My path into the creative industry and how you can get on as a beginner in Graphic Designs.

First of all I am not a writer so you will have to look past the gbas gbos in this content and get on with the message.

My name is Ogunna Chinemere Jerome, I studied computer science in federal polytechnic oko in Anambra state and my department happens to be in a not so popular town in ogbaru local govt called Atani. The place is much better now in 2021 with basic infrastructure coming in but as at then in 2011 we struggled with so many things and in my design aspect it’s Network and exposure. How I manage to start a career from there I will never understand but “Tony stack built a machine from scraps in a cave outta nowhere” I know it’s a movie but you get the point.

It’s no more common knowledge that studying computer science in Nigeria is like jack of all trade and master of none. Students struggle to learn basics and fundamentals and also choosing a niche for themselves. I will never understand the concept of teaching student so many different computer courses via markers on white boards with zero practical. Like how I’m supposed to implement whatever I have been taught in the market with a computer when all I did in school was paper assignments and filling practical manuals. Our education system is designed to prepare you for the hardship that follows when you graduate and not the opportunities that comes with being a graduate in an efficient course so at the early stage in school, students quickly grabs the memo and start teaching themselves, doing research and seeking mentorship in different aspects in computer which brings me to the aim of this brief.

I started my career as a graphics designer back in 2014. And the following points below are my experience or rather what you need to know as a beginner in creative designs.

1, Learn from a good source: Whether self-thought from YouTube, udemy, coursera or you paid an institution or a person to teach you, it is very important you learn from a good source (a professional) someone who possesses high design skills with vast experienced in creative designs and he or she is proficient in maybe 2 to 3 Graphics design tools.

2, Be Creative: One thing is learning how to use a design software and another thing is creativity. If you are not creative you won’t grow in this field. What you feed your brain on a daily basics matters a lot and your environment can play a huge part of your creative thinking. As a designer you should be on apps like Dribble, Instagram, Behance etc checking out creative from different professional designers on different aspects of designs. Feeding your brain with a lot of good designs will definitely improve your creativity.

3, Be Passionate: first I have to tell you as a beginner if what you have in mind before choosing this path is to make money then I’m sorry to tell you it will never happen. Because just like every other skills or business some ventures into with little or no income it takes time before you start earning and only passion can guarantee you of not giving up until you start earning

4, Apply what you learn: now we talked about learning from a good source and now it’s time for implementation. This is a very important stage that determines your growth, in the process of mastering your design process and though while checking out peoples work try to replicate it and see if you can make it better, from the typography to the color selection down to the elements used. Repeat every aspect of your design process over and over again until you automatically see yourself doing something new out of you own creativity.

5, Be consistent: Being Creative and passionate is not enough, I wouldn’t be a brand identity designer if it wasn’t for my consistency in the past years. You have to design every day, there’s seven days in a week and that’s 7 creative in a week, 28–31 in a month, 365 creative in a year. Consistency is key and will can determine when you start earning from it.

6, Pick a Niche: Jack of all trade, master of none, it is time to pick a niche for yourself and master it as a professional. There are so many aspects in graphic design to name a few:

· Visual Identity

· Marketing & Advertising

· User Interface

· Publications

· Branding

· Motion Design

· Art & Illustrations and others.

7, Build a Portfolio: Build a strong portfolio to showcase your design Knowledge and process. Sign up for sites like Behance, dribble and Instagram to start showcasing your works, and only post your best jobs/project. Develop a personal brand and peach to brands with it.