how to learn graphic design

How to Learn Graphic Design

Design

Let’s start by defining what graphic design is. Often there is an erroneous conception of graphic design as if this discipline is mainly linked to artistic value alone, to the ability to draw or express one’s inspiration. In reality, graphic design is much more than that. Here we will give a complete guide about how to learn graphic design?

Not surprisingly, another way to define the graphic designer is a communication designer. The aim of a graphic designer is, in fact, to communicate through visual images, ideas, and values, identities, and ideologies. Starting from this, you will understand how to learn graphic design is acquiring more and more importance in the field of marketing and advertising: through images, colors, and visual stimuli, its task is to intrigue, attract and induce the consumer to choose a product or a brand.

Despite the growing attention that companies and businesses have shown in recent years towards this professional figure, it is good to point out that the demand graphic design does not work exclusively in the marketing sector. The main objective of his work includes the ability to sell products. First of all, because in the marketing field, he is not only concerned with launching an effective message for what concerns a single product but rather uses his skills to work on the visual elements of the brand identity of a company or body that commissions him to work ( such as the creation of a logo, animations, website, etc.) and then because a graphic designer can specialize in a wide range of sectors, dedicating himself to specific areas such as editorial graphics (for books, magazines, brochures), in entertainment or for campaigns advertising that promotes culture and art.

How to Learn Graphic Design Online and My Free Courses - YouTube

How to become a graphic designer: the necessary characteristics

Being good at drawing today is certainly not enough to be able to work as a graphic designer. In fact, it is necessary to have complete training in the world of graphics, but, in addition to following a graphic design course, it is also necessary to have some personal characteristics that must be developed over time. Here are the main ones:

  • creativity: without these characteristics, this work certainly cannot be done. It is usually innate, but it can also develop with time and experience;
  • passion: it is necessary to nurture a deep love for art and everything related to artistic and visual expression;
  • curiosity: you have to be curious and eager to constantly update yourself, to know everything new, everything that is trendy and that also concerns new technologies;
  • versatility: in this work, you need to adapt and adapt every medium to the message you want to convey. You need to know how to range from one field to another and from one expressive language to another.

What the graphic designer does

In general, the graphic designer combines artistic and technological skills to choose fonts for activities related to branding (i.e., the creation of corporate brands), both for websites and print media. Still, his duties change according to customer requests. Among his duties, a graphic designer will therefore have to deal with the client’s ideas, choose the messages to communicate, decide the layouts to use, and the colors to use.

Often (especially if an employee of a company), the graphic designer will find himself working in a team with marketers, authors, and front-end developers. New technologies and new marketing strategies have required more and more skills in the graphic design sector. However, the sector is constantly evolving, and the figure of the graphic designer is increasingly in demand in the job market, not only by companies and agencies.

Employee work, freelance career, junior or senior figure: A graphic designer’s salaries vary depending on the job position and the company or body of reference.

Graphic designer: what to study

Many think that knowing how to draw is enough to work as a graphic designer. Still, the reality is quite different: to create a logo on a professional level, in fact, a sheet of paper and a pencil are certainly not enough. Specific skills are needed that only an adequate graphic design course can provide; in essence, one cannot improvise as a graphic designer.

See also  3D Printing Increasingly Used In Spinal Therapies

Many questions arise spontaneously within the specific field of study to follow to work in this sector: what are the best graphic design courses? Is there a degree in graphic design? And is it useful to take a master’s degree?

Faced with the huge range of courses available today, it is normal for perplexities to arise about which path is the best. Let’s start by saying that having a good computer science base is an excellent starting point. Therefore, those in high school who attended high school with a technological focus or a technical institute with an IT focus certainly have an advantage; however, this is not a fundamental aspect.

The important thing, in fact, is to choose a graphic design address at the university. Many people choose to undertake a course of study relating to the artistic or cultural heritage, or an IT or marketing and communication address and then continue with a master’s or a specialist in graphic design service . This path also certainly provides the necessary knowledge; it also depends on the type of work you intend to do next.

Graphic designer: where he works

Alternatively, for those who want to get straight to the point, almost all institutes now offer graphic design courses; let’s take some examples: in Milan, there are the three-year courses of the European Institute of Design (IED), or the Graphic Design and Art Direction Course of the New Academy of Fine Arts, or the Visual Design Course of the Marangoni Institute or the Bachelor of Science in Communication Design of the Politecnico di Milano. In Rome, we find, in addition to the IED, the Rome University of Fine Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts; in Naples, however, there is the Higher Institute of Communication with a wide range of graphic design courses from 3D graphics to photography.

Finally, to acquire specific skills, it is always better to avoid an online graphic design course and instead rely on professionals in the sector, enrolling in courses or masters recognized.

The professional opportunities for young graphic designers today are really many, precisely because, as we said, there are many expressive means and fields where graphics are applied. Once you have finished your graphic design studies at university, it is always better to start with an internship in a company having to gain direct experience in the field to test yourself in a company reality and deal with customer requests for the first time.

