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I Want To Learn Graphic Designing On My Own. How Should I Start?
Do you dream of becoming a graphic designer? If you have a passion for design and technology, this creative area might be a good fit for you. New beginnings can be daunting to some but Blue Sky Graphics can help you start with basic concepts in graphic design.
Begin with the basics
To work as a graphic designer, you must utilise computers to develop layouts for both print and internet media. However, with so many alternatives accessible, deciding on which software to invest in may be tough. Despite the fact that there are numerous fantastic free options, most professional designers will utilise Adobe software.
InDesign is a publishing application used to design layouts and multi-page publications such as posters, magazines, and flyers. Designers use Photoshop to alter pictures or create layouts that rely heavily on raster images. Illustrator is used to create drawings and logos. At Blue Sky Graphics, you may learn more about the differences between design programmes and how to choose the best one for your specific needs.
Designers’ software choices vary, but in general, each designer has a preferred package that they use on a regular basis. Most print designers will use InDesign, which is well-suited to print work. Although digital designers may utilise InDesign, they may choose the allegedly more digital-friendly features of Photoshop or Illustrator.
The interfaces of InDesign and other design-specific software might be overwhelming at first, but once you understand the fundamentals—such as tools and panels—it is simple to get started.
Typography
Typography is a fundamental building component of graphic design that explains how type is ordered and organised on a page. Every designer has a penchant for typography, which may border on obsession in some cases.
It will not be long until you acquire a deep and profound relationship to all things type with a little know-how. When you start animatedly explaining to your pals the difference between a sans serif and a serif, you have caught the bug.
Develop Your Image-Working Skills
Images provide an immersive sense to your designs and might inspire the typefaces and colours you wish to employ on your layout.
To begin incorporating pictures in your designs, you must first understand how to make them work for you. Photoshop can be used to manipulate photos, but you do not have to be a Photoshop genius to start incorporating photos in your designs. You may immediately put, scale, and rotate pictures within InDesign, allowing you to incorporate photographs in your layouts right away.
Understand Colour
The holy trinity of graphic design is type, graphics, and colour. These three pieces may serve as the foundation for any layout. A layout’s structure and personality are defined by colour. It would help if you built a thorough grasp not only of how colours complement or collide but also of how colour may be used on the technical level in your projects.
Learn How to Prepare for Print
Even if you are just interested in digital design, it is critical to have a strong foundation in print design. Why is this so? Understanding print design fundamentals will teach you crucial strategies that you can apply to digital work, such as how to create great layouts and deal with grids.
If you ever want to be able to design print work, such as stationery, signs, or magazines, it is critical that you study up how to properly prepare documents for print, such as include bleeds and appropriately setting up colour spaces.
Become an expert in one field
Most designers have a notion of whether their abilities and interests are more in print or digital design, but you may also choose to specialise more within these wider disciplines.
Designers that specialise in branding, book design, or typography, for example, can be found in print design.
Common Mistakes made by beginners
Designing excessively
Have you ever had the notion that “I did not truly create enough,” so you end up tossing something more in the corner to feel like you “created” anything? Overdesigning consumes all of your empty space and overcrowds your visuals. This makes them tough to read, understand, and appealing. The more nonsense you toss in there “just because,” the less purposeful it appears and the more amateurish it appears.
The solution is to keep it simple
As difficult as it might be at times, the key to the design is always simplicity. The better the design, the easier it feels. The simplest approach to achieve this simplicity is to include plenty of deliberate space in your designs.
Take, for example, Apple. They are the king of design, with a logo that is essentially simply an apple. That is all there is to it. There is nothing further to say. Their branding is really clean and basic, which is precisely what makes it so effective.
So, if you are caught in a design rut and do not know what design components to include in your graphic, remember Apple and do not put anything on there at all! Leave it out if it serves no practical function.
Using inconsistent images
Choosing graphics to support or symbolise your business is just as crucial as selecting any other design element. Picking whatever stock photo to combine with your new blog post may appear to be a simple chore, but choosing your images without purpose will leave your business appearing disjointed and unfamiliar.
The solution is to select imagery that complements your brand
Not only do your photographs need to fit the material they are supporting, but they also need to fit your visual branding consistently. You may do this in a variety of ways, including:
Choosing photographs that use the same colour palette on a regular basis
Using photographs that reflect a specific mood, topic, or style
Selecting photographs that can have a colour overlay applied to them to match your brand’s colours
Making ensuring your photography is consistent with your visual identity is as vital as any other brand aspect, so pay attention to it. Using the right images may instantly elevate you from novice to professional in the blink of an eye.
