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Quick – Start Guide to Becoming a Graphic Designer
Is it your ambition to work as a graphic designer? If you have an eye for architecture as well as a flair for technology, this artistic profession might be a good match for you.
But where do you begin? In this article, we will look at eight quick-start tips for starting a new career in graphic design. You’ll also find our picks for the best beginner tutorials and motivation to get you off on the right foot.
Begin with the Fundamentals
To work as a graphic designer, you must be able to utilise machines to build layouts for both print and online media. However, with too many choices open, deciding which applications to invest in may be challenging.
Despite the fact that there are some decent free alternatives, most talented designers still use Adobe apps. Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator comprise the main trio.
InDesign is a printing software used to design layouts and multi-page publications such as posters, magazines, and flyers. Designers use Photoshop to manipulate photographs or build templates that depend heavily on raster images. Illustrator is a vector graphics programme that is used to produce diagrams and logos.
Here you will read more about the variations between design programmes and how to pick the right one for your particular needs.
Designers’ software tastes differ, but in general, each designer has a favourite application that they use on a regular basis. Many print designers can use InDesign, which is well-suited to print work. Although digital designers may use InDesign, they may choose the arguably more digital-friendly capabilities of Photoshop or Illustrator.
The interfaces of InDesign and other design-specific applications may be overwhelming at first, but once you understand the fundamentals—such as tools and panels—simple it’s to get started.
Become Obsessed With Typography
Typography is a fundamental building block in graphic design that explains how type is formatted and organised on a layout. Every artist has a penchant for typography, which can border on obsession in certain cases.
It won’t be long before you grow a strong and meaningful commitment to all things form with a little know-how. When you start animatedly demonstrating to your mates the distinction between a sans serif and a serif, you’ve got the bug.
Begin with this handy guide to style formatting in InDesign, which covers many of the fundamentals.
When you’re about to go further, you will find a variety of typography-related tips and tutorials here.
Soon, you’ll want to hone your typography skills with further specialised lessons, such as this guide about how to make basic and complex drop caps.
Develop Your Image-Working Skills
Images provide an atmospheric dimension to your projects and will inspire the typefaces and colours you want to use on your project.
To begin incorporating photographs in your drawings, you must first understand how to make them function for you. Photoshop can be used to format photographs, so you don’t have to be a Photoshop whiz to start incorporating pictures in your projects. You can directly position, format, and rotate images inside InDesign, enabling you to include photos in your templates right away.
Some layouts enable you to render photography a focal point of your design. Magazines are an excellent place to begin honing your picture layout abilities.
Check out this trio of tutorials for creative ways to integrate images into magazine spreads on our website at Blue Sky Graphics.
Vector graphics are also essential in graphic design. Vector diagrams can be used in lieu of images, and vector graphics, such as logos and curves, can add scalability to the projects.
With this introduction to making shapes and diagrams in InDesign, you may dip your toe into vector.
Recognize Colour
The holy trinity in graphic design is type, images, and colour. These three elements will serve as the basis for any layout.
A layout’s mood and personality are described by colour. It is critical to not only consider how colours match or conflict with one another, but also how to set up colour on your projects on a technological basis. A layout’s mood and personality are described by colour. It is critical to not only consider how colours match or conflict with one another, but also how to set up colour on your projects on a technological basis.
This colour primer explains the differences between RGB and CMYK colour, as well as how to use Spot and Pantone shades.
Adobe Colour CC, a helpful tool from Adobe, helps you to play with colour variations and develop custom palettes from images, which you can use directly in InDesign. Our online graphic design course comprises of graphic design basics and principals along with adobe programs of InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.
Discover How to Dress for Print
And if you’re just interested in graphic design, it’s important to have a strong base in print design. Why is this so? Understanding print design principles can show you main skills that you will bring to digital jobs, such as how to build elegant templates and work with grids.
If you really want to be able to make print jobs, such as stationery, signage, or magazines, it’s critical that you read up on how to properly design documents for print, such as including bleeds and accurately setting up colour spaces.
As well as for online use
Print and digital architecture share similarities, but most artists specialise on one or the other. Print design is very conservative in several respects (which is both its charm and its curse), while digital design is ever-changing and thrilling.
Learning how to build basic templates for online usage is a fine place to start if you choose to dip your toe into the world of digital.
Become an expert in one area.
Most artists have a sense of whether their talents and preferences are more in print or digital design, although you may still opt to specialise further across these wider disciplines.
Designers who specialise in branding, book develop, or typography, for example, can be used in print design. Many designers prefer to specialise in smartphone, website, EPUB, or UX design in the ever-expanding world of digital. Many designers prefer to specialise in smartphone, website, EPUB, or UX design in the ever-expanding world of digital.
Continue to be Inspired!
No graphic designer will thrive in a void, and searching for inspiration in the work of others is an essential part of your growth as a designer. We at Blue Sky Graphics pride ourselves with having one of most competent staff of graphic designers in the UK. Join our online graphic design course and see for yourself.
