In today’s digital day and age, there are a variety of job opportunities available in the market.
There are a lot of new types of creative jobs that are getting introduced thanks to technological development nowadays.
Another benefit is there are no proper working hours, there is an option of freelancing that can help students to earn some money while studying.
One of the most popular of these creative jobs includes graphic designing.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word graphic designer?
Most people think of visualization or graphics that are used to communicate messages.
In the earlier days, graphic designers used to work on various projects but nowadays they work on a specific type of work.
Basically, the job of a graphic designer is to create visual elements for print, web, or corporate branding. It can constitute everything from t-shirt design to business logos that fall in the realm of graphic design.
The demand for graphic designers keeps increasing due to the need for the digital presence of any company or brand.
You can learn a lot about various designs while learning graphic design and if you want you can shift to another related profession such as UX/UI design or web development.
The salary of a graphic designer can range between Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 6.4 lakh with an average annual salary of Rs. 3 lakhs (around 3500 USD per month).
If you have experience or good knowledge of graphic design you can earn a lot by even freelancing.
For earning a lot as a graphic designer you just need a proper clientele.
Graphic designing can give you a lot of options and you can branch out to many other fields.
Steps To Become a Graphic Designer
- Learn and understand the basics
- Take Online Courses
- Setup: Become a Graphic Designer
- Follow More graphic designers
- Create an impressive portfolio
- Gain experience As a Graphic Designer
- Choose a valid niche
- Know The Average Graphic Designer’s Salary
- Ways to earn money as a graphic designer
- FAQs
Like any other creative course, being a graphic designer also requires step-by-step learning.
now let’s go through each step to becoming a Graphic Designer and earn some real money as a graphic designer…
Learn and understand the basics
The first step to learning anything is to start from the basics.
You don’t need a book for learning the basics of graphic design and creating amazing designs.
But to create these amazing designs you first need to learn the basics of graphic designing.
If you want you can learn graphic design by taking an online course, many of those courses are available online and offered by many different sites, hence there are a lot of choices.
In case you don’t want to opt for an online course then you can simply read about the history of graphic design and the basic principles of graphic design.
These basic principles and the history of graphic design can build a strong enough base for your further journey to become a graphic designer.
It can also help you to understand the job of a graphic designer and help you gain more and more interest in the field of graphic design.
Take Online Courses
The next step after you have learned about the basic principles and the history of graphic design is to take an online course.
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
You can work on basic graphic design software using the basic theory of graphic design you learned but in order to work with more professional-grade software you need to learn about them.
There are a lot of options available on the market for various online graphical design courses.
These starting online courses can help you get your foot in the door as a professional graphic designer.
Certificates that you get after completion of most of these courses, you can use to strengthen your CV as a graphic designer.
After you complete the online course and are ready to move forward and start working then the next step comes into play.
Setup: Become a Graphic Designer
Sometimes starting as a graphic designer can be quite expensive as it requires a more sophisticated setup.
The first thing you will need is the right software to work with. There are a lot of different software available on the internet for a graphic designer but you need to choose the right one.
I would recommend using free software in your beginning stage and as you start earning as a graphic designer you can move on to a paid one if you like.
There are many amazing free software available for graphic designers like Vectornator.
Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop are a few examples of paid software that you can use.
After the right software, the next thing that you will need is a compatible device.
You will need a compatible laptop or a computer or any other device if you want to work smoothly with your software and create great designs.
Follow More graphic designers
Overlooking this step is a common mistake done by most. Sometimes this step can prove to be the most important of all.
We all can get stuck and lack new creative ideas but by following other graphic designers you can get inspiration from their work.
This can prove to be one of the easiest ways to grow your skills.
Following and getting to know the work of various graphic designers can help you understand and learn a lot from their work.
You can learn new ways, styles, and many more things. Along with this you can also incorporate these things into your work and create your style.
try to stay updated on any new events or news in the graphic design community by following other graphic designers so you won’t miss out on opportunities.
Creating new connections can help you grow, and even help you find a job.
- Top Graphic Designers to Follow on Instagram
Create an impressive portfolio
Whether you want to work as a freelancer or want a job a portfolio is a must.
Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash
A portfolio can be quite easily said to portray your skills as a graphic designer, which makes it easier for a client to judge you.
An online portfolio is the easiest way to land graphic designer jobs and get in touch with more clients.
A digital portfolio makes it easier to show your journey and progress in the field. You can tell your whole story using an online portfolio very easily.
In an online portfolio, you let your work speak for you. Your work simply tells the employer everything about you.
A portfolio, it’s less about your educational background and more about the experience you have.
It can tell a lot about how you work and think, which plays an important role while landing a job.
You can keep on adding your work to your portfolio from time to time to keep it updated.
