is the first step to get started with learning anything new. The first step is the have the right mindset which is the learning mindset. Except that a part of Graphic design is super interesting and a part of it is boring and ready for both of them.
2. Understanding the basics
The first thing you should start with is to get your basics right, these basics will be the base that you will build your design career upon. Basics of UI design include Space, Contrast, Alignment, Color theory, Visual Hierarchy, Balance, Repetition, Proximity, Texture, etc. Make sure to have decent knowledge of these topics of graphic design.
3. Work with Graphic designing tools
The most important part of the journey to become a graphic designer is to get your hands dirty with the various Graphic designing tools out there. Adobe Photoshop is the primary tool for graphic designing and is very popular in the industry so make sure to understand and use it to design some graphics.
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator are a must to learn and then after that you can go and try out some popular graphic designing tools as following:
- Canva
- Adobe InDesign
- GIMP
- Inkscape
- Affinity Designer
- Sketch
- CorelDRAW
4. UI/UX Design
Once you are done with the basics of Graphic design, we can move to understanding what UI/UX design actually is, This will help you if you want to work as a Graphic design in the field of web design or application design. UI and UX are two interdependent terms where UI design or User Interface design refers to the process of creating the visual interfaces for a software application.
And UX design or User Experience design refers to the the process of creating the experiences or the interactions that a user has with a product. The underlying principle of UI design is to design the interface between the actually working of the application or website and the user, meanwhile the underlying principle of UX design is to keep the needs of the user prior and improve the interaction of the user and the product keeping this in mind.
4. Learn in Public
Everything that you learn, keep on posting it on your socials, specially LinkedIn and Twitter since there is a community of Graphic designers active in LinkedIn and Twitter. Share your designs and learnings and also take inspiration from what the best graphic designers are designing and working on. Learning in public is also important since maybe a potential employer looks your designs in these social media channels and you may have a chance of getting hired.
5. Create Projects
Now that you have known Graphic design till an intermediate level. Build some projects from scratch, the better way of doing this would be to work for some startups for free or to work with social media creators like youtubers and build art work for them. You can also try reaching out to local business around you and design posters or advertisements for them. Building projects will help you understand the entire process of Graphic design and well as have something to showcase in your resume.
6. Look out of internships
Now that we are ready with some projects and have decent knowledge about Graphic Designing. Start building your resume and applying for companies and startups, you can also register yourself in freelancing websites like Upwork. From here onwards, keep on learning and implementing and you may have a great career ahead of you.
7. Keep evolving and expanding your skills
After getting comfortable with the fundamentals, it’s crucial to stay on the learning curve to thrive in your graphic design journey. The field is constantly evolving, with fresh tools and creative approaches emerging regularly.
Advancing in your graphic design career, consider delving deeper into specialized areas or tailoring your expertise to suit specific sectors. Whether it’s perfecting motion graphics or diving into the rapidly growing realm of user interface (UI) design, refining your abilities and embracing new challenges will propel your career forward. Staying adaptable and eager to explore new horizons will ensure your growth and success in the dynamic world of graphic design.
Why Graphic Design?
- Low barrier to entry: Your educational background is not very important for graphic design. Skills matter the most in Graphic design therefore anyone from any field can build a career in Graphic design.
- Awesome job prospects and increasing demand: An estimate by IBISWorld says that the global market size of Graphic design as an industry has been growing by 3% per year since 2018 and will continue to grow in the future as well. The demand or graphic designer will keep on increasing hence good graphic designer will always have great employment opportunities.
- High salaries: According to a Glassdoor survey, the average salary of a Graphic Designer Freelancer in India is about ₹25,000 per annum and an average salary of a Graphic Designer in the United States of America is close to $60k.
- Opportunities: Can be a great launch pad for other tech careers like UI/UX designer or product designer.
Roles and Responsibilities of Graphic Designer
Roles and Responsibilities of Graphic Designer may vary from organization to organization, but here are the most common responsibilities that a Graphic Designer performs:
- Creative Thinking: Creative Thinking is essential to both a Graphic Artist and a Graphic Designer. For a Graphic Designer creative thinking is more about coming with creative ideas about implementation of the visuals created by Graphic Artists.
- Designing Graphics: As the name itself suggests, A Graphic Designer is responsible to design graphics and visual elements for an application or a website and implement them in the website or application design.
- Manage Business and Clients: A Graphic Designer also has to be a business person in certain cases. They may have to manage client’s expectations like budgets, timelines and some other constrains.
- Technical Knowledge: In addition to understand design, some of the companies also expect Graphic Designers to understand the fundamentals of software and the technical aspects of design.
Click here to learn more about Graphic Designer – Skills & Roles
Conclusion
Graphic design can be a great career for you if you are someone who finds it interesting to communicate your ideas visually, Graphic design as an industry has been growing since the past decade and still hold so much of untapped potential. With more and more business are coming online, more are more people coming to social media and becoming social media creators, the need of Graphic designers in only going to increase.
According to a survey, the demand for graphic designers is projected to grow by 3% per year for the next coming decade. This make graphic design pretty lucrative field to make a career in. Make sure to note the points, like the article for future reference and follow the points discussed in the article to get started in the field of Graphic design.
Graphic Design – FAQs
How do I start graphic design for beginners?
To start Graphic Design for beginners, follow these steps:
- Learn Basics: Study fundamental principles like typography, color theory, and layout.
- Practice Software: Get familiar with tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
- Create Projects: Apply your skills on personal projects or redesigns.
- Seek Inspiration: Follow designers and projects online for ideas.
- Get Feedback: Share your work for critiques and improvement.
- Keep Learning: Stay updated with new techniques and trends.
How do I get my first job in graphic design?
- Build a strong portfolio showcasing your best work.
- Gain experience through internships, freelance projects, or volunteer work.
- Network with professionals in the industry and attend design events.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant skills and experiences.
- Apply for entry-level graphic design positions online and offline.
- Prepare for interviews by practicing common design-related questions and showcasing your passion for the field.
What makes a good Graphic design?
A Graphic design that follows are the principles and best practices of Graphic design is considered as a good Graphic design. These principles and best practices are Space, Contrast, Alignment, Color theory, Visual Hierarchy, Balance, Repetition, Proximity, Texture etc.
How is Graphic Design different than UI Design?
Graphic Design is the process of designing graphics for an application, website, billboard, advertisement, etc. whereas UI design or User Interface design refers to the process of creating the visual interfaces for a software application.
Is Graphic Design and Graphic Arts the same?
No, Graphic Design is the process of designing graphics for an application, website, billboard, advertisement, etc. whereas Graphic Arts is the process of designing visuals that can convey subtle messages to the target audiences.
What is the average salary of a Graphic Designer in India?
The average salary of a Graphic Designer Freelancer in India is about ₹25,000 per annum. For a salaried employee, this may go up to ₹6 Lakh per annum.
What are the software used by professional Graphic designers?
The five most important and most commonly used software in Graphic design are Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Indesign and Adobe After Effects.
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