Graphic Design for Beginners: Essential Basics and Tips
5.00/5Are you thinking about studying graphic design? There are many reasons why this is a wise decision, but what makes it even better is that you can make a living from your passion. Our guide to graphic design for beginners is designed to help you understand how to get started, the jobs you can apply for and the skills you need to develop.
Ready to get started?
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic design is the art of combining and arranging elements (graphics, typography, colors) to effectively communicate a message. It is based on a set of principles and best practices designed to make visual communication produce a specific effect in the viewer.
Businesses and brands rely heavily on graphic design. They use it to create their logos, packaging, billboards, advertising campaigns, email blasts, social media posts, and more.
Types of Graphic Design
As you research this field of study to make a decision about whether or not to pursue it, it’s imperative that you take some time to understand the different types of graphic design.
There are nine types of graphic design. Deciding which one you want to specialize in will help you understand what skills you need to develop, what tools you need to learn to use, and what concepts and ideas you need to embrace.
- Advertising design: Responsible for designing print and digital materials to meet the needs of businesses. This includes everything from brochures and business cards to social media posts and billboards.
- Environmental design: Uses graphic design to make places, environments, and interiors more memorable and informative for visitors.
- Publication design: Traditionally associated with the design of printed materials such as books, magazines, and newspapers. Today, it’s also associated with the design of digital publications.
- Motion design: Responsible for creating graphics that have the illusion of movement. Often found in GIFs, social media posts, and advertisements.
- Corporate design: Used by companies and brands to create brand elements. Includes logos, images, color palette, etc.
- UI design: One of the most in-demand areas. It includes everything a user sees (aesthetically) when using a mobile app, browser, hardware, etc.
- Web design: Responsible for combining both UI and UX design to create websites that are aesthetically pleasing to visitors and convert them into customers.
- Packaging design: Uses colors, shapes, typography, materials, and more to create packaging that not only protects the product inside, but also attracts attention.
- Information design: Refers to the process of creating data to make it more accessible to people. This includes reports, infographics, slides, and more.
Graphic Design Examples
As you can see, the world of graphic design is vast. It encompasses everything from a page in a newspaper to a giant billboard on the street, from a logo to the packaging of a product, from a social media post to the website it links to. But what does good graphic design look like?
Later in this blog post, we’ll share some basic principles you should start familiarizing yourself with. In the meantime, here are some great examples of graphic design creations.
Packaging design by Festina
Environmental design by Saint Elizabeth
Motion design by Accelerant
UI design by Spotify
What Does a Graphic Designer Do?
As you can see from the above, as a graphic designer you are responsible for translating a specific message into a visual communication. You will work with graphic elements such as lines, shapes, colors, typography, textures, size, and space to align your client’s brand, goals, and messages. The goal of each piece you create is to inspire the viewer to take a specific action: visit, download, buy, subscribe, enroll, etc.
Is Graphic Design Hard to Learn?
No, graphic design is not difficult to learn. But it will definitely be easier if you have the necessary skills and mindset.
- You have to be a creative thinker.
- You need time and dedication.
- You need to master the principles and theories of design.
- You must become a lifelong student, constantly improving your skills.
- You must keep up with industry trends.
What makes it even easier is that you don’t need a degree to start your graphic design career. What really matters is your portfolio and your skills. If you want to succeed in this field, you can start your education with online or in-person courses. Just make sure you start with the basics of graphic design and build your skills as you go.
Can I Learn Graphic Design by Myself?
Yes, you can definitely study graphic design on your own. Just make sure you have the right resources and tools. For example, you can take online graphic design courses or watch tutorials on YouTube. You can read books and practice the basics on your computer. You can join online communities. There are many different things you can do to develop your skills and gain experience, and remember that your portfolio is the key to landing new clients and jobs.
How To Learn Graphic Design?
To begin learning graphic design, we strongly recommend that you follow this six-step process. It’s designed to take you from mastering basic concepts to landing your first job.
- Master basic concepts: Start reading, studying, and learning about color theory, hierarchy, composition, shapes, typography, and layout. But do not stop there, focus on understanding how they relate and work together to convey different messages.
- Enroll in online courses: Once you understand the basics, you can enroll in various online courses that will help you build your skills. Universities around the world offer these types of programs, as do Coursera, Udemy, and others.
- Get started with design tools: Start by learning how to use different design tools and software. We’ll give you a list later in this post.
- Start your portfolio: What will get you hired is being able to demonstrate what you can create. Take the time to build your portfolio and showcase your work. Even if you have not worked for a client, you can create one with references to designs you have worked on on your own.
- Spend time building your professional network: Get active on LinkedIn, optimize your profile, connect with other designers, join industry groups, comment and engage. The more active you are, the better. Use other social networks to showcase your work, which will help you get noticed and land a job.
- Start working: Get an internship or volunteer. Get a freelance job. Whatever works best for you, but now that you understand design principles, concepts, tools, and more, it’s time to get out there and work as a graphic designer. As you complete more and more projects, you will be able to land bigger and bigger jobs.
