10 Tips for Becoming a Better Designer

I don’t think there’s a single designer out there that thinks he or she can’t get any better. Design and designers are constantly changing, growing and evolving. Some of it is technology, some of it is trendy; but all change starts with you.

If you want to be a better designer, you have to do something about it. Whether that’s learning something new, trying a different type of project, or thinking about feedback and criticism. Let’s start getting better, today!

1. Learn a New Technique or Skill

Growing as a designer starts with continued education. Whether formal or on your own, there are plenty of ways to learn a new skill or freshen up on a technique that you’ve been wanting to master.

Here are a few ways to get started:

• Take a class as a local college or online.

• Ask a colleague to show you how to do something he or she does well.

• Attend a professional training event or conference.

• Use online videos, or tutorials.

2. Take on a Fun or Personal Project

Sometimes the daily grid of work does not allow you to grow in the ways you want. (Maybe you’ve been wanting to test your hand in a minimalist style, but that’s not something your boss is interested in.) So take that concept on as a personal project.

Refresh or update your portfolio using a new style or technique or offer to help a friend with a small project. Some of these smaller, side projects are a great way to test out some of the ideas and techniques you want to experiment with in a more informal environment.

3. Read, Write or Pursue Other Creative Endeavours

To help keep your creative juices flowing, take part in other creative activities. Most designers agree that creativity comes fairly naturally. It is important to foster that part of your brain outside of work as well.

• Read a book

• Take photos

• Visit a museum

• Write or draw in a journal

• Listen to or make music

• Get out in nature

4. Collaborate

When you are working with other designers or any other coworkers, try to collaborate as much as possible. Sometimes we get too stuck doing our individual parts at our own desks and forget to see what else is happening around us.

Engage more in every aspect of a project. Learn what others are doing to contribute to the project and how to do it. You’ll get a better overall understanding of the complete process, respect the jobs of your teammates and maybe learn more about the process yourself. As many of us were told in school: There are no stupid questions.

5. Get Organised

This may sound overly simple: Get organised.

Organisation will help you feel relaxed and comfortable in your workspace and will help you work more smoothly and efficiently. It will give you extra time to think about projects, work on details and focus on the job (not where files are located).

If your desk or computer is already chaotic, this might seem a little daunting. But you can get organised in as little as a week by creating three sets of files (paper or digital) – current, finished (or to file) and throw out work bi-product. Create a system for keeps files in these folders (grouped by project) for easy access.

6. Set Goals that Will Challenge You

If you are not in the habit of setting design goals for yourself, start now. It often happens naturally in the annual review process where you work, but if not it is important to do it on our own.

Goals should be something achievable but challenging. Set deadlines for these goals and even a reward for yourself when the goal is met.

7. Create a ‘Cover’ of an Iconic Design

Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know, right? That’s where this fun trick comes in. Create a “cover” design of something iconic. Try to replicate – adding your own design flair, of course, something that people know well.

Before you poo - poo the idea, here’s how it helps:

• It will make you design elements that you might not commonly use.

• It will help sharpen your skills for identifying and matching typefaces and colour.

• It will help you think about and recreate pieces of art.

• It will help you explore what works about the design you are covering and what does not.

• It will help you see trends and techniques that applied to certain periods and how they have changed over time and impacted the work you do today.

One little side note here: This is a design exercise for you to expand your creative thought. Don’t recreate a design for a project or plagiarise another designer’s work.

8. Focus on the Story

The best designs come from projects where the team really understands the story behind the final product. When you are thinking about the design, immerse yourself in the story of the brand or message of the project. Learn as much as you can about it before you even start to sketch out an outline.

And then tell that story with the design. (Every project has one; you just have to find it.)

9. Seek Feedback and Constructive Criticism

Ask for help and feedback regularly. In some environments this comes rather naturally. If you work as a freelancer or in a small office, it may not.

Constructive criticism and feedback should come from multiple sources:

• Employer or supervisor (if you have one)

• Clients

• Coworkers

• Peers and colleagues

• The design community

You may have to seek out this feedback. There are plenty of online resources to help; start with posting a portfolio and sharing the link. Behance appreciations and Dribbble shots are a good way to see what others think about particular projects.

