Starting Out.... Advice/Guidance Needed!

ColeUK

Junior Member
Hey guys,

Been a month since my introduction, and I have had a lot to think about, sadly not moved much further since though.

Tbh, My heads a blur and a I feel overwhelmed, I would appreciate some help and guidance to help start focusing my efforts more clearly.

A little about me, I am 24 and a full time flight attendant flying to longhaul destinations around the world. I now have a Apple Laptop to take my work with me and just started making use of Adobe CS4 (and learning the various platforms namely, Ps, Ai and Id). Although I am away at times sporadically, I do have lots of free time in the UK to make use of too. My interests are in Design, Advertising, Branding and Marketing and would love the idea of working on projects with companies and so forth, involving the recognised design process, brief etc...I take a keen interest in the business side of things, but am looking to gain understanding in the industry standard design methods to develop and finish ideas.

My main dilemma is, for someone who has no-little design experience, where should I start?, do you think I should go back to study at college, uni, or home courses?

I was thinking about initially creating my own identity. I am also pretty confident I could get some work from colleagues, of which I know many have small businesses, and opportunities for branding, advertising and identity?

Basically I am asking where I should start the ball rolling, what best advice do you have to better my skills and experience?

Finally It would be interesting to know......Whats your story?

Cole
 
I took a course and tbh i still learnt more at home than at the course but that was for web design, i guess with marketing a course would be more beneficial.
 
Hi Cole.

Well, i'm a self educate from Malaysia. I started out pretty much later than you to become a designer. (a drop out from Interior Design course at last semester with little fine art background) the most painful thing in becoming a self-educate is you never know where should you start of. I'm 34 now and still nowhere to be in pursuit my dreams of becoming a designer(well, maybe its gonna be easier if i can compromise a logo design at RM50 to RM150 each lol [seriously]) i've even started my own design freelance business after i've learned few design techniques and started to critiques on others at that time! [blushed] (OMG , i've said it)

What i've experienced is true and my advice to you is to seriously consider taking a course, not just some 2 or 3 hours a day courses and 2 courses a week type for working party but go back to college as a student hunger for more basics and study on business or accounting as well along the way.

You are still young and have more opportunity to explore more. With your current job as a flight attendant, your knowledge to different lifestyle and cultures certainly are more than your peers and thats could be another added value to be implement into your future study life and working life.

I'm about to quit on my current job in order to gain more time to pursuit on growing my strength of illustration side and in the meantime learning about logo design. Cheers!

fyi, design is not just to know how to use certain design softwares but require continuing practice. You can start following a few well known designer to check on how they do their works, their sharing are really valuable to be taking account into a knowledge of how designer's life are to be.

i.e. Ken Reynolds in this forum are currently starting a Blog-jects, you can follow his threads here and his blog. His nick in here is Krey20

or Graham Smith, also another well-known UK base designer that share logo design insights. Very thought provoking sharing he always have.

or you may check on some of my personal collection in my designer's library in Design Democracy.

or you may check out here for the designers to follow on twitter this at least could be a good start to get some ideas. There are still plenty out there to explore but i think these are some place that you can start from.

Good luck!

All the best!
 
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