Has it always been your dream to be a graphic designer? If you have an eye for good design and are interested in technology, this creative field may be just for you!
Wondering how to get started? Here, we have collected some useful tips for people who want to start doing design.
Start with the basics
To become a graphic designer, you must have the ability to work with a computer to create layouts of printed and online material. It may be difficult for you to invest in which program, as there are a number of good and quality ones.
Although there are good free programs, most designers prefer Adobe programs. The main trio are InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.
InDesign is a program created to design documents that will be printed and / or have more pages. It is especially suitable for creating posters, magazines, books and flyers. Designers use Photoshop mainly to edit photos. Illustrator is used to create vector graphics, illustrations and logos.
Every designer has a preference for a program and uses it mainly. For most print designers, this is InDesign. Digital designers also use InDesign, but prefer Photoshop or Illustrator.
The InDesign interface may seem confusing the first time, but as you play around a bit, you’ll see that it’s not that scary!
Font
Clarity and readability in the design are extremely important. Every designer has a favorite type of font and that’s not a bad thing, but avoid using them always and for everything. For example, you could use a handwritten font for an artist’s business card, but the same font would look strange for a serious businessman’s business card.
We recommend that you use 1 to a maximum of 3 fonts per design. If you use more than 3 fonts, the design will look cluttered and unprofessional.
Become a master at working with images
Images can radically change your design and can tell you what fonts and colors to use.
To use images in your design, you need to know how to make them work for you. You can edit them in Photoshop, but you don’t have to be a professional. You can insert, resize and rotate images directly in InDesign.
Colors
Have you noticed that the best designs have well-chosen colors? By choosing a palette of several colors that match each other, you will have a sure path to a nice design. The color determines the mood and “soul” of the design. It is important to know the meaning of colors – which complement each other, which do not go away, etc.
If you find it difficult to choose for yourself and you are hesitant whether the colors will go away, do not worry. There are many sites that can help you choose.
However, let’s clarify that when it comes to text, it is not very professional to enter all the colors of the rainbow, unless it is about children’s goods and cereals. In fact, if you browse a popular site or the main applications on your phone, you will rarely see text other than black, dark gray or white.
Prepress is important
Even if you want to be a digital designer, it will be important and useful to have knowledge of prepress. Why? Understanding from prepress this will teach you basic techniques that will allow you to advance in the digital field – you will be able to make good layouts and work with grids.
If you ever want to design stationery, plates, etc., it’s a good idea to take some time to read how to prepare documents for printing and know what bleed lines are, the correct color settings, resolution, and print format.
Online design is also important
Print design and digital design have common features, but in general, designers choose either one or the other. The print design is very traditional (therein lies its charm and curse), and the digital one is always changing and that makes it exciting and intriguing.
If you are not ready to fully immerse yourself in digital design, you can just dip your finger in learning to make simple designs for online use (banners, ads, etc.).
Choose to develop mainly in one area
Almost all designers feel whether their strength is more in print design or digital design, but in addition to these two main disciplines, you can specialize in something more specific. In the field of print design, there are designers who focus on branding, book design or typography.
Stay inspired!
No graphic designer can flourish in an airless space. So be open to the work of other designers, do not hesitate to look for inspiration. This is part of your development as a designer.
