What are the Common Assignments for Graphic Design Students?

Did you know that creative ruts can often be a source of inspiration ? When you’re stuck in such a situation and you need to complete an assignment, you should still try to enhance your skills.

One great way to do this is by challenging yourself to try something new and out of your comfort zone. Assign yourself with “difficult” tasks once in a while too. Either way, completing projects and assignments is essential for all graphic designer students and here are some of the most common ones.

beginning graphic design assignments

Assignments for beginners

At the university level, the common 1st-year assignments for Graphic Design students are:

  • Redrawing famous logos on the computer as detailed and accurate as possible.
  • Using black and white to design logos, posters, book covers, invitations, and other media or you creating these using the most innovative colors possible.
  • Making a visual representation of a concept that represents your personality best.
  • Reinventing the identity of a famous brand.
  • Recreating a poster for a well-known band or creating album artwork for a CD cover for a band you have created in your mind.
  • Designing a magazine including the concept, logo, name, masthead, and a grid for the table of contents.
  • Designing a résumé or business card for yourself.

Assignments for higher levels

There are also assignments that involve Graphic Design students in higher levels. These include:

  • Travel Guides

This is a practical assignment that will give you the chance to demonstrate your ability to realize an entire printed project from cover to cover to show off your design skills.

  • Coloring Books

These kinds of projects require a lot of innovation, creativity, and knowledge of what children want. The designs should showcase your unique style in the most creative way. To catch the interest of children, the books should include a lot of fun designs. This assignment will demonstrate your ability to create strong concepts outside of a set design.

  • Posters illustrated with the letters of the alphabet

For this project, you will use the letters of the alphabet to come up with a series of posters. This task will provide you with inspiration for how to utilize limited resources to create interesting visuals.

beginning graphic design assignments

Assignments to practice real-world skills

There also assignments that will provide you with a better understanding of what clients want in the real world. These include:

  • Black and White Compositions

These will help you understand how to use layout simple shapes to direct the eye of the viewer in a certain way.

  • Expressive Typography

With either a phrase or a single word, you should choose the most appropriate typefaces to convey a feeling relative to the word or phrase. Here, you have to learn how to express yourself without relying on colors, shapes, or pictures.

  • Logo Design

This assignment will bring out your self-expression and creativity as you have to create a logo for yourself. The project can even be more effective if you have to create a logo for another person because you will have to get to know them first. That way, you can represent the other person well.

  • Print Layouts

These include flyers, posters, package designs, or brochures. Here, you will learn how to use different programs or software to compose layouts.

Web design is a great skill that graphic designers should try to learn. You need a lot of web design assignments to learn how to design sites that work across different devices.

Best assignment help for you

While you might find these assignments to be “right up your alley,” you might get assigned with other kinds of tasks too. Many visually artistic university students find themselves struggling with assignment writing like essays or research papers.

If you are one of those who have difficulty with written work, simply order your assignment from Uk.EduBirdie, an extremely reliable essay writing service. Whether you need research, literature, or even law assignment help , they will help you out. The writers are experts and they know the intricacies of college academic writing so you can really trust them for your work.

beginning graphic design assignments

Assignments to hone creativity

Apart from the tasks assigned to you by your teacher, you can also assign yourself work to hone your creativity. The following exercises will help you relax and unleash your imagination:

  • Monster Doodles

This is a mini-exercise that’s effective if you do it with other students. Together, you will work to draw a monster. You will take turns drawing part of the monster and only see what each of you has drawn until the end. It’s really fun!

  • Photo Picture

With your camera – which can be as simple as the camera of your phone or as high-tech as a DSLR camera – find something interesting in your surroundings that you will use to create a photo story. Take around 8 to 10 photos and from these, choose between 3 to 5 pictures and arrange them for your photo story. You can even add some elements to enhance the story without using too many words or sentences. You can either do this on your computer or print out the photos, then add visual elements using different craft materials.

  • Faces in Your Imagination

Download a face template online and draw faces from your imagination. As fast as you can, draw different faces to see what you will come up with. Sketching is a fun way of honing your creative skills. One of those faces you draw might even be your jumping point for an amazing animated character sometime in the future.

  • Photo Collage

First, choose a subject. Next, surf the internet and search for images or photos that fit into the subject you have chosen. You can also take pictures of yourself too. This is a mini-exercise similar to the Photo Story. The difference is that you’re not telling a story. Instead, you will make a collage that looks almost random but is still an expression of your creativity.

If you experience a creative block that hinders your creative processes, get over this by finding work that will truly inspire you. Teachers understand this too, which is why they give a lot of assignments to Graphic Design students. Of course, these assignments will also work for other artistic students like photographers and illustrators. By accomplishing the graphic design projects here, you will feel more excited to tackle other creative ventures.

Images: Freepik.com

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Author’s Bio:  Vendy Adams works as an audit consultant for a top-level MNC with clients all over the world. Other than her job, she freelances part-time for an academic writing service that provides essay writing assistance to students. Her free time is for yoga, reading fiction and listening to jazz music.

Recommended:

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  • How Can Students Develop Creative Thinking?
  • The Top 5 Best Laptops for College Students
  • 7 Color Trends for 2021 Every Design Student Should Be Aware Of
  • Best Online Graphic Design Courses 2021

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Graphic Design Basics: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Learn graphic design and master the art of visual storytelling with our exhaustive guide. It covers everything from graphic design basics, colors, and typography, to examples, skills, and extra tips.

Graphic Design Fundamentals

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Start your journey by going over the basics of graphic design. Learn the principles, types, and different software to use when practicing your skills.

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Color Theory: All for One and One for All

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Graphic Design Basics for Absolute Beginners

Discover the secrets to quickly mastering graphic design with these fundamental tips and tools.

Learn | By Jeff Collier

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Many of us wish we grasped the basics of graphic design to explore another revenue stream or add a new skill to our toolbox.

What a lot of people don’t realize is that gaining graphic design skills doesn’t require you to have a college degree or a dozen certifications.

You just need to have time, commitment, and knowledge of fundamental design principles, which are learnable via any graphic design course.

This complete guide to beginner’s design will cover the basics in an easily understandable way. You’ll feel like a junior designer in no time!

Table of Contents

The Fundamentals of Graphic Design

Graphic design, at its core, is about the visual representation of a brand identity or concept across print design, websites, and other mediums.

Here are the essential design elements every graphic designer should know.

A woman holding a color wheel chart in front of her outstretched hands, with a wooden cabinet and white walls in the background.

Credit: Helena Lopes

Take a spin on the color wheel and get to know complementary colors , an element of color theory .

These opposite hues enhance your visual design because, despite their disparities, they go well together.

Another element of color common in graphics and web design is color palettes. The colors in any palette should be related, such as monochrome, shades of one color (like blue), or pastels.

An arrangement of words in various fonts and effects: "out of focus," "BIG AND BOLD," "TV signal," and "STRETCH IT OUT." The words have varying styles like blurriness, thick bold letters, and stretched text.

Credit: Canva

Determining the typography is an important part of the design process that determines how readable your creative projects are.

You must choose a legible font in a good size, adjusting the kerning, tracking, and leading as needed. Here’s an explanation of those terms:

  • Kerning refers to how much spacing is between certain fonts, such as in a header.
  • Tracking is the amount of space between characters, often reserved for capital letters.
  • Leading measures the amount of space between text lines.

beginning graphic design assignments

Design projects require imagery, as this is the crux of graphic design work.

Besides selecting pictures that speak to a project or brand guidelines , you have to place the images nicely on a design layout.

Abstract background with colorful shapes and patterns. Text reads "Use the Space" with placeholder text and social media handle "@loremipsum." Decorated with botanical illustrations.

The amount of space between other elements is what makes graphic designs appealing. Get to know and love white space and negative space, which lets elements breathe by introducing intentional blank space between them.

Image of a label for "eau Spring Water." The label features a blue background resembling water with the text "eau" prominently displayed, followed by “SPRING WATER” in a smaller, blue box. Volume: 16.9 FL OZ (500 ml).

One of the fundamental principles of graphic design is texture, or adding brushes, lines, and other graphical details that take your creative work to the next level.

A person in a white crop top holds a colorful abstract painting in front of their face, with additional colorful paint marks on their arms and torso.

Credit: Anna Shvets

Shape refers to graphic design shapes and how you create them, whether through freehand or using tools to make perfect shapes.

Abstract geometric shapes in orange and pink with varying heights and angles, set against a white background with subtle wave patterns.

While shape is two-dimensional, form has depth in addition to height and width.

The shape influences the form, which can also be geometric or freehand.

  • Related: Should You Use AI in Graphic Design?

Graphic Design Tips and Best Practices

You’ve got the basic visual elements; it’s time to apply them to new projects with these handy tips.

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Simple Is Always Best

Most beginners want to create something amazing with their first forays into graphic design.

As a result, they often get carried away with color combinations, letter spacing, and other basic principles in an attempt to impress an art director or client.

However, you’ll learn through experience that the best designs are not the most complex ones but the ones that clearly communicate to the viewer.

Avoid going complex initially. Choose one design element to spotlight, then purposefully strip back the other elements so that the main component can shine.

Follow a Visual Hierarchy

Another design element to keep in mind is building a visual hierarchy. It’s a vital concept in designing, especially in product packaging and magazine covers.

Based on visual hierarchy, the most important element should be positioned in an optimal spot to guide the reader’s eye toward it, like a largescale image or headline. Then, the secondary elements get arranged in less important positions.

Visual hierarchy involves all elements of design, including color schemes, typography, and white space.

