How To Become A Graphic Designer Online

Last Updated on July 29, 2023

How To Become A Graphic Designer Online Writers touch our lives every day, in places we may never know. They write screenplays, speeches, stories and articles that help us understand the world around us. Most writers combine creative writing abilities with journalism to convey information or narratives using words to a screen, page or stage. If you’re interested in seeing your name in lights on Broadway or at the Oscars, find out how to become a writer by examining the career path of some of the most successful professional writers working today

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How To Become A Graphic Designer Online

11 Graphic Design Skills That Employers Want To See

Graphic designers create visual communications seen every day, every minute, across the globe. Designers develop entertainment, advertising, news and features in all forms, including print publications (magazines, newspapers and brochures) and digital and broadcast media such as game machines, television, web browsers, social platforms and portable devices. As technology continually develops in complexity, so too grow the duties and skills of graphic designers. This comprehensive career and degree guide examines the role of graphic designers, the most-common routes into the profession, as well as available programs and schools. It’s rounded out by a review of job growth estimates in the field and salaries, by state, for graphic design professionals.

Online Graphic Design Courses With Certificates

Free Skillshare Design Courses

1. Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design

Whether you’re new to graphic design or an old pro, everyone has to start somewhere. Generally, that means starting with the basics which is the focus of the Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design course that within its 35-minute class will walk you through 5 basic principles of graphic design.

Another class taught by Ellen Lupton, along with Jennifer Cole Phillips will show you how those basic principles can be perfect to use in all projects that range from creative design, marketing, to even photography. Through the course, you’ll learn:

  • How to identify and define the 5 basic principles of design
  • How to critique your own work looking for balance and effectiveness
  • Learn how you can apply each concept to your future projects

2. Creating Brand Systems: An Overview of Combining Logos and Type

Taught by Mike Ski and Jesse Jay, designers from True Hand, the Creating Brand Systems course asks students to think about how a great logo or brand system comes to be. Through the six video course, Ski and Jay go over and describe the collaborative process that they used in order to create the logo for Kensington Quarters, an eatery in Philadelphia.

A shorter class than most, the Creating Brand Systems course is designed with designers, illustrators, enthusiasts, and creative in mind. Those who are looking for a high-quality walkthrough of what it takes to create a dynamic logo that can be used across many different channels and applications will want to check this course out.

3. Typography That Works: Typographic Composition and Fonts

When you’re starting out as a graphic designer, you may spend a lot of time perfecting the logo that portrays your brand to prospective clients, but what about the typography on your website or business card? What is that telling your clients about not only your business but about you as well?

Also taught by Ellen Lupton, curator of contemporary design at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, will help to teach you the difference between good typography, which can be very beneficial for you or your client and bad typography, which can have adverse effects. In this course you’ll learn:

  • Sans + Structure – Learn what gives the sans serif typeface its special character
  • Serif + Details – Exploit the details of the full-bodied serif type family
  • Slab + Customization – Learn what to do with slab faces, described as heavy furniture by the syllabus

What is a Graphic Designer?

Designers love concepts and objects, messages and experiences and are infinitely curious about how messages and objects work, what they do or could look like and what they mean. Designers constantly observe, analyze and wonder. They look for ways to improve on existing images and messages and, like many of us who want to excel in our craft, ways to make the otherwise mundane come to life.

If you can look past the technical to the verbal, conceptual and visual side of things, you will likely do well as a designer.

It is important to keep in mind that designers are lifelong learners. As technology and the culture and trends of mass media change, designers must adapt. That means you should continuously stay abreast of the latest methods, techniques and tools of the trade.

As a designer, you will hone your craft through creating designs and using the constructive criticism of peers, professors and employers to make those designs better. Practice makes perfect, and the ability to accept and learn from criticism from peers and even the consumer at large are crucial for success in this field.

More specialized graphic design careers include:

  • Computer animation
  • Video game design
  • Multimedia specialist
  • Interior design
  • Production design
  • Illustration
  • 3D animation

what does a graphic designer do?

Graphic designers combine art and technology to communicate ideas by using a variety of design elements to achieve artistic or decorative effects. They develop the overall layout and production design for advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports. This usually starts out by producing rough illustrations of design ideas, either by hand sketching or by using a computer program.

A graphic designer’s end goal is to make the company that hired them recognizable and prominent. By using text, images, and a variety of media, they communicate a particular idea or identity to be used in advertising and promotions. Media may include fonts, size, shapes, colors, print design, photography, animation, logos, and billboards.

