Are You A Graphic Designer? Share Your Tips of Success.

[Skinny]

Hey guys,

I've done graphic design for about 2 years, now and the net is a very competitive place for graphic design.

I'd just like to share some tips I had to those who want to be a graphic designer , but I also wanna hear some tips as I am by know means THE designer.

1. Get Photoshop - It's expensive but you'll pay it off with the design jobs you do. (If you are a student you might get a huge student discount ).

2. Learn Photoshop - if you don't know how to use photoshop for all those snazzy effects there are literally thousands of tutorials floating around the net and sites like good-tutorials.com etc.

3. Start small. Even at this stage you probably aren't amazing (I wasn't). So look at entering contests here at V7N, Digitalpoint, and Sitepoint, etc.

The experience will benefit you as the feedback can help (even if you don't win much).

4. As Your skills begin to grow start reaching people and have them stick with you and up your price . My line to customers is: If you need any graphics done just contact me.

If you do a good job people don't like the hassle of finding another designer so they will come to you

5. Start a portfolio. Right from your first sale you should start saving everything (not only because the customer might need adjustments) so that you can build a portfolio to show other potential clients.

*****

I'm at this stage myself so that's as far as I can go. I would really appreciate tips on how to market yourself once you establish a web portfolio.

But the most important tip: Good communication! Ask a million questions, and always be professional.

Skinny

[Tinien]

Thanks for the info

[kaykays]

Although I am not a Designer, let me add one more tip. Have an association with a person who complements your services. This results in a win-win situation for both the partners, as long as they work in mutually exclusive areas.

[eXweso]

Good Post. Here are my views.

Well the most important thing you need is creativity and skills. Software is important but comes later.

Something different is always appreciated. People always run behind Web 2.0
Why not move ahead?

[Skinny]

Some great points mentioned.

You must have an eye for design in one sense. This can be taught to a degree but those who can really excel have an eye for design and know what works and what doesn't.

(i.e. color, size, font, etc.)

Skinny

[John Scott]

When I hire a designer I look through his work. It's important. But the most important thing is that the style integrate with my style. I've had graphic designers here who would only design graphics according to their style. That doesn't work. Got to understand the clients and match his brand.

[Godzi]

Originally Posted by John Scott

When I hire a designer I look through his work. It's important. But the most important thing is that the style integrate with my style. I've had graphic designers here who would only design graphics according to their style. That doesn't work. Got to understand the clients and match his brand.

Really ? Are you sure about that ?

[John Scott]

Originally Posted by Godzi

Really ? Are you sure about that ?

100%

[mastermemei]

I have to agree that as a designer you will need to adjust your style for your client. It doesn't mean you have to change completely, your creative side will be tested on how well you can interpret your client's idea

I used to work as a web designer and it was fun but draining at times. Now I just do it as a hobby

[Godzi]

Originally Posted by John Scott

(...) But the most important thing is that the style integrate with my style(...)

oh, so I have to quote you again !

fit with your style ? Is it the most important ? Because I think the customer does not mind at all about your style, the customer mind about what he wants for his product.
The first selection of a designer is about his creativity, because he designs things, and to design things, he needs a sense of creativity and not to adapt to the creativity of his ... hmm ... "boss". Because in this way, the most simple is that the boss does this part of the work himself, it is totally useless to have a creative that integrates your own style.
This is why in the serious companies there is not that much turn over for designers.

mastermemei, agree, adjust doesn't mean change completely.

[John Scott]

Because I think the customer does not mind at all about your style

Branding is very much tied to a brands image. The Nike swish, for example. Take that off a Nike shoe and it instantly drops in value. Consistency in a brand's representation is very important. Much more so than creativity.

he needs a sense of creativity and not to adapt to the creativity of his ... hmm ... "boss".

You're confusing "designer" and "artist".

Artist can do whatever the hell they want. Designers get to design what their boss pays them to design.

[Godzi]

Originally Posted by John Scott

You're confusing "designer" and "artist".

