To become a graphic designer, read the ultimate guide!

You’re about to start an amazing journey as a new graphic designer. You will be paid to employ your inborn creative abilities whether you’re looking for graphic design freelancing jobs with an agency or want to try freelancing. 

You need the ideal mix of graphic design talents to set yourself out from other graphic designers in the job pool. You’ll discover in this manual the technical and soft techniques to become a graphic designer to land a job and advance in your career. Choose the best graphic designing course and get all set for your graphic designing career.

Graphic Designer VS Visual Designer

You must first choose between a career as a graphic designer and a career as a visual designer. Although graphic design and visual design share some skill sets, knowing the differences will help you develop a profession that best matches your skills and interests.

Visual Designers

In digital media, brands are constructed by visual designers. While they share some talents with graphic designers, their main objective is to establish a unified brand identity across many digital channels, including websites, social media, apps, etc.

Graphic Designers

It is the responsibility of graphic designers to use words and graphics to convey a certain message. Professionals in graphic design have worked on a variety of projects, including brochures, print ads, and logos.

Skills For Becoming A Graphic Designer

Technical talents and soft skills both apply to graphic designers. Technical skills are those that are particular to your job, but soft skills are those that can help you succeed in any situation. One of the most crucial technical abilities for a graphic designer is the ability to use Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) to finish design tasks.

1. Ideation

Idea generation, or ideation, is the creative process of generating, honing, and disseminating fresh concepts. This is the first thing a graphic designer must do before beginning a new project. The various processes involved in ideation include research, evaluation, development, and application.

Graphic designers employ a variety of methods and abilities for the brainstorming process. Thumbnails and mood boards are two examples. A collection of images called a mood board can be used to communicate a project’s tone or direction and to explore new ideas. 

In a thumbnail, you can see how a design is laid out, including important components like photos, headlines, and copy.

2. The Creative Apps by Adobe

Many graphic design skills are embedded with technology from Adobe’s Creative Apps. Many graphic design positions have a basic requirement that applicants know how to utilize Adobe’s creative software, notably Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

Jankowski claims that the software is “so essential to being a professional artist that we’re now seeing students using it in high school and even middle school.”

3. Communication

Graphic design is a visual communication craft, so communication is at the core of the designer’s job. Graphic designers must connect with clients and colleagues in addition to conveying ideas through their designs. 

There are times when designers must defend a choice or action to someone without design knowledge. They will also need verbal and written communication abilities for proposals and presentations.

4. Creativity

You don’t need us to explain it to you, but let’s make sure you get it: One of, if not the more crucial, graphic design talents is creativity. After all, it can be challenging to generate original concepts and ground-breaking designs if you wouldn’t know how to access your creative faculties. In each medium you operate in, having a natural eye is crucial.

5. Designing UX and UI

Graphic designers can improve their work and maintain their position as industry leaders by acquiring UX and UI abilities. Graphic designers may make designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and useful by knowing UX and UI. 

Because graphic designers occasionally work closely with UX and UI designers, understanding the principles can help them collaborate and communicate more effectively.

6. Strategy

Similar to communication, planning is a crucial talent for many positions, but designers need to be especially adept at it. You must create a strategy for how you will address your design brief after speaking with your customers. You must think through each stage, from conducting market research to presenting ideas to your clientele.

Learning how to use your time efficiently will also be a component of the strategy. Numerous graphic designers frequently manage several projects at once. This implies it’s crucial to know how to set up your timetable. 

You’ll need to be skilled at prioritizing tasks as well as managing deadlines and organizational abilities. You may also need to build delegation skills as your role as a graphic designer grows.

7. Coding

Although most graphic design jobs don’t require you to be an expert coder, having a basic knowledge of HTML is crucial because it helps you how to comprehend the effort that goes into building a website. You will become even more employable by being familiar with the foundations of Java and C++.

Tips To Improve Graphics Skills

1. Read Books On Graphic Design

A cheap approach to acquiring specific skills, improving your design process, or having a better understanding of what it’s like to be a better professional is to read graphic design books.

2. Develop Original Projects

Although completing paid assignments is excellent, you won’t have many chances to hone your design abilities or create your distinctive design style if you always adhere to other people’s rules.

3. Look For A Design Mentor

Working with a design mentor, who has completed a variety of innovative projects and has worked with others, can be beneficial for everyone. This is the best way to become a graphic designer.

4. Take Lessons Online

There are several methods to acquire the abilities required to be a successful designer if you lack a degree in graphic design. One of the greatest options to become a graphic designer is to enroll in online programs, which provide you the chance to learn from professionals with expertise and finish projects that can be added to your portfolio.

