10 TIPS FOR A GREAT GRAPHICS DESIGN
Dr. Luz del Carmen A. Vilchis Esquivel says in the article Understanding Design from a Design Perspective, “Each of the designer’s requirements is manifested as a skill – a natural ability that enables him to realize a creative behavior – but this generic attitude is formed and learned across time, the designer acquires knowledge, methods, technical skills and is particularized to constitute the dominion of what really matters here: graphic design.” Let us put it this way, there are people who are born with natural talents but without proper guidance and usage that particular talent may just simply go to waste. A skill is something that we can learn and hone over time and through constant training we may be able to master it. Learning a skill can be acquired through studying, research, experimenting, and gathering information from people who are adept to it for example, in graphics designing. Below are ten simple tips which can give you a head start in bringing out the Picasso and the Michelangelo in you.
- Free yourself. A free mind and spirit is essential for creativity. By freeing yourself, you can follow what you want, your desires, your dreams and it allows you to be independent.
- Educate yourself. Look as many things as you can. Be open-minded. Travel a lot. Expand your horizon by experiencing things that are new to you. This way, you improve your work.
- Experiment and challenge yourself. Mistakes make things better. It is only by trying again and again will you find out if your ideas work or not. Try different approaches, use dummies, create different versions, and test your ideas on different things. Probably you may end up with something nice and unexpected.
- Be original. It is hard to be all authentic with all of the influences that surround us every day. Just be yourself. Being influenced is normal but it is only by merging these influences with your own style will you be able to make something new.
- Write down your ideas. This will help you remember your great ideas and many times it will help you create new ones. Writing down notes is like organizing your thoughts so you won’t have to end up running around in circles.
- Love what you do. Don’t let the fire in your heart burn out. Trust your work and always find ways to keep the passion burning.
- Be more than a designer. Expand your horizons. Inspirations, usually the best ones, come not only from design but from other fields as well.
- Love your critics. It is fine to hear people praising and liking your work but the real learning comes from those who make a valid and constructive criticism.
- Exercise. Do not over expose yourself to the computer. Stand up and do some stretching or do something good for your body like going to the gym.
- Communicate. Keep connected. Ask questions. Do not be afraid to ask for help and try something else.
To all of the aspiring graphic artists out there: these are just some of the other hundreds of tips that you will get elsewhere but remember that their success or failure will always still be in your hands.