Designz by Jamz wants you to continue to be an established designer and creative soul. Open up your portfolio and a versatile array of clients certainly roll out, each more impressive than the last. But, when was the last time you took a second to assess the progress you’ve made? Where exactly do you rank in your industry and how do fortify your edge as a leading designer? Try these tips to solidify your designer edge and career skills.
Education doesn’t end once you pick up your diploma. As new software and design principals evolve it’s your duty to learn them. Take a class at the local community college, art center, or something new entirely. Remember, as a creative person everything you learn becomes fodder for your work — a new colour in the pot of paint, so to speak.
No one doubts that you know your Photoshop inside and out, but there’s nothing wrong with taking a few tutorials to increase your knowledge. Sometimes a YouTube tutorial or a forum provides an answer that may save you time and the client some money — and of course there are other online design tutorial sites out there.
Engage with a community of artists and be open to their feedback and criticism. There are plenty of online portfolio sites with groups of critics that will leave you notes. The anonymity of the internet can lend itself to trolls, but there are those out there looking to help you improve your work. Check out ours at the Behance network HERE… feel free to leave feedback on each design project!
Nothing proves your mettle by winning a design contest. Don’t be afraid to pit your work against other designers. Sometimes the payouts are paltry to the amount of work you put in, but they help generate new clients and aid to your confidence.
Looking back and reflecting on your old work is a great way to find room for improvement. Revel in a bit of nostalgia and flip through old pieces you’ve created. There may be something that inspires you or you may discover a pattern in your work you want to break out of. Either way, self-discovery can lead to wonderful results.
And lastly, feel free to browse the internet — it’s free and you have the ‘whole world’ basically at your fingertips, all you have to do is search for categories of design, open your eyes and mind, to be creatively inspired.
Comments
That top pic is ridiculous! Ridiculously awesome!! Is that one of your own designs or clip-art? I have a similar idea in my head for a design for one of my blogs.