Hey,

I've done little with graphic design, what is the best way to get started?

only hard working, good idea and constant learning

Date a graphic designer.
Easily the most hands-free way to get "into" graphic design.

Practice makes perfect

Do LOTS AND LOTS of tutorials and then eventually you can 'freestyle' and use all those techniques u learnt. ^_^

Use Pixel2life.com for a great list of tutorials =)

Matt

like matt said, find lots lots of tutorials even if its on designs you dont even like, its the "techniques" you should pay attention to because eventually you're able to know all different ways to make something and like he said "freestyle" create your own ways of doing things for instance would be like to make vector images on photoshop to have faded colors without using the blend tool, you can put a layer mask on it and use a soft big brush to fade for better control

Pay more attention to what the other designers do, note what u like and don't like. It could be good to start from designing something REAL, like your own site, or your friend's (band...) web site... And a lot of hard work.

As said you should really be looking to play around with a lot of tutorials and what I did was make up random companys and make them logos and things which meant I was being tested to do different things.

There are thousands, if not more tutorials on the internet and you could ask around to see if anybody needs a logo or graphic and what they want and then if you can't do it, look on the internet.

All you need to do is use google, type in something like "shiny text photoshop tutorial" and it will bring up hundreds of ways to do it.

Don't be shy asking for help either, some people on here have been doing it for donkeys years so know the ins and outs but at the end of the day everybody is still learning new things.

Or you could choose the quickest way to break into graphic design:

Burgle an ad agency.

Nothing compares to professional education, but i would say tutorials a very good way to start. You get to know a lot of techniques and you have fun at the same time. ^^

I've had to give this one some thought, so here goes:

1. Build your portfolio, and put it together in a solid presentation.
And, yes, you can use what you create in tutorials to help build it. Many people just starting out do a few freebies to build their portfolios.

2. Build a client base. This, of course, takes leg work. Sometimes doing those freebies for your portfolio helps do that too. Always leave your contact info for them, and word can get around. Have business cards with your portfolio address and contact info, and have some portable hard copies of your work as well. Always follow up on your contacts to thank them for their time.

3. As with any business, have a solid business plan written down, keep all your finances documented and separate from your personal ones.

Sadly, in most urban areas, without a graphic design degree you won't get in most ad agencies, but there is the chance, with a strong enough portfolio, and a good history and references from clients you've done a lot of business with, you can get in.

Originally Posted by Kristy24

Nothing compares to professional education, but i would say tutorials a very good way to start. You get to know a lot of techniques and you have fun at the same time. ^^

I have to disagree with that.

I left school at 16 with just GCSES (High school in the UK) and I have had friends doing graphics and web stuff at uni asking me to help them out.

I have also seen a lot of dissertations their friends did and they were shocking.

Don't get me wrong I would love to have the qualification under my belt but it just is not going to happen.

Originally Posted by nickharper

I have to disagree with that.

I left school at 16 with just GCSES (High school in the UK) and I have had friends doing graphics and web stuff at uni asking me to help them out.

I have also seen a lot of dissertations their friends did and they were shocking.

Don't get me wrong I would love to have the qualification under my belt but it just is not going to happen.

Doing stuff AT uni is different from doing stuff AFTER uni, which is when you become a professional. I don't refuse the idea of some autodidacts being better than professionals but having professional education is a lot better than learning by your self.

Originally Posted by Kristy24

Doing stuff AT uni is different from doing stuff AFTER uni, which is when you become a professional. I don't refuse the idea of some autodidacts being better than professionals but having professional education is a lot better than learning by your self.

It is that kind of attitude that would have shut me out of the design field, were it not for my tenaciousness. BTW, when you start selling work to the point it becomes at least a substantial portion of your livelihood then you become a professional. It is the attitude that has, thus far, shut me out of any ad agencies. And, mind you, I have more than enough copyrights for visual and musical work, two patents pending for ideas I'm marketing, and by the time you pay for your education I aim to make enough per year to pay for ten Stanford educations, then move to the mountains so I can put a large cloud of dust between myself and said attitudes....

pretty simple really. just jump in and start desiging so you can start a personal portfolio, then start offering your services at a good price on forums and to friends and businessed around your area

search for tutorials for more sharpness and creativity........we have loads of gurus in this industry......where we can learn and expand our imagination for designing stunning graphic designs.






All the best

Ask friends that are currently working in the industry to share you their programs. Learn illustrator, quark and photoshop. Redesign everything, make up your own promo material, learn how to work efficiently and creatively, read tutorials and ask the people in this forum for help and advises.

Originally Posted by Kristy24

Doing stuff AT uni is different from doing stuff AFTER uni, which is when you become a professional. I don't refuse the idea of some autodidacts being better than professionals but having professional education is a lot better than learning by your self.

Like I said there is no disrespect to anybody who goes to university and gets an education that way but as I said not everybody can do that.

The way I see it that I have taught myself because I wanted to learn, I have taught myself when I needed to learn to do various jobs and things on websites / graphics I wanted.

I know I am far from the best or even great at design but like I said I have seen a few people's work who have got degrees in design and I can safely say mine was better.

I think it boils down to the person, you could have a 12 year old who is AMAZING at design compared to a 40 year old who has gone to uni to do a late degree who isn't really the best.

What kind of graphic designer do you want to be? Often times, I'm finding that the downfall of many "graphic designers" is that they only really design for one medium: logos, web, print, signage, etc. Very rarely will I come across a designer who is able to design something for everything.

As far as a professional job. I think the best way to get into graphic design is to work for a local print shop. Honestly. You learn the most important thing about design: prepress. Plus, you see what other agency's are doing, what other designers are doing, and you gain access to their files.
You also broaden your knowledge of paper and ink selections and logistics. You learn the importance of type-setting: leading, kerning, etc.
And, then, you learn almost every industry-standard program: Adobe Suite, Corel Draw, Freehand, etc.

As far as resources for great design. I would suggest subscribing to CommArts Annuals... or magazines like HOW Design. Each of these give you insights into design trends, how-to's etc... and all of them on the professional level.

I say use online tutorials to learn how to get specific results... but study existing designs, ads, websites, etc., to learn how to do design. Design is much more than a photoshop filter: It's a concept. Study layouts and concepts... seriously.

You learn by dissection and imitation.