Use Color Psychology to Your Advantage

Selecting colors shouldn’t only be about which are complementary. You should also incorporate certain hues based on the moods and feelings they represent.

For example, red is a fiery, passionate, energizing color, perfect for the creative director with a new brand that wants to make an impact. Green is a softer, more calming, and healing color, making it an excellent choice for an eco-friendly company.

Selecting colors based on their psychology is a great example of design thinking.

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Top Graphic Design Tools to Explore

Two people sitting at a table in a cafe, working on their laptops. The woman in the foreground wears a white shirt, and the man in the background wears a patterned short-sleeve shirt.

Credit: Canva Studio

You can’t effectively learn graphic design without the right tools, so here are a few of the best graphic design apps you should begin with as your design journey gets underway.

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is a part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, along with another recommended software, Illustrator. It lets you do a lot of advanced graphical work, including retouching, working with layers, and using generative AI to improve your projects.

The only downsides are that Photoshop can be tough to learn for complete beginners, and it can be expensive.

  • Related: Best Photoshop Alternatives

If the cost of Photoshop is outside of your budget, try Canva. It’s a mostly free tool that will let you dive deep into your own design world as you play around with elements, backgrounds, and text.

Regardless of its simplicity, you can easily create professional projects using Canva.

Here’s an easy Canva beginner’s guide to get you started.

Adobe Illustrator

A great tagalong tool with Photoshop is Illustrator. This layout and mockup tool lets you build and edit your graphics, create your own colors using prompts, edit vector text and font, and change graphic dimensions in a single click.

Figma Design

Many designers prefer Figma because it’s free. You can work in layers like you can in Photoshop, build prototypes, standardize all your design variables, and design vectors.

It’s a great cross between Illustrator and Photoshop but without the hefty fees.

  • More: Guide to Using Lines in Graphic Design

How Often Should I Practice Graphic Design?

As often as you can. The more time you spend improving your skills, the closer you can get to entering the job market and creating work in-house.

Which Graphic Design Certifications Should I Consider?

Certifications like Adobe Certified Professional , Google UX Design Professional Certificate , and Adobe Certified Expert are some of the best ones out there.

Is Graphic Design a Crowded Market?

It is indeed. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that graphic design jobs will grow at a rate of three percent between 2022 and 2032. This means more graphic designers are likely to flood the market.

Your portfolio is your ticket to building a viable career.

Having a breadth of work to show off, whether you were compensated for it, did it as part of an internship, or created a graphic in your spare time, will impress potential clients and hopefully lead to a snowball effect where your career launches fruitfully.

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Jeff Collier is an experienced film photographer who enjoys experimenting with modern digital photography equipment, software and apps. He’s also an ex-world champion triathlete and avid cyclist, clocking hundreds of km each week in the beautiful Tweed Valley of northern NSW, Australia.

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What is Graphic Design: Absolute Beginner Guide

by Wegic Team

Aug 28, 2024

What is graphic design?

Graphic design's main focuses, what are the types of graphic design.

  • Visual Identity Design : Aims to create a consistent and identifiable brand image by developing the visual components of a brand, such as logos, typography, color palettes, and brand guidelines.
  • Marketing and Advertising Design : Includes creating materials, such as posters, brochures, social media graphics, and online advertisements, that market goods or services in an effort to draw viewers in and encourage interaction.
  • User Interface ( UI ) Design : Focuses on creating a smooth and usable user experience by designing the visual components of digital interfaces, such as websites, applications, and software.
  • Publication design : Organizes and creates printed items such as books, periodicals, newspapers, and reports with an emphasis on aesthetic appeal and readability.
  • Motion Graphics Design : Combines graphic design with animation to create engaging and dynamic visuals for videos, presentations, websites, and social media content.
  • Environmental Design : Integrates graphic design with architecture and interior design to create visually appealing spaces, such as signage, wayfinding systems, and exhibition displays.
  • Art and Illustration for Graphic Design : Includes custom illustrations and art used in various design projects, adding a unique and personalized touch to the visuals.

1. Visual Identity Design

what is graphic design

2. Marketing and Advertising Design

beginning graphic design assignments

3. User Interface ( UI ) Design

beginning graphic design assignments

4. Publication Design

beginning graphic design assignments

5. Packaging Design

beginning graphic design assignments

6. Motion Graphics Design

beginning graphic design assignments

7. Environmental Design

beginning graphic design assignments

8. Illustration for Design

beginning graphic design assignments

Basic guide to graphic design as a beginner

Design your graphic in five steps.

  • Start by understanding the goal of the design and who it’s intended for. Ask questions like, "What message do I want to convey?" and "Who is the target audience?" This clarity will guide your design choices.
  • Look at similar designs, industry trends, and sources of inspiration. Create a mood board or collection of ideas that resonate with the project’s goals, helping you develop a visual direction.
  • Begin with a basic outline or sketch of your design. This doesn’t need to be detailed—just a simple framework that outlines where elements like text, images, and graphics will go.
  • Using graphic design software, bring your rough layout to life. Focus on elements like color, typography, and imagery. Experiment with different styles, refine details and ensure everything aligns with the overall purpose.
  • Once the design is complete, step back and review it. Get feedback from others if possible. Make any necessary adjustments to improve clarity, aesthetics, or effectiveness before finalizing the design.

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Beginner’s Guide to Graphic Design

Elliot Ulm

Your Instructor

Elliot Ulm is a freelance graphic designer and YouTuber from Australia, with clients like Adobe. He is known for his comedic personality, humorous videos and bold designs.

What you’ll learn

Description.

Discover how easy and fun graphic design can be, as you follow along with Elliot step by step!

Despite what people may say, designing in Photoshop doesn’t have to be intimidating—if you have the right teacher!

In this engaging course, Elliot will teach you everything you need to know to start out, equipping you with core design skills to fuel your creativity!

You’ll breeze through super easy lessons, each building on another, covering key concepts and techniques that you can put to use immediately on your first poster ever! Exciting!!!

Look forward to mastering Photoshop’s essential tools and functions, working with fonts and colors to create eye-catching designs, grasping the fundamentals of design theory, and discovering Elliot’s best practices. PLUS, you’ll also enjoy fun homework exercises to implement all you’ve learned!

  • If you’re a complete beginner, this course is for you!
  • If you’ve never touched Photoshop in your life, this course is for you!
  • If you don’t know how to draw, this course is for you!

So what are you waiting for? Let’s jump right in!

Who is this course for

  • Absolute beginners to graphic design
  • Those wanting to express their creativity through graphic design
  • Designers looking to pick up new skills and techniques

This course includes

Used in course.

beginning graphic design assignments

What you'll need

  • Digital drawing software such as Photoshop or similar ( see examples Affinity Photo, ArtRage, Artweaver, Astropad, Clip Studio Paint, Corel Painter, Krita, Inkscape, IbisPaint, GIMP, Rebelle 4, Photoshop, Paintstorm Studio, Procreate, MediBang Paint, SketchPad, SketchBook, TwistedBrush, Vectr... )
  • No drawing experience needed

Lesson Plan

Join this entertaining, learning adventure with Elliot, where he shares the joy of graphic design and gives you a solid foundation to start out in this field.

The aim of this course is to have fun and express yourself creatively while picking up essential tools and nifty skills! Sounds amazing, right?

Design Thinking and Getting Started

Graphic design isn’t just a service for a client, it can be an avenue to express yourself creatively as well!

Elliot will walk you through the basics in this lesson, including composition, color choice, typography, contrast, and more—essentials for creating eye-catching designs!

You’ll also explore ways to find inspiration and decide on the message you want to communicate. Fun!

Problem Solving

The basic elements, finding inspiration, what do you want to say, using photoshop.

The easiest way to learn about Photoshop is to start designing something!

You’ll have a blast with Elliot in a fun warm-up exercise to familiarize yourself with the Photoshop workspace and its user-friendly tools.

He’ll teach you about file setup for both web and print, composition techniques using grids, blending modes, filters and lots more fun stuff!

By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a basic design skill set under your belt! Awesome!

Starting a New File

The basic tools, warm-up design, grids, rulers and spacing, blending modes, typography, colors and gradients.

How to choose fonts and colors for design

Using a good font is the easiest way to make your designs look better.

You’ll explore font sources and what to look for when picking fonts. Also, discover how to use the type tool to perfect your poster’s heading.

Next, dive into the world of color palettes. Elliot will show you how to choose colors that work harmoniously together and use them strategically to create an impressive design that’s easier than it looks! Magic!

Choosing a Font

The type tool, choosing a color palette, creating a gradient orb, extra elements and exporting.

Elliot Ulm teaches graphic design

Get ready to add those final touches to make your poster really pop! You’ll immerse yourself in the world of textures, learning to seamlessly add them into your design and discover cool tricks to fill in any blank spaces.

Elliot will demystify the process of exporting your file, breaking down each step so it’s a breeze. He’ll also give solid advice on how to grow as a designer, sharing insight from his own creative journey.

Come join us and let’s take your graphic design skills to new heights!

How to Fill Space

Using texture, best ways to export, where to post, student feedback, 74 customer reviews & ratings.

Course rating

(Based on 74 reviews)

9 months ago

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About the Instructor

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is 21 draw.

21 Draw is an online learning community where students of all skill levels can learn how to be a better artist. Our contributing artists and instructors are the best in the world.

Our streaming platform on www.21-draw.com makes it possible for anyone to watch hundreds of video lessons by industry legends who have worked for Disney, Marvel, DC, Dreamworks, Pixar & more. A membership gives full access to our streaming platform.