10. Keep It Simple

Just as you would with the design itself, keep it simple when thinking about how to expand your horizons. You don’t have to quit your job and go back to design school to get better. Take small steps every day to refine your design skills.

You are already taking one step in the right direction by reading an article like this one. Reading about design and looking at what others are doing and saying about design will cause you to think about what you are doing and how it relates. Sometimes it is the little things that can make the biggest impact.

Conclusion

What have you done over the course of your career to improve you design skills? What do you plan on doing moving forward to continue to grow as a designer? These are questions every designer should ask internally every so often.

Just as design is constant changing so are the tools and techniques to create it. Continued learning and experimentation will help keep your skills fresh and your talent in demand.

Blog courtesy of: https://designshack.net

6 Characteristics of the Successful Designer!

1. THICK SKIN

You need to have thick skin if you’re going to be a successful designer. If you don’t have it, that’s okay. It’s something that can be developed. Criticism helps me grow as a designer. What I mean by this is, if someone (be it a client, another designer, or someone else) criticises your work, you’ll be much better off if you learn to handle it and take the positives from the criticism (as opposed to putting up your guard and claiming that they “just don’t get it”). But how do you develop thick skin?

The successful designer needs to be able to separate themselves from their work - this will lessen the impact of criticism. Clients won’t always be happy with the first draft – it doesn’t matter if you stayed up all night, sketched it out in your own blood and incorporated 15 different sub-meanings. Sometimes a client will tell you they don’t like a design, and that’s when you need to be able to separate yourself from your work, put on your thick skin, and forge ahead. People aren’t criticising to tell you you’re a worthless hack – they’re expressing an opinion about a medium that is largely subjective. In fact - they might be right, and they have fresh eyes for the design you spent 8 hours straight on. So don’t take offence, apply it if it’s worthwhile, and continue working on the project. It will probably turn out better than the first draft!

2. BRUTAL SELF-HONESTY

If you want to consistently put out quality work and progress as a designer, you need to be brutally honest with yourself. People have an inherent ability to justify their decisions don’t fall into this trap. At repeated points throughout the design process, ask yourself questions. Hard questions. Is this the best I can do for this project? Is this actually meeting the needs of the client, or am I just telling myself this because I’m frustrated? Is Gotham the best typeface for this client, or am I just being lazy and not pushing the boundaries?

As well, ask yourself brutally tough questions about your skills & your career progression. Am I actually the CSS Guru I tell myself I am? Or am I coasting by on what I already know? When I tell people I’m focusing solely on print design because I find it more rewarding, is that actually true? Or am I scared to branch out?

These are just examples – the depth and scope of the questions will always vary – but brutally self-honest questions like these pave the path to understanding yourself better. When you understand yourself better, you’re one step closer to becoming a successful designer.

3. LOGICAL THINKING

Much has been made of thinking logically, approaching each project with the end user in mind, designing a logo that is versatile. Thinking logically is a huge gap between average designers and great designers. For example, a logo will be used at various sizes from large to small. It would be illogical to design a raster-based logo in Photoshop, because raster-based images cannot be upsized without a loss of quality. Thus, use a vector-based program to make your logos, like Adobe Illustrator.

Thinking logically leads to solid design and career decisions - and it is a stepping stone to a successful design career.

4. GREAT COMMUNICATION

Great communication plays a huge role in the success of your career as a designer. To put it simply, you need to be able to speak plainly about your design choices - why you chose them, and why they work. If you make your design decisions logically, you will be able to communicate why they work to your client. If you’re brutally self-honest during the design process, you will be confident about your decisions - which will help when convincing your client that your design choice is the right one for their business.

To be a great communicator, you have to use words that mean something. Sounds obvious, I know, but you’d be surprised. Most designers “just know” when their design “works”. Being able to articulate why it works is part of what separates good designers from great. For example, say you chose Garamond as the primary typeface for a client’s logo design. Did you choose it because “it looks cool”? Or did you choose it because the client wants to portray her business as traditional/elegant, and will be publishing a variety of print pieces that need to have high legibility as well?

