How to start as a graphic designer?

Rahul Bouddha

New Member
My name is Rahul Bouddha.

I am new to this field of designing. Can someone tell me what sort of software i should start learning and how should i gain my knowledge and skills.
 
Hi Rahul and welcome to the forum.

Do you have any background in design or drawing. What sort of design do you want to get into. Why do you want to get into graphic design?

Paul
 
As Paul has said it depends what area of design you are looking at getting into, although Adobe is the software of choice for most.
 
The industry standard software is Adobe so it's well worth learning that. Especially if you want to be employed rather than freelance.
Photoshop, Illustrator would be a good start.

There are some fantastic tutorial sites as well as YouTube to get you started and you can also subscribe to Lynda.com which will teach you pretty much everything but it costs about $25 per month.
 
Hi Rahul and welcome to the forum.

Do you have any background in design or drawing. What sort of design do you want to get into. Why do you want to get into graphic design?

Paul

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your reply. I do not have any designing or drawing experience through software applications but during my school and college days i use to make sketches on drawing sheets and papers. I want to get into graphic and interior designing. I see lot of scope here in my place in designing and architecture. And the current profession what i am into is kind of boring doing same kind of work on daily basis during night shift, i am not learning any new things here. Also it is effecting the health very much. So, i want to utilize myself in this field of graphic designing where i can learn new things everyday.

If you can share your experiences and thoughts on how i can start with graphic designing, it would be a great help to me.
 
And the current profession what i am into is kind of boring doing same kind of work on daily basis during night shift, i am not learning any new things here.


The design industry is no different, 99% of the work you do as a designer is boring and repetitive. The same is true for agencies, they might have work for big brands in their portfolios, but that work could be years old. It's more likely their day to day workload involves dull, corporate work (often pharmaceutical companies) that keep the lights in the offices on.

I started by applying for a design degree course and seeing out freelance projects whilst in my second year. By the time I graduated I was able to work full-time for myself due to the client list I'd built up, whilst most of my friends sought out work in studios and agencies. Personally I prefer self-employment, but the stress that comes with running a business by myself is probably affecting my health too.

I'd start my reading articles and books on the subject of graphic design and start designing stuff for yourself and perhaps look into a course if you feel you need extra training. Design isn't really an industry you can just jump into without experience and the same is especially true for architecture, but you get experience by learning and doing so get out there and do it!
 
The design industry is no different, 99% of the work you do as a designer is boring and repetitive. The same is true for agencies, they might have work for big brands in their portfolios, but that work could be years old. It's more likely their day to day workload involves dull, corporate work (often pharmaceutical companies) that keep the lights in the offices on.

I started by applying for a design degree course and seeing out freelance projects whilst in my second year. By the time I graduated I was able to work full-time for myself due to the client list I'd built up, whilst most of my friends sought out work in studios and agencies. Personally I prefer self-employment, but the stress that comes with running a business by myself is probably affecting my health too.

I'd start my reading articles and books on the subject of graphic design and start designing stuff for yourself and perhaps look into a course if you feel you need extra training. Design isn't really an industry you can just jump into without experience and the same is especially true for architecture, but you get experience by learning and doing so get out there and do it!

Hi Paul,

I have some material like tutorial video's and books for adobe illustrator cs6 through which i am learning and getting some experiences.

Graphic designing is a vast field wherein they have lots of tools to practice and learn but in my profession you just have to work on job portals and look for the right candidate everyday. I am doing night shift, supporting my current company through India which is difficult because your body won't support you at all. Sometime there will be a change in shifts too and even we have to extend depends on the workload.

I want something which i can do without spoiling my health in the day time.
 
Hello
Rahul Bouddha.

Nice to meet you TO be graphics designer at first you need to learn about Photoshop with great skill For learning about photoshop you need to watch YouTube videos.
 
Hello
Rahul Bouddha.

Nice to meet you TO be graphics designer at first you need to learn about Photoshop with great skill For learning about photoshop you need to watch YouTube videos.
so wrong I don't even know where to begin.....

Knowing how to use a program does NOT make you a graphic designer
 
so wrong I don't even know where to begin.....

Knowing how to use a program does NOT make you a graphic designer

So... what you're saying is like knowing how to use Netflix doesn't make you a Film Director or a famous actor?
Does this apply to Call Of Duty as well?

If so, I'm feeling quite deflated right now. :(
 
nah, you're a film/tv critic if you know how to use netflix :)

Call of duty... well it really does depend on if you're the run around sniper type or the camping type of player :)
 
I think you should give up the CoD though... you're turning into a scout and just need to learn how to tie them knots and put up a tent :p
 
I think you should give up the CoD though... you're turning into a scout and just need to learn how to tie them knots and put up a tent :p

Are you referring to my camping skills Sir?
I'll have you know I have a proficiency badge (and a 20/40x variable scope ). ;)
 
My name is Rahul Bouddha.

I am new to this field of designing. Can someone tell me what sort of software i should start learning and how should i gain my knowledge and skills.


Learning drawings and adobe softwares:ai ps id
And learning grahpicphoto
 
so wrong I don't even know where to begin.....

Knowing how to use a program does NOT make you a graphic designer

Been browsing threads during my downtime and just had to agree with this.

My career was flying for a time but then it took a nosedive from a great height as job market became saturated with so called 'designers' somehow conning their way into employment on the cheap. It also started the rot in whole industry and I still see a lot of kitchen worktop publishing (rather than desktop, obviously) around and having access to imagery makes it even worse. Sticking a few words on a photo is not graphic design, and anyone describing their profession as a 'graphics designer' clearly doesn't have the first clue, and there should be a test for anyone wanting a job as I reckon a lot of people still use the work of others in portfolios to blag their way in. Give them a piece of paper and a pencil – ask them to go away and come up with a simple logo for a fictional company – and for extra cruelty, give them an hour. Any half decent designer with brand experience could at least present considered and tight sketches, but I guarantee the worktop designer's efforts would only be fit for the fridge door, next to the kiddie drawings as they are lost without their digital cheat tool.

I worked my way up slowly until I was 'discovered' for my main talent and was beating them off with a stick until recently, then made mistake of moving to London which seems impenetrable now.

The internet is also to blame for bringing computers into virtually every household – but to call yourself a designer overnight just because you also have the right software and are not afraid to launch it is like calling yourself an artist because you own a paintbrush AND some paint – it's ridiculous. You are born creative and spend years developing skills like any other profession.
 
tight sketches, but I guarantee the worktop designer's efforts would only be fit for the fridge door, next to the kiddie drawings as they are lost without their digital cheat tool.
I wouldn't do well there then, my sketching is fine for 'my needs' as I kind of use shorthands for speed but I doubt I'd win a 'beauty contest' with them :)

it is like calling yourself an artist because you own a paintbrush AND some paint – it's ridiculous.
not so sure about this.... have you seen some of the stuff they're calling 'art' these days... 'a messy student dorm room' was called art recently iirc
 
I wouldn't do well there then, my sketching is fine for 'my needs' as I kind of use shorthands for speed but I doubt I'd win a 'beauty contest' with them :)
But I would know . . . designer code!

not so sure about this.... have you seen some of the stuff they're calling 'art' these days... 'a messy student dorm room' was called art recently iirc
Agreed. Replace 'artist' with 'Rembrandt'.
 
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