Design advice

[SupaBob]

Hi,

I'm new to Design and would really like to get some input from the more experienced people out there.

I recently subscribed to iCreate, Photoshop Creative and Official Corel Painter - off a great deal - 3 issues for £1 (click here for anyone in the UK interested).

Are these publications any good or can I get better tips and advice anywhere else ?

I am really keen to get into the graphics field - is there a demand for graphic designers ?

I look forward to some responses.

Regards
SupaBob

 

[LeviG]

Now the cynic in me says this is a clever way of doing spam but on the off chance I'm wrong (hopefully I am) I would highly recommend going to the local college and seeing what they have on offer.

No matter how many books, forums you go on, getting first hand tuition from a qualified teacher/artist/designer will be of more help.

Now obviously if you're too young for that (ie still at high school) go and see the art and design department and see if they have any out of school activities.

 

[SupaBob]

I do have to apologise if it's seems like spam, but I am genuinely interested in design.

I am not in school and would rather learn off forums and magazines/books (for personal reasons) as I've already learnt a lot of tricks and tips about computing just by visiting forums and subscribing to magazines.

Is there anyone who can offer me advice as to which are the best publications to use af reference guides in my pursuit to discovering design on my own ??? No offence to you LeviG - I am really only asking for advice on publications

 

[LeviG]

I am really only asking for advice on publications

then why put the "can I get better tips and advice anywhere else ?" in the first post

I still stand by courses especially considering you want to get into graphic design, an area which is already (in my opinion) over saturated with people who have taken a similar route to which you are taking (no offence intended here) and lower the quality of the field and force the skilled designers to knock down prices to compete as most people still look at price over work.

As to magazines, I have not seen any magazine that really gives good training, they give advice to people who know what they're doing or have a basic grasp for the programs. Look into some books from amazon etc, I learnt more tricks by going on a course and getting suggested reading materials/buying books that just look interesting than by reading any graphic magazine.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

Do you have an art background at all? If not, I especially stand behind LeviG's suggestion of schooling. I'd recommend that anyway, but without some kind of formal art training (whether it be painting/drawing/etc.), you're not going to understand the principles of what makes a good design. You'll just be another person who can bevel, emboss, and drop shadow everything.

 

[shecky]

knowing how to use software has absolutely no correlation whatsoever to knowing how to be a designer.

 

[ChicoWeb]

Do you have an art background at all? If not, I especially stand behind LeviG's suggestion of schooling. I'd recommend that anyway, but without some kind of formal art training (whether it be painting/drawing/etc.), you're not going to understand the principles of what makes a good design. You'll just be another person who can bevel, emboss, and drop shadow everything.

I don't have an art background, didn't take one class in art or design - But now own my own design business and teach at college. Am I just another person who can bevel, emboss, and drop shadow?

 

[ac6789]

I agree with LeviG and tobefirst

I would recommend some sort of formal training (even a one year fundamental course) as design is a lot more than "making things look pretty".

You can get inspiration from magazines, learn all the tricks until you're blue in the face, but you won't understand the reasons why behind the design which, I think, makes all the difference between a designer and "wannabe designer" (no offence).

On top of the design principals, you'll learn you'll also learn the psychology of design. For example: why do faces (particularly profile shots) always "look" toward the open edge of magazines/books, how different fonts or colours will invoke certain thoughts/assumptions/feelings, etc.

 

[LeviG]

I don't have an art background, didn't take one class in art or design - But now own my own design business and teach at college. Am I just another person who can bevel, emboss, and drop shadow?

well you do web design which is slightly different to graphic design wouldn't you say. Plus there's plenty of templates out there for websites to get a feel for things with, graphic design doesn't really have this luxury.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I don't have an art background, didn't take one class in art or design - But now own my own design business and teach at college. Am I just another person who can bevel, emboss, and drop shadow?

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, and what I said doesn't take into account the natural God-given ability. I didn't think that needed to be said necessarily. You *are* one of the exceptions- not part of who makes them rules.

I will note, however, that in another thread, you asked me why laying out brochures in Illustrator was less ideal (in general) than making them in InDesign or Quark.

I say that not as an insult, as I am respect immensely your web design abilities, but to illustrate that as something that would have been taught the first day in any kind of formal training.

Again, I'm not trying to insult your knowledge/abilities, as you are one of the better web designers on this forum, and I certainly don't claim to know everything print-wise. I hope you have not taken it as such.

 

[ChicoWeb]

I focus on Web Design. But I've designed tri-folds, magazine ads for Seventeen Magazine, Trade Magazine ads, Corporate Identity, Folders, Gift Cards, PPT Slide backgrounds, Post Cards so yes, I would say I'm a graphic designer, and yes I used Illustrator for all of them tobefirst.

People typically come to me after we've designed their site to ask for these extras because they want the same creativity, feel, and look for their business.

 

[ChicoWeb]

well you do web design which is slightly different to graphic design wouldn't you say. Plus there's plenty of templates out there for websites to get a feel for things with, graphic design doesn't really have this luxury.

Web design is a form of graphic design, yes.

Templates? I would never in a million years hand a paying client a "Template" I downloaded as my own work, nor have I ever.

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

Thanks for not taking that insultingly, ChicoWeb.

 

[ChicoWeb]

Thanks for not taking that insultingly, ChicoWeb.

I didn't take at as such. I don't claim to know everything either. I'll be the first to admit I don't know everything about print either, but I learn, I look online for answers, then lastly- I'll come here

 

[LeviG]

Web design is a form of graphic design, yes.

We'll differ on that view, web design may have elements of graphic design in it but its not graphic design, hence why its called web design . Its like saying my 3d rendering is a form of graphic design due to the layout of image on a page when it probably closer to photography due to using the same way of thinking to compose the scene.

Templates? I would never in a million years hand a paying client a "Template" I downloaded as my own work, nor have I ever.

I never said you did, I said there were templates available to get a feel for things, which is nothing like saying you downloaded a template and said it was your work .

Most websites have a common layout, title with a menu at the top or left hand side, text in the middle in one or multiple columns, obviously exceptions to the rule but if asked to describe a generic website that would be most peoples answer.

Macrumors site is a perfect example (no offence macrumors people )- title with menu at the top. text in the middle in multiple columns (yes 2 of the 3 are link type things) but you get the idea.

They're done like this because people are accustomed to a set design and so it's easier to stick to a layout that works, it doesn't mean its the best design in terms of style etc.

 

[angelwatt]

If you don't want to go the class route I suggest heading over to Amazon or Barnes and Nobles web site and do some searches for design books and reads the reviews on them to find some books you're interested in. You can also check college book stores to see what books the school are using. Expensive books aren't always the better books. Buying used and off Ebay will also help you get a cheaper deal.

Good luck on your venture into design.

 

[Halcyon]

Web Design is an integral part of Graphic Design. When you design the look of a web page you employ the exact same rules of design you would use to design a book cover or tri-fold. I can't conceive any other way of doing it and calling it design. Albeit web design has to be performed over a more rigid environment, it necessarily doesn't have to...it just requires more ingenuity and proper use of the available elements, thus more work to go that extra yard

I personally think that the vast majority of web designers are stuck on functionality rather than on design (the design revolves around the function) rather the other way around. Every day more and more pages in which functionality revolves around design are starting to come out...and they are the ones making the difference.

I have done graphic design for print for the last 15 years and graphic design for the web for the past five...all I had to do was port the same rules of design from print to web and educate myself on the underlying languages (HTML, PHP, etc.).

My personal 2 centavos...

 

[SupaBob]

Wow ! I'm really thankful for the advice guys !

I travel alot so it would be difficult for me to actually get the time to go on course but I will definitely look into it !

It's really awesome to find people out there who are passionate about design !

Thanks guys !

 

[Halcyon]

Plus there's plenty of templates out there for websites to get a feel for things with, graphic design doesn't really have this luxury.

The equivalent of website templates is called Showcase books, there are thousands of them out there and they have been around longer than web templates.

If them, as well as web templates, are a source of inspiration or plagiarism, well that merits a whole new thread.

Best regards.

 

[MagicWok]

knowing how to use software has absolutely no correlation whatsoever to knowing how to be a designer.

This is your answer OP. I applaud you getting educated, but this also leads on to me hating those 'computer arts' mags that show you how to create 'things' in Photoshop etc so you can have a butterfly floating on someone's eye in rainbow colours or something ridiculous.

If you really want to learn, and not from a decent course but books, then start reading publications from respected Graphic Designers. The difference? They have little or no pictures, and absolutely 0 tutorials

 

[klymr]

I found this nice little book at Border's last night. Granted it's not the best book our there, but I think for the price it's a great source of inspiration. Anyone else have this book?