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[ starting out in graphic design ]
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home > the drawing board > starting out in graphic design
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starting out in graphic design, page 5
becoming a graphic designer: information, questions and answers PLEASE NOTE: You may only use this information for your reference or as part of your graphic design class assignment. Do not distribute, publish, or sell this information, in whole or in part, for any other purpose. Q&A continued I have just finished my first freelance project and have decided to delve further into graphic design. Do you have any advice on pursuing/finding freelance jobs for a very motivated amateur? Referral is our number one way of getting clients. Make business cards and flyers for your services and hand them out to the people you've already done design work for. Make sure the cards/flyers are great examples of your creativity. If you think your work is professional enough, sign up for some of the freelance job sites. Although these are primarily full-time employment sites, I've seen freelancers offering their services on Monster and Hot Jobs. You might also check with local quick print shops and advertising specialty companies; some of them send their design / typesetting work out to freelancers. You could also join one or more of the portfolio sites that for a fee list your bio and samples of your work. Could you tell me the qualifications I need to become a graphic designer? Can I just do training or do I have to go to college / university? Qualifications can be found on our "graphic design degrees and qualifications" webpage. Here are my thoughts on training versus pursuing a degree. This information is just my opinion. So please do continue your research before making a decision about taking courses and whether to obtain a degree. Many design firms would most likely consider certificate courses as valid training if your portfolio and presentation show talent. They would place value on someone who has had team experience, group interaction, and the other benefits of training in a classroom setting. In choosing courses, bear in mind that learning software is only part of the game. Software are just tools. Look for courses that focus on design skills and knowledge. You can become a graphic designer without a degree, however you will most likely have to take an entry-level position. Having a degree greatly improves (but of course doesn't guarantee) your chance of starting at a higher position. Many firms would probably acknowledge an online degree from an accredited institute, but might give more credibility to a degree earned through traditional education. I am writing a research paper about the historical use of color in graphic design. Can you help me with some references? Graphic design history reference books are available at http://www.robinsdesign.com/d_history.html and color reference books are at http://www.robinsdesign.com/d_cmyk.html. What is your advice for good printing for portfolios where I can use a range of papers (Classic Crest, Neenah, etc.)? What process is currently preferable and acceptable for portfolios being reviewed for jobs and internships? If inkjets are considered acceptable, what make and model would you recommend? (UPDATED) Unless your instructor requires otherwise, go with a high end inkjet. My junior designer, Sheila, who is a design student at San Jose State University, said that she and many of the design students at SJSU print their portfolio pieces using a professional quality inkjet. You should avoid using a printer made for personal/home use. To yield impressive prints, make sure your designs and supporting files are all high resolution, and use a printer with printing capabilities that are comparable to the Epson R1800 or better. You will be able to print on colored and textured papers with an inkjet, but these papers are not ideal for digital printing when you are looking for the best quality. However, I do have to say that, except for stationery systems, most real-world jobs are printed on white stock. To obtain high quality output by using the white specialty papers made for inkjets, Sheila suggests that you scan your texture and use it in the background. For portfolio purposes, you will want to include photographs of your assembled packaging concept, not the actual 3D model, which makes printing on the actual colored or textured paper unnecessary. Having already had her initial portfolio critiqued by some top designers, Sheila advises that they were especially interested in seeing her concept sketches that showed them the process she used to arrive at her finished designs. Also see How to Prepare a Design Portfolio. ABOUT OUR DESIGN STUDIO: Some of you have asked about Robins Design's studio. There is a page in our profile that includes a description of our studio. |
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 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please see our FAQ page for answers to general questions asked by our clients and website visitors. Our Graphic Design News and Tips page includes helpful graphic design project tips. Our Graphic Design or Illustration sections also contain useful resources. Also, we list many services and products that may be of interest to students in a section we call the Students Center. For a list of books on a career in graphic design, see our Graphic Design Jobs / Graphic Design Career book page. |
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