You could be a graphic designer. You could make money from the things you love doing, and it’s fun! But if you’re looking for the “how to get started” guide, well… that’s a bit harder. So let’s break down what exactly it takes to become a graphic designer so that when you decide to pursue your dream, you’ll know what to expect.
You don’t need an Expensive Degree in Graphic Design.
A degree is not required to be a graphic designer, but it certainly can help. The benefit of having one is that you will be able to find work faster and get better pay than if you didn’t have one.
The cost of getting an undergraduate degree from a local university or community college can vary depending on where you live and which program(s) are offered at your school. But according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average cost per year for tuition and fees was $10,765 in 2014-15—and this doesn’t include room and board costs! If you want to complete all four years of college after high school graduation, this number could increase by another $3,000 per year (depending on how many credits are needed).
You don’t need a ton of money to Start Working as a Graphic Gesigner.
While it’s true that you won’t be able to make much money as a graphic designer without years of experience and a solid portfolio, there are ways to get started. You can start by doing it for free, volunteering your time to local organizations or businesses. If you have access to some money, consider starting out by doing freelance work on the side—you’ll still get experience in the field while earning extra cash!
You don’t have to do it all alone
There are many ways to meet other graphic designers in your area.
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Join a local community of graphic designers. There are tons of groups out there, from meetups and forums to Facebook groups and Instagram pages. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out the resources section on this page!
- Start your own community on social media (or wherever else). If you have an interest in starting up something like this, we suggest starting with something simple like a group chat where everyone can share their work with each other! It’s easy enough that anyone could do it—just remember who has been talking about what before so nobody gets confused by new posts 🙂
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Attend local events related too graphic design (like conferences or art fairs). These events provide opportunities for face-to-face interactions between creative professionals who share common interests as well as learnings from each other’s experiences; they also provide opportunities for networking beyond just online platforms such as LinkedIn Groups or Reddit threads 🙂
You don’t have to Lose Yourself in The Process
You don’t have to lose yourself in the process – take care of YOURSELF along the way.
- Take breaks: You should never work for more than an hour straight, no matter how good you are at what you do. If possible, take one or two 10-minute breaks every hour or so; if not possible, at least get up every 20 minutes and stretch your arms and legs out.
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Get enough sleep: Your brain needs about eight hours of sleep per night – more than that isn’t good for it! Make sure that when it’s time for bed (or when you’re done working), there’s no way of getting back into work mode until tomorrow morning because exhaustion will destroy any productivity gains made during this period.* Eat healthy food: Don’t worry too much about what kind of food is best; just make sure it has some nutrients in it (protein/carbohydrates) so they get used by your body instead of being stored as fat somewhere else on its journey through life cycles.* Exercise regularly: Working out helps keep muscles strong enough so they won’t sag over time due lack thereof use.* Take care both physically & mentally
If you want to become a Graphic Designer
If you want to become a graphic designer, there are lots of resources out there for you. You can learn graphic design online or join a local community and take courses at your local college or university. You can also work with a mentor who will help guide your career path until it’s time for you to start on your own business. And if all else fails, maybe just start blogging!
Conclusion
The good news is that there are lots of resources out there for you to help make the dream of becoming a graphic designer come true. You can get started by taking advantage of some of the programs offered by colleges and universities, as well as local organization