Finally, great communication can be the tipping point in you landing a client and your competitor landing that client. Put yourself in the shoes of your potential client: would you rather put your hard-earned money in the hands of a designer who promises that your logo design will “look totally great”, or in the hands of a designer who promises your logo will “reflect the image you want for your business”?

5. STRONG WORK ETHIC

So, by now, you’re a Creative Suite whiz who knows their design rules & design history. You’re a good, if not great, communicator who makes design decisions honestly & logically. You can take criticism and apply it. So you’re pretty much destined to be the next Sagmeister, right?

Nope. Not if you get up at noon, get in a quick round of Call of Duty, troll YouTube for a while, finally answer a client email at 4pm and then start to make your dinner. This is an extreme example, of course, but the point is the same: if you want to be successful at what you do, you need to work hard at it. Really hard. Ridiculously hard. Seriously, though, if you want to be a successful designer, you need to put in the time. And be brutally honest with yourself again - when you decide to pack it in at 3pm because you “worked like crazy” all day, did you actually work like crazy? Or are you just justifying your reasoning for quitting an hour and a half early?

I’m not saying you have to work 12 hour days every day. But be disciplined. Stick to work during working hours. If you’re a freelancer in a slow period, perhaps try building up some passive income. Or maybe it’s time to learn a new skill. Regardless of the specifics, it boils down to this: the harder you work, the better chance you have at being a successful designer.

6. CONFIDENCE

If you are lacking in confidence, your clients will lack confidence in you. Simple but true - clients can see a lack of confidence like that kid could see dead people in The 6th Sense. The answer to this? Don’t try to fake confidence. Build confidence. Build confidence by asking for criticism (while having thick skin!), thinking logically about your design decisions, being brutally honest with yourself about your design decisions, working really hard, and developing great communication skills.

If you do all these things, you will be confident. Your clients will notice, and they will tell their clients and their friends. Then you will woo them with your confidence (not cockiness though!). And you, my friend, will be a successful designer.

I found this blog a while ago and have to share it with anyone who reads my site as it is so true. Being freelance is tough but definitely worth it.

Many thanks to Jeff Archibald : https://paper-leaf.com/blog/2009/09/6-characteristics-of-the-successful-designer/

Graphic Design and Why it's a Great Career

If you're thinking about becoming a graphic designer, then – there has never been a better time. The world is your oyster if you know how to visually communicate ideas that inspire, inform or engage people.

You're in demand too. The creative industries alone rake in £87.4billion each year to the UK economy. In 2015, there were 2.9million creative jobs. And the future is only looking brighter. The UK could become the leading hub for the world's creative industries within a generation, according to the CBI.

We've seen demand for graphic design courses skyrocket over the last five years, with a surge of new students joining campuses in the UK, Australia and North America.

Read on to learn why a career in graphic design could be the best decision you've ever made.

1. You'll learn skills that a robot or machine could never do
Millions of UK workers are at risk of being replaced by robots within 15 years, a study claims. It's depressing news for many, but if you learn something that machines could never do, then you'll be future-proofing your career for many decades to come.

Graphic design is creative and requires human-led intelligence and ideas to respond to trends, tastes and what has already been before. It will never be something a robot can mimic. Sure, the technology to create will continue to make our lives easier as designers, but they'll never replace us. Never.

2. You're satisfying the creative needs of Generation K
You've heard about the Millennials; now it's time to learn about Generation Z – those born between 1995 and 2002. Academic, economist and author Noreena Hertz calls them "Generation K", inspired by Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. She wrote in her article for The Guardian: "Like Katniss, they feel the world they inhabit is one of perpetual struggle – dystopian, unequal and harsh."

You can't blame them really. They were born in "the shadow of economic decline, job insecurity, increasing inequality and a lack of financial optimism." It's an anxious generation.

But what's interesting about Generation K (along with the Millennials) is that they're hugely creative. They love to make things, hack things, and create something new. They're inspired by everything around them – and this is where you and your graphic design skills come into play.

3. Design and branding matters more now
Whilst we're on the subject of Katniss Everdeen and Generation K, you should know that these people don't trust brands or traditional big business. Which is why design and branding matter more than ever before.