On books.21-draw.com you can buy our popular learn-to-draw ebooks and physical books, separate from the courses, and they too are also delivered to you by the heavyweights of the art industry.

What is included in the membership?

Membership includes unlimited access to all 55+ courses taught by the world’s best artists PLUS new courses as they are released.

Each class includes 10-20 video lessons that are 7 minutes long on average. Most classes include exercise sheets, assignments, and layered PSD or PNG files.

Some classes include the ability to chat with the instructor in a public forum, e.g. if you want feedback on your artwork.

Do I receive a certificate after I complete a course?

Yes! When you complete a 21 Draw course, you will receive a certificate of completion, which you can download and share with your friends, relatives, co-workers, and potential employers!

Are these online or offline courses?

21 Draw courses are on-demand (pre-recorded) video tutorials that you can watch online with any digital devices anytime and for an unlimited number of times! This means you can easily watch (and rewatch) them at your own pace and convenience.

Can a beginner follow along?

We have classes for all levels, even for those with zero drawing experience. In general, artists at all levels can benefit from these courses—whether beginner, intermediate or advanced.

Do the courses teach digital or traditional art?

Many lessons in our courses apply to both digital and traditional art. In a few tutorials, digital drawing software, e.g. Photoshop or Procreate for iPad is required. However, for the majority of lessons it is more about the underlying concepts and all that is needed is a pen and paper.

Can I download the course videos?

You can download the course resources (exercise sheets, assignments, PSD files, etc.) from the site, but you cannot download the video lessons to your computer.

How much does a membership cost?

Normally it costs $235/year. However, there is a special sale running now for a limited time: Save 75% ! This means you can get an annual membership for just $59 USD/year.

If you purchase the annual membership at a discounted price, it will remain at that price for each consecutive year, so long as your membership is not cancelled.

How does the 30-day guarantee work?

If for any reason at all you are unhappy with our courses or feel it isn’t what you are looking for—then just fill out this form or email us at [email protected] . We’ll be more than happy to give you a full refund within 30 days of your first purchase. No questions asked. Just a guarantee you can trust.

How do I cancel my membership?

You can easily cancel your membership renewal on your My Account page. Follow the prompts to cancel (Billing > Change Plan > Cancel Membership) and your membership will immediately be terminated. Please note: Refunds ONLY possible within 30 days after the date of purchase.

If you have more questions, please check out our Knowledge base or write to us here . We’re happy to assist in any way we can!

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About 21 draw.

beginning graphic design assignments

21 Draw offers online courses and books on how to be a better artist for students of all skill levels. Our contributing artists and instructors are the best in the world.

We make great products to help you be a better artist! You'll also be the first to know about new products and special offers.

Self-Made Designer

How to Learn Graphic Design [Killer 9-Step Plan]

Here are the most important steps to learn graphic design as a beginner.

Getting started in graphic design is no easy task. And if you’re learning graphic design from home, becoming an effective designer is not a straight path.

In this article, I lay down my top 9 action steps you can implement right now to start learning graphic design effectively.

Key Takeaways:

  • Learning graphic design in the beginning involves not only studying the fundamentals, but also defining your goals, getting started with projects, sticking to high-quality resources, and finding strategies for staying committed and consistent.
  • There are 9 actions steps you can take right now to get started in your graphic design journey: (1) Get motivated ; (2) Discover your favorite style ; (3) Learn design principles ; (4) Start with design software ; (5) Develop a study plan; (6) Learn from other designers ; (7) Start on a project ; (8) Practice ; (9) Find consistency .
  • These steps are what helped me and my students become effective graphic designers: Put effort and be consistent and patient and you will get there too.

Learning graphic design by yourself can be frustrating:

What should you learn first? Where do you find reliable resources? Should you take a course?

After a decade teaching graphic design, I’ve discovered that the following 9 steps will get you unstuck in your graphic design journey and will help you get well on your way to actually becoming a graphic designer.

These are the top action steps you need to take as a beginner to successfully learn graphic design: 

  • Get motivated
  • Discover your favorite style
  • Learn graphic design principles
  • Get started with graphic design software
  • Develop a study plan
  • Learn from other designers
  • Start working on a project
  • Find consistency

Let’s begin.

1. Get Motivated

There are different reasons for getting into graphic design.  Maybe you want to:

  • Create a logo for your website
  • Express yourself and be creative 
  • Learn a new skill
  • Learn to use complex software
  • Make a career change
  • Make money online 

The reasons can be endless, but the objective will still be the same:

Your motivation to learn graphic design has to be powerful enough to keep you focused on the goal, which is to become proficient at graphic design.   

This motivating factor must be the fuel that powers your quest to learn.  

What motivated me was the fear of not having practical skills as a media studies professor in a very competitive field. 

One powerful motivating factor can be earning extra income on the side . The good thing is that you don’t have to work as a graphic designer to earn money as a designer, which can motivate you to study, learn, and practice as much as you can as quickly as possible.

According to a 2024 report , graphic design was one of the top 6 skills for which managers would increase salaries.

Also, you could even transition to a graphic design career from your current career or job. And, according to Recruiter, demand for graphic designers will only continue to increase, with more than 69,000 new positions to be filled by 2029 .

My point is this:

By taking the first steps toward generating a new revenue stream from graphic design, you are actually creating a motivation engine that will sustain your journey into graphic design.

No matter what your motivation is, there is a compelling reason to learn graphic design skills:

We live in an increasingly visual culture.  

This means that we value images over words as a society.  We are surrounded by visual interfaces. Content is mostly organized around images.  Today, images are the most important and powerful form of communication.  

Therefore: 

In today’s world, those who have skills in visual forms of communication are the most likely to succeed in their respective careers.  

So what’s the bottom line: 

No matter what your motivation is, at the very least having graphic design skills will give you a professional advantage in a world in which images are the main form of communication. 

So go ahead and find the motivation that will power your learning. 

Resources for Step 1

What is Graphic Design all About? (No-Nonsense Approach)

Is It Hard to Become a Graphic Designer?

The Ultimate Graphic Design Career Guide (Career Paths Included)

2. Discover Your Favorite Style and Formats

You have to be passionate about graphic design in order to become a designer.  

In the Web 2.0, anyone can become anything he or she wants.  But most of the time, people fail not because they don’t have the talent or the skills to become what they want to be.  

In other words: 

Today, it’s simpler to become whatever you want, and yet the road is more difficult. 

So why do so many fail? 

The reason is lack of passion.  

What I have learned from my own journey and my students is that the ability to learn the necessary skills to become a graphic designer comes from passion: persistence, discipline, and the courage to put yourself out there.  

So, learn what motivates you to become a graphic designer but also what makes you passionate about it. 

For example:

Are you into websites? Facebook memes? Typography and lettering? Logo design? Video game graphics? Comics? 

Finding out what particular graphic design styles and formats you really like are key for becoming passionate about learning.  

But you might be thinking: 

It’s not only about passion. I am not a talented person. I can’t draw or I’m not good with computers. 

Well: 

This is what exactly leads to the next step.   

Resources for Step 2

Wrestling With a Decision: How I Knew Graphic Design Was My Passion

What To Do When You Lose Motivation as a Designer

Graphic Design Is My Passion: 20 Meme Picks

3. Learn the Principles of Design  

Every discipline has a foundational set of rules that guide its best practices. 

Graphic design is no exception. You must learn the fundamental concepts that underlie the practice of design from the very beginning in order to become proficient and gain experience.  

What are design principles? The principles of design are the minimum framework needed to achieve successful results as a graphic designer.  

Design principles are time-proven and tested concepts that guide us in terms of what works and what doesn’t, visually speaking.

That is: 

If we follow these principles, we will be able to create visual designs that are appealing, effective, and memorable. 

If you want to understand how design principles work, we need to study them first. 

It will take time to understand and internalize, so start as early as possible. 

Fortunately, the list of design principles is relatively short. People give different names for each, but we can pretty much boil them down to 6 major principles:

  • Totality or Gestalt
  • Hierarchy 
  • Balance 

Want to hear the good part?

You don’t have to learn design principles before actually starting to create something. You can study and apply them as you learn software skills, techniques, and formats.    

Resources for Step 3

Design Principles [Complete Definition with Examples]

Logo Design and Gestalt Theory [Principles and Examples]

The Gestalt Principles

4. Get Started With Graphic Design Software

Graphics editing software is a big part of graphic design. There are different types of software for different types of tasks. 

One of the most common types of software are vector and pixel editing systems. 

There are many makers of graphics software, but one of the most popular and recognized is Adobe, with Illustrator for vector graphics and Photoshop for pixel (or raster) graphics. 

Generally speaking, vector graphics are used for creating shape-based drawings and digital illustrations, such as logos, stylized text, and technical drawings of objects. 

Pixel graphics are used for editing photos and photo-realistic renderings, such as photography, magazine montages, and image manipulation. 

As a beginner, you shouldn’t worry about learning one brand or another, but on understanding the logic of each type of software. 

It boils down to this: 

All vector and pixel software work in the same fundamental ways because they derive from the same philosophy and structure. 

The most important thing is that you gain access to graphics software right away and start familiarizing yourself with vector and pixel editing. 

In this sense, I’m biased toward free, open-source software. 

The good news? 

Professional-grade graphic design software is available to you for free.  I personally use and recommend Inkscape and Gimp for learning vector and pixel graphics, respectively.

In addition to being extremely powerful graphics software, capable of competing with Illustrator and Photoshop, they are free and keep getting better.  

You can create your own personal design studio from a laptop at a café with virtually no startup costs.  