Artist can do whatever the hell they want. Designers get to design what their boss pays them to design.

- I think most of designers are artists. Their work after is to lead the direction that will take the design of the company, the brand etc. - of course if they got the chance to do it- and put at test their work on a basic audience.


"Designers get to design what their boss pays them to design."

Yes, when they get paid. But I will add : " designers get to design as well what they think is good for the company image".

[John Scott]

" designers get to design as well what they think is good for the company image".

One way of thinking about it, but who knows if that will go over well.

[Skinny]

John I gotta completely agree with you.

The way I approach the table with a client is that even if they know nothing about design they do have a sense of what they want (color, perhaps a concept, etc).

It's my job to try to integrate my skills with what the client wants (after all they are paying me).

And having variety in terms of style is always good. You can be minimalistic and simple, or you can be flash and colorful.

When designing you gotta be a bit like a chameleon able to morph and change as to the needs of the customer.

Skinny

[riven_kalki]

Skinny is right, a designer must be flexible. He must be able to have lots of insights or "look" to offer his clients (and the designs he should offer are the ones that should be attuned to the client's taste/needs). This is the creativity of a paid designer: not to box oneself to a particular style but rather aim to know more so he could meet whatever the client's needs/views/taste/branding strategy would be.

Whenever we get to meet and talk to a client, it is very likely that he/she already has an idea of what they want in the design. We go do it.

On the other hand, it is also likely that clients are not entirely closing the option for new insights in terms of style in their design. This is the opening for creativity (but still tempered with the idea that they want). Ultiumately, clients have the last say. So its good to offer something new and creative, but first of all, the offer should fit their branding direction.

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[Godzi]

I am agree with both of you.
We have of course to adapt to the desires of our clients. But my point is I do not count anymore how many clients changed their mind - first idea- after I proposed them different designs ( logos, interfaces, business cards, bottles, flyers etc... ) that were totally different from their first concept.
My meaning is that sometimes - and I think most of the time for the new companies - the graphic direction is not taken yet, which gives designers a large range of offers for their customers. And not to forget the questions that designers have to ask themselves :

how does this client want his brand beeing represented like ?
Does he already have a concept ? If yes, will it get old in the "good " way ?
Does any other brands got the same looking ? etc etc...

So I am not 100% agree with you, a designer has of course to adapt but his responsability is also to point to his client the flaws of their brands/designs and explain them why they should do that and not that.

Well, it is just my point of view

[Dan Williamson]

Originally Posted by Skinny

1. Get Photoshop - It's expensive but you'll pay it off with the design jobs you do. (If you are a student you might get a huge student discount ).

I don't agree with that, you don't need Adobe Photoshop at all to become a graphics designer, I much prefer the old Macromedia Fireworks 8 version, but indeed many people do use Photoshop, but try not to generalize Graphics Design to Photoshop, there are loads of different programs.

1. Corel Draw
2. Corel Photopaint
3. Paint-Sho Pro
4. Adobe Fireworks
5. Adobe Photoshop
6. Adobe Illustrator
7. Paint.NET
8. GIMP

I have used and tested each one of those, but I only own Fireworks 8, so I could only give tips on that, and even then i'm not a very good designer.

Creativity is a MUST without creativity it is somewhat pointless as you need to be creative to design something enticing which you can use yourself or sell if thats what you want to do.

Dedication and Motivation are also needed, because you are not going to become a professional graphics designer over-night, it's a long and tedious process and it is an art which can never be mastered, you can be a briliant designer but there is always room for improvement, perfection cannot be achieved for there is always something better.

[phacker]

Software never made an artist, Photoshoppers like to think it does, but then they only know how to apply filters.

Direct communication with the client is the most import issue.

[Skinny]

Dan and Phacker those are both great points.

I love Photoshop so I recommend it. There are lots of other good programs that you mentioned Dan and really anything could be used as long as it's decent.

Creativity, Dedication, and Motivation are really important.

You have to be a creative thinker and think outside the box when tackling design projects.

This is an awesome statement:

there is always room for improvement, perfec