4 answers
4 answers
Updated
Brandon’s Answer
Looking to become a digital designer? It's a journey that involves a mix of education, honing your skills, and gaining practical experience. Here's a friendly guide to help you set sail on your digital design career:
Education Matters:
Start with a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Next, dive into a formal education in design. Think about joining a degree program like graphic design, digital media design, or a similar field. Plenty of universities and art schools have programs that are just right for you.
Laying the Groundwork:
Get a firm grasp on design principles, color theory, typography, and composition. These are the bedrock skills that will underpin all your work.
Getting Tech-Savvy:
Get to know the design software that the pros use, like Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Sketch, Figma, and other popular tools in the field.
Honing Digital Design Skills:
Sharpen your skills in areas specific to digital design, like user interface (UI) design, user experience (UX) design, web design, and mobile app design. These are key skills for any digital designer.
Building a Showcase:
Put together a portfolio that shows off your best work. Include a mix of projects that show your skills across different platforms and mediums. Your portfolio is often your golden ticket to job opportunities.
Staying in the Loop:
Keep an eye on industry trends, new technologies, and design best practices. The world of digital design is always changing, so staying up-to-date is a must.
Making Connections:
Go to design events, conferences, and meetups to meet other designers and industry professionals. Networking can lead to job opportunities and give you valuable insights.
Getting Hands-On:
Get some real-world experience through internships or freelance projects. These projects will boost your skills and beef up your resume.
Polishing Soft Skills:
Work on soft skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. These skills are key for working well in a team and understanding what clients need.
Learning Online:
Add to your formal education with online courses and tutorials. Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare have a ton of design courses taught by industry pros.
Branding Yourself:
Make your mark online by creating a personal brand. This could include a professional website, LinkedIn profile, and other social media accounts where you can show off your work and expertise.
Starting the Job Hunt:
Kick off your job search by looking for entry-level positions or internships. Job boards, company websites, and networking can be helpful resources.
Remember, becoming a digital designer is a journey of constant learning and adapting to changes in the industry. Keep refining your skills and always look for opportunities to grow professionally.
Education Matters:
Start with a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Next, dive into a formal education in design. Think about joining a degree program like graphic design, digital media design, or a similar field. Plenty of universities and art schools have programs that are just right for you.
Laying the Groundwork:
Get a firm grasp on design principles, color theory, typography, and composition. These are the bedrock skills that will underpin all your work.
Getting Tech-Savvy:
Get to know the design software that the pros use, like Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Sketch, Figma, and other popular tools in the field.
Honing Digital Design Skills:
Sharpen your skills in areas specific to digital design, like user interface (UI) design, user experience (UX) design, web design, and mobile app design. These are key skills for any digital designer.
Building a Showcase:
Put together a portfolio that shows off your best work. Include a mix of projects that show your skills across different platforms and mediums. Your portfolio is often your golden ticket to job opportunities.
Staying in the Loop:
Keep an eye on industry trends, new technologies, and design best practices. The world of digital design is always changing, so staying up-to-date is a must.
Making Connections:
Go to design events, conferences, and meetups to meet other designers and industry professionals. Networking can lead to job opportunities and give you valuable insights.
Getting Hands-On:
Get some real-world experience through internships or freelance projects. These projects will boost your skills and beef up your resume.
Polishing Soft Skills:
Work on soft skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. These skills are key for working well in a team and understanding what clients need.
Learning Online:
Add to your formal education with online courses and tutorials. Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare have a ton of design courses taught by industry pros.
Branding Yourself:
Make your mark online by creating a personal brand. This could include a professional website, LinkedIn profile, and other social media accounts where you can show off your work and expertise.
Starting the Job Hunt:
Kick off your job search by looking for entry-level positions or internships. Job boards, company websites, and networking can be helpful resources.
Remember, becoming a digital designer is a journey of constant learning and adapting to changes in the industry. Keep refining your skills and always look for opportunities to grow professionally.
Viviane BulkaGiusti
Creative & Design Director | Development & Production | Director of Creative Svc
5
Answers
Updated
Viviane’s Answer
Hi! You have great advice and insights already from the other answers. Go for a design degree, digital design, graphic design. Adobe will became your best friend!
What I would like to emphasize is the step of learning the basics of design. Don’t leave all the learning of the principles of design, symmetry, negative space, balance, typography, colors and so on.
Anyone can learn photoshop, illustrator and anyone can do “basic” design after some training. Do take the time to learn the basics, will give you foundation and the extra touch.
Also,
If you want to focus on digital, ok but dont leave the others out. Today you may want to work with digital, tomorrow you may want to extend your clients/job and do more. Keep an open mind! Good luck :)
What I would like to emphasize is the step of learning the basics of design. Don’t leave all the learning of the principles of design, symmetry, negative space, balance, typography, colors and so on.
Anyone can learn photoshop, illustrator and anyone can do “basic” design after some training. Do take the time to learn the basics, will give you foundation and the extra touch.
Also,
If you want to focus on digital, ok but dont leave the others out. Today you may want to work with digital, tomorrow you may want to extend your clients/job and do more. Keep an open mind! Good luck :)
Updated
Kim’s Answer
A wonderful resource for earning certificates or your Associate's or Bachelor's degree in digital Graphic Design is to enroll in the accredited online school I attended. Their coursework is focused on the skills you need to work in the industry, including the use of Adobe software. The professors/instructors work or have worked in the areas that they teach. The entire school is specifically for design and creatives. I truly loved my learning experience there.
https://www.sessions.edu/
Best wishes in planning your design journey!
https://www.sessions.edu/
Best wishes in planning your design journey!
Updated
Victoria’s Answer
To kickstart a career in digital design, you typically need an associate degree or a four-year college degree in fields like graphic design, art, or similar areas. This education forms the foundation for most entry-level positions in the industry.
However, there are plenty of free online courses available that allow you to dip your toes into digital design. These courses offer hands-on projects and introduce you to various tools, helping you to build your skills and gain practical experience.
Networking is also crucial in this field. Platforms like LinkedIn and other professional forums are excellent places to connect with like-minded individuals. Joining a group dedicated to digital design can help you establish a network of industry peers.
However, there are plenty of free online courses available that allow you to dip your toes into digital design. These courses offer hands-on projects and introduce you to various tools, helping you to build your skills and gain practical experience.
Networking is also crucial in this field. Platforms like LinkedIn and other professional forums are excellent places to connect with like-minded individuals. Joining a group dedicated to digital design can help you establish a network of industry peers.