Download the software and start experimenting right now . 

Resources for Step 4

Which Graphic Design Software to Learn? [Why It Really Doesn’t Matter]

Logos by Nick: Inkscape Explained

Logos by Nick: Inkscape Basics

5. Develop A Study Plan

The great news about becoming a self-taught graphic designer is that all the information you need for learning graphic design is at your fingertips.  

High-quality tutorials and lessons are available to you either free of charge or for a small price, at least compared to college education. For example, beginner online courses from sites like Udemy, Skillshare, or Domestika are inexpensive compared to college and are of the highest quality.

But you need to understand this: 

A self-taught graphic designer doesn’t magically learn to design. You still need to study, read, and practice using all kinds of different sources, from academic books to YouTube videos and online tutorials.  

A self-taught graphic designer still needs to learn what others learn in college. However, you can do it at your own pace and without spending thousands of dollars. 

At any rate, you can begin learning graphic design on your own and later take formal design education, especially in an area of specialization (videogame, information, or product design, for example). 

So, get yourself an introduction to design book, download free vector and pixel software, and start following some good tutorials on YouTube. 

You will find that the amazing thing about this approach is that you will begin right away, focused on what matters the most to you. 

Resources for Step 5

Teach Yourself Graphic Design: A Self-Study Course Outline

Logos by Nick: Inkscape Beginner Tutorials 

Udemy: Free Graphic Design Courses and Tutorials

Allison: Applying Design Principles

2D Game Art Guru

Inkscape Vector Logo Tutorial [23 Detailed Images with PDF]

6. Learn From Other Designers

One of the best ways to learn graphic design is to emulate artists, designers, and creators that inspire us. 

George Bokhua is an amazing self-taught graphic designer

When we look for inspiration, we will naturally gravitate to the styles and trends that we like, and we will start to recognize what works and what doesn’t. 

Getting inspired by designers we like or admire gives us a roadmap of what we need to learn. Also, imitating the work of others allows us to learn and improve on new skills. 

After all, as children we learn by imitating the people around us. The same is true for graphic design. 

Start looking for inspiration and learn what you like or don’t like. Start noticing which trends might apply to what you see and which designers are doing amazing work. 

Here are some ideas for getting inspiration: 

  • Start following high-quality graphic design Instagram accounts .
  • Follow specific graphic design hashtags on social media, such as #vectorgraphics, #logodesign, or #designinspiration.
  • Do searches on Google Images for keywords such as “logo inspirations” or “best website designs.”
  • Go to Pinterest and look for graphic design group boards. 
  • Follow graphic design social media such as Behance or Dribble. 

Resources for Step 6

Designspiration

Typography inspiration

George Bokhua [self-taught graphic designer]

7. Start Working On A Project

If you want to become a self-taught graphic designer, my single most important recommendation is to center your learning around a specific project .

The reason is that it is very difficult to learn a skill in thin air.  

If you start on a particular project, you will encounter specific problems that, in turn, will guide you to specific solutions. 

You will search for advice, tutorials, and knowledge that will be as specific as the problems that come up. 

For example, you could take on the challenge to design a logo for your Instagram account.

You could begin to design your future website .

Maybe you could just begin to follow practice projects, such as creating a logo or icon in Inkscape.

The more a resource helps you, the more the quality of the resource.  This becomes your noise filter to all the resources out there. 

In addition: 

The more problems you are able to solve, the more experience you get, and the more qualified you become as a graphic designer.

So, if you want to become a self-made graphic designer, take on a specific project right now. 

Maybe you need to create a newsletter for a group, a business card for your friend, or a logo for your Instagram profile. 

By taking on a project that matters to you as an excuse to learn, you will learn so much faster and gain experience as you grow. 

Resources for Step 7

9 Ways Projects Will Make You Love Learning Design

10 Graphic Design Projects You Can Easily Create Yourself

5 Mini Graphic Design Exercises to Get the Creative Juices Flowing

8. Practice

Graphic design is not primarily about talent. 

Do you need talent to be great at design?  Sure. The most successful designers I know and who inspire me every day are super talented.

However, absolute talent is not required.  This is key and you need to understand it. 

If you have read this far, chances are that you already have talent, or are in the process of polishing your talent in the raw.  

You have a certain orientation or aptitude that draws you to graphic design in the first place.  

This, believe it or not, is what most graphic designers had when they began.  

Here’s the deal: 

For most of us, talent is just a lot of practice .  

In fact: 

You don’t have to win an award or be featured in the most important publication or teach an online course to be a graphic designer.

You only have to be effective .  Talent, for the most part, is forged during the process.

You can go from having no idea about graphic design to being effective.  It takes some theory, experience, and persistence. It takes time, but not necessarily years.  

Some of my best students (with no previous graphic design experience) have accomplished excellent results in only one semester.  One of my students even got a job after only one semester of work! 

Resources for Step 8

The Talent Myth: 5 Essential Insights on Deliberate Practice

Are Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 Hours of Practice Really All You Need?

9. Find Consisten cy and Be Patient

I do believe that the internet provides the tools and information to accomplish many, many endeavors.  I also believe that you can learn graphic design faster .

The only variable that is missing from most of the pep talk about learning something new, changing a personal path, creating a new business, etc., is TIME . 

So internalize this: 

Any lasting, meaningful, and permanent change takes time .  

You can use guidance, passion, and hacks to shorten the time a permanent change in your life will take. 

As a self-taught graphic designer, only with time you will gain the insight, skills, and perspective needed to become effective, if not a great, at design.  

So, the sooner you begin, the quicker you will obtain your goal.  Plain and simple. 

Resources for Step 9

Choose Consistency Over Perfection

How Long Does it Take to Learn a Skill?

Josh Kaufman: It Takes 20 Hours Not 10,000 Hours To Learn A Skill

Conclusion: Start to Design Right Now  

I have given you the first most important steps you need to take in order to learn graphic design. Take these steps and I promise you that you will lay a solid foundation for teaching yourself graphic design. 

Now, the most important takeaway from this post is this:  

PICK A PROJECT RIGHT NOW AND CENTER YOUR LEARNING AROUND IT.  

As you do this, learn the principles of design. Understand why you’re doing this. Be passionate about it.  Aspire to be effective. Use your resources wisely. Understand that it will take time, but don’t hesitate to start.  

You will see that it is possible to learn graphic design on your own with the resources available to you. 

beginning graphic design assignments

About the Author:

Ruben Ramirez teaches digital media in college and started Self-Made Designer to share his knowledge of graphic design. He is also a self-taught designer.

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beginning graphic design assignments

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Top Graphic Design Projects to Sharpen Your Skills and Build Your Graphic Design Portfolio

The graphic design industry continues to harness the creativity and innovative ideas of graphic designers . As a result, it is crucial to be equipped with the right skills to place you in high demand. Embarking on graphic design projects is an excellent way to develop top-tier skills and build a robust graphic design portfolio.

We’ve compiled various graphic design projects for designers with different experience levels that can help sharpen relevant skills. In addition, we’ve included some of the skills, techniques, and tips to revamp your portfolio and land high-paying jobs. No matter what kind of graphic design job or design team you want to work for, there are plenty of projects available to instill you with essential graphic design principles.

Find your bootcamp match

5 skills that graphic design projects can help you practice.

If you look around you, you will see the obvious signs of a graphic designer on virtually everything. From books to packaging wraps to software interfaces, it is evident that they subtly play an essential role in our lives. The design principles and the skills utilized define their identity and are integral to our appreciation of the world of graphic design. 

  • Creativity: A creative mind is central to the development of great designs. While creativity can be subjective, it is the foundation of every design concept, no matter how haphazard that concept is in the beginning. 
  • Communication: This describes the wholesome ability to listen to a client’s needs, process feedback, and effectively communicate creative ideas. It also refers to the ability to convey a message with visual materials. 
  • Typography: In context, this refers to the ability to represent written text in the form of art. Every designer must know how to tell a story using various text elements like font size, style, color scheme, and layout. 
  • Software Skills: Learning Adobe Illustrator , InDesign, and Photoshop is essential. These tools are a basic requirement for many job postings.
  • Coding: While many think coding doesn’t have a place in the design industry, having basic experience with HTML can be very useful for designers. Knowing how a website works can help you contribute to the idea generation process and give you an edge in the marketplace.  

Best Graphic Design Project Ideas for Beginners

As a beginner, the first projects you complete should develop your creativity, typography, communication, and software skills. You want to make sure to build foundational graphic design skills and techniques before taking on big jobs from clients.

Photo Editing

  • Skills Practiced: Software Skills, Creativity

This project exposes you to basic tools like Adobe Photoshop. Being able to manipulate an image will teach you everything from image cleanups to color schemes to enhancements. Also, you get to infuse some creativity with little projects like photo collages and storytelling.

  • Skills Practiced: Creativity, Software Skills, Typography, and Communication

Logos are a representation of what a brand or organization stands for. They speak volumes about what companies do and subtly express their values. Professionals often follow the Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS) approach while designing logos, focusing on minimalism and the business’ core values. This fundamental principle is suggestive of the power of simplicity in graphic design.  

Business Cards

  • Skills Practiced: Creativity, Software Skills, Typography, Communication

This design challenge will allow you to practice the skills mentioned above. Every business relies on business cards as a means of introduction. They are also an expression of the company’s branding. Therefore, it is vital to capture the company’s essence through excellent typography and some ingenuity.

YouTube Thumbnails

  • Skills Practiced: Creativity, Software Skills, Communication

YouTube thumbnails aim is to encourage viewers to click on a video by telling a great story in just one small image. You must have an exciting thumbnail to enhance your content marketing campaign, which requires creativity and communication skills. Given how lucrative YouTube is today, being able to create the perfect thumbnail is an incredibly valuable skill.

Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Graphics

Social media is an integral part of our lives. While we browse through our feeds, we come across various posts that communicate different messages to us, but not all do so effectively. A good graphic is aesthetically pleasing and successfully conveys our messages and values. To create such designs, you can rely on existing templates that meet recommended standards.  

Best Intermediate Graphic Design Project Ideas

At this level, the projects are a lot more technical. They will sharpen your graphic design skills further but require a bigger time commitment. The following is a list of projects you can take on to practice your creativity as well as your software and typography skills.

Invitation Cards

  • Skills Practiced: Creativity, Software Skills, Typography

This project requires a lot of creativity. After all, an invitation card is a representation of the host’s class and taste. Creating an outstanding invitation design will test your typography and software skills. The challenge you are up to is to effectively, and aesthetically, communicate the details of the event.

Posters and Fliers  

Digital posters and flyers have to be visually appealing while satisfactorily communicating a message to the public. Creating posters and fliers for public relations and marketing campaigns will expose you to scaling and proper design layouts in digital platforms.

Infographics 

Infographics employ pictures, data visualizations, typography, and statistical graphics to tell a straightforward story or present information. Working on an infographic will give you experience with important tools like Canva and Venngage and allow you to exercise your creativity as you think of ways to represent information in a way that is visually attractive, impactful, and effective.

Book Covers

The cover of a book plays a key role in sales. While it is advised not to judge a book by its cover, the truth is that a book with a sloppy design won’t sell very well. It is always best to aim for a cover design that is stylish and captures the essence of the book.

Magazines and Brochures

Designing the look and feel of a magazine or brochure is a complex project. It involves a range of elements, including advertising, visual representation, photography, art, and graphic design. Working on a magazine design will expose you to the design principles and standards used in print media. 

Advanced Graphic Design Project Ideas

At this level, graphic designers begin to carve a niche and specialize in a particular area. The skills required and practiced here cut across all the technical skills mentioned earlier. In addition, many advanced designers begin to venture into the world of coding, which tends to boost their designer credentials. 

Graphic designers are central to good branding. They define the visual identity of a company, shaping the public perception of it with elements like logos, color schemes, fonts, and slogans. Working on a company’s brand identity is a fun project that will allow you to use your technical skills to change how an organization is perceived by the media.

Mockup Designs

Mockups give you a taste of a concept or design before it is created, helping clients visualize what the final product will look like. Creating mockups involves a fair dose of creativity as well as dexterity with software like Balsamiq, Adobe XD, or InVision.

User Interface (UI) Design

  • Skills Practiced: Creativity, Software Skills, Typography, Communication, Coding

The complex field of UI design will test all the technical skills discussed thus far. You will even have to dabble in coding as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills are required to work on the customer-facing side of an application of a website. You will get a lot of fulfillment out of this project: creating an application or website interface is critical to the consumer experience with a digital product.

Product Design

Product design can be considered an extension of branding. However, rather than focusing on the logo or values of a company, the emphasis is on a particular product, its looks, sustainability, and packaging design. To go about this project, choose an existing product that’s interesting from a design standpoint. Reverse engineer this product and then redesign it following every step of the design process.

Motion Graphics

Motion graphics is animation in which text plays a major role. They are common in ads and movie titles. To work on motion graphics, advanced designers combine their basic graphic design skills with animation and filmmaking techniques. 

Creating good-looking motion graphics requires exceptional creativity, innovation, and storytelling. Typography, communication, and software skills are also vital to developing interesting motion graphics.

Graphic Design Starter Project Templates 

A graphic template is an excellent tool for beginners and even advanced designers that can save a lot of time. Templates allow you to edit predefined graphics and adjust them to your taste. Working with templates could also help to cure a creative block. The following are recommended templates for basic starter projects.  

  • Logos : These templates provided by Canva offer complete flexibility with the editing of layers, color schemes, typography, and shape to design the logo that best connects with your brand.
  • Social Media Images : Social media posts have to be attractive and engaging. If you cannot come up with posters and fliers that perfectly convey your message, freepik templates can be a helpful tool. 
  • Mockups : If you are having difficulty designing a mockup that accurately reflects the design concepts involved, these templates by Template.net should come in handy.
  • Business Cards : Designing a business card that represents your brand and business becomes a lot easier when you can simply customize a template. Check out these business card templates by PsPrint. 
  • Brochures : A brochure can be tricky to design considering the number of elements and skills involved. However, with these brochure templates by Envato Elements, you’ll have no trouble creating elegant brochures. 

Next Steps: Start Organizing Your Graphic Design Portfolio

Blue headphones on a pink and blue background.

The beauty of constantly embarking on design projects is that you’ll sharpen your skill while growing your portfolio. After a few months, you should have a solid portfolio that reflects your skills and experience and that attracts potential clients. Below, we give you a few tips on how to organize your graphic design portfolio. 

Keep It Simple

Simplicity is key when it comes to portfolios. Always go for a cleaner and straightforward portfolio look, remove distracting elements and unnecessary components. This ensures that your projects are accessible and that potential employers or clients can appreciate your creative designs. 

Keep It Updated

Never stop working on your portfolio, no matter how comfortable you get in your current position. Employers and clients won’t pay attention to your portfolio if all its projects are old. You need to be constantly working on new and exciting projects and adding them to your portfolio so that it is relevant and reflects your current skills.

Keep Your Target Audience in Mind

Strive to build your portfolio with items that resonate with your target audience and leave out anything that they wouldn’t find interesting. For example, if you are applying for jobs at a web development agency, your portfolio should be composed mostly of website designs.  

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Include a Brief Profile

Your portfolio should contain a brief personal description in which you introduce yourself and describe your skills and aptitudes. Include information about your level of education, work experience, and notable previous collaborations.

Never lie about your skills or previous experience or exaggerate the facts. If you get a project after having lied about your capabilities, you’ll find yourself in an uncomfortable situation when you are asked to do something that you are simply not ready to handle. 

Graphic Design Projects FAQ

First, read through the brief of the project to understand the task. Conduct adequate research, come up with a creative idea, and sketch the concepts. Finally, develop your concepts thoroughly before presenting them to your client.

The number of projects you should include in your portfolio depends on several factors, including your level of experience and niche. However, we wouldn’t recommend including more than six projects.

Focus on projects that allow you to exercise your creativity and communication. You also want projects that involve typography, coding, and different software programs. Finally, consider projects that can be completed quickly or that require you to come up with inventive solutions.

No, you can work with colleagues. In fact, it is advisable to collaborate with other designers on projects because it allows you to learn from other creatives while sharing your ideas. 

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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12 Graphic Design Practice Exercises

beginning graphic design assignments

As a beginning graphic designer, it can be hard to find the motivation or resources to practice your graphic design skills. There are, however, lots of places to train your design skills and get some practice before working for bigger clients. Getting as much practice as possible is essential when you’re a beginning graphic designer.

The more time you put into practicing graphic design, the easier the design process will get for you. You not only will learn to think like a graphic designer but you’ll also get better used to using keyboard shortcuts and other tricks that will make you more efficient as a graphic designer. See graphic design practice exercises as an investment for your graphic design career. Right now you’ll spend some time on it but in the end, it will all pay off in the amount of experience and practice you’ll get doing graphic design exercises.

Design something for an imaginary client

Graphic design brief generators like FakeClients.com let you easily create briefs from fake businesses as if they were real. This makes it easy to use them as practice exercises because they are a lot like clients you would get in the real world. If you use services like FakeClients.com a few times per week to design some logos or graphic design work, you automatically get more comfortable working for clients and build up a portfolio in the meantime. A downside to these fake clients is, of course, that they aren’t as realistic as real-life clients that would contact you for design work.

If you really want to challenge yourself to get better at graphic design as quickly as possible, you can start a daily design challenge. FakeClients is a great tool to use for a daily design challenge like that. Simply set yourself to a specific timeline, like 2 months, and every day, you’ll use the FakeClients generator to generate a new graphic design exercise for you. This will get you used to the whole design process of coming up with an idea, working it out and finishing it. It isn’t really like working for a real client but at least you’ll get better used to the design process. Another great outcome of a challenge like this is that in the end, you’ll have tons of work you can showcase on your portfolio. You’ll probably have some lesser work that you wouldn’t want to put in your portfolio but the great thing about a challenge like this is that you have more than enough good work to create a beautiful portfolio.

Redesign an existing brand

Just like designing for fake clients, redesigning an existing brand is a great way to get more experienced with design. Redesigning existing brands can be especially useful if it's a small brand for which branding can be improved on. If you have done a redesign of such a brand, for example, you can always contact them offering them your redesign. Many brands will be happy to work with you in the future because you helped them out before and it’s a great case to show on your portfolio. You also don’t necessarily have to redesign something related to the brand, but you can also design something entirely new. For example, if a brand doesn’t have an app yet, you can try to imagine what a design of an app for them would look like. Brands will often be happy to see the time and work you’ve put into creating something new for them and might even use it. When you’re redesigning something for an existing brand, it’s often easy to get caught up into the visual side of the design and forget about functionality. Be sure to keep that in mind when designing something for an existing brand. The functionality of a design is often almost as important as the way it looks.

Create a logo for yourself

If you just started out designing, you often don’t have your own branding yet. It can be very helpful to start with your own brand, before designing for others. Design a logo for your name, a business card, a website, and stuff like that. You will be your first client so you know what to ask for yourself and what you’ll need. It teaches you how to deal with those needs and how to fit in with the market around you. Don’t start out designing immediately though. Go through the entire process like you would with a high paying client. Firstly, go through your mission, your needs, and who you want to target with, for example, your website design and after all that start with the design itself.

Drawing and sketching

Most experienced logo and graphic designers will tell you that sketching out a design is one of the most important stages of the design process. You start out sketching to bring an idea onto paper. Drawing exercises can help you get into the habit of sketching and drawing your designs before getting on the computer. Draw some icons of logos and see how you can improve them. You can also take things from the real world and try to create a simplistic version of it, like a logo. Take a leaf for example and simplify it so it could be used as a logo.

Offer graphic design work to family and friends

Another great, and easy way to get some practice in graphic design is to ask around, with friends and family if there is anyone that needs a design for something. Most people don’t know they need it so you can always offer to make them, for example, a flyer for an event, a business card, or anything like that. Start out creating them for free. This way, your graphic design services will spread quickly. People will tell their friends about the amazing designs you created for them and if you’re lucky, someone else will want your design too.

Other design exercise games

Sometimes it can become a bit tiring to keep practicing graphic design by working on creating new designs. You can also try to work on your skills more individually to try and perfect them. Lately, a lot of graphic design exercise games have come up and gained popularity. These games are a fun exercise for graphic designers and meanwhile will keep your design skills sharp.

Pixel guessing game for graphic designers

Pixel Guesser - Test your sense of pixels

If you have been a designer for some time, you probably have quite a good understanding of the pixel sizes of different objects. This is because most graphic designers, especially ones that deal with digital designs, likely have had to use pixels as a type of measurement. How good is your sense of pixel sizes? Test this in this game by drawing boxes and try to get the lowest possible score by getting as close to the given size as possible.

Font quiz game for graphic designers

Font Quiz - Guess the right font

Just as the other graphic design games and exercises, this font quiz will likely be easiest for the designers with the most experience. Most graphic designers deal with fonts every day but do you remember the name of each of them? This font quiz contains over 450 of the most popular fonts from Google Fonts and every time you play the quiz, different font names are given. Try to get the highest score by correctly matching the font name to the right font.

HEX color guessing game for graphic designers

HEX Guess - Guess the right color from the HEX code

HEX codes are specific 6-character-long codes assigned to colors that you can recognize by the "#". Most designers have probably used HEX codes and probably have some sense of the way these codes are made up. Play this HEX guess exercise to test your sense of the colors that belong to these codes.

Hue line-up game and exercise for graphic designers

Hue Test - Test your ability to differentiate colors by lining them up correctly

As color obviously is a vital element in any design, it is crucial for a graphic designer to have a keen eye for color. While small changes in color can greatly affect a design as a whole, being able to spot these small differences in color becomes very important. You, for example, will have to be able to tell which shade of green works best with the other colors you're working with. This exercise will help you test yourself and will give you the opportunity to train yourself in becoming better at spotting these slight differences in color.

Good kerning is incredibly important when you are designing something that involves text. Kerning is the spacing between letters or characters in a piece of text. If a design has bad kerning, a design can quickly look awkward. If you already are an experienced designer, you’ll likely already have a good eye for kerning but if you just started out, it can’t hurt to get some more practice. ‘Kern Type’ is the perfect exercise for practicing kerning, it’s a beautifully designed online exercise where you have to align the letters in a word as good as possible.

The Bezier Game

The pen tool is probably one of the most important and most used tools by any designer. It is also a tricky tool to learn and master. You gradually get better at using it when you use it in your work but it can also cause some problems when you want to work on more complex designs. That’s why practice with the pen tool is crucial and often overlooked. You can do this in Illustrator or your program of choice, but there’s also a fun game for it that can help you. In the Bezier Game, you try to follow certain predefined shapes with the pen tool so you can try to get better at it.

Munsell Hue Test

Lastly, this is a fun and simple game to test your color acuity. You simply try to get the colors in the right order. When you think you’re finished, you fill in your gender and age and you get to see how you compare against others.

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Graphic Design For Beginners: The Ultimate Guide

Graphic Design For Beginners The Ultimate Guide

This Article Contains Everything You Need To Know To Get Started In The World Of Graphic Design

How do you get started in the world of graphic design?

As more and more businesses move online and the demand for it grows – Graphic Design is becoming a more valuable and sought after skill.

If you are looking for a career change , there has never been a better time to learn Graphic Design.

Graphic Design

Like all complex and valuable skills, Graphic Design is not something you can pick up overnight. It takes time to learn all the smaller skills that make up what we call Graphic Design.

However, following a plan or guide can make the whole process quicker and less overwhelming.

All the time that you spend on learning these skills will pay off tenfold in the future. These skills are useful in the world of Graphic Design and also in many other industries .

You can also use them to help your own side businesses or projects in your spare time.

There are many different ways to approach learning Graphic Design, but there are basic skills that everyone will need to learn.

You must find and hold onto your passion for Graphic Design, you will need to find Graphic Design artists that inspire you, and you need to set aside time to practice your new skills.

In this article, we are going to give you a step-by-step guide to getting started with Graphic Design.

Table of contents

Learning Graphic Design: Easy First Steps For Beginners

Graphic design tips for beginners.

Learning Graphic Design Easy First Steps For Beginners

When you are learning something new, it can be hard to know where to start. This is why we have put together this guide to help you get started with Graphic Design.

We are going to start by asking you to think about why you want to start learning Graphic Design, then to look at the people who inspire you, and then later to start working on a small project.

We also have a range of other resources to help you on your graphic design journey. To get started, try working through the following 10 steps.

1. Find Motivation

There is one way to learn a new skill and that is to build a habit of practicing it.

We are not going to get involved in the conversation about how long it takes to perfect a skill – we think that everyone is unique. What we will discuss today is something that we all need to keep us pushing through the process – motivation.

To successfully develop a skill you need to have a reason (or a “why”) to do it. Maybe you want to be able to get a job for a Graphic Design company. Maybe you want to learn to express your creativity in a new way.

Maybe you want to create displays for your stall at an exhibit. Maybe you need some Graphic Design work done for your company because you can’t afford to bring in someone new.

This “why” is what gives you the motivation to carry on learning the skill on the good days and the bad days. It is what helps you to pick up a new article on Graphic Design after you have spent a full day at work.

Take a moment to think about why you want to learn this new skill. The more specific you can be, the better.

2. Get Passionate About Graphic Design

The next step to learning a new skill is to fall in love with the process.

Have you ever heard of a successful author who doesn’t love reading books? Have you ever heard of a gold medal-winning swimmer that hates getting into the pool?

You will find learning Graphic Design and constantly improving your skills gets a lot easier when you love the process. The good news is that you can learn to love something new.  

Here are three quick things that you can do today that will help you to fall more in love with graphic design:

  • Think about how it can benefit you in both the short and long term. Our brains are more likely to enjoy something they think will improve our lives.
  • Listen to other people talk about why they love Graphic Design. Listening to other people talk about their passions is infectious. They can change the way we look at the small things – like the power of font choice, or how colors affect our moods.
  • Learn more about the history of Graphic Design and discover the stories of some of the world’s best graphic designers.

Once you have fallen in love with the process, you won’t be able to stop yourself from developing the skills you need.

3. Learn The Principles Of Design

Now, it’s time to get a little more practical. It’s time to sit down and learn the theory of the craft.

When it comes to creative skills, lots of people say – you either have it, or you don’t. The reassuring truth is that very few people are born with great creative skills, and most people who have had any kind of creative success have worked very hard to achieve it.

Take Stephen King, for example, he is one of the most commercially successful writers of all time, but he will be the first to admit that he got where he was through a lot of hard work, practice, and learning from those who came before him.

Talent is all well and good, but it won’t become something truly special until it is combined with practice.

There are a few basic principle s that every graphic designer must learn. You can find guides to these basic principles on the Internet or you might want to take a course with an experienced graphic designer.

These basic principles are rules that most graphic designers follow. Sometimes it is okay to break the rules, but you need to understand what they are and why they exist before you do that.

4. Get Started With Graphic Design Software

Once you have learned the basic principles of Graphic Design, it is time to start getting to grips with the Graphic Design software that is out there.

There is a lot of debate about which type of software is the best or most suited for beginners. We recommend returning to your “why” – if you are learning Graphic Design to move into a new role or to create something specific – then look at the software that is already being used by the experts in these sectors.

The most popular software are both Adobe programs, with Illustrator for vector graphics, and Photoshop for raster graphics. If you don’t know where to start then consider one of them.

The good news for you is that we no longer live in a time where you have to go to a physical class to learn how to use these tools.

While that is still an option for you, there are an endless online tutorials and resources available at the push of a button – made by both experts and amateurs.

Whatever tools you choose or path you take to develop your skills and knowledge, a good practice would be to start by using these tools to copy already existing pieces of Graphic Design as you practice. All the Old Master painters learned to paint by copying others.

5. Find Design Resources

As we mentioned in the section above, there is a staggering amount of free and premium online resources out there. If you do not want to go to school to study Graphic Design, then there are many high-quality options available.

You could take the time to learn Graphic Design through trial and error – but you will have a much better time if you take classes, read notes from the experts, and follow some of the guides available online.

Doing this will also make the process a lot quicker for you.

No one wakes up one day knowing exactly how to do Graphic Design – they have to learn from other people and the online resources available Places like Skillshare, YouTube, and Domestika offer a great opportunity to do this.