Is Graphic Design a Good Career To Earn?

Yes, graphic design can be a good career choice for those with a passion for creativity and design. The demand for skilled graphic designers is increasing as more businesses seek to establish their brands and create visually appealing marketing materials.

As a graphic designer, you have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects, from designing logos and websites to creating marketing materials such as brochures, flyers, and posters. This diversity of projects can keep the work exciting and provide opportunities for growth and learning.

Another benefit of a career in graphic design is the flexibility it offers. Many graphic designers work as freelancers or are self-employed, giving them the freedom to choose their own clients and projects.

Additionally, graphic design can be a remote-friendly career, allowing you to work from home or from anywhere with an internet connection. With the right skills and portfolio, a career in graphic design can provide a good income and job security in the long term.

How Long Does It Take To Become a Graphic Designer?

The time it takes to become a graphic designer can vary depending on various factors such as education, experience, and skill level. Here are some general guidelines:

Education

A bachelor’s degree in graphic design typically takes four years to complete, while an associate degree or certificate program can take anywhere from six months to two years.

Experience

Building a strong portfolio and gaining practical experience can be just as important as formal education. It can take a few months to a few years to build a solid portfolio and gain experience.

Skill level

The time it takes to develop the necessary skills can vary greatly depending on the individual. Some people may have a natural talent for design, while others may need more time to develop their skills.

Overall, it can take anywhere from a few months to several years to become a competent graphic designer. However, it’s important to note that the learning process is ongoing, and graphic designers should continually work to improve their skills and keep up with industry trends.

Is Graphic Design Hard to Learn?

Like any skill or profession, graphic design can be challenging to learn, but it is also highly rewarding. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Creativity: Graphic design requires a lot of creativity, which can be difficult to develop for some people. However, creativity can be developed and nurtured over time.
2. Technical skills: Graphic design involves using various software tools and applications, which can be challenging to learn. However, with practice, patience, and dedication, anyone can learn these technical skills.
3. Industry knowledge: Graphic designers need to stay up-to-date with industry trends, which can be overwhelming for beginners. However, learning about the industry is a gradual process, and it is possible to learn a lot through experience.

Overall, while graphic design can be challenging to learn, it is not impossible. With passion, patience, and practice, anyone can become a skilled graphic designer.

How Much Does a Graphic Designer Make?

Let’s check out how much a graphic designer earn in Pakistan and other countries:

How Much Does A Graphic Designer Make In Pakistan?

The salary of a graphic designer in Pakistan can vary based on several factors, such as experience, skill level, employer, and location. According to a survey conducted by Payscale, the average salary of a graphic designer in Pakistan is around PKR 528,000 per year, which is equivalent to approximately USD 3,400 per year.

However, this amount can vary depending on the above factors. For instance, a graphic designer with more experience and expertise may earn a higher salary, while a designer working for a large corporation may earn more than someone working for a small business or as a freelancer.

Additionally, the location of the designer can also impact their salary, with those working in larger cities like Karachi and Lahore earning more than those working in smaller towns.

How Much Does A Graphic Designer Make In Other Countries?

The salary of a graphic designer can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, such as their level of experience, location, industry, and employer. On average, a graphic designer in the United States can expect to earn between $40,000 and $60,000 per year. However, this can range from as low as $25,000 for entry-level positions to over $100,000 for senior-level or specialized roles.

Graphic designers who work in industries such as advertising, marketing, or digital media tend to earn higher salaries due to the demand for their skills in these fields. Additionally, those who have expertise in areas such as web design, user experience design, or motion graphics can command higher salaries as well.

The location also plays a significant role in determining a graphic designer’s salary. Those who work in major metropolitan areas such as New York or San Francisco can expect to earn higher salaries due to the higher cost of living in these cities.

While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much a graphic designer makes, it is safe to say that the salary range can be quite broad and is largely dependent on individual factors such as experience, location, and industry.

Conclusion

For the large majority of visual design tasks, drawing abilities are not necessary. Since graphic designers typically work with design software, mastering it is more crucial than honing your drawing abilities. A gratifying occupation that offers many creative difficulties is graphic design. To become a graphic designer, you must have skills that are defined in this blog.

However, you must demonstrate your graphic design abilities in your portfolio and resume if you want to work as one. That shows how to use design software, choose fonts and adhere to the fundamentals of design all thru your creative process.

We at Enrollers help you to learn graphic design from scratch and build your portfolio for your work.