Consider your online portfolio as an addition to your CV, you should have it on the go in case of any last-minute interviews.
Gain experience As a Graphic Designer
The next step after creating your portfolio is gaining real-world experience.
You can start applying for entry-level jobs at various companies and agencies.
As you are just starting out it does not matter whether it is a job or an unpaid internship only the experience you gain from it matters.
Even if you have a degree in graphic design or have done the most prestigious course you still need experience in order to get work as a graphic designer.
You will gain the experience needed for a job by an unpaid internship or the junior level where you can work starting from the basics.
Gaining some real-world experience can help you build relations in the community which can help you a lot in the future.
Choose a valid niche
Graphic design is a vast field there are many types of designs included in it. Once you have done in almost every field, you need to choose the one you specialize in.
Photo by Colin Czerwinski on Unsplash
Choosing a niche doesn’t mean you won’t work on other areas but it just means that you specialise in the one.
A niche can set you apart from other graphic designers and gives the client all the more reason to choose you for the job over everyone else.
It can also help you target the right clients for the job.
There is a large variety of niches to choose from in graphic design.
Know The Average Graphic Designer’s Salary…
The average salary of a graphic designer can range from ₹2,400 to ₹49,200 in India. There are a lot of factors affecting the average salary of a graphic designer.
One of the most affecting factors is the job position, it plays the most important role in the salary.
You can have a lot of benefits which include health as well as a steady salary. Freelancers have the most flexible work schedule but do not include other benefits as the jobs in a company.
Experience can be another factor affecting the salary of a graphic designer.
There are a lot of other factors including the above-mentioned above.
Ways to earn money as a graphic designer
You can earn money as a graphic designer in a lot of ways.
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
One of the most common ways today to earn money is by freelancing. There are a lot of options in freelancing as well.
Freelancing has become one of the most popular ways to earn money nowadays. Sometimes it is effortless, but sometimes there is a struggle to get even one gig.
Aside from freelancing, there are a lot of ways to earn money as a graphic designer.
Selling your own fonts is the next best way to make a passive income as a graphic designer.
Fonts are something that will keep on selling even after a long time you’ve made it. They can be used on many countless occasions such as weddings, websites, presentations, and many more.
Designing logos and branding is another way for a graphic designer to earn money.
Logo designing and branding is a large market for graphic designers.
Most corporate brands or companies depend on their marketing drives which include various types of graphics to attract customers.
While creating a logo a graphic designer is very well creating an image of the brand in the customer’s mind. It takes a lot of hard work to create the right image.
This work is sometimes handled by the in-house teams but various startup call upon freelancers for branding or creating the logos.
There are many other ways to earn money as a graphic designer which includes web design, app design, selling your design templates, and many other as well.
It is your choice how you want to make a living as a graphic designer but there are a lot of options available.
Now some of the most asked questions about graphic design are mentioned below.
FAQ(s) about Graphic Designer
Who is the highest-paid graphic designer?
There are a lot of renowned graphic designers all around the world that get paid highly for their work.
One of them is Jessica Walsh, she is a new york based graphic designer. She mostly works with elite clients such as Jay-Z and Levis.
There are many others such as David Schwen, who works with eye-catching animation with everyday photography.
His Instagram account showcases the years of experience he has in the design world.
Jason Santa Maria, Stefan Sagmeister, and David Milan are some other highest-paid and some of the most influential graphic designers there are.
How much graphic designer’s average salary is in India?
The average salary of a graphic designer can range from ₹2,400 to ₹49,200. The salary of a graphic designer can vary according to the level of your job.
There are a lot of jobs on different levels as graphic designers in various companies and start-ups as well.
Where do graphic designers get paid the most?
Graphic designers in the District of Columbia earn the most money on average, with a mean annual wage of $71,180 USD.
New York and Massachusetts take the next spots after Columbia in the salary for graphic designers.
New York has an average salary of $64,840 for graphic designers annually followed by Massachusetts offering $64,010 to graphic designers an average annually.
Conclusion
For Individuals who are interested in making a career in the art field, graphic design is a good option.
With time the job of a graphic designer has also expanded. Nowadays, graphic designers work with photographers, content writers, videographers, and other creative people.
Graphic designers work on a lot of projects starting from advertisements to full portfolios.
The salary of a graphic designer depends on the experience and the types of jobs you have done in the past.
One of the most beneficial parts of becoming a graphic designer is that it can offer you flexibility, you can work on different kinds of projects, and expand your comfort zone.
After becoming a graphic designer you can even transition into any other design field if you wish.
All the information related to becoming a graphic designer, what the job includes and even the salary is included in the above article.
I hope this article helps you to choose the right path as a graphic designer if you’re planning…
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