Short course advice (work is paying :D )

[tom thurs]

My background is animation and effects but I landed a job doing print design.

I can handle the technical/software side of things (potatoshop, indesign, illy etc) but the "where to put stuff", best practices, workflow kind of issues I'm not so great at.

Don't get me wrong I'm not totally clueless but I feel I'm missing some knowledge and work have said they'll send me on a short course but I'm having trouble finding one and was looking for advice which ones will give me the best non software knowledge (if that makes sense)

Cheers!

Tom

[c_b_g_b]

Not too sure about an actual course - but I've been working in a printers as a designer for over 3 years, and can give you a few pointers if you want (these are things I've found handy - you may not like this way, up to you!) :

• Put these folders in your documents folder and have shortcuts on your desktop; "temporary" (holds files for non regular customers), "layout" (holds template files, very handy) and "Downloads". This basically gives you easy access to any handy files.

• Have an "A-Z" in your documents folder, and logically categorise any companies by name or business owner inside the corresponding folder (if your doing work for apple mac, you can find it in the apple mac folder, in the a folder, in the a-z folder).

• "Use time machine" and delete your temporary files every week or two weeks, depending on how much random work you have coming in.


Anyway, hope this helps man.
Cheers,
Chris

[linziloop]

Not too sure about an actual course - but I've been working in a printers as a designer for over 3 years, and can give you a few pointers if you want (these are things I've found handy - you may not like this way, up to you!) :

• Put these folders in your documents folder and have shortcuts on your desktop; "temporary" (holds files for non regular customers), "layout" (holds template files, very handy) and "Downloads". This basically gives you easy access to any handy files.

• Have an "A-Z" in your documents folder, and logically categorise any companies by name or business owner inside the corresponding folder (if your doing work for apple mac, you can find it in the apple mac folder, in the a folder, in the a-z folder).

• "Use time machine" and delete your temporary files every week or two weeks, depending on how much random work you have coming in.


Anyway, hope this helps man.
Cheers,
Chris

I think the OP was after advice on the actual graphic design layout etc., but can see how this could be misunderstood.

Personally I don't know of any courses that offer the kind of thing you mention tom thurs, but there is a pretty good series of books that may be of some use to you called 'basics design', you can find them on amazon, like this one and all the others associated with it:

Basics Design: Layout: Amazon.co.uk: Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris: Books

[c_b_g_b]

Ahhhhhh, haha. My bad, still - it's probably worth while advice.

Here's a book that I thought was really good at giving inspiration,

Graphic Design That Works: Successful Design for Logos, Brochures, Promotions, Websites and More: Amazon.co.uk: Rockport Publishing: Books

It really good examples of most aspects of design.

[Katedesign]

Or does he mean technical stuff - like crops and bleeds and the like. I have some stuff on my website. I've been over 25 years working as a graphic designer in print - as I'm sure many others have experience. Ask questions - we can probably answer them. Or ask a friendly printer - that you give a lot of work to if you can sit/work in their studio for a while...they may be disposed to help.

[tom thurs]

Thanks for the replies it's mainly layout and things like that and design theory.

I think I'm going to have to go on something anyway I've been looking at courses like the ones below.
Graphic Design Curriculum | Shillington College London & Manchester UK
GRAPHIC DESIGN COURSES

I'd quite like to do it in class so I can ask questions and also I could use it to build up my portfolio.