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Graphic design, also known as GFX for short, is a category that is spread around all
the things we see. The websites you use, shows you watch, and even the stores you go
to on the daily basis all use and need graphic design. Whether it's for advertisement,
visual appeal, or just get a message across. Graphic design is needed everywhere and
this leads to many job opportunities. Most people start this, for the money. This is
the reason for many of the current designers getting bored and dropping the skill.
In order to improve you need the drive to keep going, an inspiration for new projects.
This is crucial for a drive and to improve your creativity.
GETTING STARTED
Before you decide to download photoshop and make random art, I suggest you plan ahead.
This doesnt mean you have to get a sketchbook to draw/write your ideas. It means you
need to find out what part of graphic design you will start in and branch out afterward.
Look online, other designers projects, or even youtube. Graphic design is everywhere
so youll surely see multiple different styles.
You can start with typography, which focuses on editing fonts and even creating your own.
This is used in many newspapers, magazines, thread designs, and logos.
3D design is one that requires patience and practice. Not that every category require
this, but you need to understand lighting, the way objects are portrayed through the
naked eye, and the shading behind it. Most movies use this as it can be manipulated
to be dramatic, exciting, retro, or anything within a creative mind.
Animated design can be mixed in with 3D design because of the two blend together to an extent.
You can always just work with flat images, but as you continue to practice and learn youll
be required to learn some 3D design techniques. Because of this, I suggest diving into both
if youre learning one.
Photoshop is a program, but I count it as a large section of graphic design. Many people
use it for different things, whether its making memes, creating professional logos, or
even small bits of the topics you see above. Its so big we even use it as a term when
trying to describe something unnatural. I started using this program before working with
other software because it gives you so many different skills. It doesnt mean its the
best section to approach, its just that because of how vast the topic is theres so many
different sources to learn.
IMPORTANT INFO
As Ive said before, you can and will improve very quickly in the beginning, after youve
gotten some basic control in the program you use youll begin having fun making things.
You might even want to start selling some work, thats up to you. However, in order to
reach the next level of creation to where you can freely make what you please, a drive
must be present in what you do. Continuous practice requires constant ideas(inspiration)
and a drive as said above. The most successful way Ive been able to practice every day
is by doing a free graphics service. The reason why you should do a free service is so
you don't have the stress of making a customers money worth, but at the same time you
will always be receiving people who want your work so it leads to daily practice.
The different themes people want for their design will give you the inspiration/ideas
I stated and the feeling of not wasting someones time will keep you working. If you
dont get the inspiration you need for the day, feel free to try and recreate images
you find online.
Practice isnt the only thing you need to do in order to improve. Of course, you need
to learn new things to practice what youve learned. This was something I struggled in
for a long time and for a period of time I stopped graphics. After asking many designers
for advice, going on youtube, and playing around with programs I learned you need to do
a bit of all 3 to get those new skills in the programs you use. First, go on youtube.
Dont want a tutorial for the things they make, but for how you do them. The key to
design is that if you know the program you can make anything. Start with youtube and
follow tutorials for the process. It can be boring at times of course, but follow a
good few then after that, you should know enough to play with the program yourself.
A good teacher results in bettering yourself as a designer, find one that is willing
to help you. It helps with criticism and you might learn some things youtube videos
dont tell you. Everyone has things to do in their life outside of the online activities,
dont be discouraged when an artist doesnt reply to your questions immediately.
Criticism is very useful and prioritizes ones that point out the negatives than the
negatives In your design. The more negatives people point out, the better you can be
in the end result. Giving and receiving good criticism is crucial in improving a certain
category in your design, think about the good things the designer made and point them out
to keep the artist going as you dont want to crush their drive, but find as many flaws
as you can in their work.
PROGRAMS
Below are the links to the common programs people use for the graphic design
categories listed above. Feel free to use them as you please and dont feel
limited to these choices as therere many more alternatives.
Photoshop Photo manipulator and balanced tool for graphic design
Illustrator Program, which uses vectored images instead of Photoshop, which uses
pixels. Mostly used for creating logos, icons, illustrations and anything vector.
Lightroom Primarily focuses on photo correction and photography
After Effects Used for video effects and advanced motion design/animation
Creative Cloud Adobe's main platform, where you get the programs and can share
libraries of resources with other team members, or just personal resource cloud.
Cinema 4D Well known 3D modeling software
If you need sites for more things such as icons, gradients, and more.
Visitthis threadmade by @zyrl for that useful information
SELLING
In order to start selling some things need to be taken into account for some success and
extra time on your hands. You must be organized if you feel like your skills are wanted
on a large scale. Many people will request your work and this will eat up your time.
Take your time on each customer, this is important for loyal customers and for them to
refer other members to you. Every design means something, think about that. If youre tired
or have events planned, update your customer on how the design is doing.
The worst feeling is paying for something and not knowing when youll receive the merchandise.
Prices can be a hard thing to come up with. Relate them to your skin level, as you improve and
become more consistent in adding detail you can raise that price. People want to spend their
money on something they can trust, if youre a beginner I dont suggest charging more than 10$
for anything. The larger the design means the price can be raised higher, for example, a thread
design or a long animation.
CRITICISM
When giving criticism you need to put time and think about how you'd feel as a designer receiving the information. Detail isn't mandatory, but it's most appreciated. Go through the designs you make comments about thoroughly and try your best to find both positives and negatives to give. Sometimes designs have nothing good to say about them, which is very rare. If this occurs respectfully tell the designer what can be improved, changed, etc. Most new designers don't know how to take criticism so when you say "this is trash, so LQ, I could do better" it not only makes you as a user look bad but can even cause a potentially skilled designer to quit/stop designing for a while. Don't feel bad when telling bad info and don't lie about good things either, good criticism makes a good designer. As I say "a good designer is one who makes good work and gives good criticism as well not just one or the other"
RESOLUTION
Thread design: 1080x2560+(Size can be changed depending on the content, but I suggest higher height than width)
Avatar 512x512 (can be scaled down)
Signature: 500x150 / 500x200(Length could depend on you, but height should be from 200-350)
Userbar: 139x42 (depends on the forum)
Logo Project: 5000x5000(1:1 Ratio)
Avatar 512x512 (can be scaled down)
Signature: 500x150 / 500x200(Length could depend on you, but height should be from 200-350)
Userbar: 139x42 (depends on the forum)
Logo Project: 5000x5000(1:1 Ratio)
Profile Background:1600x350(Minimum is 800x175)
EXTRA INFO
Feel free to ask me or @Omni any questions regarding graphics design, our discords are in our
signature and if we dont reply to discord feel free to pm us on the forums. Work towards new
goals and dont hold yourself down, push your limits.
Come join diverse, it's a community filled with skilled designers and people in the midst of becoming one. Some of the people in this discord are myself, @Indeprensus, @CranK, @VirtusGraphics, @Motusora, and @Omni .[[disallowed website] it out 
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