How to improve as a graphic designer

Being a graphic designer is an ever-broadening profession. With technology and demands for creatives changing day to day in the current world, it's hard to know where to focus your attention in order to make the most of your time learning. Here are a few tips on how I learned to find my passion in design and keep improving with my work and clients.

Narrow it down

A personal flaw of mine is that I’m obsessive and I need to cover all the possible bases. If I see an illustration style or an animation that I like I have to try to recreate it and make that ‘my thing’. But this is inefficient and time-consuming, not to mention confusing. Sometimes these beautiful illustrations or typography posters or detailed logo designs are best left for someone else to do. Admire as much as you like but taking on that role for yourself, maybe not. For example, I also would love to be a professional footballer… But this isn’t something I’ve invested the necessary time into to be a possibility. Stick to what you know and choose your targets wisely. 

Try to figure out what it is you want to do in your graphic design career and do that thing. If you like designing logos, if you like making posters or if you love animation there will be an audience for you so don’t be afraid to narrow it down and choose something more niche. When I started out I found a niche in creating stop-motion, animated, collage music videos and you’d think there were only so many people who’d want this but that was the power of it in itself. It was so unique that my demand and my rates went up and up. 

Practice Practice Practice

This part’s obvious and a lot goes without saying but to give my two cents on the matter I think experience in anything will always lead to better outcomes and more so, efficiency in the process. Similar to the last point but not straying too far, if you see something you like the style of (within your chosen niche) then try to replicate it. Try to find tutorials, ask in communities or find your own solutions. The more you do this the more tools you collect in your toolbox to solve more problems down the line. You never know how the method of drawing a vector cow now might benefit creating a brand for something entirely different 5 years later.

If you want to be a logo designer then design logos, if you hit a wall and find something you can’t do then focus on learning how to do that thing. Break down these walls one by one and you might find that they stop popping up.

Using the same tools daily, be that pencil and paper or Adobe Photoshop will show results eventually. If you don’t have a project or focus right now then make one up or find a challenge or competition online. As well as fill out your portfolio this can help churn out content to entice new clients and can help you to fill in gaps of your skillset. If your schedule is clear today, make.

Surround yourself with inspiration

This is something I neglected for a long time but it does help a lot. If you’re a designer I’m assuming you love art and design and enjoy consuming it when it comes your way. So indulge in this hobby, try a new print for your bedroom wall, follow your favourite designers on Instagram, read a book (fiction and non-fiction) and keep inspiration sites like Pinterest close at hand. It’s easy to get caught up in the monotony of everyday life, art keeps this fresh and exciting and the number of times I’ve simply watched a film that’s brought my creativity a new lease of life is countless. 

This makes all of the other points tick over for me, I’ll see a film or find a new designer I like and I’ll go and try to replicate it for fun, this might give me a new avenue to explore long-term or even unlock a door in a current project that I had neglected until now. Creativity doesn’t grow from office desks and grey building blocks, it’s not something designers can just conjure up from thin air, it needs to be nurtured and excited. Keep your social media feeds well-curated and full of inspirational brands, designers and artists that make you tick and remind yourself of why you want to be a designer. 

Take on more work

When you’re starting out this can be daunting, to say yes to a job you’re not qualified in. But trust me this is one of the best ways to expand your skillset and learn what’s necessary in a project scenario. After all this prospective client came to you of all people, from the work you’ve produced and shown to them so why say no? Throw yourself in the deep(er) end and see how you adapt to the challenge. 

If you wait around disqualifying jobs for not being the right fit or being too difficult or even too boring then you’re missing out on all these opportunities to learn. If after all your biggest fear is failure then you also miss out on the lessons these failures teach and more so how to respond when you’re up against it.