In the old days, portfolios were large, paper-based books that you carried around with you from interview to interview. Given that they’re the industry leaders, it’s no coincidence that they’re also the most expensive, requiring a subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud. That includes other specialised creative software, too, such as After Effects for motion graphics and Premiere Pro for video editing, but it is pretty expensive. However, if you’re a student on an accredited course, whether that’s full-time or part-time, you can get quite a decent discount (over 65% at the time of writing). When the world turned upside-down in 2020, Shillington quickly and efficiently pivoted its services, allowing students to study remotely from across the globe. It may have seemed a little scary at the time, but graduates of Shillington’s courses in 2021 and 2021 are now pursuing successful careers in the industry.

Graphic designers with the highest salaries are generally those with advanced training and who work for specialized design firms. Payscale.com reports that the cities of San Francisco, Washington D.C. And New York pay the highest salaries, with San Francisco graphic artists earning a median wage of $54,711. Self-employed designers earn up to $20,000 more per year than those working in other settings,
according to Payscale.

Read more about Video editing here.

Adobe’s well-known tools Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign remain the gold standard and the go-to throughout the profession. But they all have capabilities beyond that, and they’re increasingly used interoperably within a single workflow. “Interaction of Colour by Josef Albers is a classic teaching aid and reference work that explains colour theory,” she says. People who don’t work in graphic design often think it’s just about knowing how to use particular software – you’ll hear throwaway comments like, “Sharon can do the brochure, she knows Photoshop.”

Is Graphic Design Hard to Learn?

When you are starting out in graphic design, consider experimenting with various types of design. Take on my first commercial client (found by emailing businesses at random in the phone book and offering to build a website for £100). Also start building a website for my landlord’s portfolio of student flats, but never finished the job.

There are self taught designers out there who have learnt all the skills for becoming a graphic designer through online forums, YouTube and just practicing. In this spirit, Shillington teaches full-time students and part-time students the industry-standard design software—Adobe Suite InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop—as well as the digital prototyping app Figma. You’ll start from square one with software demonstrations, sharing best practices, tips and shortcuts, and teachers are available for one-on-one technical guidance. Of course, graphic design isn’t the only career where you need to solve problems so you may already be used to it.

Publication Design

Freelance Graphic Designers are self-employed and run every aspect of their business, from the actual design work to managing clients and issuing invoices. Successful Freelance Graphic Designers are self-motivated and business-savvy. Agencies are a great opportunity to work alongside other designers and get a first-hand look into their design processes.

Building Your Network

Depending on your skill level, you might want to start by searching for entry-level graphic design jobs and internships. Some people decide to pursue a graphic design career after earning a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field. These aspiring graphic designers can usually meet hiring requirements by completing technical training through a postgraduate graphic design certificate program or graphic design bootcamp. These intensive programs take less time to complete than a traditional bachelor’s degree. Most graphic designers earn a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field. A typical curriculum covers the history of graphic design, graphic design software, visual storytelling and typography. Others work for agencies or in-house in the specialized design services, advertising and public relations, printing and publishing industries.

In addition to this, as a graphic designer, you’re not just limited to being a graphic designer. You could be a UX or UI designer, an artworker, a motion designer or a concept artist. You’re not just limited to those though, here’s some more jobs you can do as a creative graphic designer. You can also now take our graphic design course online so you can become a graphic designer from the comfort of your own sofa. On top of these programs you’ll actually be working on, there’s also some other apps and programs that will help you work as a graphic designer. Over the past few months, a lot of workplaces have transitioned to using Slack and Zoom to keep connected and work productively. Both of these are definitely worth downloading on to your computer before you become a graphic designer so they’re ready for you when you need them.

Are classes and curriculum supported by current industry tools, software, and research facilities? Does the financial aid office provide adequate information and assistance with loans, grants, or scholarships? A phone call or email to the admissions staff should clear up these questions and more. Be sure to also find out about graduation rates, career counseling, and job or internship services as well. It’s all good having all the tools and programs you need to become a graphic designer but you don’t want to fall into the trap of “all the gear and no idea”. You actually have to learn how to use these tools if you are truly interested in becoming a graphic designer. We’re sure you’re already proficient in using a pen and a sketchbook so we will skip past that one.

Create personal projects or volunteer to get some practical experience to add to your portfolio. Employers and potential clients will want to see examples of your work, so create a strong and appealing portfolio that showcases your skills.