The need to create visuals that will attract and win over this tough crowd will ensure design is treated with the respect it deserves. It will be your job as a designer to help win hearts and minds through your creativity. How exciting is that!

4. It's easier than ever before to design for yourself
Technology is cheaper and more accessible. The Internet offers a wealth of inspiration and ongoing learning. Feedback from others can be found in an instant. There has literally never been a better time to design for yourself. Heck, you can even start your own side business and sell your own greeting cards if that's what you want to do.

In fact, once you become a graphic designer, you'll find that your new-found skills will translate to many other parts of your life. You can get really creative once you have an eye for layouts, symmetry, grids and lines.

5. There's never been a better time to live and work overseas
If you're feeling adventurous and want to secure a job overseas, then graphic design is in demand everywhere. In Australia, it's a profession that gives you a good chance of qualifying for a skilled visa.

6. You live in a time when millions could see your work
If showing off is your thing, and you want to see your name (or work) in lights, then graphic design is a huge boost to the ego. Your designs could literally be seen by millions – online, on the street, in newspapers and magazines, on packaging. The world's eyes will be on your creativity. And there's something truly magical about that.

7. You'll be able to survive many twists and turns during your career
Gone are the days when you could enjoy a "job for life". Today, you'll be lucky if you can stay anywhere for more than five years. Reassuringly, graphic design gives you skills that are in demand and can apply to many different career paths. They're transferable. One minute you could be working at a design studio, the next – you're working in-house for a large brand. At time of writing this article, there are over a thousand jobs in graphic design on Monster UK.

8. You'll problem-solve every day, boosting your brain power for a longer life
According to the latest findings in Neuroscience, your brain reaches its peak performance between 16-25 years, and that's when cognitive functioning declines. Bummer. The good news is that we can train our brain to perform better. It's a muscle, after all, and therefore needs regular exercise.

Well, graphic design makes your brain very active. It forces you to problem-solve every day, which challenges you and consequently ensures you're performing at your best capacity. If you want to keep your brain strong, healthy and perhaps smarter, then graphic design can help.

Struggling with a little creative block? Try these lateral thinking brain teasers and logic games to get the creative juices flowing again.

9. In dark times, you'll be able to absorb beautiful, creative things
The world is most definitely a dark place right now. But despite this, there is always something to smile about. Graphic design gives us the daily opportunity to embrace our surroundings, think creatively and absorb the most beautiful things life has to offer.

It's a wonderful career – one that you could argue doesn't even feel like a job. From thinking up colour palettes and solving the next big problem... from choosing the perfect font to happily agonising over the best-weighted paper... graphic design is a wonderful thing.

10. You'll learn the ropes to go freelance if you want to
Apart from refining your typography skills and understanding how to translate a sentiment into an appealing brochure, a career in graphic design will most likely teach you how to be your own boss.

Many designers learn the ropes of entrepreneurship when they work for a studio or agency, particularly if the company is small and they get to see first-hand the daily struggles and challenges.

You might find one day that you fancy a little more independence by going freelance. The benefits of freelancing can be endless. It won't be easy, that's for sure. But isn't it reassuring to know that if the robots haven't taken over in future, you can look forward to a different path – one of many routes open to you, now that you're a graphic designer? What a great time to be creative.

Blog with thanks to :

https://www.creativeboom.com/tips/10-great-reasons-why-its-an-awesome-time-to-study-graphic-design/

Qualities of a Great Graphic Designer

I have just created this graphic but I quite like it maybe for a rebrand one day...

What makes a great designer? Is there some secret formula? Where is that sweet 5-step process to becoming a killer designer? Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no such formula. However, when I study and watch successful designers, I see common qualities. Working at a creative agency has proven to me that there are eight qualities of a great graphic designer.

A great designer is…

1. Always Learning

Who likes to be told how to do something better than or different from the way we were taught? Usually, we start to short-circuit and lose our cool. But what if they’re right? What if that Photoshop trick saves you three hours of production time?

