What advice would you give to a starting graphic designer?

A place for Graphic Artists to learn and participate in NON COMMERCIAL design challenges. Whether it be a logo, a flyer or a vehicle wrap. This is the place to challenge yourself and hopefully learn from others.

Each week we will feature one design challenge. The goal of the design challenge is to follow the design brief and come up with your own visual solution. Much like working at an ad agency or the like, except no one day turnarounds, we give you a week to get the creative ball rolling. This is not Spec work, it is not to generate ideas and steal them.

 

Hi Reem Boudraa, Interesting Topic! Thank you for Inviting Me to Answer this Question.
* First is not always best: The design market is competitive and it may be frustrating, feeling like all the ideas have been taken.
This may be true, but remember that first ideas might not always be the best option.
You can improve it and make it your own.
* Accept there are people who are better than you: It doesn’t matter how good an individual may be, there will always be someone better.
* This is not a race: Compete only with yourself.
If there must be competition, compete with the lazy or negative person inside oneself.
This will always be more difficult than competing with others.
* Start freelance jobs as early as you can: This is the best way to understand what the real world wants from you.
* Success is different for each designer: Making lots of money sounds successful.
However, monetary success is not the only reward that can be focused on.
* Excel in one or two areas: You need to have enough information about different design fields to accomplish the job, but it is impractical to try to excel at everything.
* Build your website portfolio as soon as you can: Having an online portfolio will not only showcase your best work, but this is also important for a job search as it helps you recognize your strengths.
* Be a true judge of your own work: If the work you have created doesn’t make you excited, it won’t make others excited either.
* Never work for free: If a client is unable to pay, they can offer other resources that you can benefit from * Failing is good: Accept the fact that we won’t win all the time.
Without failing early, you won’t be able to succeed later.
* Respect and attention has a price tag: If you want to get respect and attention for your work, you need to pay for that by spending time, work and effort on your projects.
* Awards are not everything: Enjoy when you get award.
However, the best award comes from word of mouth.
* Don’t take the fun out of design: You can work on the most serious project but still have fun with it.
Fun opens the path to creativity.
* Leave your desk sometimes: Changing your environment makes a difference in your creativity, so occasionally relocate to a park or a coffee shop for a new perspective.
* Creative ideas always get rejected first: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By: Saya Behnam | Sayeh Behnam | Sally Behnam - (She has mentioned 3 Names) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When you start designing something and searching for ideas, start looking around - look at people, look at nature, look at every activity happening around you..
You'll get millions of ideas..
Don't ever get upset by criticism.
Critics are your teachers, always learn from them..
Handling Criticism is an important step to success..

Great question! We all were beginners at some point, so i'm sure we all have some great points to make! Mine are: - Make sure to follow latest trends, look into culture, and get an understanding of who and what you are designing for.
- No design response is ever wrong: Make sure to put all your ideas into the ring, sometimes it's the ideas you deem as silly that get the most responses.
- Freelance as much as you can: The more you freelance, the more experience you get in different design projects and the more of an understanding and learning curve you will have.
- Same with work experience, even if it's free, interning can be a great way to meet new people, learn more about the industry and get your foot through the door.
The Earlier you do this in your career the better it is in the long run.
- Speak up: The more involved you are the better it is for your career overall.
- Never get disheartened.
Design can be a rough industry, but if at first you don't succeed, try try again.
Don't let peoples comments get you down, and if you find yourself working with some pretty tough people, always remember to kill them with kindness.
- Try everything: The more design you try the better you will ultimately be as you will have an advantage to the people around you who may only specialise in one aspect of design.
- Practise practise practise: The more you practise the better you will be at your craft.
- Design should be fun: You decided to do design for the fun, the suprise, the group environment and the creativity.
Even if people around you get sucked into the working 9-5 and lose their edge, make sure to always keep yours.
The more fun you have the better your experiences will be in the industry.
- Listen to people.
Sometimes the people around you may have some creative critique that will help, not hinder, your design ideas.
And whilst sometimes an idea may feel like your special baby, you won't be able to push it further if you don't loosen up and let others have a look and discuss your next moves.

first thank u because u invite me second u should love the design for understand it u can start by learn photo shop .
it very important if u like work in advertisig design second learn more about illustrator if u like drawing and the illustator is v ery important to make logo for any company.
finally u can learn indesign if u prefer work for magazines or newspaper u should search about new idea in advertise by using a lot of searching and u should train u to learn u and give u expert in graphic

Well, i'd say the most important factor is "to know your platform" & "master your tools" These 2 points will help you work faster and more efficient, and hence stand out from the crowd....
For example: if you are designing something for print, you need to acknowledge Illustrator & Indesign more than Photoshop [otherwise you'll end up consuming lots of time just going through editing process to make it fit for printing] If you are going for web, the platforms would differ....
The key point here is that the more you are aware of which platform to use to meet your target (and the tips & tricks to get you going faster) the more you are likely to prove and give the impression to your clients that you know what you are doing (which gives them more confidence to hire you) It's needless to say, of course, that you need always to enrich your creativity & acquire inspiration from other media through reseach & deep understanding.
Hope that was helpful :)

start to be an artist first.

Always practice ,  and the more you do the perfect you be come. If you have problem or finding some difficulty consult anyone who can help you with solution. Do not be shy to ask 

Designer should be kept updated on any issues Related with graphic designing keep seeking for new design buy design catalogs like this great book for business cards Design { The Best of Business Card Design {nine} this is a Series book you can check them all on internet http://books.google.com.eg/books?id=E77LGom8nGMC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ar#v=onepage&q&f=false - so keep seeking & keep looking around you your eye must be sensitive to arts - Simulates every design you like as start after that creativity will blow out of you { booooom} - we just Start where others have ended - work hard and keep practices - be updated with software like3D`s Max3D Modeling and Rendering Software

check your ability and level of interest

Give full concentrate on your work and think with your common sense