Also Read: Simple Lessons If You Want To Work And Live In America

How to learn graphic design: The tools of the graphic designer

In the digital sector of learning, you just need to know about how to learn graphic design, some tools are essential to have familiarity and knowledge, in particular:

  • Photoshop: Photoshop is the most famous and used among photo retouching software and more. In recent years it has become crucial for designers and drafters to create sketches or paintings. You can use Photoshop to edit images or to create banners and infographics for websites. You can buy Photoshop on Amazon to start practicing and bringing your projects to life right away.
  • Illustrator: Illustrator is a vector drawing software. You will be able to use Illustrator to create logos, so you can smoothly act on the graphics even at the time of printing, packaging, and layouts.
  • InDesign: page layout program for print or digital. If you want to work in publishing or deal with advertising graphics, having a good command of using InDesign will be a fundamental skill to present on your resume.
  • Sketch: Sketch is a useful program to improve the UI and optimize the UX of a site. Sketch App is also a vector graphics tool like Illustrator and has proved to be an even more advantageous alternative for working on an application’s graphical interface.

While it’s not impossible to learn how to use these self-taught tools, software like Photoshop or Illustrator has a wide range of features that can be confusing and intimidating at first glance.

Furthermore, cutting down the time needed to acquire skills is essential if you want to become competitive and if you want to enter the world of work in the shortest possible time.

How to understand which graphic design specialization course to take?

Here are some steps that may help you get started and get closer to your dream:

See also  Rules of Web Design

Build your brand

At first, Karen was probably not as good as those who went through four years of design education. But he still did the job well enough to take his place in the industry. He just had to learn how to get started.

His biggest mistake? Jump straight into Photoshop. Just because you buy a brush doesn’t mean you’re already an artist. It would help if you started with the basics. And for a career in design, you have to start from scratch.

Learn how to draw

You don’t even have to sign up for an art class. Karen recommends the book You Can Draw in 30 Days. Allocate at least 30 minutes a day every month, just trying to draw. Once you learn the basics and use your hands for daily training, move on to the next step. How to learn graphic design & Learn about its theory.

The image and the text

The image gives you the basics of typography, color, and design with a grid. Next, you need to learn some basics in the user experience. The text also plays an important role in the design, so you should also learn to write. You’ll see mockups using standard Lorem Ipsum text, but you need to be creative in every respect. Please take a look at the words, think and rethink the most suitable format, offer the audience the whole package by showing them the emotions that not only through the graphics but also through the words you use.

Know when to destroy and start your work again

This is a basic reality about design that many rookies fail to achieve. When a project doesn’t work, destroy it and start over. Don’t waste your creative seeds, trying to improve something that doesn’t fit your purpose. Let go and create something fresh and completely different. These steps should sum up the core part of your training. Now that you have the basics, it’s time to move on to more complicated things.

Also Read: 5 Finance Books That Will Lead You To Success

how to learn graphic design & Master the software

You don’t think you can escape computer programs, do you? Even if you want to go old school and make things by hand, you can’t deny that the whole world has gone digital. Therefore, you must be ready to create work digitally.

Adobe Illustrator

Yes, it’s not time to learn Photoshop yet. Better to start with Illustrator first. Adobe Illustrator Classroom has all the basics, and getting through the first half could pretty much give you everything you need to know.

Adobe Photoshop

Now it’s time for you to learn how to use Photoshop. Even in the logo design, it is necessary to use Adobe Photoshop, for example, to create captivating presentations of your logo project for your client. You can find many tutorials online.

There are so many other design programs out there, but these are two of the most popular. You can try to learn the other programs one by one if necessary. For example, if you plan on doing editorial printing work, you will definitely need to delve into Adobe In Design.

how to learn graphic design & find your specialty?

As a self-guru and design follower, you need to understand what you want to specialize in. You can’t be the handyman when it comes to design. So, you have to be a master of skills in a specific industry. You must choose an area to focus on to set a more relevant path for you. Especially when it comes to an understanding of the next steps you will need to take.

Logo design and brand identity

Interested in building logos for a brand? This is a great choice. If you think all there is to the logo design is the logo itself, you are very wrong. Most of the time, a designer has to get on board to create a logo and an entire brand identity. This means that you should also imagine that logo on a wall, on an office door, on a fast-food m, etc. etc …

Hand lettering

If you like hand lettering, there is a high demand right now. People are in love with handmade designs and custom lettering. Because? Because it brings a human element to the design. In today’s digital world, many brands are looking for a handmade aesthetic. Mobile apps are obviously in high demand, but you also need to be ready for a lot of competition.

Typography

Typography is probably the basis of every graphic discipline. Venturing into this world can be stimulating and can give great satisfaction if you consider that a good professional font can be sold and resold several times. Even at considerable amounts. And then, Infographics, photo editing, packaging, layout, and many more …

Also Read: How To Learn Digital Marketing

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *