Become A Great Graphic Designer
A great graphic designer will never go hungry. Design is such an important element of business.
Whether it’s the design of a businesses marketing materials, their website, product packaging, the look and feel of the product itself or everything else in between. Great design sells itself and if you are a great designer then the world is your oyster.
Teaching Yourself Graphic Design
Good design is about much more than just making something that looks “nice”. The best graphic designers are problem solvers. They’re inventive. They are creative. They find a way to think outside the box and look around the problem to see the solution. If you are creative minded, then a career in Graphic Design could be the perfect choice for you. But what if you can’t afford to go to one of the best graphic design schools around. Or maybe you don’t have 4 years to spare and need to make a career change now.
Then how can you learn graphic design? The good news is that you can start by teaching yourself!
The rise of the internet has contributed to many great advancements, one such advancement being the free and open learning resources that have been created, and can be so easily shared.
If you are interested in learning how to become a graphic designer, then this means you have amazing resources at your fingertips.
First of all, you have access to the websites and social media profiles of some of the best Graphic Designers in the world.
Secondly, the rise in information products and course providers such as Linkedin Learning, Udemy, Skillshare, and Alison, etc, means that you can now access and learn from some amazing graphic designers. For further information on graphic design in relation to sales, check out our ‘Creative Ideas to Increase Sales‘ e-book.
How To Learn Graphic Design (According To Some Of The Worlds Best Designers)
So what’s your next step? Rather than trying to figure out the best place to start on your own, why not ask the experts? And that’s exactly what we did!
In this post we’ve asked 40+ of the worlds best known graphic designers, to share their top tips to learn Graphic Design. Some notable names were kind enough to take the time to contribute to the post and boy did they deliver!
They’ve provided tons of actionable advice and even shared some of their own recommended resources and their favourite courses to help you get started on the path to becoming a Graphic Design Wizard!
Let’s hear what the world’s leading graphic designers had to say:
Tolga Girgin

website:
https://www.tolgagirgin.art/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/tolgagirgin99/

Also learning the history of calligraphy is really important for a type designer. To know its foundations I advice you to buy some books about calligraphy and lettering which contains history of letters.

- I can advice the workshops of Denis Brown, Yves Leterme, John Stevens, Christopher Haanes, Luca Barcellona.
- I highly recommend Foundations of Calligraphy Book by Sheila Waters.


- Brand New – is a great blog about branding and logo design.
Ondrej Zunka

website:
http://ondrejzunka.com/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/ondrejzunka/


- There are so many these days. I wouldn’t recommend anything specific. Just think in small pieces. Don’t try to learn everything at once and break down your goals into as many little goals as possible. For example learn some modelling before you decide to make a car explode.
Rylsee Cyril Vouilloz

website:
http://www.rylsee.com
social profile:
http://www.instagram.com/rylsee


- Well, if you want to learn my secret tricks, I have a skillshare class about hand-lettering composition. —–> www.skl.sh/rylsee and I also have my first book called: HOW TO PLAY WITH LETTERS published by the great MOLESKINE®.
- The book showcases different projects and ways of playing with letters. I’ve already been told by other designers that this was a great source of inspiration.
- Other than my work, well to be honest I often feel pressured when I look at too many cool stuff online and it sometimes block my creative mood. Therefore, I rather take inspirations from real life, innocent mistakes, people, conversations in the metro, posters in the streets, tags and throwies… bad restaurant logos 😀


- I personally don’t. We need to understand that it’s plenty of way to achieve a goal. Do not limitate yourself to just one path.
Dan Mumford

website:
http://www.dan-mumford.com
social profile:
http://instagram.com/danmumforddraws


- I personally take a lot of influence from film and pop culture, so my resources that inspire me are not necessarily within the design realm. But i do follow itsnicethat quite closely for things that are more associated with design and illustration.
- I also find Instagram a pretty invaluable tool for inspiration. Essentially if you use it correctly you are curating a feed of imagery that you have chosen, so for me seeing all this incredible artwork that people are producing and posting on Instagram is very inspiring on a daily basis.
Behrang Namdari

website:
https://be.net/bnamdari
social profile:
https://instagram.com/behrangnamdari


- A Smile in the Mind: Witty Thinking in Graphic Design
- Identity Designed: The Definitive Guide to Visual Branding
Raewyn Brandon

website:
https://www.raewynbrandon.com/
social profile:
https://www.behance.net/raewynbrandon


- Can’t recommend any specific resources as such.. Honestly, I just follow a bunch of amazing designers, on places like Behance or Instagram, and follow their journey and learn that way.