Graphic designers often collaborate on projects with other graphic designers, digital marketing specialistsmultimedia animatorsprogrammersart directors, and web designers. When using text in layouts, they collaborate closely with copywriters who write the wording and decide whether the words will be put into headlines, paragraphs, lists, or tables.

A graphic designer’s responsibilities involve the following:

  • Meet with clients or the art director to determine the scope of a project
  • Advise clients on strategies to reach a particular audience
  • Determine the message the design should portray
  • Create images that identify a product or convey a message
  • Develop graphics and visual or audio images for product illustrations, logos, and websites
  • Create designs either by hand or by using computer software packages
  • Select colours, images, text style, and layout
  • Present the design to clients or the art director
  • Incorporate changes recommended by the clients into the final design
  • Review designs for errors before printing or publishing them

Where can the graphic design field take you? There are many avenues you can look at pursuing, such as:

  • Creative Director – Manage a creative team that creates visuals for product branding, advertising campaigns, etc.
  • Art Director – Manage and coordinate between production artists and illustrators to make sure projects are completed on time and to the client’s satisfaction.
  • Art Production Manager – Manage the production aspect of art generation and creation, with a focus on improving efficiency and lowering costs.
  • Package Designer – Create and design packaging for marketing and/or products in terms of both design and physical construction.
  • Brand Identity Developer – Develop brand identities for various organizations.
  • Visual Image Developer – Create images and designs through 3D modeling, photography, and image editing.
  • Visual Journalist – Among other things, you create informational graphics known as infographics. This can be for print or digital application.
  • Broadcast Designer – Create visual designs and electronic media to be used in television productions.
  • Logo Designer – Create the visual expression of the organization’s key message or value. This is also a key aspect of brand identity — though in identity design, you carry the logo and design identity forward for all branding materials.
  • Interface Designer – Develop graphical user interfaces and usually work for web development companies.
  • Web Designer – Create graphics, layouts, and pages for websites.
  • Multimedia Developer – Apply graphic design skills to sound and/or motion.
  • Content Developer – Create written, graphical, video, sound, or other multimedia content depending on your brief.

Online Graphic Design Degree Programs

Wondering how to become a graphic designer with online education? There’s no one hard and fast pathway to success. Depending on your background, a number of different online graphic design degree programs can help you cultivate competency in graphic design and put you on the road to securing a lucrative and satisfying job.

Certificate

Graphic design certificates are usually geared toward professionals already working in the field or a related discipline but want to learn more about a specific skill set, such as animation or advertising design. Certificates are also a great way to learn how to use new software.

GetEducated’s Picks

  • Penn Foster Certificate in Graphic Design
  • University of Massachusetts – Lowell Certificate in Graphic Design & Digital Imaging
  • Penn Foster Computer Graphic Artist

Associate

Associate’s degrees give prospective design students an opportunity to focus primarily on the skills needed to get an entry-level position in the field without needing to take many of the non-major electives required for a bachelor’s degree. You can complete full-time associate’s degree programs in two years or less.

GetEducated’s Picks

  • Sessions College of Professional Design Associate of Occupational Studies in Graphic Design
  • Penn Foster Associate of Science in Graphic Design

Bachelor

Although working toward a bachelor’s degree takes longer, usually about four years for a full-time student, and is a more expensive option, it is important to keep in mind that a majority of employers want you to have this degree.

GetEducated’s Picks

  • Full Sail University Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design
  • National University Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Design

Master

If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree, especially if you have some experience in the field, you may look to expand your craft with a master’s degree. Master’s candidates usually focus on a specific area of their chosen field and explore that area in-depth. This increased expertise is attractive to potential employers and boosts earning potential.

GetEducated’s Picks

  • Savannah College of Art & Design Master of Arts in Graphic Design
  • Southern New Hampshire University Master of Science in Information Technology / Web Design
  • Full Sail University Master of Fine Arts in Media Design

Online Tutorials & Courses

There are also options if you’d like jump into learning graphic design before enrolling in a formal online graphic design program. These options may also be a better fit for students already working in graphic design or related fields who want a refresher course or more in-depth study in a specific aspect of the field.