Graphic Design for Beginners: Basics You Should Know
As a beginner graphic designer, it’s imperative that you start familiarizing yourself with a few different things. It may sound a bit overwhelming at first, but remember that this is a career path with great rewards. You get to be your own boss. To help change the way people feel and react to something. You get to make good money doing something you are passionate about. Most importantly, you get to have fun and learn new things.
Principles of Graphic Design
There are 5 principles to graphic design. Applying them will allow you to create an effective and understandable design.
- Balance: Visual elements in a design carry visual weight that must be distributed to draw the viewer’s eye to a particular area. While the distribution can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, it’s important to balance the shapes, lines, and elements of your design.
- Alignment: Each element of your design must be aligned with the top, bottom, center, or sides of the piece. This creates a sense of organization.
- Proximity: Talk about the relationship between each element in your design, with the goal of reducing clutter and providing a focal point.
- Repetition: Reusing patterns helps tie elements together and strengthen your design. It gives a sense of organization.
- Contrast: Helps emphasize the difference between elements and highlights the most important points.
It takes time to understand how to apply each principle to your designs. But practice makes perfect. Take the time to learn more about each one, and test, test, test.
Graphic Design Software for Beginners
Long gone are the days when all you needed was a piece of paper and a pencil to start your design. Today, there are many different software and tools to make the process easier and more efficient. Here are some of the most popular among graphic design beginners.
Here’s a list of some you might want to consider and start testing. YouTube tutorials are a great place to start:
- DesignWizard
- Canva
- Lunacy
- Adobe Photoshop
- Figma
- Pixlr
- GIMP
- Adobe Illustrator
You want to work your way from the easiest to use (DesignWizard and Canva) to the most advanced (Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Adobe illustrator, etc).
Essential Graphic Designing Skills for Beginners
Anyone can be a graphic designer, but having certain skills in your bag makes all the difference. In terms of technical skills, you want to have a strong understanding of design principles, ideation, branding, and typography. Mastering these 4 things from day one will make your life much easier. You also want to work on understanding UX and UI design, and learn to use various graphic design software.
At the same time, there are some soft or people skills that will come in handy. Remember, you will not be working alone, you will be working with a team and for a client. Being creative, communicative and a problem solver is a must. You will also want to learn to manage your time efficiently and have a strategic approach to things.
Do you feel connected? Do you have any of these soft skills? Remember, if you don’t have them, you can always develop them.
Common Job Titles for Graphic Designers
As a future graphic designer, you are entering a job market with a variety of roles and responsibilities. It’s important that you understand your options, as this will lay the groundwork for determining which career path to take.
As a beginner graphic designer, you can be hired as one of these three options. Remember, this is just the beginning of a very rewarding career. You will be responsible for creating visual concepts and designs, contributing to real-world projects, conducting research for inspiration, varying formatting, color correction, and file resolution:
- Graphic Design Assistant
- Entry-level Graphic Designer
- Graphic Design Intern
You can quickly move into a more advanced role. Here you will be responsible for conceptualizing and executing designs for various media platforms. You will also play a key role in creating and maintaining a company’s visual identity.
- Visual Designer
- Digital Designer
- Brand Designer
From there, you can escalate to a more senior role, where you will be responsible for leading the team and ensuring that the brand identity is maintained in every piece and on every platform across the company.
- Senior Graphic Designer
- Creative Designer
- Art Director
As you gain experience, you can move into a more managerial role and oversee your team of designers. You will have a great deal of influence over the visual direction of a company’s branding, marketing, and product aesthetics.
- Graphic design team leader
- Creative Services Manager
- Senior Art Director
Finally, you will rise to a VP role where strategic thinking is key. You will lead teams, innovate design processes, and ensure that every visual aspect of the company effectively and beautifully communicates the intended message.
- Director of Design
- Head of Creative
- VP of Creative Services
Key Takeaways
- The article highlights the diverse nature of graphic design, encompassing various specialties such as advertising, environmental, publication, motion, corporate, UI, web, packaging, and information design. This versatility offers a wide range of career paths for individuals with diverse interests.
- To succeed in graphic design, a solid understanding of basic principles is essential. The article emphasizes the importance of mastering concepts such as color theory, hierarchy, composition, shape, typography, and layout. These principles are the backbone of effective visual communication.
- While theoretical knowledge is valuable, practical experience is equally important. The article recommends building a portfolio through personal projects, internships, or freelance work. This real-world experience demonstrates your skills to potential employers.
- The graphic design landscape is constantly evolving. The article emphasizes the need for ongoing learning to stay abreast of industry trends, new tools, and techniques. This includes exploring online courses, attending workshops, and joining industry communities.
- The article outlines the various career paths within graphic design, starting with entry-level positions and progressing to more senior roles. This progression offers opportunities for growth, increased responsibility, and higher earning potential.
Conclusion
It usually takes 2-4 years to become a professional graphic designer. However, this number can vary depending on whether you choose formal education or self-study. Whatever you choose, it’s important to understand that you’ll need to master design principles, learn to use various design software, and build a portfolio. These three things are key to being able to land a job as a freelancer or as an entry-level graphic designer in a company.
Start investing in your future today by mastering the art of graphic design! Graphic design agencies are always looking for new talent with fresh ideas and an understanding of industry trends.
