Designing: Magic or sweat, blood and tears?

talk design
1

Hey guys, I was just wondering what exactly does it take to become a good designer? Yeah, this may seem like a stupid question, but I’ll be more precise.

Sometimes I come across some very nice pictures made with vectors. Or I see a website and I think to myself ‘Wow…’. The thing is… I’m doing about 1,5 year of designing mostly websites and other applications. Although I think I’m not spending enough time on this, I think I’ve become pretty good. I might dig up some examples soon. :slight_smile:

I was wondering what kind of skills you need and how long it takes to become a good illustrator. Of course, you need to know the tools of trade. But… Do you need to know how to draw to become good? With vectors you can easily just change how they look in comparision to drawing lines with charcoal. Or do you need to know how forms must look like? Maybe both of these things?

I’ve been trying to do some logo designing (I can’t give any samples, sorry), but I always fail at coming up with good ideas. Or working them out (but I think that’s a matter of practising your tools). I’ve seen DDD do some amazing and quick things that just blew me away. Is that just alot of experience, or did he (or you, if DDD is reading this) always come up with pretty good ideas?

Anyways, yeah. This is more directed to the people who have been doing this for a long time. Maybe you can give me a few pointers in how to improve at illustration. Or actually… How to start with illustration, seeming I haven’t done much in the past.

So that was my rant, I hope I don’t get bashed now.C:-)

2

You really have to follow trends and find your style or niche. Then just expand. There really isnt a recipe for this stuff, you just gotta love what you do. There is good money to be made in design but you have to stay on the forefront with your skills and form valuable alliances with people who are strong where you are defecient. I try to touch everything. I do vector, motion, web, traditional, cartooning…a little of everything.

Oh and take a few drawing classes as well as learn about color theory, print and typography. Those are the skills that are very essential. From there the rest is just getting to know your audience or clients audience. And think on the outside a bit, dont be afraid to try things.