Graphic designing as a career is not only about creativity but also about technical and problem-solving skills. However, amateurs face a myriad of challenges that impede their progress. Here are the top five problems that new graphic designers face and how they can tackle them.
- Lack of Creative Confidence
Challenge: Self-doubt when it comes to creativity or work is good enough can be a huge hurdle for a lot of people.
Solution:
- Keep pushing yourself by practicing and trying new directions for a particular design.
- Look for new pointers by followers from expert designers.
- Ask peers and mentors for constructive criticism.
- Remember, with time, comes experience and creativity.
- Mastering Design Software
Challenge: First encountering Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign can be quite daunting.
Solution:
- Look for beginner-focused enrollment and courses online like Pexels.
- Join communities of professional designers willing to share their expertise.
- Get comfortable with the tools by attempting to recreate already designed pieces.
- Enroll in institutes such as GDI (Graphic Design Institute) to gain practical knowledge through structured courses.
- Understanding Design Principles
Challenge: Having a grasp on color theory, typography, and composition is key and elements can be challenging for beginners.
Solution:
- Learn the concepts of graphic design from books or online resources.
- Look at professional designs and try to understand their efficacy.
- Enroll in learning programs that emphasize the fundamentals of design.
- Work on small-scale assignments such as social media posts or even flyers to practice.
- Working With Difficult Clients
Challenge: There will always be clients who have zero knowledge of design and do not understand its processes.
Solution:
- Establish timelines and contracts so that expectations can be managed from the start.
- Communication can be enhanced by asking for finer details regarding what the client requires.
- Learn techniques for professionally accepting criticism.
- Design decisions need to be educated by giving logical reasoning to clients.
- Portfolio Creation
Challenge: Beginners, who do not possess any experience, face challenges while trying to put together a portfolio that clients or employers would consider appealing.
Solution:
- Work on personal projects or search for volunteer work with non-profits to gain experience.
- Begin freelancing, no matter how small the job is, so that the work can be built up.
- Develop case studies that outline the rationale underpinning the chosen design.
- Your portfolio should be a living document where you consistently add your most relevant work.
Through proper resources and attitude towards work, novice designers can successfully overcome the hurdles in this industry. Courses offered by GDI focus on the core details of graphic design and prepare students to face the industry effortlessly.