1) Do your research
Perhaps the most obvious, or is it? Being a Graphic Designer is one of the only roles where you will continue to do research after your education. When doing creative work, know the industry you’re doing it for, know what’s already out there and especially make sure you know the company you are doing the work for. Although this sort of research may seem like time wasted because you are not designing, it isn’t. Doing this process makes for a much thorough design process, generating ideas you wouldn’t usually cross.
2) Prepare to learn new things
Design is always changing, there’s always new medias to create for. In recent years we have seen designs taking place in phone applications, social medias and developments in web design. Be prepared to carry on learning, that doesn’t mean you’re going to need to another degree to keep on top of things, you’ll just need to be prepared to learn something new.
3) Gather inspiration
As a designer we’re always searching for new inspiration, the best way to go about this is to collect stuff. Take photos of the things that interest you, even if it’s just shapes or patterns, one day they will come in use for something. Create an inspiration folder on your laptop so you’re able to browse any of your gatherings no matter what project you are working. Also each morning before you start your day as a designer have a saved set of blogs that you browse before you start, see what’s new in the world and there may be something subtle that’ll influence you through out that day.
4) If you have the chance to create a name, take it.
In most situations you’ll be given a name to work with, if you’re given the opportunity to create a name don’t choose the obvious. That will progress to a blander more obvious design; it doesn’t leave for any imagination. It doesn’t leave the viewer intrigued and that is exactly what we are trying to as designers. If we take Apple for example, they don’t sell Apples. They sell computers… think about it.
5) Start off screen
The best designs still start with pencil and paper. If you start on screen you’re very much trapped and aligned to a grid you cannot get out of. Start free hand and do rough sketches, ideas and just go a bit wild. With pencil and paper you have a certain freedom that you don’t have on screen. Refine your ideas on paper too using studio markers in till you reach a point where you can start going digital.
6) Don’t Choose the most Obvious Route
There are so many different clients we come across as designers, some are in a bigger industry than others. The reason clients come to us is because they want to be a cut above the rest. You don’t achieve this by doing what’s already out there, play off of the smallest ideas on what the company do. This leads to having increasingly more interesting visual elements and a design process with much more originality.
7) Simplicity
Although in design we want to show off our skills and show what we can do, a minimalist design is often a better design. Clients are often after an impact and the simpler the design the better the impact. This doesn’t mean you can’t use colour, it’s more about using space to compliment your design. Be smart with your space.
8) Be prepared to let go
Never 100% focus on one idea, always generate two ideas... or a few. You have to be prepared to let go at any point. If they don’t like the design you’ve committed yourself to, then what do you do? You have to have a back foot in design so you have other possibilities you can present in case they are not in favour of your main idea. If you create a few ideas, it’s often a client will choose different elements from the different designs.
9) Seek criticism
Nothing beats being told you’re amazing and having flowers thrown at you but save that for the end of the project. When you’re tackling the design process seek criticism. Why? Because sometimes when you’re the designer and you’ve been focused on the same piece for several hours it’s difficult to see flaws. Sometimes it takes fresh eyes to spot an error or something that can be improved. It doesn’t have to be from another designer; after all it’s the general public that will be viewing your creative work. Go and ask your Mum or even your cat on what they think of your creation.
10) Do not work for free
You’ll find if you’re working for free or as a favour you are lowering your overall standards. If you’re not paid for the work you’re doing the quality of your work will drop. A client may not mind this but it will lower your overall quality of work as a designer and depreciate your own reputation. You don’t want this to affect your own personal portfolio; a client that is paying will be more inclined to give you more constructive feedback creating a more polished finish.
Perhaps the most obvious, or is it? Being a Graphic Designer is one of the only roles where you will continue to do research after your education. When doing creative work, know the industry you’re doing it for, know what’s already out there and especially make sure you know the company you are doing the work for. Although this sort of research may seem like time wasted because you are not designing, it isn’t. Doing this process makes for a much thorough design process, generating ideas you wouldn’t usually cross.
2) Prepare to learn new things
Design is always changing, there’s always new medias to create for. In recent years we have seen designs taking place in phone applications, social medias and developments in web design. Be prepared to carry on learning, that doesn’t mean you’re going to need to another degree to keep on top of things, you’ll just need to be prepared to learn something new.
3) Gather inspiration
As a designer we’re always searching for new inspiration, the best way to go about this is to collect stuff. Take photos of the things that interest you, even if it’s just shapes or patterns, one day they will come in use for something. Create an inspiration folder on your laptop so you’re able to browse any of your gatherings no matter what project you are working. Also each morning before you start your day as a designer have a saved set of blogs that you browse before you start, see what’s new in the world and there may be something subtle that’ll influence you through out that day.
4) If you have the chance to create a name, take it.
In most situations you’ll be given a name to work with, if you’re given the opportunity to create a name don’t choose the obvious. That will progress to a blander more obvious design; it doesn’t leave for any imagination. It doesn’t leave the viewer intrigued and that is exactly what we are trying to as designers. If we take Apple for example, they don’t sell Apples. They sell computers… think about it.
5) Start off screen
The best designs still start with pencil and paper. If you start on screen you’re very much trapped and aligned to a grid you cannot get out of. Start free hand and do rough sketches, ideas and just go a bit wild. With pencil and paper you have a certain freedom that you don’t have on screen. Refine your ideas on paper too using studio markers in till you reach a point where you can start going digital.
6) Don’t Choose the most Obvious Route
There are so many different clients we come across as designers, some are in a bigger industry than others. The reason clients come to us is because they want to be a cut above the rest. You don’t achieve this by doing what’s already out there, play off of the smallest ideas on what the company do. This leads to having increasingly more interesting visual elements and a design process with much more originality.
7) Simplicity
Although in design we want to show off our skills and show what we can do, a minimalist design is often a better design. Clients are often after an impact and the simpler the design the better the impact. This doesn’t mean you can’t use colour, it’s more about using space to compliment your design. Be smart with your space.
8) Be prepared to let go
Never 100% focus on one idea, always generate two ideas... or a few. You have to be prepared to let go at any point. If they don’t like the design you’ve committed yourself to, then what do you do? You have to have a back foot in design so you have other possibilities you can present in case they are not in favour of your main idea. If you create a few ideas, it’s often a client will choose different elements from the different designs.
9) Seek criticism
Nothing beats being told you’re amazing and having flowers thrown at you but save that for the end of the project. When you’re tackling the design process seek criticism. Why? Because sometimes when you’re the designer and you’ve been focused on the same piece for several hours it’s difficult to see flaws. Sometimes it takes fresh eyes to spot an error or something that can be improved. It doesn’t have to be from another designer; after all it’s the general public that will be viewing your creative work. Go and ask your Mum or even your cat on what they think of your creation.
10) Do not work for free
You’ll find if you’re working for free or as a favour you are lowering your overall standards. If you’re not paid for the work you’re doing the quality of your work will drop. A client may not mind this but it will lower your overall quality of work as a designer and depreciate your own reputation. You don’t want this to affect your own personal portfolio; a client that is paying will be more inclined to give you more constructive feedback creating a more polished finish.
