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10 Tried-And-True Ways to Improve Your Graphic Design Skills

Graphic Design Skills

Graphic Design Skills & Graphic designers are amazing. Talking about their talent in an extremely creative craft combined with their patience in learning and doing it, they truly are exceptional. Creating graphic design is no joke. Regardless of the form, sort, size, theme and more aspects, it takes up a lot of time and effort to be done. Such a pursuit can never be belittled because being able to do graphic design is surely a one-of-a-kind ability!  

While some graphic designers arrived at this field because of their passion and innate capability, some begin from scratch as they hold their great interest in this line. That means some choose to be in the graphic design industry because of their God-given talents that are already discovered early by them, but some choose to be there because they want to learn it and to eventually call it their talent and passion. 

Well, notwithstanding this difference, know that both these people can still be ace graphic designers! That is only possible when they are very much driven to pursue this as a career, as a hobby or as both by honing the skills that they have unravelled or that are yet to be unravelled by them. 

To those of you reading this, you could be a professional graphic designer now or an aspirant aiming to apply for such a job. Meanwhile, you could also be just anybody who enjoys graphic designing as a pastime, or who makes use of your basic knowledge on it for your own small business, you can submit your business online and get more client free of cost. Now, whoever you are, as long as you want to be a proficient visual artist soon or to better your competencies and portfolios, you’re definitely reading the right piece!    
Take this helping hand! Here are 10 tried-and-true ways to improve your graphic design skills.

1 – Graphic Design SkillsTake advantage of free design tutorials uploaded online.

This is the age of digital technology! Social media is powerful. Online platforms are numerous. There are countless sources of informative content created by people who are willing to generously share their knowledge and skills in various industries, including graphic design. Take advantage of them, especially the free design tutorials uploaded online!

Believe it or not, even the graphic design topics that you’ve never heard before, you might get to know them through these graphic designing tutorials shared by experts, like visual artists or graphic design agencies who are also content creators. They aim to teach people, like you, who want to learn graphic design from the comfort of their homes or from wherever. You can explore from the basics to the most complex topics in graphic design without needing to pay or to pay big! You just need patience to search for them online and diligence to watch them too.

What’s more beneficial about graphic design tutorials present online, especially on YouTube, is that you can pause them to try them on your own. You can study at the same time you apply what you learn! No pressure and no hassle!

Graphic Design Skills

2 – Practice using free graphic design apps.

Now, speaking of applying what you learn from online tutorials and from graphic design pros, you need to practice. It is the key to mastering the twists and turns of graphic designing. To do this, use free graphic design apps readily downloadable online or through your devices’ application store.   

These tools can be acquired without any charge, which is very aidful for beginners. When you are still trying to learn or experiment with your graphic design skills, basic editing software and apps are handy! 

Eventually, you can get their premium versions when you’re ready or when you want to practice on a higher level. For the paid versions, you get access to special and exclusive editing features.

Graphic Design Skills

3 – Graphic Design SkillsMaster design using pre-made templates.

Some people think that using templates is for the weak, but the truth is that it’s for the brave. Why? Because you’re getting yourself ready for bigger and more challenging pursuits in designing! It’s totally alright to kick off your graphic design skills by utilizing pre-made templates because that’s how you can master the game from the bottom to the top!

When you get exposed to pre-created templates, you get a hint of what looks good, better and best! You get to know their opposites as well to avoid them! You definitely learn a lot of graphic design elements from pre-made templates, so don’t hesitate maximizing their presence! In the first place, they would not have been created if they were useless!

Graphic Design Skills

4 – Follow and get inspiration from graphic design blogs and agencies.

Look at others’ fantastic works, and be motivated to do the same. Don’t be jealous, but be inspired by them. Follow and get inspiration from a visual artist’s blogs or from pages by a graphic design agency.

Seeing them on your timelines will drive you to do your best to produce digital creations like theirs or better than theirs. Furthermore, this gives you happy vibes, which are important in being able to work on graphic design with a light heart.

