Getting Yourself Ready for a Graphic Design Career

One of the most in demand career these days is graphic designing because it gives a high earning with a flexible time. All you need is your skills, your creativity, your computer and your right attitude. But in whatever things we do in life, we should always be prepared. For a graphic design career, there are some things that you need to do in order to be prepared in venturing the world of graphic design. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for a career in graphic design.

1. Get a Graphic Design course.

Studying graphic design and acquiring the degree gives a greater impact when you look for a job because there are employers who prefer those who have finished a graphic design course. Try to get business classes so that you will have an idea on how a business runs. There are instances that even if a person doesn’t have a graphic design course but has an extremely impressive portfolio, he still gets the job.

2. Determine where you are good at.

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Most graphic designers specialize in a certain field, like magazine designing, logo designing and others. You may practice that field but still you have to make sure that you are well rounded. It is important for designers to know everything pertaining to design.

3. Make friends and consult teachers.

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In school, build friendship with your classmate who has a goal similar to you. You may help each other in your works. Consult your teachers for advices and show them your work so that they could critique it too. This will help you to improve as a designer.

4. Be involved in school events and organizations.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net Admin
Attend seminars and join organizations related to design while in school. This is a good experience in handling different situations and this will also develop your leadership skills. Take advantage of field trips and seminars where you can learn a lot.

5. Join design competitions.

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Aside from competitions in your school, there are also lots of design competitions online. You may join these to gain exposure and learn through the works of others. It is okay not to win; the important thing is involvement and exposure.

6. Get an internship.

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This is a manner of getting yourself ready for the real world. Getting an internship will help you see the world of graphic designing and would be a valuable experience when you get your first graphic design job.

7. Acquire certificates in graphic design.

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There are different ways where you can acquire a certificate. You may join competitions, attend seminars, join organizations and others. If you cannot get a 4 year course, you could also get crash courses on graphic design for just a year. There are even online schools for this.

8. Hone your photography skills.

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Aside from sketching, you may develop another skill which is photography. There is a great advantage if you know this because taking pictures of your own work will need this skill. It is important that the pictures you display with your own work on it looks great to attract clients. Apart from that, clients may ask you to take pictures, too.

9. Learn the Adobe Suite.

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Since you will be using InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator in your work, you need to learn these programs and eventually master it. Aside form knowing how to use the program, you also have to explore a lot and master keyboard shortcuts to make work easier.

10. Look for mediums to express your creativity.

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It doesn’t mean that you have to work for a client all the time. Make some projects that will just allow you to express your creativity. Look for different mediums and try something new. Also, do not forget to do some sketching once in a while. You really don’t have to work with the computer all the time. Try to draw, paint or make collages or whatever. Just do something to help you stay creative.

11. Create a portfolio and a resume.

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As a graphic designer, you need to have a portfolio- both online and print. Show your best works here and do not forget to always include your resume. Show only your best works in it and make it as concise as possible. Make sure everything is well presented and well written so that with one glance, your prospect employer will be impressed.

12. Start freelancing and networking.

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Aside from you internship, a freelance job could also help you gain experience with graphic designing most especially in dealing with clients. You will also learn to multi-task and to manage various projects. While freelancing, you can also build a network by joining the design community online. These people could give your professional advices if you need one.

All people who find this job interesting would really undergo the aforementioned things in order to be prepared in the field. You wouldn’t want to go the battle without proper training and without the right armor. So, you’d better be ready now so you can have your own name in the graphic design world. If you have other suggestions to add in this list, feel free to leave a comment below.

Article from Naldz Graphic

12 Ways to Stay Away from Stress for Graphic Designers

For sure, you love being a graphic designer but there are times that even the things we love to do causes stress. You cannot do away with this because you are dealing with clients, you have deadlines, there are really hard projects and other aspects. But we can actually help ourselves to avoid being stressed out. Remember, stress could bring various illnesses and you do not want to get sick. So, here are some tips for you to shoo away stress :

1. Identify the cause of stress.

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You need to know what is stressing you so that you can do something to avoid it. For example, your cause of stress is working too much or spending so much time in front of the computer, and then you can lessen your working time or be more organized so that you could easily finish your work. There are different causes of stress and it varies from one person to another. The solution also varies from every person.

2. Be organized.

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When you are more organized, it will cause lesser stress. No one would like to see scattered stuff anywhere and it would really be stressing to be looking for files everywhere. You should also learn project management skills. Every designer has his own ways to manage a project. You may use post-its or software to help you in project management.

3. Know how to manage your time.

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Plan your day always and follow your list of tasks all the time. You should learn to discipline yourself and manage your time well. This will help you avoid some problems while working on a project and will help you finish a project at once.

4. Work with other designers.

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If there are projects wherein you think you do not have enough time to work on, ask help from other designers. You’ll see that it is easier to work on a project with their help. Try working with them in one of your projects and for sure it will be less stressful.

5. Avoid common design mistakes.

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You’ll surely be stressed if you commit mistakes in your work. It will not only frustrate and stress you but it will also waste your time. You might not be able to reach your goal and follow your schedule because of it.

6. Treat your clients nicely.

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You are already stressed out with your work; don’t be stressed with your clients, too. You can avoid this by dealing with them in a positive manner. Have coffee with them and talk to them in a lively manner.

7. Ask help from others.

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I’m sure you couldn’t work on everything anymore and sometimes, you would need the help of the experts. You may work on the designs but you might have trouble when it comes to making cash flows or deal with legal issues. Ask help from an accountant or a lawyer. You’ll see that it actually makes your work a lot easier.

8. Laugh.

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Do not forget to laugh. It is said that laughter is the best medicine. That is true especially when you are too engrossed with work. Have a good laugh by watching humorous movies or merely by talking with your family and friends.

