Refresher courses for graphic designers. The graphic designer's path: training and getting a job. What makes the program unique

You don't have to pay for expensive graphic design courses or spend precious years studying in educational institutions. Fortunately, thanks to the Internet, we have the opportunity to save our time and money and learn everything on our own, all you need is desire.

In this article, we've put together helpful tips and resources to help you advance in the art of graphic design. Many of the materials mentioned below are in English, but we do not see any problem in this, because the real cause for excitement is the lack of knowledge of English in the modern world.

1. Take your time

You shouldn't make the most common mistake of all novice specialists - to rush. You will have to take the time to thoroughly study Photoshop and Illustrator, learn drawing techniques, and learn the basics in general.

First, learn to draw if you don't already have this skill.

1. To do this, it is not at all necessary to sit in the same classroom with the same newcomers and try to draw another cube or vase. Actually, you don't need to be a super artist. It is enough to know the basics of drawing and be able to sketch.
2. The well-known and incredibly useful book “You Can Draw In 30 Days” will help you with this. Just practice it for at least thirty minutes a day for a month, and you can master more than mediocre drawing skills.

Learn the basics of graphic design

2. The book "Picture This", based on the fairy tale about Little Red Riding Hood, will help to cope with this, it teaches the basics of both graphic design and drawing.
3. Study fonts, colors. If you have the opportunity and desire to take courses - good, otherwise you have the whole Internet in your hands, which is teeming with free lessons and videos on the topic.
4. Practice these lessons daily, they will help you in your learning.

Also, you should know at least the basics of UX.

Without UX knowledge, you cannot be a full-fledged graphic designer, because your product must first of all be user-friendly. To do this, you should read at least these two books:

1. "Design of familiar things"
2. “Don't make me think”

You must be able to write

1. A good designer must excel at communication and think through every moment in his design, including the text. Write in such a way that your text is not dry and unattractive. Here again, you need user experience knowledge.
2. It is worth reading the book "Made To Stick", it will help you learn how to write catchy texts.
3. Also bookmark your Voice and Tone site. There are tons of examples of great texts here, you will need them for further work.

2. Get to know Photoshop and Illustrator thoroughly

Now that the theory and foundations have already been learned, it's time to get down to practice. It's worth starting with Illustrator and then moving on to Photoshop.

Illustrator is used to create icons and there are tons of tutorials and books that you can use to learn how to work in this program, and here are a couple for you:

1. “Adobe Illustrator Classroom in a Book” is a very tedious but useful book. And if you can master at least half of this textbook, then you can already quite confidently navigate the program.
2. On this channel, you can find four fairly detailed video tutorials, which can easily replace the aforementioned boring book.
3. "Vector Basic Training" - a book with which you will learn how to create images using curves. By the way, in addition to the book, the link also provides videos and exercises.

Photoshop is considered more complex than Illustrator, but the internet is full of tutorials on this program:

1. Tuts + - There are tons of tutorials (including Illustrator, by the way) to help you learn the tools and get your drawing skills.
2. This channel contains a fairly large number of Photoshop tutorials, and they will definitely come in handy.
3. Photoshop Tutorials - quite a useful resource, which, in addition to tutorials, has various plugins, brushes, gradients and much more.
4. Study these materials for at least an hour a day, and you will quickly achieve a fairly high level of knowledge of Photoshop.
3. Decide on your specialty

Like any field of activity, graphic design is divided into several narrow specialties: mobile applications, logos, web design. Decide what you like best and devote all your energy to studying the desired specialization.

Logo design:

1. “Logo and Corporate Identity” - in this book you will read about how to make a really cool and beautiful logo.
2. Logo Design Love - site from the author of the aforementioned book. Also dedicated to logos, so it's worth getting hung up on. Collected here are inspiring examples and interesting information about logo creation.
3. If you do not want to stop only at creating a logo, then the book “Designing Brand Identity” will help you learn how to build the entire brand structure completely - from the website to personal business cards.

Mobile Application Design:

1. Here's a great guide to creating a mobile app interface. With its help, you can at least superficially understand what you will have to deal with.
2. “Tapworthy” is a great little book from Josh Clarke in which he talks about how to create an attractive and most importantly user-friendly application.
3. Go through the applications in your smartphone and try to understand which one is done well, which one is not very good, and which one is really bad. And pay attention to the little things that, in your opinion, were not thought out to the end, come up with a way to correct existing errors.