Individual online graphic design courses or small series’ of courses are available and tend to be inexpensive and, in some cases, even free. These courses are usually categorized based on experience level, from beginner to expert design offerings.

graphic designer salary

As of Jan 18, 2022, the average hourly pay for a Graphic Designer in the United States is $23.21 an hour.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing hourly wages as high as $38.94 and as low as $9.86, the majority of Graphic Designer wages currently range between $16.83 (25th percentile) to $27.16 (75th percentile) across the United States. The average pay range for a Graphic Designer varies greatly (by as much as $10.34), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Graphic Designer Jobs

We’ve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Graphic Designer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Richmond, CA, with Stamford, CT and Bellevue, WA close behind in the second and third positions. Bellevue, WA beats the national average by $9,114 (18.9%), and Richmond, CA furthers that trend with another $10,795 (22.4%) above the $48,283 average.

Significantly, Richmond, CA has a very active Graphic Designer job market as there are several companies currently hiring for this type of role.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Graphic Designer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies very little at 8% between Richmond, CA and Hartford, CT, reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Graphic Designer role.

CityAnnual SalaryMonthly PayWeekly PayHourly Wage
Richmond, CA$59,079$4,923$1,136$28.40
Stamford, CT$57,528$4,794$1,106$27.66
Bellevue, WA$57,398$4,783$1,104$27.60
Lakes, AK$55,384$4,615$1,065$26.63
San Francisco, CA$55,371$4,614$1,065$26.62
Aspen, CO$55,193$4,599$1,061$26.54
Pleasanton, CA$55,063$4,589$1,059$26.47
Palmdale, CA$54,776$4,565$1,053$26.33
Santa Clara, CA$54,568$4,547$1,049$26.23
Hartford, CT$54,461$4,538$1,047$26.18

how to become graphic designer without degree

Consider the following steps to become a graphic designer without a degree:

1. Learn about design theory

Before becoming a graphic designer, it’s important to develop your understanding of the fundamentals of design theory. Design theory is a system of ideas and techniques that explains how and why certain design elements are more effective than others. Developing an understanding of design theory can help you be more accurate in your attempt to visually communicate brand messaging through your designs.

In order to learn about design theory, consider researching online courses and learning platforms. You can find many of these services at little or no cost through several websites and online education communities. It may also be beneficial to research local courses and short-term art or design classes in your community. In-person learning is a great way to learn from a professional instructor and meet others pursuing a career in design.

2. Learn how to use the necessary software

Graphic designers often rely on specialized software to complete projects. It’s important to download and familiarize yourself with software like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. After downloading this software, consider taking time to learn from the instruction tutorial provided by Adobe. For more in-depth training on the functions of Photoshop and Illustrator, consider purchasing books and beginner guides for each. Preparing yourself with this knowledge can help you successfully navigate the software necessary to complete your duties as a graphic designer.

It’s also important to include your experience with Photoshop and Illustrator on your resume when seeking employment as a graphic designer. Including this information can help provide proof of your competency in this field and ensure hiring managers or clients you have the experience and knowledge necessary to succeed.

3. Build your portfolio

Once you’ve developed an understanding of design theory and educated yourself on the functions of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, you may begin to build your portfolio of work. A portfolio is an important promotional tool for graphic designers because it allows you to advertise your talents and unique perspective as a designer. Before you begin to work with clients or seek full-time employment as a graphic designer, it may be beneficial to create a portfolio of sample or mock designs.

Consider exploring your creativity by designing logos, web pages, ornamental imaging, promotional flyers, brochures or intricate typography for your portfolio. There are several online portfolio services to consider, try researching the available options and choosing one that best suits your needs.

4. Promote your services

After compiling an impressive portfolio, consider also creating a professional website to promote your services. A professional website can be a powerful method of self-promotion as well as an opportunity to display your graphic design skills. Be sure to incorporate elements of your own philosophy as a graphic designer into the design of your website. It’s important to include the following information on pages of your website:

  • Your contact information for potential clients and hiring managers to reach you
  • Your experience, philosophy and perspective as a graphic designer
  • A link to your online portfolio of work

It may also be beneficial to print and carry business cards so you can easily offer your services to potential clients and hiring managers you encounter.

5. Seek employment

After preparing yourself with a portfolio and professional website, you may begin seeking work as a graphic designer. Be sure to create a resume that highlights your skills and mentions any relevant positions in creative or design fields. It may also be beneficial to write a cover letter that expresses your interest in entering the field and the work you’ve done to develop your skills and talents as a graphic designer. You may apply for entry-level, part-time or contractor positions by searching openings through online job-seeking websites.

As you accept more work, your network of clients is likely to expand. If clients are happy with your work, they may recommend you to others in need of your services. It’s important to build and maintain positive relationships with your clients through follow-up communication and providing excellent customer service.

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