You will also find that lots of colleges and art schools offer the opportunity to enroll in their online courses. You might even be able to walk away with a qualification in Graphic Design at the end of the course.

You will be able to find both broader and more specialized courses online. 

6. Study Design Resources

Now that you have collected all the study resources that you need, it’s time to sit down and actually do the hard work.

Depending on your schedule, you may find that doing a little bit every day works well for you. However, some people find that doing a couple of hours at a time on their day offs works better for them. You know yourself best – so create a schedule that works for you.

While you are studying, you will want to make sure that you are taking the time to put what you learn into action.

Many people get so caught up in the learning and planning process that they never get around to making anything with these new skills they have learned.

Try to find a balance of learning and action that works for you. Some people need to spend 3 hours learning for every hour they spend doing. For others, it might look more like one hour spent learning for every hour working.

No matter your preferred methods, there are plenty of options out there to study. If you find one person’s teaching methods not working for you, then look for someone new. There are plenty of options out there.

7. Look For Inspiration

Inspiration

No matter what creative skill you are trying to learn, it is important  that you consume the type of media that you are looking to make. The act of consuming the media will teach a lot more than you expect it to.

Writers learn how to tell better stories by reading books. Film makers learn shot composition by watching both good and bad films.

If you want to design exhibition booths then go round an event and make note of the ones you loved, the ones you hated, and why you think they made you feel like that.

If you want to do graphic design for video games then you need to make sure you are playing games you love, games that you don’t think look good, and games that you wouldn’t normally look up.

Stepping outside of your comfort zone can expose you to new ideas that affect your creative process. For example, Monet loved Japanese paintings and it was these painters that taught him how to paint flowers.

It was by studying something he normally wouldn’t, that he taught himself an unexpectedly useful skill.

It is also worth noting that you can learn as much from looking at a piece of Graphic Design that you don’t like, as much as looking at ones that you love.

8. Start A Project

A project

After you have done a certain amount of research, practice, and learning, it is time to start your own project. Getting stuck into a new project will teach you the things you cannot learn in a textbook, these are things you need to discover yourself.

One of the courses you are studying may include a project or you may have a project of your own in mind.

Sit down and plan out this project. Set aside time each week to do the work. And set yourself a deadline. The most important thing you can do is finish this project.

New York Times Best-Selling Author John Green says that the best way to get better at something creative is by finishing all the projects you start.

Once you have finished one project, find a new one, and keep this going. When you really love a creative process you will find that you are most happy and content when you are creating.

The more projects you finish, the more you will learn about Graphic design and the skills it requires.

9. Differentiate Talent From Practice

We mentioned earlier that it is very rare for someone to be born good at a creative skill like Graphic Design, writing, or giving presentations.

The vast majority of the people who you know who are good at the arts have achieved that through a combination of talent and hard work. Some people have gotten there on practice alone.

If you don’t instantly pick up a new skill, instantly learn how to use a new type of software, or your first project doesn’t turn out how you want it to – don’t get too disheartened. Each hour spent practicing and each mistake is only taking you closer to where you want to be.

This quote from Jacob Riis says it perfectly,

“Look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”

When we look at others, we see where they are now, not everything that they have done and been through to get to where they are now. It is easy to forget that the others started at the beginning too.

10. Be Consistent And Patient

Finally, you need to make sure that you are being consistent with your practice and making sure that you are constantly trying to get better at your craft or learn something new.

If you keep doing this you will find that you end up where you want to be, or that you even exceed your expectations.

The sooner you start, the sooner you will get to where you want to be. So, why not start today, after you finish reading this article?

Graphic Design Tips For Beginners

Before we leave you, we want to share 14 little tips and tweaks that will help you to get better at Graphic Design.

These tips have been shared with us by the many graphic designers we know. Things that they wish they knew when they first started learning the skill.

The tips range from simple things like not overcomplicating your design, to making use of the psychology of color, and much more.

We recommend that you read through these tips before you dive into your first Graphic Design project. We hope you find them helpful.

Keep It Simple

How can you tell you are looking at a design made by a beginner? There’s too much going on.

Beginners will benefit from listening to this tip, but so will many more experienced designers. One of the most basic rules of design work is that “less is more”.

This rule is going to help you as a beginner because you are going to have an easier time putting together designs and there will be fewer things that could go wrong.

Sometimes beginners can be tempted to put a lot of different elements into their early designs partly because they want to use everything they have just learned.

Use simple shapes, colors, and fonts – it will make you look like a more experienced designer.

Keep The Typography Under Control

Another way to tell that a design has been done by a beginner is that none of the fonts look good together. Or that there are too many fonts used in the design.

There is nothing wrong with using unique and exciting fonts – but it is a general rule of thumb that those fonts should be used as titles and you should use a more traditional font in the body of the text.

Try to keep your use of fonts consistent across all work you do for one client. You can find out more about fonts here .

Be sure to learn about kerning, leading and tracking, as well as the use of bold, italicized, and underlined fonts. Understand the difference between a font and a typeface.

Control the Color Pallet

The next thing you need to think about is putting together a consistent color pallet for your project.

You want to make sure that this color pallet creates the right tone for your project. You want it to complement the brand the project is based on and the fonts that you have picked out.

Some designs get away with using clashing colors, but only when they are appropriate for the brand or theme of the project. For example, if you are putting together displays for an exhibition, you may want to use bright colors that people can spot across a large room. But consider readability; for example, bright blue text on a bright red background will be practically invisible.

Consider The Visual Hierarchy

Visual hierarchy sounds a lot more complicated than it is. Visual hierarchy is the name for giving the more important parts of your design the most area on the page.

For example, if you are advertising an upcoming event, you want to make sure that the title of the event, as well as its time and location, are clearly visible on the poster. You can make the advertising copy for the event a little smaller.

Leverage the Use of Templates

If you are creating content for Facebook and Instagram, then you are going to need to make sure that your designs are as consistent as possible.

If you need to turn over a lot of content, then you will find that buying or creating a social media template will make the job a lot easier for you, and will ensure that your work fits within the many different requirements and specifications of the different media platforms.

If you work in the trade show industry, you will find that graphic templates exist for almost every display type and size, ready for your use.

You can use these templates as a base, and build each design on top of them. Without having to spend too much time making sure the dimensions are correct and that the details match from post-to-post.

When putting together a template, you will find it helpful to put together a design board for the project or brand that includes fonts, color scheme, and approved illustrations.

Always Use White Space

It is not uncommon for new designers to try and fill the entire page. They feel like blank space is wasted space. When, in many cases, the opposite is true.

When used correctly, negative space can do just as much as a filled area.

Many people find looking at a poster, display, or logo that is too crowded overwhelming. By leaving empty space in your design you are allowing the viewer space to take in the information without being overstimulated to the point that their eyes glaze over and they ignore the message.

This goes back to the basic design rule – less is more.

Use Cohesive Design Elements

We have talked about making sure your colors don’t clash with each other. We have also talked about the importance of using fonts that complement each other.

Now, let’s take it a step further and talk about using consistent and cohesive design elements.

If you have decided to use square text boxes at the top of your design, you should make sure that you use them throughout the design – clashing shapes can make the piece look amateurish and too busy.

The same goes for illustrations – if you use line drawings in one part of the project, you will want to make sure that you use them throughout the whole project.

Make Use Of Spacing

Human beings like looking at displays that are neat and balanced – just look at the way we design buildings.

When you are putting together a design, you are going to want to make use of the spacing to make sure everything looks clean, balanced, and even.

People will find your design frustrating if you are using inconsistent line space across the project. They also prefer design elements to be evenly spaced across the piece. Visual symmetry is important and should not be overlooked.

If you are going to put something in the center of your design, make sure it is in the dead center. If you’re going to tilt something or make it off center, you want to do it enough that it doesn’t look like a mistake. Rule of Thirds as well.

Optimize Readability

Choice of font, use of spacing, and making the most of the negative space are all important because it makes it easier for your audience to read your design.

You want people to be able to easily understand what you are trying to do with your design – whether that’s advertising your company, trying to teach them something new, or telling them about an event that is happening soon.

If they cannot easily tell what you are trying to say with your design then you have failed. Keep things as easy to read as possible.

Consider The Psychology Of Colors

Using colors

Earlier, we talked about the importance of getting synergy with your color story. Now, we want you to think about what you are trying to say with that color story.

A lot of research has been done to record how different colors make people feel – it is referred to as the psychology of colors .

For example, many people relate the color white to purity and sophistication. Whereas, the color black is typically related to authority and elegance.

So, if you were doing work for a Poker company, you might want to use black in your color pallet. But if you were advertising a self-care workbook, white would be a good color to work with. The main message here is, colors matter. Consider them carefully.

Know The Dimensions You Need Beforehand

There is nothing worse than spending weeks on a design, only to find out that you have made it to the wrong dimension.

When it gets displayed, printed out, or uploaded it will inevitably look bad. And that will make you look like you don’t know what you are doing.

The dimensions of your final product must feed into how you put your design together. Therefore, you shouldn’t be able to start your work on a project until you have the dimensions locked down.

We’ve mentioned using templates previously; as our graphic design team checks customer designs , the first step is ensuring they used the correct graphic template – this ensures that the dimensions are correct!

Know What Type Of File You Need When Downloading

Something else you need to be aware of before you start a project is what type of file you will need to convert your final project into.

Will it be a JPEG, will it be a PDF or something else entirely? The final form of the project you should feed into how you create your designs.

Each type of file will compress and convert differently – many of them also print out differently too.

