Starting out as a graphic designer can be overwhelming. There are many great templates, design resources for inspiration and articles on how to get started with client interaction, but a few all-encompassing resources can get you started with a solid footing.
Millo.co
Millo.co (formerly GraphicDesignBlender.com) is a great resource for any and all questions you might have as a designer. The site features blog posts from current designers that might help answer some of the basic questions you have when entering into the field, like how to find freelance clients, how to create effective workflows and paying those pesky freelance taxes at the end of the year. It also serves as a great means of inspiration for starting business on social media or simply finding great free image resources for your work.
HubSpot
HubSpot is the mother of all resources. Whether it’s setting up your HubSpot COS or optimizing document designs for web viewing, HubSpot has great walk through tutorials, development tools and reference guides. Their blog is also a great resource for other designer takeaways and a place for discussion topics. Looking for marketing and design advice? Google “topic of your choice + hubspot,” and there’s a solid chance you’ll find something of value to guide you to completing your task.
Dafont
Dafont houses thousands of free downloadable typefaces with easily navigable sorting to filter by topics as simple as serif vs. sans-serif, or detailed categories such as handwritten, horror or old school. Dafont is the best way to experiment with different styles when starting out with new clients who haven’t yet defined their style. Using the more outspoken typefaces as accents in design work can add quick detail without much designing needed.
Creative Market
Creative Market is a top resource for design templates, photographs, graphic elements and web design templates. While there is a small fee for these items, there is a “free goods” section where they rotate several styles of items each day for free use. Take advantage of checking in every day for free elements that you might not be able to use now, but can save into your arsenal for future designs.
Lynda
Lynda, owned by LinkedIn, serves as a great resource for visual tutorials, educational courses and practice design projects. For a small annual fee, Lynda provides endless amounts of thorough information for building your design business, troubleshooting with various design programs, and sharpening your design skills as you evolve. The site provides what they call “Learning Paths” where you can select a track, such as “Become a Graphic Designer.” It also provides over 24 hours of video tutorials and practice designs that lead you down the path of reaching your goals and then promoting your achievements on your LinkedIn profile.
When starting out as a graphic designer, it is hard to know where to begin. There are many great design resources for bettering your skills, but the few key sources listed above will help you build your database of items. Having a starting place to select typefaces, visual references and tutorials on how to implement them in your design can be the best way to take first steps to working as a graphic designer.
What other graphic design resources do you use? Let me know in the comments below!