- Skillshare has a wide range of classes about graphic design.
- I also learned a ton by trying out tutorials from this site: https://design.tutsplus.com/
Violaine & Jérémy

website:
https://vj-type.com/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/violaineetjeremy/


- There is nothing like museums and history
Sergi Delgado

website:
https://sergidelgado.com/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/sergidelgado/


- Try to focus where no one is looking, just like that you will be able to do something different and original
Stanley Chow

website:
http://www.stanleychow.co.uk
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/stan_chow/


- As far as I’m concerned.. there is nothing specific. You can learn from everyone and everything. All advice is good… even bad advice. If advice is bad and you recognise that, you’ve learnt something.
Chad Michael

website:
http://www.chadmichaelstudio.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/chadmichaelstudio/


- Designspiration.net , Behance.net , Dribbble.com,
- Communication Arts Magazine, Print Magazine,
- HOW design magazine, Wallpaper magazine


- AIGA Eye on Design
Sheyi Adebayo

website:
https://osheyi.co.uk/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/osheyi.a/?hl=en


- I would recommend places like itsnicethat and behance!
Pavel Fuksa

website:
http://www.behance.net/cosmoboy
social profile:
http://www.instagram.com/fuksaworks


- I’ve started with Abduzeedo’s tutorials
- Read a lot of Creative Reviews, Lürzer’s Archives, Computer Arts, books on South American, Japanese, Eastern European
- 20th century design in general, as well as anthologies on logos and movie posters.
Alex Aperios

website:
http://aperios-design.co.uk/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/aperiosdesign/


- The Futur (YouTube)
- Tomrossmedia(Instagram)


- https://www.itsnicethat.com/ This is a really cool archive of the Typographische Monatsblätter journal throughout the years. So inspiring!
- http://www.tm-research-archive.ch/ See trends in type and cool websites using them.
- https://www.typewolf.com/ It’s also nice to read about things not related to your work too.
- These are some of my favorite magazines right now. https://www.macguffinmagazine.com/ and http://theplantmagazine.com/
Irene Hardy

website:
https://magnoliahousecreative.com
social profile:
https://instagram.com/magnoliahousecreative


- Lynda.com is great for learning how to use Adobe Creative Cloud software!
Marta Veludo

website:
https://www.martaveludo.com/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/martaveludo/


- I would start to research good schools of graphic design. Ecal in Lausanne or KABK in Den Haag are good examples. Being around future graphic designers, thinkers, creators and teachers that are graphic designers themselves is the best way of learning.
- Books, online courses are just extras that you need to add to your education. Blogs are always good source of keeping yourself updated, but now i find Instagram more useful.
- Follow designers, design studios, brands, festivals, musicians, photographers that inspire you visually and conceptually and thats a good dose of daily inspiration !
Mihai Dolganiuc

website:
https://dolganiuc.design/
social profile:
https://dribbble.com/MihaiDolganiuc


- Of course. My first book related to logo design (which is my main activity) was Logo Design Love by David Airey. So I do recommend that book and his blog: https://www.logodesignlove.com/
- Another great resource is George Bokhua’s Logo Design Course on Skillshare.
- Aaron Draplin is of course a must to watch also on Skillshare and his book “Pretty Much Everything” was a great inspiration for me not just only career-wise.
- How to by Michael Bierut a book that has changed the way I think about Identities and Logos, and that was a great generator of inspiration.
- Last I would like to mention a Youtube Channel that has changed my life The Futur https://www.thefutur.com/
- With videos from the business of design to strategy and even tutorials/courses on typography/lettering/logo design and negotiating better prices, they are an irreplaceable resource for a designer that is starting out or even an experienced one.
- I highly endorse this Youtube channel for giving away a lot of free content and for making me understand how little was I charging for my services and that there’s more to graphic design than to being a order taker as opposed to being an expert who offers solution based on well-thought questions.
César Santillán

website:
https://spark.adobe.com/page/b8eklvCAHMM2y/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/cesarsantillan37/?hl=es-la


- If I recommend them, with the observation that not all the best is digital. You learn a lot from other media such as paper.
Amadeus Malmin

website:
https://www.instagram.com/amadeuces/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/amadeuces/


- 1. Typography, practice how to place and layout text. Experiment with font styles, create different emotions and hierarchies That will hopefully save you from fucking up the final work. Many Graphic designers are good at illustrative work but lack the final touches of typography.
- 2. Kill your darling, your first good concepts usually feels great because you solved a problem. But I would always recommend taking another turn, scrap the idea and make another one.
- 3. Feedback, ask what feelings are this layout, illustration, cover, website etc. making you feel? What could be improved?
Marlon Mayugba

website:
https://www.marlonmayugba.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/marsmygb


