Aspiring graphic designer looking for tips and advice :)

[wizard509]

Yep I was right, I knew it took me too long to compose my short ditty.

[Chris M]

Somewhat different story that won't help you but may give a different perspective.

I trained in heavy engineering, think oil wells and commercial water valves. Good money, but not what I wanted.
I've always played around with music editing (DJ type) and took a year off to DJ around Europe. Loved it, but not exactly a career for life job.
Met my wife which changed my view of the World. We are both dreamers who enjoy life and like to help others. We moved to Australia, because why not. Here I am back in heavy engineering earning money but just being robotic.

Twins arrived on the scene. I missed their first 2 years and decided that money will never be more important living a life you're happy with. Began learning computer stuff and found I could make sense of Windows 98. Started repairing as a side line from home. This was my turning point. I could work from home and be with my family.

Took a dip in money, but was far happier. Looked for other income streams and fell back to mixing/editing music. Sold mix tracks to local gyms along with computer repair. Also made small money selling mix tracks for house parties, which lead to buying party lights and hiring those out as well as the music tracks. Twins now 12 and my youngest 8. Youngest is diagnosed with a variety of mental health issues and simply can't handle school or being around people in general. (another story, but my work choice made me the happiest man on the planet because I can be there to help her whenever she needs me).

Twins now 23, youngest 19. I still do computer repair, which is my main income stream, create a web presence (nothing flash or corporate) for small businesses and one-man-band tradies around the local area. Still do party hire and have a small repeat trade in music for gyms. Rolling in money? No. Happy as a pig in poop? Yes. I feel I am helping others, be it with adding a smile through music, or giving a battler a leg up the ladder without trying to grab their last dollar. And most of all, I have had the extreme pleasure of walking hand in hand my wife watching my kids grow into who they are.

[pauland]

Anna,

I'm not a graphic designer, though I've worked with several of them and have done work that would in other circumstances have been done by a graphic designer.

You've heard some interesting stories and there are some very capable people here.

I would say that generally the world and career progressions that you have heard about have changed drastically. The graphic design "world" is split across several media areas - print, online, apps and animation.

Print newspapers and magazines used to be THE domain for advertisers but now online media is taking up a huge chunk of that business. In my mind a versatile graphic designer should understand something about motion graphics and user experience as well as static images. Understanding the problems of animation, app design compared to the generation of static imagery is going to be vital.

Most people here are from a very different generation to your own - me included - and the people you can get the best advice from are just a few years ahead of you.

I found my first job by ringing up a company and asking if I could visit them to see what they do - I explained I was a student. They were very welcoming, I liked what they did and they gave me a job offer before I graduated (subject to graduation).

Find out some design agencies near you. You can call them up, or just walk into reception. Tell them you're looking for some understanding of the work they do and what skills are important to them. It's easy.

At worst people will say no. At best people will show you around and even give you some things to do. Even if you don't get paid, if you do some work for a design agency before you graduate, you have your first reference lined up. You'll have some experience of a professional environment (LOL, I'm not even sure what that means in some companies I worked for). Be prepared to meet some interesting people. If you don't like the vibe, try another agency. I have loved most design agencies, but some can feel like sweatshops.

If you can, go to design exhibitions, conferences, etc. See what people are doing.

Don't be shy, be outgoing and understand nobody expects perfection from university students.

Good luck.

[ernie-f]

Hello, Anna,
I trained as a typesetter, letter- and offset printer in 1970. After passing the exam, I studied graphics at the University of Applied Sciences in Germany.
After my studies I worked for 14 years as a technical director in a large printing company.

After that I became self-employed and graduated as an industrial master printer.
Until 2002 I ran my own print house which I had to give up due to illness.

Since 2008 I have been working independently again from my home office as a typesetter, printing consultant and graphik designer for various publishing houses, print shops and private customers.

I get new customers mostly by recommendations and if need, by acquisition.

Even if the job as a graphic designer is not always easy, it is the only thing I can do successfully after my illness. Besides, it's, at least for me, fun and fulfilling.

Since 2000 I have been working with Xara.

[pauland]

Since 2000 I have been working with Xara.

Anna, Ernie like the rest of us have all used Xara, sometimes in conjunction with other graphic design tools, sometimes replaced by other design tools.

In my times working at design houses ( handling print and online work ), I only ever saw people use the Adobe Suite of software.

When I came across Xara software it stunned me and I have had many happy years using it as a low-cost, highly capable graphics package.

As a design student my advice to you is to become proficient in Adobe software and also look to the Affinity series of software which is rapidly evolving as a capable alternative to the Adobe suite. I suspect that if you walk into a professional design studio today, everyone will be using Adobe software. If you mention Affinity, many design houses will probably know of it, some may even use it. Sadly, if you mention Xara nobody will know of it and it will hurt your reputation should you champion it.

At your stage of your career, do not adopt Xara software as your graphic design tool of choice.

[ernie-f]

As Paul already wrote, Xara is not the industry standard.

Of course I don't only use Xara for my work.

Adobe is, so to say, the industry standard not only in Germany. Since I am a freelance graphic designer, I can choose the software that suits me best.

I follow Afinity with excitement and work with Afinity Photo as a Photoshop replacement very gladly.
The new Afinity Publisher is still in the beta phase and serious functions to replace Indesign are still missing.

For me, Xara is the universal Swiss army knife for my work that comes into play when it is needed.
In another thread I have written down my experiences while typesetting a book with Xara. https://www.talkgraphics.com/showthr...v16&highlight=

[pauland]

Anna, a last suggestion.

Try and find your own niche - something that excites you or makes you happy. You are fortunate that the internet is around because you can see current trends, find inspiration from current illustrators, graphic artists, motion designers, etc.

Try and emerge from university with a niche that suits you. It will be far better to have some form of specialism so that you don't look like a cookie-cutter graphic designer.

Stand out from the crowd in some way.

[JET]

Without going into a long description of my personal 45+ year history in graphics work, having been in positions of hiring graphic designers and illustrators, I'll offer this:

• Build the strongest portfolio of your work that you can. I can tell much more about a student's real-world ability from that than from their school transcript.

• Don't think yourself an expert on the basis of your degree. At best, that just makes you an interested beginner. Your real education will begin on the real-world job.

• Don't get "married" to any particular software. Software comes and goes, and different companies use different software for different reasons. Take advantage of every opportunity to gain at least working familiarity with as many different tools to which you can gain access. Everyone has their "favorite" program. But too many applicants reveal their emotional dependency upon one particular program and fear of using any other. That's a "button pusher; a one-trick pony." And it's a red flag to the interviewer. I can teach a monkey to push a button. What I always looked for is indication that the applicant understands the underlying principles of the graphics tools, processes, and workflows.

When I see, first, a strong portfolio from an applicant who, second, is able to answer a few " how and why" questions, it doesn't matter one whit to me what brand software with which the applicant has the most "muscle memory." I would every time favor an obviously talented applicant who uses a different program but understands what she's been doing, over one who has merely memorized commands and buttons of the program currently deployed. Such a person is easily adaptable and a stronger asset.

JET

[wizard509]

• Your real education will begin on the real-world job.

•

How true that is.

Keep your eyes open and learn.
keep a sketchpad with you and jot down your ideas. You never know when an idea strikes that you may not remember later.
In my case I wanted to be a painter so I had to learn perspective both for myself and if need be teach others to draw so I could concentrate on painting and meet the deadlines, most of all I learned by doing.