Many great designers started out very humble. They became sponges and took it all in. They took notes and tried new things. They were receptive and grew because they listened to the people around them. There wasn’t an attitude of pride or arrogance, but a conscious decision to be humble, to be teachable.

2. Able to Take Criticism

When I was in college, like many art students, I had to sit through critiques. My professor would group us all together around our lovely design work and just go to town on what was right and wrong about every single design. Then, she would open up the floor for all of us to chime in on each other’s work. You know what happened? (insert cricket noise here) Silence. I mean it…dead silence. No one wanted to give any kind of criticism! I was just as petrified to speak up as the next guy. It was bad enough taking in all the criticism; why in the world would I want to dish it out?

Criticism is a tricky thing. As a designer, we must learn that when our work is under criticism there’s no need to take it personally. There’s no reason to get defensive and make up lame excuses. Be receptive and open-minded.

3. Constantly Looking for Inspiration

How do you start your day? We all have our rituals. One of the things I do as soon as I get to work is visit three to five websites full of design inspiration. Rarely have I met a talented designer that does not practice the same habit. You must be exposed to what’s going on in the design world. I’m constantly looking at what is getting noticed and talked about in the design world so that I can apply the same professionalism to my work. I can also keep an eye on what the current design trends are and where they are going. Keeping a pool of design inspiration has also proven helpful. When I start a project, I can go back to it and find inspiring design work that I’ve saved to help kick start my creative process. 

4. Out of the Comfort Zone

Ask any successful designer and they’ll tell you they were willing to learn and explore new design tricks. It’s hard! I get that. However, how will a designer ever grow or learn if they’re never pushed beyond their limits? Almost every day, I am confronted with a design problem and I think to myself, “OK, they never taught me this in school, what in the world am I supposed to do?”

FEAR CAN GET THE BEST OF US. IT CAN CRIPPLE US. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, LEARN AND THEN JUST TRY.

In this day and age, it’s so easy to learn new tips and tricks. Take advantage of the vast knowledge that is out there. Listen to your colleagues around you and don’t let fear stop you from creating amazing things.

5. A Chameleon

My art director told me that being a chameleon is one of the most important characteristics of a good designer. He’s right. Don’t get me wrong, having your own personal style and flair is important and your style is probably what’s helping you succeed today. However, as a designer we have to think about what will be appropriate for the client we are designing for. We need to rein in our design habits and tendencies to be in the client’s best visual interest. What will visually carry their message the best? Are they sporty? Maybe they lean toward being very homegrown and historic. Maybe they’re sleek, high fashion and modern. The point is to not get stuck in one overall style. Be flexible and expand your design aesthetics.

6. A Professional Collaborator

It’s important to get along with others. I know, this may sound like preschool all over again, but it’s true. Collaboration is an important quality I’ve seen in many successful designers. It’s important to be a team player within your agency as well as with clients. The times I’ve had to work in and with a group of people, everything goes much smoother if I’m flexible and collaborative with the other professionals around me.

7. An Ethical Designer

A lot of designers out there steal other people’s work for the sake of convenience. Not only is this lazy but its morally wrong…bottom line. There is no excuse to steal another designer’s hard work and claim it as your own.

EVERY SUCCESSFUL DESIGNER HAS EARNED THEIR NOTORIETY WITH HONEST AND LEGITIMATE WORK.

I spend a lot of time on designs, and I would hate to see my work stolen and repurposed for something else. A good designer thinks about what they have time for and decides what to create from there.

8. Designing On The Side

If you ask any creative individual, they’ll tell you that the creativity never stops. Most great designers I’ve met have told me they are always working on the side. This habit creates a great outlet for designers to have complete freedom of restrictions, a way for each of us to create something truly original and something self-fulfilling. Having something on the side is important for a designer to let loose, experiment, and create something that he can truly call his own. This also allows us to experience trial and error, making the work we do for clients that much better.

In Conclusion

I believe that great designers share these eight common qualities. I’m sure there’re quite a few more qualities that can be added to this list. What are some that you would add? I’d love to hear about them.

Coutesy of Vtldesign. 

https://vtldesign.com/brand-development/graphic-design/qualities-of-a-great-graphic-designer/2/