There are a few basic areas of knowledge you’ll need to master to become a successful graphic designer, but here are some things you should know:
Make your own fonts and styles Use software like Photoshop or Illustrator to create your own graphics Make sure you research your type and color options Get a good eye for printing and binding Your design should be a cohesive part of your product Make your design readable for as wide an audience as possible Use a color palate that appeals to your audience. It might be hard to make a monochrome black-and-white graphic look striking, but you can improve its contrast and clarity by using a range of colors.
So where do I start?
Once you’ve become comfortable designing graphics yourself, the rest of the process will be relatively easy. You’ll just need to find someone else like you (and get an awesome job offer!) to do it for you. To get started, I’ll be using a free graphic design tool called Sketch.
In the following steps you’ll learn how to:
Create and edit design files
Create your own logos
Upload your finished work
Get feedback (if applicable)
As you’ll see, there’s a lot to learn about how to create great graphics and design. If nothing else, we’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences, theories, and stories on the process!
1. Create and edit design files
Start with your existing design files before writing any new content or adding new files.
If you haven’t already, be sure to open your design files in Photoshop or Illustrator to look at all the elements. (Or, if you prefer, just check out the examples below.)
You’ll need something to start with—your logo, for example, or some logo elements like shadows and highlights. Once you’ve got your design sorted out, all you’ll need to do is open any new files in your existing software.
2. Create your own graphics
The process of creating a graphic is very similar to a traditional project. But because your graphic design is part of a larger story, you should consider your graphic design a story. This means that you should think of your graphic design as a collection of pieces of content that must cohere on your site.
Here are some things you’ll want to consider:
Use a style that has some unique visual elements that set it apart from other logos or types of graphics on the web. (