There are graphic designs everywhere; the logos, posters, social media posts, and more.
Every brand needs a graphic designer, most importantly when just building a new brand.
Are you now planning on acquiring a new skill, especially on how to become a graphic designer?
You might be interested to know first the basics on how to start learning graphic design. Follow through and be the future graphic designer that you want to be.
1. Learn and research about graphic design
Studying graphic design to create good design is something you cannot quickly learn and master. It takes time, always does!
Part of studying graphic design is learning its basics such as the elements, and principles of design. This starter pack enables you to have basic understanding about graphic design
Elements of design are the basic building blocks to create a composition, basically the primary components of a visual image.
These elements are used in graphic designing:
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- Line – the connection between two points in space
- Shape – an outline encloses a two-dimensional area in form or figure
- Color – portrays mood, light, depth, and point of view by its hue, lightness, and saturation
- Form – considered as the heart of an art object that renders a three-dimensional form in two dimensions
- Value – the lightness or darkness of a color with the series of variations from light to dark across a form
- Space – consisting of positive space, as to where the subject is, and negative space, or the background itself
- Texture – represents how an object appears or feels which can be rough, smooth, soft, or hard
Principles of design are the ways to combine the elements of design to make a powerful composition. The principles have an impact on how people view and engage in a design.
The principles of design are:
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- Balance – the arrangement of visual weight of elements in a composition
- Emphasis – visually dominant area and the most important information of a composition
- Harmony – used elements complement each other in a composition
- Unity – the produced harmony by all the elements used in a design
- Contrast – the difference between the elements in a composition
- Movement – moves the viewer’s eye within the composition, leading the attention from one aspect to another
- Rhythm – repetitive movement in a composition
- Repetition – repeating a single element through a design
- Pattern – repetition of more than one single element in a composition
- Variety – used to create visual interest and is concerned with diversity or contrast
- Proportion – the size of elements in relation to one another and is sometimes called as “scale
2. Find courses and study more about graphic design
Learning more about graphic design after knowing the elements and principles of design is just the start of your learning journey. Find related courses and study more about graphic design from reliable resources.
Once you have broadened your knowledge about graphic design, then you can enjoy diving to more in-depth courses. Not everyone is gifted with an eye for design, it can be a learned skill. You just have to be motivated to keep on learning about it.
3. Learn the design programs
Learning how to use design programs is part of graphic design. This will help you further enhance your design skills using different design programs.
There are multiple useful and powerful graphic design tools and programs that everyone can use, not just when starting learning, but mostly throughout your entire graphic design career.
Not every design software is free, but given that you will definitely use it on your future projects, you can think of it as an early investment.
4. Connect with Fellow Designers
Connecting with a network or community of designers, generally, is one of the best ways to help you enhance your skill and set your niche.
Networking to different communities can make you have many ideas and inspirations for your skill, as well as an introduction to your future role in this industry. Connecting and engaging will definitely guide and support you on developing your skills as a graphic designer.
5. Keep practicing, learning, and motivated!
Once you have accomplished learning the basic fundamentals of graphic design, you have to take it to action. You have to acquire new experiences that will also help you improve your skills.
Taking it to action doesn’t mean that learning is over and that you have already mastered everything in graphic design. This is where it will always come back; to practicing, learning, and motivated, then take it to action again.
From here on, you can continue learning because practice is always the key when acquiring and developing a skill. You can also start building your own profile and be involved in your target niche or market as a graphic designer.
As you go further in the process, your own workflow will take place. Take your time in learning. Nothing can be compared to someone determined to learn anew.