Graphic Design Skills

5 – Sign up to online graphic design workshops.

Aside from free online tutorials, there are people actually offering graphic design workshops too. Sign up after choosing whether you’re going for beginner level classes or for higher levels. Investing in these educational endeavors is worth your time and money. You will obtain a lot of learning coming from graphic design professionals while you gain friends who are also into the craft!

One of the good things about these graphic design workshops is that your questions and curiosities can easily, directly, promptly and verbally be answered by your graphic design mentors. You can stay at home too because a lot of them are held virtually! 


Look for a reliable graphic design agency that offers webinars and workshops for aspirants like you.

Graphic Design Skills

6 – Be hungry for pieces of advice towards your work.

Because design is personal, there are times when you see nothing but perfection from your work, however, other people say otherwise. Sometimes, you won’t see what’s wrong with your visual product unless you listen to those who comment or suggest better ideas. 

Be humble and teachable if you want to improve your graphic design skills. Be hungry for pieces of advice towards your work because it is the gateway to enhancement and to accomplishment! 

Ask feedback from friends, especially from fellow artists. Welcome constructive criticisms without negative emotions. Don’t close your doors for recommendations. All these will help you be a better and a more versatile graphic artist! On top of that, you will develop healthy relationships with people around you.

Graphic Design Skills

7 – Assess other designers’ work as well.

Besides showing your work to others for them to give feedback, assess other designers’ work as well. This will help you see diverse design styles and perspectives, which is essential in broadening your knowledge in graphic design. Moreover, doing so will augment your critical, observatory and judgment skills, which you can utilize to improve your self-made designs.

Graphic Design Skills

8 – Draw and write on paper from time to time. 

Most often, when you’re a good artist on paper and pen, you have a strong edge on digital art. To boost your graphic design skills, practice drawing and writing on paper from time to time. This keeps you connected to how your bare hands work without those digital drawing devices. It’s also a great practice for stretching and navigating your hands through detailed strokes and movements.

Graphic Design Skills

9 – Don’t be afraid to experiment!

In graphic design, don’t be afraid to experiment! Look for design ideas from wherever you can. Curate! Invent your own if you can! This is how you can find out and come up with fresh skills and approaches in graphic design.

Don’t use the same styles, hues, formats, methods and apps all the time. Try something new and unfamiliar too, so you will grow as a graphic artist.

Graphic Design Skills

10 – Begin and/or accept design projects.

Last but not the least, if you’ve been doing graphic design for quite a long time now, begin your own design projects or accept whenever the opportunity comes. This helps you show your skills to the world and be proud of it.

Your confidence is pulled up, and your motivation is fired up! You will meet passionate artists and will work with adept graphic design agencies! With all these, you’ll be more willing to learn, open to learning opportunities, which will enrich your present skills in graphic design.

Graphic Design Skills

TO BE A BETTER GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Some people underestimate or undervalue the abilities of graphic designers, thinking that it’s just about drawing and coloring images, when in fact, their job is difficult and demanding as well.

The creations of these artists are not cheap because they are born out of sweat, tired hands, weary eyes and sometimes, sleepless nights. Certainly, these hard-workers are to be appreciated and acknowledged as they should be.

For you to be a good graphic designer, you need to have the eye, the hand and the heart for the craft. You need the mood, the motivation and the mind for everything it requires of you. Of course, you need the right skills in graphic design, but it does not simply end there.

You must constantly look out for them and enhance these skill sets for you to keep your zeal for art illuminating. Keep in mind, art is not only diverse but also evolving, so you significantly must aim for improvement and progress in your very own graphic design skills!  


Graphic Design Skills - Nicole Ann Pore, Orion Creative

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Ann Pore is a writer, an events host and a voice over artist. Quality and well-researched writing is her worthwhile avenue to enlighten and delight others about things that matter. She is a daytime writer for Orion Creative, a digital agency and design studio in Sydney, building greater possibilities for brands and businesses of all sorts. Nicole graduated Cum Laude from De La Salle University Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts.

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