TCD COMMUNITY

THE
crea
tive
diet Vol. 1

FOR DESIGNERS AND PEOPLE IN ARTS

The creative diet
For designers and People in art

The Creative Guide to mastering the Basic of design

and growing to become a Conrmed Graphics Designer
and Gaining more knowledge in the Field.

Copyright 2022 © The Creative Diet Community

No part of this book may be reproduced,stored in any retrieval system

without the prior written Permission of the Author.

Printing or Distribution of this work without the prior permission of

the Author or Publisher is highly prohibited
Published By:
Pristine Design and Prints
Ogharefe-Oghara, Delta State.
+2347049418348

Cover Design & Layout: Edesirioghene Osbert

Become a Better Graphic
Designer
Advancing your skills as a graphic designer can help you secure
more lucrative and exciting projects, increase your earning
potential and improve your job satisfaction. There are many ways
you can become an even better graphic designer, including
through education, training, collaboration and skill-building
opportunities. In this book, we explore what a graphic designer
does and the many steps you can take to go from good to great as a
graphic design professional.
Wh0 is a graphic designer?
A graphic designer is a creative professional who develops visual
content assets for digital and print mediums. They can work on a
variety of projects, including advertisements, digital media, web
and application design and product packaging. They can work
freelance, as part of an organization's creative team or in a
creative agency.

Some common responsibilities include:

Use graphic design software to illustrate, create vector graphics,

edit images and compile design assets into complete projects.

Research design elements to understand the meaning of different

colors and symbols.

Find inspiration for designs from various sources, including art,

other media, competitors or the real world.

Apply best practices for color, typography, shapes and view

experience.

Collaborate with other designers, creative directors, clients and

writers to develop assets.

Create multiple iterations of projects and revise per client or team

feedback.
How to be a good graphic
designer
Use these tips to improve your skills and become a better graphic
design professional:

1. EARN AN EDUCATION IN DESIGN

Consider completing an undergraduate degree—like an associate
or bachelor's degree—in art, graphic design, web design, digital
media arts or a similar discipline. These programs involve taking
general education courses in addition to major-specic courses in
art history, design principles and digital media technology. You
can also complete diplomas or professional certicate programs
that take less time to complete but still train you in the theory,
practice and technology you use as a graphic designer.

Some employers may prefer candidates to have an undergraduate

degree in a relevant discipline, but others may require some
formal training, previous design experience and a portfolio. As a
freelancer, you may only need to have a portfolio of previous work.

2. TAKE ONLINE DESIGN COURSES

Even if you have a degree or formal training, taking graphic
design courses online can help you review important design
principles, gain other professionals' perspectives and tips on
graphic design and update your skills in different design mediums
and technology.
3. SPECIALIZE YOUR WORK
You can specialize in a variety of design forms, including:

Logos and branding

UI/UX design for websites and apps
Product design
Packaging design
Editorial design
Lettering and typography
Marketing and advertising

Early in your career, consider taking on a variety of projects to

build your portfolio and gain experience in different design forms.
After a few years, choose one or a few related specialties you want
to master so you can have a design niche in which to nd clients
and job opportunities. Being highly skilled in one or a few related
design specialties means you can market yourself as an expert in
that eld.

For example, if you specialize in packaging design, you can

advertise yourself as a packaging designer on your website,
professional networking prole and social media. This can lead to
more clients and employers nding you in online searches when
they're looking for a packaging designer.

4. DETERMINE YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE

Having a signature style means you create each project with the
same general inspirations and design principles. Some art and
design styles include:
 Art nouveau
Art deco
Post-modern
Victorian
Grunge
Expressionism
Minimalism

Many graphic designers pull from a few styles to create their own
signature style. Find your signature style to make a niche in the
design world and stand out from other designers who work on the
same type of projects you do. Doing so takes time to develop and
practice, so try out the styles that interest and inspire you until you
nd the right blend.

5. FIND A MENTOR
Look for experienced and skilled designers whose work and
careers you admire. These professionals may be instructors from
your design education program, current or former colleagues or
well-known professionals in the eld with whom you connect via
social media or professional networking platforms. Then, ask them
if they'd be willing to mentor you by emphasizing what about their
work inspires you and what you hope to learn from them.

6. SEEK FEEDBACK FROM OTHER DESIGNERS

Getting feedback on your work helps you see others' perspectives of
design and nd areas of your work— including your approach to
a specic project or content type or your application of a
style—that could use improvement or renement. Here are some
ways to get feedback on your work from other designers:
Ask coworkers to look at your current or past projects.
Submit your work to a publication.
Publish your past work and works-in-progress on a graphic
design forum.
Reach out to former instructors or classmates to review your work.

7. JOIN ONLINE DESIGN CLASS

There are many online forums and social media groups online
where graphic designers can share ideas, critique each other's
work and provide leads for job opportunities. Consider joining one
of these groups to expand your professional network and learn new
techniques and trends from fellow industry professionals.

8. COLLABORATE WITH SKILLED DESIGNERS

Reach out to former and current classmates or coworkers and ask
them to collaborate on a side project together. By working together
on a project, you can learn their approach to design, share your
skills with one another and develop your skills in communication
and teamwork. Then, you can display this project in your portfolio,
on your website or on social media to showcase your abilities.

