How to Become a Graphic Designer At Home

Without realizing it, you encounter work that a Graphic Designer has created on a daily basis. These professionals create eye-catching designs that combine arresting imagery with text to send a message about their brand quickly. If you feel like you’re a creative person, you might have even considered becoming a Graphic Designer but perhaps were unsure about where to begin. Did you know that you can work towards this exciting career primarily from home? There are plenty of resources that can help you on your way while avoiding a commute and managing your current commitments. 

Read on to find out more!

What is Graphic Design?

From product labels and business cards to the interface for an entire software program, graphic design is at the heart of it all. Graphic design is defined by the American Institute of Graphic Arts as “the art and practice of planning and projecting ideas and experience with visual and textual content.” In other words, this art form seamlessly marries images and text to communicate with the viewer. These designs can be used to sell products, advertise an event, or simply express a belief held by the artist.

Several elements of graphic design like color, size, and texture work in harmony with graphic design principles like balance, rhythm, and proportion. These concepts are critical to understand regardless of the types of designs you want to create. Knowing how they all work together will help you design the most compelling images for your clients.

Steps to Become a Graphic Designer at Home

A few things will need to take place before you’re ready to start your new career as a Graphic Designer. These may happen in any order (or simultaneously), but each step is crucial as you explore your options.

1. Choose your learning style. As you consider your options for learning graphic design at home, it’s important to reflect on your ideal learning environment. Do you have the discipline to self-study, or would you benefit from a structured class to keep you more organized? Taking the time to gain awareness about your abilities can go a long way towards setting yourself up for success later on.
   
2. Learn the relevant software programs. The bulk of a Graphic Designer’s toolbox is made up of software found in the Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. These programs will require a financial investment, but most graphic design positions will require experience with one or more of these applications.
3. Practice and build a portfolio. Once you’ve gotten the hang of the various computer programs you’ll need, it’s time to practice. Many people start by creating designs for friends or local businesses. You can also try to recreate some of your favorite designs to understand how they were made; just be sure not to add these to your portfolio since they’re not your original work.
4. Begin the job search. It may take some time to launch your new career. The good news with graphic design is that you can easily freelance and continue building your portfolio as you search for a job that is the perfect fit. You can also choose to exclusively freelance, which can be quite lucrative once you’ve built a solid client base.
5. Keep up with current trends. This ongoing process is especially important after you’ve secured a job. Artistic trends are constantly evolving, so the best Graphic Designers will be those who make a conscious effort to keep up with the latest advancements to ensure their designs are current.

Graphic Design Careers

Typically, a Graphic Designer creates still or “static” images like logos, billboards, and advertisements that appear in newspapers or magazines. These images are designed to establish brand awareness while being visually appealing enough to attract new customers. They earn an average annual salary of over $53,000, though working for a larger company can mean a higher salary. 

These days, more businesses are engaging with the digital space. This means that Graphic Designers have had to expand their skill set so their work will also translate online. Below, you’ll find a couple of career paths that require experience in graphic design but potentially offer a bit more security.

One area you could explore is motion graphics design. A Motion Graphics Designer combines animation with text and sound to create moving images that instantly grab a viewer’s attention. You’re likely already familiar with the work of these professionals through social media and in the opening credits of movies and television shows. A Motion Graphics Designer created some of the most iconic opening sequences like Game of Thrones, Mad Men, and Westworld! This profession typically commands around $64,000 per year.

If you’re interested in market research in addition to graphic design, becoming a User Interface (UI) Designer might be a great fit for you. In this profession, you’ll develop the interactive features of mobile applications and websites to ensure accessibility and a positive experience for all users. A UI Designer earns around $86,000 per year, though this can increase with time and experience; a Senior UI Designer typically makes closer to $114,000 per year. 

Books and Virtual Resources to Learn Graphic Design

Books are an excellent resource to teach yourself about the fundamentals of graphic design. Of course, many of these are available for free in your community’s library, but you may want to purchase your own copies to keep handy throughout your education and career. How to… by Michael Bierut is a must-have for aspiring graphic designers. This book discusses how the author developed some of his most famous designs for prolific clients like Saks Fifth Avenue and Harley Davidson. Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler is another option to help you understand how a design concept evolves from the first conception to the official launch. 

You can also look into several free online tutorials on basic graphic design projects to get started. Some of these basic projects include logo design and small projects for social media. You can also join some online graphic design forums. These spaces allow you to share and collaborate on your projects with other designers. You’ll also become more comfortable with receiving constructive criticism and using that feedback to improve your work. Finally, GIMP is a free, open-source program with many of the same features as various Adobe products. While investing in these software tools will eventually be necessary to thrive in your career, this is a free way to learn the basics before spending your hard-earned money. 

These tools are all excellent ways to get started. However, project-based learning is the gold standard when it comes to learning a new skill. Graphic design classes and bootcamps often provide hands-on projects for students to complete, and many of them can be attended remotely!

Learn Graphic Design with Noble Desktop

If you’re ready to begin your new graphic design career, check out the variety of graphic design classes offered by Noble Desktop. Their classes can be taken remotely or in person on their New York City campus. Suppose you want to start off slow by learning just one or two different software programs commonly used for graphic design. In that case, you can look into the Adobe Photoshop Bootcamp, the Adobe InDesign Bootcamp, or the Adobe Illustrator Bootcamp. These beginner courses last for 18 hours and teach students the vital foundational skills they need to use each application. 

Noble Desktop also has some graphic design certifications available if you’d prefer a more intensive experience. The first is a Graphic Design Certificate, which is a 12-day course that covers learning how to use Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. Noble Desktop also provides a UX & UI Design Certificate. This curriculum trains students in several relevant Adobe products while guiding students toward creating their own prototypes and designs.