So! YOU WANT TO BECOME A GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Are you interested in becoming a graphic designer on your own time, setting your own project deadlines? Or perhaps you don't have the time or money for a traditional education and need resources to help you along your career path? This book is for graphic design students, freelance designers, art and design students, career changers, self-taught designers, entry-level designers, creative entrepreneurs, design enthusiasts, educators, and instructors.

Graphic design is a valuable skill in various professions, not just limited to the creative industry. Students pursuing careers in marketing, web development, or medicine can benefit from the ability to communicate visually. Graphic design education prepares students for a wide range of career paths. In today's job market, effective communication is highly sought after by employers. Even in non-design roles, professionals often need to create presentations, reports, and visuals to convey information clearly. Teaching design basics ensures that students are well-prepared for the demands of the modern workforce.

The intent of this book is not to provide a step-by-step guide on becoming a graphic designer. Instead, it serves as a helpful resource and guide for understanding the core principles of graphic design. It emphasizes the importance of learning design programs and participating in graphic design communities. The book briefly touches on the significance of typography and color and offers a few beginner layout tips. Moreover, it addresses the importance of the design process in creating solutions based on design briefs.

The book showcases creative solutions created by university students who followed a simple design brief for each project. The book also highlights the value of building a portfolio of design projects and provides information on finding inspiration for creating design mockups. Additionally, it suggests exploring the design marketplace for further inspiration.

Other sections of the book explore finding a niche market and whether offering services for free at the start of a career is beneficial. It also addresses the question of whether having a website to showcase mockups is necessary, as well as the importance of obtaining a graphic design degree.

Self-taught designers would benefit from the recommended list of resources that cover various aspects, such as books on layout design, the history of design, lists of renowned logo designers, notable typographers, and famous illustrators. The book also includes information on job opportunities and online universities that offer graphic design degrees.

The book includes a design brief for a first mockup challenge and how to begin the journey. It provides information on where to find free project briefs to start developing design mockups.

The author hopes that instructors of graphic design will find this book an excellent go-to curriculum resource for teaching or learning more about graphic design, in order to guide their students towards careers in graphic design.