PNG and JPG are both web-based images. If the image can stand to be more compressed/smaller file size, go with JPG. If you want the image to be lossless or have a transparent background, use a PNG file.

Stay Organized

If you are not an organized person, this is a skill you will need to develop quickly if you want to be successful in the world of Graphic Design.

Even if you are only doing work for yourself, you will notice that a little organization will make your life a lot easier.

To get started, you need to make sure that you have a good filing system on your computer. You will want to clearly label every element that is used in the creation of your piece.

You will also want to make sure that all your drafts are clearly labeled too.

Don’t forget to regularly back up your files onto the cloud or an external hard drive.

Trust The Process

Finally, we want to remind you not to be too hard on yourself during your creative process.

At the beginning of a project, things may seem like they are taking too long or that they are not going well. When you start to feel frustrated, we recommend that you take a break, relax, and trust the process.

Don’t be tempted to try and take a shortcut, this will only make things more difficult for you in the long run.

Remember, the design process has come together through trial and error over a long period of time – the process exists in its current form for a reason.

Trust it and everything will come together in the end.

Graphic designer designing

Learning Graphic Design could make a huge difference in your life. You could use it to change your career, you could use these new skills to make you more valuable to your current company, and these skills could upgrade your side hustles.

There has never been a better time to learn Graphic Design. After the pandemic, many businesses have relied more on online platforms and resources than ever before.

And there has never been more demand for Graphic Design skills. While learning Graphic Design can be a long process, there are many things you can do to make sure that you are working smarter, not harder.

When you are learning this new skill, you should take the time to look at how the people who have previously learned the skill did. Take their advice, learn from their mistakes, and most importantly, have fun while you are learning. American Image Displays necessarily maintains an experienced team of graphic designers; if you every have any questions about design, just reach out – our experts are always willing to assist.

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IMAGES

  1. How To Learn Graphic Design As a Beginner

    beginning graphic design assignments

  2. Graphic Design Tutorial for Beginners Part 1

    beginning graphic design assignments

  3. Graphic Design Assignments

    beginning graphic design assignments

  4. What are the Common Assignments for Graphic Design Students?

    beginning graphic design assignments

  5. Beginning Graphic Design Fundamentals of Design

    beginning graphic design assignments

  6. Graphic Design for Beginners: 13 Projects Step by Step

    beginning graphic design assignments

VIDEO

  1. Beginning Graphic Design_ Layout & Composition

  2. Easy Typography Graphic Design Text Effect Ideas in CorelDRAW- Ahsan Sabri

  3. Graphic design Mega course| Class 16| Beginning Graphic Design Typography. Choose perfect fonts

  4. What's Next After Your Graphic Design Course: Your Roadmap to Success

  5. Mystery Solved! Inside Look at Graphic Design Job Application Assignments

  6. Graphic Design

COMMENTS

  1. Free Beginning Graphic Design Tutorial at GCFGlobal

    6. Branding and Identity Learn all about branding and identity and how they relate to graphic design. 7. Graphic Design Quiz Take the quiz to see how much you've learned about the fundamentals of graphic design. In this free Beginning Graphic Design tutorial, get the graphic design help you need understanding typography, color, layout, and more.

  2. What are the Common Assignments for Graphic Design Students?

    Assignments for beginners. At the university level, the common 1st-year assignments for Graphic Design students are: Redrawing famous logos on the computer as detailed and accurate as possible.; Using black and white to design logos, posters, book covers, invitations, and other media or you creating these using the most innovative colors possible.

  3. Fundamentals of Graphic Design

    There are 6 modules in this course. Graphic Design is all around us! Words and pictures—the building blocks of graphic design—are the elements that carry the majority of the content in both the digital world and the printed world. As graphic design becomes more visible and prevalent in our lives, graphic design as a practice becomes more ...

  4. Graphic Design Basics: A Complete Guide for Beginners

    Graphic Design and Marketing. Graphic design plays a vital role in the world of marketing. It helps brands in communicating through ads that effectively delivers their message to target audiences. Learn how graphic design creates different marketing assets that shape the visual identity of businesses. graphic design.

  5. Beginning Graphic Design: Fundamentals of Design

    The fundamentals of design are all about the bigger picture —in other words, learning to appreciate the many small details that make up every composition. This insight can be applied to almost any type of project, whether you're creating your own graphics or just looking for simple ways to enhance your work.

  6. Graphic Design Basics for Absolute Beginners

    Simple Is Always Best. Most beginners want to create something amazing with their first forays into graphic design. As a result, they often get carried away with color combinations, letter spacing, and other basic principles in an attempt to impress an art director or client.

  7. Graphic Design Courses for Beginners

    Explore our graphic design courses for beginners and gain knowledge in various topics. Learn about design principles- balance, contrast, color theory, typography, and composition—master industry-standard design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign. Understand the fundamentals of color theory and typography to create visually appealing designs. Develop skills in layout ...

  8. Beginning Graphic Design: Layout and Composition

    In layout and composition, contrast can help you do many things, like catch the reader's eye, create emphasis, or call attention to something important. To create contrast in the example below, we've used color, more than one style of text, and objects of differing sizes. This makes the design more dynamic and, therefore, more effective at ...

  9. What is Graphic Design: Absolute Beginner Guide

    Environmental Design: Integrates graphic design with architecture and interior design to create visually appealing spaces, such as signage, wayfinding systems, and exhibition displays. Art and Illustration for Graphic Design : Includes custom illustrations and art used in various design projects, adding a unique and personalized touch to the ...

  10. PDF An introduction to graphic design

    The Universal Arts of Graphic Design 2. Examples of Assignment 1 3. Examples of Assignment 2—thumbnail sketches, rough sketches, and final comprehensive design 4. Examples of Assignment 3 ... The Elements of Design At the beginning of the curriculum, easing students into their start with graphic design and the design process is important. One ...

  11. Beginning Graphic Design: Fundamentals

    In this video, you'll learn the fundamentals of graphic design. Visit https://www.gcflearnfree.org/beginning-graphic-design/fundamentals-of-design/1/ for our...

  12. Graphic Design Basics

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  13. How to Learn Graphic Design: 7 Steps to Build Your Skills

    Here are some tips. 1) Show your best work. 2) Express your personality through your designs. 3) Document the impact of your designs, such as increased brand awareness (with real percentages and analytics!). Read more: Tips for Creating an Impressive Graphic Design Portfolio. 5. Grow your network.

  14. Graphic Design for Beginners

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  15. Graphic design basics: From the experts

    Design to communicate. Graphic design, I think, one really good example I can come up with is, Jean Jullien, a great French graphic designer. And when the Paris attacks happened, he quickly drew the Peace for Paris symbol, which was like a Eiffel Tower or whatever.

  16. Beginner's Guide to Graphic Design

    Design your own amazing, attention-grabbing posters. Master the basics of Adobe Photoshop, unlocking its essential tools and features. Get a solid grasp of key concepts and techniques for professional designs. Blend colors and effects seamlessly to quickly create stunning graphics. Elevate your poster's professionalism by selecting the perfect ...

  17. Beginning Graphic Design: Branding and Identity

    Visual identity is kind of like a preview of your brand. Each part of your design is a clue that tells the viewer what they can expect. Your aesthetic can be traditional, modern, or a little more out there—every brand is different. No matter what, all of your design elements work together to show exactly what your brand is about.

  18. How to Learn Graphic Design [Killer 9-Step Plan]

    These are the top action steps you need to take as a beginner to successfully learn graphic design: Get motivated. Discover your favorite style. Learn graphic design principles. Get started with graphic design software. Develop a study plan. Learn from other designers. Start working on a project. Practice.

  19. Graphic Design Projects for Beginners and Experts

    August 4, 2022. The graphic design industry continues to harness the creativity and innovative ideas of graphic designers. As a result, it is crucial to be equipped with the right skills to place you in high demand. Embarking on graphic design projects is an excellent way to develop top-tier skills and build a robust graphic design portfolio.

  20. 12 Graphic Design Practice Exercises

    As a beginning graphic designer, it can be hard to find the motivation or resources to practice your graphic design skills. There are, however, lots of places to train your design skills and get some practice before working for bigger clients. Getting as much practice as possible is essential when you're a beginning graphic designer.

  21. Fundamentals of Graphic Design

    There are 6 modules in this course. Graphic Design is all around us! Words and pictures—the building blocks of graphic design—are the elements that carry the majority of the content in both the digital world and the printed world. As graphic design becomes more visible and prevalent in our lives, graphic design as a practice becomes more ...

  22. Graphic Design For Beginners: The Ultimate Guide

    Sometimes it is okay to break the rules, but you need to understand what they are and why they exist before you do that. 4. Get Started With Graphic Design Software. Once you have learned the basic principles of Graphic Design, it is time to start getting to grips with the Graphic Design software that is out there.

  23. Beginning Graphic Design: Typography

    Simply put, typography is the style or appearance of text. It can also refer to the art of working with text—something you probably do all the time if you create documents or other projects for work, school, or yourself. Watch the video below to learn more about typography. Beginning Graphic Design: Typography. Watch on.

  24. Beginning Graphic Design: Color

    Red and yellow make orange; yellow and blue make green; and blue and red make purple. If we mix these colors together, we get even more in-between shades, like red-orange and yellow-green. All together, they form what's called a color wheel. (You can probably see where it gets its name.)

  25. How to get started on graphic design

    Beginner-friendly tools for graphic design to suit every need. Make stunning creative projects your way. Whether it's a creative poster for school or an eye-catching menu for your business, Adobe Express gives you all the online design tools you need to make standout graphics.