FindingANewCareer.co.uk

Have Flair? Why Not Learn Graphic Design For A New Career?

Do you recognise smart design when you see it - for instance on the cover of a book or pasted on a billboard - then turn your hobby into a career via a graphic design course. A typical graphic design student will have left school with an art A Level.

However don't rule out the career if you haven't actually done much drawing - much of today's graphic design work is done sitting at the computer, not the drawing board!

Some graphic designers prefer to work in large design houses and others prefer to work in their own purpose-built studios. Many trainee designers find they're more comfortable studying in a commercial college than at university - in reality it's usually the commercial design colleges that give students the edge in industry. Of course it's quite possible to take a short preview commercial course to boost your pre-work experience prior to applying to university.

How Can I Be Sure Which College To Choose?

Selecting the best design college and their most appropriate course elements can appear a bit daunting, but there are simple steps to follow. You'll find a great variation not only in terms of price, but also in terms of training standards. You could start by digging into several of the companies featuring on this site -your choice will impact the rest of your life so it's worth the effort.

By Bookmarking this site you can give yourself easy access to it at any time - a shortcut is Ctrl D. Once you're familiar with a good number of the colleges out there, you'll be able to make your choice.

Fundamentally of course a good college will prove their graphic design skills first and foremost on their website. The design aspects should give a real wow factor as a taste of the training to come. Next, do you want to attend a college full time, study at home on evenings and weekends or maybe a blend of the two? What format does tutor support and assessment take? What extra equipment will you need that isn't covered by the course fees? Which colleges give evidence of satisfied customers? Look for happy student comments.

Design Portfolios

Whichever college you go for, you'll need to place a high priority on your presentation portfolio. To get a graphic design job you will need to be able to demonstrate that your work is of the right quality. All design colleges worth noting will help you to create your own showcase of designs and images, so a good look through their student presentations will show you a representative selection.

Designer Preferences

Computer user skills are important for graphic design students, as a good deal of software is used in design today. You'll predominantly be taught how to design using Adobe CS4 applications such as Illustrator, but there will still be an aspect of print-based design to your training. Many colleges use Macs rather than PC's, but students who want to work from home on a PC can usually obtain PC versions of the software if that is their preference.

Selling your ideas to others is a key aspect of successful commercial design work. This means you need a confident ability to communicate. Graphic design work includes any form of visual communication - even if it's the label on a humble can of baked beans!

Good design seeks to arouse and inspire others. It has to be aesthetically pleasing to the person it's attempting to relate to, through good use of pictures, shapes and lettering.

Principles For Design

Common themes are used in classic design, and they include texture, balance, contrast and composition. Those who learn how best to utilise all these fundamentals can create strikingly different images and perspectives that can have a remarkable effect on a company's bottom line. Great graphics contribute to attracting, informing and retaining a large client-base - and that's something every business in the land is desperate for!

Good commercial training will gear you up for a flourishing design career. Find the course that suits your lifestyle, your aspirations and your pocket!