9. TRAIN IN RELATED FIELDS LIKE UI/UX DESIGN AND COPYWRITING

Many graphic design projects require you to collaborate with other
creatives, like writers, web and software developers, animators
and UI/UX designers. Consider taking courses and practice using
the skills and technology of these professionals. Cross-training can
help you better collaborate with these teammates and improve
your own skill set, allowing you to complete projects that require
some of these other disciplines on your own.

10. ATTEND CREATIVE CONFERENCES

Creative conferences are professional events for industries with
creative functions, like design, art, writing, advertising and
publishing. Consider attending these events throughout the year to
network with fellow designers and professionals of other creative
disciplines, connect with prospective clients or employers, take
workshops and learn relevant trends during seminars with
industry leaders.

11. MASTER NECESSARY TOOLS

Depending on your graphic design discipline, you may use a
combination of a few industry-standard tools and programs, like
photo editing software, digital illustration software and digital
illustration tablets. Become an expert in the tools you need to
complete your work so that you can do so efciently and correctly.
Consider also familiarizing yourself with other brands of similar
tools to become well-versed in more of the technology available to
you as a designer in case a future employer prefers one software or
tool over another.

12. REVISIT DESIGN THEORY REGULARLY

Review your old textbooks and take online courses on design
principles like typography, color, shape and layout. Doing so can
help you nd inspiration or focus if you're having a creative block.

13 READ BOOKS ABOUT DESIGN

Many well-known and experienced designers publish books that
cover their approach to design, their ideation process, the styles
they prefer, the tools and techniques they use and what they think
of their own work and the work of others. Other books about design
include biographies or studies of great designers from history.
Read these books to gain a new perspective on design.

14. CRITIQUE YOUR PREVIOUS WORK AFTER YOU'VE FINISHED

Go back through your most recent work and write down the
elements that work, that don't work and what makes them work or
not work. Then, describe what you would do differently or revise
the project to make it stronger.

15. MAKE A STUNNING PORTFOLIO SITE

Apply graphic design principles to create an online portfolio,
complete with your best work and your resume. You can provide a
link to this site when you apply to graphic design roles or connect
with new clients.

16. DISPLAY YOUR WORK

Consider creating a social media prole where you can publish
your graphic design work and works-in-progress. You can get
feedback, connect with potential clients, sell your designs or
present your work in a less formal setting.

17. INTERN WITH TOP COMPANIES

If you're early in your graphic design career, consider applying for
an internship with companies whose design styles interest you. By
interning, you can collaborate with the experienced designers on
the team, learn from their skills and expertise and build a portfolio
of work used by top companies.

18. SAY "YES" TO CHALLENGING PROJECTS

If a project seems challenging due to the scope or complexity of the
work, consider taking it so you can expand your skill set, try new
design techniques and demonstrate your condence as a designer.

19. PITCH YOUR IDEAS FOR A PROJECT

Share your ideas for a design project when you're working with a
client or as part of a team. This allows you to put your personal
style on the project, be an active problem-solver and demonstrate
your collaboration skills.

20. CONFIRM ALL OF A PROJECT'S REQUIREMENTS

As a freelancer or team member, make sure that you fully
understand the project's scope and design requirements. Review
the creative brief with your client or team lead to ask questions or
pitch solutions.

21. REVIEW YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU SUBMIT

When you complete a project or your portion of it, review the
creative brief and compare those requirements to the work you
completed. Consider having a colleague look at the work, too.

22. VOLUNTEER YOUR SKILLS

You can gain more work experience and develop new projects to
put in your portfolio by volunteering for organizations that need
graphic designers. You might create a promotional campaign for a
charity or an event yer for an organization.
23. ENTER A GRAPHIC DESIGN COMPETITION
Research online for graphic design competitions hosted by
industry-leading companies and publications. You can submit
your work according to their guidelines, such as a new work based
on a prompt or a previously completed project. Depending on the
competition, prizes might include money, tools like a computer or
tablet or a publishing credit.

24. WORK ON A DREAM PROJECT ON THE SIDE

Start a personal design project on the side so you can practice your
skills, experiment with techniques and create without restrictions.
Perhaps you work for a company that practices modern
minimalism, but you want to practice Art Deco style.

25. WORK ON CREATIVE PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

Having other creative hobbies and projects can inspire you in your
graphic design, such as by incorporating cross-stitch patterns into
design projects, and provide other creative outlets for when you
need a break from graphic design. You can showcase your other
creative hobbies on your social media prole or portfolio to show
that you're a multi-talented creative.

26. EXPERIMENT WITH STYLES, COLORS AND GRID LAYOUTS

Try different color combinations, mixing similar or different styles
together or rearranging items in a unique layout to nd new looks
that work.

27. KEEP A COLLECTION OF THINGS THAT INSPIRE YOU

Collect images from magazines or online publications and take
2 photos of art, settings or real-world objects that inspire your
designs. For example, you might nd a sculpture that reminds you
of a unique shape you want to incorporate into your current design
project. Also, save your sketchbooks and scribblings since those
can inspire ideas, too.

Best Websites For Graphic Design Inspiration

Behance
Instagram
Dribble
Awwwards
Freepik
Pinterest
Logoinspirations and Many Others
 TCD COMMUNITY
FOR DESIGNERS AND PEOPLE IN ARTS