9. Take a break and spend some time outside.

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It won’t hurt if you take some days off or if you couldn’t do that, then take a break from work once in a while. You can go watch a movie or party with friends. Do anything that will make you enjoy. You don’t have to work all the time, sometimes, try to have fun. For sure, it will relieve your stress.

10. Get some sleep.

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Sleep is important. Since you have scheduled your work already, be sure to allocate time for sleep. Your body needs sleep to recharge it. Actually, you can work better if you get enough sleep. Your brain will work better and you will have better outputs. It can reduce stress a lot.

11. Spend time with friends and family.

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Take time to spend with your loved ones. Talk with your family and friends or go out with them sometimes. You might want to go out with your special someone, too. Despite your busy schedule, never forget special persons in your life.

12. Read.

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Reading will not only take away stress but it will also help you get more inspiration and learn lots of new things, too. Take time to read for life is a continuous learning process. This can take away your stress and allows you to relax.


To successfully manage stress, you have to take charge of everything including your thoughts, emotions, schedule and even the environment. Having a balanced life is a great way to avoid stress. Time should be divided properly for work, relaxation, enjoyment and relationships. How about you, what do you do to avoid being stressed out? 

Article from Naldz

Tips for Neophyte Freelance Graphic Designers

 Article from Naldz Graphic

If you have decided to become a freelance graphic designer, then you just can’t dive in and start immediately without being prepared. Remember that in whatever industry you try to enter, you need to be prepared in order to make sure you will succeed. Look at it as a battlefield. You can never go to the fight without the proper training and the proper battle gear. Same is true with the freelance graphic design field. You have to be ready or else you will fail.

Starting might be hard but if you are well- guided by fellow freelancers and if you try to know the things that you need to know, then it won’t be that hard for you. To make things a lot easier, we will give tips for neophyte freelance graphic designers. We do hope this can help you as you venture in the freelance design world. Read now and your dreams will be a click away.

1. Always be professional.

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This is one thing that you should not forget. Always be professional in everything. Not just in dealing with clients but also in your works. You should keep promises. You should submit your work on time and make sure your outputs are of good quality.

2. Know proper client relations.

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In a freelancing career, clients are very important. You won’t have a job if you would not do well with your clients. You won’t earn without them! Hence, you need to know how to establish a good relationship with your client. You should be able to consistently get new clients and retain the old ones. You should explain your design process well to them and treat them professionally. If you have disagreements, learn to remain professional and always respect them.

3. Have a diversified portfolio.

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When you create your portfolio, make sure it is diversified. Allow it to show all your skills in designing. Make it broad yet concise. Also, make sure that you design your portfolio well. You have to show everyone that you are a good designer. Your own portfolio can even be an effective example for your work.

4. Think of the user and the client.

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When you create your design, always think of the user. They are the ones who will look into your designs. Make sure that the users will be able to get the message of your design, the way your client wants it. Do not just design a project the way you like it. You have to do it in a manner that it will impress both the users and the client.

5. Look for inspiration.

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Before starting a design, you have to look for inspiration so that you could creatively and uniquely make the project. It is always important for a designer to be inspired in order to come up with a great output.

6. Prioritize tasks.

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When you productively procrastinate, it means that you do the most important things first. You need to learn how to prioritize tasks. And you also need to do away with procrastination. Finish what you can finish today. Work according to your schedule and avoid being distracted.

7. Choose your projects and clients.

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It doesn’t mean that you need to accept all the jobs. Choose those which you know you can do and those which fit your qualifications. Make sure also that the client is reliable. You have to look deeper into a project before you accept it.

8. Always have a contract.

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Do not ever forget to make a contract for every project you have. This is important to protect you and the client, too. This is an assurance for both parties that what you agreed will be implemented. Both of you should stick with the contract, too.

9. Sketch your ideas first.

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It is always advisable to sketch your ideas first before you start working on it on the computer. This way, you will have more room to brainstorm and you could also think of different designs. You will also find it easier to start designing when you begin with sketching.

10. Know about the target audience.

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You have to know the target audience first before you finalize your work. This is one of the important things you need to consider in your design for every group of people has different design preferences.

11. Use a to-do list.

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A to-do list can help you to be organized. This can also help you a lot to make sure you can hit deadlines. You may also have some project management and time management applications that can guide you to monitor your time and tasks.

12. Effectively use social media.

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Since you are just new, you need more exposure. You can use social networking sites to promote yourself. Instead of using it just for fun and entertainment, you use it to help you in your freelance design job. You can showcase some of your works there. You can also share and post relevant and informative items. This way, clients will know that you are a professional designer.

13. Learn from mistakes.

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You are not perfect and there are some mistakes that you commit. You don’t have to stop working just because you committed a mistake. Let it be a learning experience for you. Do not feel so down whenever you do something wrong. Always learn to get up and start working again. Just make sure that you won’t commit the same mistake again.

14. Learn from criticisms.

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When you are being criticized, do not just fight back. Think of what they said. It might help you improve. Learn from criticisms, too and do not be afraid to be criticized. If you learn how to face criticisms, you will become a better person and a more effective designer. Do not forget professionalism and respect. You have to take hold of those two in order to succeed in freelancing.

15. Stay healthy.

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It doesn’t mean that just because you are a freelance designer and all your work is coming from the computer that you will just stay there all the time. Leave your computer once in a while. Go out and take a walk. Do some exercise. Get those healthy foods and take enough sleep. Your health is important because you won’t be able to work if you get sick.

It’s Your Turn Now

These tips will surely help you prepare for your freelance career. Remember that it is always better to be prepared rather than not. For professional freelance graphic designers, you might want to share your own tips to help newbie freelancers. We would appreciate it if you give additional tips in the comment section below.

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