Career as a designer

[laurencemike]

  I I am a student of arts and I want to start my career as a designer. Can you suggest me some good tools which I need to master before I enter my career. I haven’t decided which field I would be working for, but I don’t want to restrict myself to one domain only. I know that designers use different software for different industries. For example, if I have to make a custom logo design, I need to learn logo maker, adobe illustrator, logo smartz etc. But what if I have to make a banner? I can’t use the same software’s right. So can you guys list me some essential software which can help me irrespective of the industry I choose.

[Atomic]

This topic comes up every so often, so I'm going to quote a gentlemen who's initial advice sums up my feelings: 

On 7/27/2015 at 11:43 AM, officeglenn said:

Start with drawing things by hand. Find your style. Look at other logos to figure out what you like and don't like, then try to emulate those techniques. You can copy or trace someone else's work, but only to figure out they did what they did and to apply that same technique to your own work. Don't be afraid to try something new; even if it doesn't work out right, you'll learn something. Learn some of the basic rules of design, if only so that you can bend and break them later on.

When you're ready, then you can start scanning those drawings into your computer and refining them. Whatever tools you decide to use, learn to use them well. It's a poor workman who blames his tools. And never stop learning.

If you're just starting out, this is not something you will be good at overnight. But keep working at it and don't get discouraged.

In regards to tools of the trade? Illustrator and Photoshop are must-haves for when you go professional. Inkscape is a great vector-based alternative which you can download for free and has many similar aspects as Illustrator. Those programs are the bread and butter for most graphic designers and are used across aspects of the design realm. Can't say that I've ever heard of "Logomaker" or "LogoSmartz", but most professionals stay within the Adobe family of products. 

 

The only limit to design "fields" is your imagination. Tips and tricks you learn creating sports logos can transfer to making corporate logos and vice-versa. Check out some of the great artists out there; they don't limit themselves to one sphere of expertise. 

 

The aforementioned programs can alter the canvas size to make different items (banners, business cards, CD covers, etc). Once you learn some of the programs, there's a whole world of design to explore!

 

Hope this helps!

[JESSEDIEBOLT]

5 hours ago, laurencemike said:

  I I am a student of arts and I want to start my career as a designer. Can you suggest me some good tools which I need to master before I enter my career. I haven’t decided which field I would be working for, but I don’t want to restrict myself to one domain only. I know that designers use different software for different industries. For example, if I have to make a custom logo design, I need to learn logo maker, adobe illustrator, logo smartz etc. But what if I have to make a banner? I can’t use the same software’s right. So can you guys list me some essential software which can help me irrespective of the industry I choose.

 

I've never heard of "Logo Maker" or "Logo Smartz". Just forget those all together. 

 

Logos are done on Adobe Illustrator because they need to be in vector format. This allows logos to scale without losing quality.

 

Making a banner for a website could be done on Illustrator as well but Photoshop is your go-to program for that. InDesign is also used creating print ads/banners/PDF docs/books/etc. in addition to other things.

 

If you're just starting out, I'd focus on Illustrator and Photoshop. But remember that design isn't about learning a program...programs change all the time. Learn what makes a good brand or banner or whatever you're trying to design. 

 

You should worry about being restricted as a designer. You don't really need to choose a "field" because design itself is the field. You may be working on a logo for a team in addition to a website for a bank on the same day.

 

 

[David R]

The dream of a graphic designer is to create meaningful designs that communicate on a visual, intellectual and emotional level. It is the joy of being creative and having someone pay you to do it. But the reality of that dream is that it often comes with the heavy price of the creative soul. There are endless meetings, client revisions, committee-mandated direction, project managers who are frustrated art directors, long hours and often little recognition. These are the daily and universal struggles of a graphic designer and this is my loving tribute to those in the design trenches. May the creative concept never be forgotten and the good fight always is fought.

[JESSEDIEBOLT]

On 1/4/2017 at 0:37 PM, David R said:

The dream of a graphic designer is to create meaningful designs that communicate on a visual, intellectual and emotional level. It is the joy of being creative and having someone pay you to do it. But the reality of that dream is that it often comes with the heavy price of the creative soul. There are endless meetings, client revisions, committee-mandated direction, project managers who are frustrated art directors, long hours and often little recognition. These are the daily and universal struggles of a graphic designer and this is my loving tribute to those in the design trenches. May the creative concept never be forgotten and the good fight always is fought.

 

I disagree that you have to sell your creative soul to be a designer. The greatest creativity comes from situations where you find solutions that solve your clients' problems in a unique and exciting way.

 

It's your job to present ideas in a convincing way. Your idea isn't always going to be the best one or the chosen one. Sometimes you have to work to make someones else's ideas develop. 

 

There are some bad creative/art directors and some great ones. But the most important thing is developing the best direction for the client.