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- Study design theory. If you've got this far, then you already know that graphic design skills involve a lot more than simply putting elements together and seeing what looks nice.
- Get the most from feedback. Feedback is essential for a graphic designer, and yet dealing with criticism is also one of the most emotionally draining parts of the job.
- Start a side project. If you're designing the same kind of pieces over and over again in your nine-to-five job, that can quickly lead to your graphic design skills becoming stale, not to mention the impact on your own enthusiasm and passion for the discipline.
- Experiment. There's a popular saying in the world of web startups: fail fast. In other words. it’s only by trying out lots of experimental design ideas and putting them into practice that you find out what works best and what you’re good at.
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May 20, 2023 · This includes the design of visual elements and compositions for products, services, architecture, interiors, transportation, urban environments, experiences, productions, information environments, games and virtual worlds. The following are common graphic designs techniques and considerations.
- Subscribe to Graphic Design Blogs
- Get A Graphic Design Mentor
- Refine Your Skills with A Graphic Design Course
- Brush Up on Design Theory
- Follow Graphic Designers on Social Media
- Read Graphic Design Books
- Master Your Design Tools
- Practice Graphic Design Briefs
- Learn New Graphic Design Software
- Refine Your Signature Style and Specialise
Graphic design blogs are a great way to stay abreast of what’s going on in the design world and check in on the latest trends and projects that have the industry buzzing. Though on top of this, they’re also an ideal way of topping up your skills. Blogs—such as the Shillington Design Blogthat you’re reading right now—are packed with incredible resou...
A smart way of improving your graphic design skills is to partner up with a more experienced graphic designer and allow them to mentor you through your training and work. Finding a mentor is the first step—there are dedicated websites for this, but if you want to be mentored by someone specific then reach out to them directly or the studio they wor...
The best way to improve your design skills is to do a graphic design course. There are many options for a course but the best bet for an upskiller is Shillington’s innovative graphic design course. In just three months full-time or nine months part-time, you’ll be taught design theory, design thinking, foundation and application, the relevant desig...
If you feel like your skills are a bit lacking, then it might just be a case of letting design theory, the thing that should be the basis of every one of your designs, slip. Design theory is ultimately what will make your design successful—so you’re not going to get very far without it. Design theory includes the five principles of design(alignment...
Improving your graphic design skills starts with knowing what’s going on in the design industry and this means being aware of other graphic designers and their work. Social media has been revolutionary in this—opening the design world up and allowing designers to share their work with ever-growing networks. If you’re looking at how to improve your ...
Graphic designers are known for their love of books, so there’s absolutely no shortage of amazing graphic design books—covering everything from logos to design history to why fonts are important. What does this mean for you? Picking up some graphic design books is a great way to brush up on your design skills. Books can teach, books can inform and ...
One of the most important things to know in order to be a graphic designer is the essential graphic design tools—these include the graphic design programs, Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop) and Figma, an iMac or MacBook Pro and lots of other tools that will make your job easier and your designs better. Mastering these tools...
We all know that famous phrase “practice makes perfect” and in this case it really rings true. If you’re pondering how to improve your graphic design skills then get practising. Practiceis important, especially if you’ve strayed from creating, as it gives you the headspace to think about how to design properly without the pressure of having to crea...
The graphic design industry is always evolving which means that new design software is always appearing and replacing older software. Whether it’s annual updates changing certain things in the Adobe Creative Cloud or a new program that comes in and revolutionises the industry like Figma, there’s always things cropping up. Make sure you’re learning ...
Another brilliant way of improving your design skills is to refine your signature style and find your own design speciality. A signature style will not only allow you to think about what you know and what you need to know to be able to achieve it, but also a chance to practise and fine-tune the skills you already have. Specialising in an area of de...
- Limit the number of fonts you use. This may be the most commonly encountered tip I received from the designers I spoke with. They highly encourage that you use different fonts in one design, but do not over-exaggerate and go overboard.
- Change the size and height of your text to make it fit perfectly on your design. You can always play around with the text that is overlaid on an image.
- Use contrasting fonts to stick out—they make the perfect pair. When designing, the goal is to draw someone’s attention and portray to them what you’re trying to say.
- Don’t be afraid to go BIG. When choosing elements for your design, remember: larger objects attract more attention than smaller objects. If you’re using multiple elements, make sure that your principal object is larger than the others, as the eye of your viewer will automatically be drawn to the larger of the two objects.
- Hilary Archer
- Use a cohesive color palette. Color is arguably one of the most impactful tools a designer has when wanting to convey a certain tone or message in a design and a consistent color scheme is a must.
- Create hierarchy and group elements. Hierarchy is arguably one of the most important considerations of a successful design. Graphic designers are visual communicators, and hierarchy is the element that assists in the readability of a design or guides the viewer from the most important element through to the final CTA (call to action).
- Create visual contrast. Working hand in hand with the design principle of hierarchy is contrast. Just like in real life, when something appears visually different from what is around it our eyes are immediately drawn to it.
- Don’t be afraid of white space. The space between the elements of your design is called ‘white’ or ‘negative’ space. This space isn’t simply the absence of content, but a design choice in itself, and can be used to achieve significant design principles such as the aforementioned contrast and hierarchy.
Get your graphic design game-face on with these inspiring tips. Whether you’re creating videos for social media or designing invitations for an upcoming event, the application of graphic design is vast and versatile. From font pairing and scale, to alignment and white space, the facets of the design world are complex.
Jul 31, 2023 · Contents. Practice daily sketching. Learn new software. Take online courses. Follow industry leaders. Read graphic design books. Participate in design competitions. Attend design workshops. Join design communities. Find a mentor. Critique others' work. Accept criticism gracefully.