- The Vignelli Canon by Massimo vignelli
- How to by Michael Bierut
- Design Matters by Debbie Millman


- Lately I find most of the interesting stuff through social networks like Pinterest, Behance, Dribbble, Instagram… but https://www.itsnicethat.com/ for example is an interesting site for creatives.
- Taschen recently published The History of Graphic Design in two volumes, a really comprehensive book in which you can always find inspiration and discover something that you haven’t noticed yet https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/graphic_design/all/04678/facts.the_history_of_graphic_design_vol_1_18901959.htm
- You can really find all the answers to your questions searching the internet. It’s all there, more available than ever before.
Ion Lucin

website:
https://www.behance.net/ionL
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/ion_lucin/


- You cant be selective at the beginning, take in everything you can.
- Only after you have a notion of graphic design, past and present, only then you can decide a style that you would like to pursue, and then try and do a more filtered research on that particular style/ technique.


- LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare are great to pick up skills.
- YouTube tutorials are helpful to address specific questions.
- More than anything be aware of people doing good work. Connect with them, and learn by watching what they do and what gets them excited!
Oliver Westrup

website:
http://www.misterwestrup.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/misterwestrup/


- YouTube.com – I realise this isn’t specific, but as a self-taught Graphic Designer I have to thank YouTube and the hundreds of talented Graphic Designers who are generously giving away their knowledge for free. A quick search of something like ‘Graphic Design – Web Layouts’ will soon give you more useful information than you know what to do with.
Xavier Segers

website:
https://www.thelastdodo.be/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/the_last_dodo/


- There are many schools and courses that you can follow but for those who are not able to do so, the internet has a rich source of blogs and tutorials to give you a good understanding of graphic design.
- When approaching a design challenge, it’s always good to take a piece of paper and write down what the brief is asking and how you can answer it. Asking the right questions and keeping things simple is key.
- Asking those relevant questions is Roger Lindeback in his free ebook. In this book he deals with how to approach a branding project, but the same questions could apply to many other design challenges. It breaks down the branding process in insightful steps by asking the right questions. It’s very important to reflect on what you are doing and why you are making certain decisions on each step of the design process. http://www.brandhousebook.com
- Decent feedback is very valuable. It can help you get out of a rut or give you tips to elevate your work. Find a design community on social media that suits you. The Designers League is a Facebook group where designers of all stages and fields are represented. It’s a good place to seek advice or to help others. https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedesignersleague/ and https://www.creativebloq.com/design/free-ebooks-designers-7133700
Shantanu Suman

website:
http://www.opendoordesignstudio.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/sumanshantanu/


- This can be a VERY long list. But since I love typography, research, and branding, I will definitely Thinking with Type (book) by Ellen Lupton
- The Craft of Research (book)
- Brand New (website) by UnderConsideration.
Frida Thomsen

website:
http://fridathomsen.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/fridamariaartist/


- Pinterest, YouTube, Packaging Of The World, Unsplash photography, Creative Cloud (Create by Adobe), Skillshare, Instagram
- AIGA eye on design, Adweek, Mirador, Bernstein&Andriulli, The Dieline, It’s Nice That, and way more. (Watch your favorite agencies work or studios as well to keep yourself updated on latest trends and techniques).
- Also to be able to create something that’s NOT on trend. If you know the trends you can create ANOTHER trend or something new.
Debora Manetti

website:
http://www.kmzero.com
social profile:
https://www.facebook.com/studiokmzero/


- Whatever You Think
- 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People
- insights on the reference market of the project for which you are working
Martin Cusano

website:
https://www.behance.net/MartinCusano
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/martin_cusano/

Leila Bartholet

website:
https://www.leilabartholet.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/leilabartholet/

Saxon Campbell

website:
http://www.unspokenagreement.com/
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/unspoken.agreement/

Meghan Newell

website:
http://www.calcium75.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/meghantosh/


- Follow lots of folks you think are doing interesting work on Instagram.
- Check out Typewolf.
- And then go to the library and look at design annuals from 10-20-30-80 years ago to cleanse your brain and jump out of the filter bubble. It’s good to know what’s going on, and it’s better to mix it down with something totally different.
Nicole Borens

website:
https://nicoleborens.com
social profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleborens/


- Lynda.com has the best in-depth design tutorials.
- I like Coursera for online courses.
Andres De la Calle

website:
https://adelacalle.jimdo.com
social profile:
https://www.instagram.com/delacallemartos/


- Tim grey tutorials
- Domestika