Web design:

1. Here again, the above-mentioned book “Don't make me think” will be useful to you, be sure to read it, especially since we have found a Russian translation for you.
2. There are 20 free web design books on this resource, and we recommend that you read at least a couple of them.
3. As with mobile app design, collect the sites you like and see what is done and how. Write down the main advantages of these sites and try to comply with your ideals in your future work.
Those wishing to become a graphic designer often wonder if they need to know HTML and CSS. Let's just say that knowledge of the basics of development will not hinder you in any way and even give you an advantage. But everything, of course, depends on the specific job or project.

Even if you are not going to become a web developer, the basics of HTML and CSS are worth knowing, especially since there are a huge number of free lessons that you can find in our articles:

1. Useful resources for programmers
2.9 most useful sites for learning programming

And also on these resources:

1. One of the best free Tuts +
2. And one of the best paid, but inexpensive ($ 25 / month) - Treehouse. It is suitable for beginners looking for a clear and simple explanation.

4. Take care of your portfolio

Today, a diploma does not matter at all, but a portfolio means a lot. Nor do you need to be working on real projects to have your own work. Just do something of your own, for example, make sketches of the interfaces of applications, sites, draw logos for those local companies that either do not have them, or the logo that does exist is useless. By the way, in the latter case, sometimes it is worth contacting the very same company with your work, and it is quite possible that your logo will be bought from you, even for little money.

Also do some cool stuff on 99 designs, and do exercises from the Creative Workshop book. The main thing is to fight against your desire to cram all your work into your portfolio, choose only the best ones. Keep your portfolio small but worthwhile. And do not be afraid to “steal” work, borrow ideas, because you are a beginner specialist and you need to learn from something. Of course, we are not talking about you passing off other people's work as yours. Just take ideas and modify them.

5. Get a job

Here everyone has their own path - either go to work in the office, or be a freelancer. Let's say right away that starting with office work is much easier, since, most likely, you will not be the only specialist in the state and you will be able to be taken under the wing to complete your studies. But getting into the office is more difficult than finding a freelance project, your ability to understand and complete the task will already matter.

We talked above about the knowledge of the basics of development, and here they will be useful to you more than ever, because in the IT field, graphic designers are in great demand and have the greatest income.

How to find a job? Build your website that focuses on your portfolio. Sign up on LinkedIn and try to get in touch with the company you want to join or the people who work there. Try to make connections, because they are the key to a good place of work.

Most importantly, don't stop learning if you've already got a job. Improve your knowledge and skills all the time, and before you know it, you will become a real pro.

Distance learning for a designer is profitable and convenient. You can combine education with work and graduate from the capital's university without moving to Moscow. We offer you distance learning at the Faculty of Design.

Faculty students and alumni can excel in areas of:

mobile applications

interface design

branding

packaging design

publishing

books and printed materials

illustrations

and much more

We train designers who, upon completion of their training, are ready to solve a wide range of tasks. Our task is to train interdisciplinary specialists who will be able to apply their knowledge and skills in various fields. A minimum of meaningless theory, a guideline, first of all, on practice. Each topic is backed up by a practical assignment and a wide variety of materials.

Classes are held in a distance format. You take tests and exams online in the form of creative assignments, tests, essays, abstracts or in other forms. Even the defense of the diploma can take place remotely if the student does not have the opportunity to come to Moscow.

In addition to practical design subjects at the Faculty of Design, we teach our students to effectively promote and sell their work - to properly design a portfolio, to negotiate with clients.

(direction "Digital design"):

(direction "Illustration"):

You choose the time, duration and intensity of your classes	Design training is conducted by the best specialists successfully working in the industry	You can study even if you are busy most of the time at work	Webinars with feedback, workshops by guest design stars

Our university is a pioneer of distance education in the field of digital and graphic design in Russia. Even being thousands of kilometers from Moscow, you can be a student of our institute. So, design training is carried out without prejudice to personal life and work. By choosing design, distance learning and distance learning, you are taking a step towards a secured future!

Classes at the distance learning department are conducted using a special technology - as if you are in a real class. You can see fellow students, chat, watch videos, participate in joint projects, but no one limits your creative freedom. While studying at the Faculty of Design, master classes are held from leading designers in Russia and the world, practical courses in the form of trainings via the Internet. All this makes studying with us an exciting experience.

How to choose the right university

Many institutes in Moscow offer design training. Before choosing a university, pay attention to a few points:

Study the information about the university where you are going to study: make sure that it has state accreditation.

Go to the official website of the university, see if the university has certificates and awards.

Make sure you receive a government-issued diploma upon graduation.

Ask who lectures at the university. Ideal if the instructors are practicing designers.

Find out if the university helps you get an internship in your specialty. It's good when a university cooperates with design studios and advertising agencies - you will have a chance to replenish your portfolio while studying and even get a job.

• Read reviews of students of institutes with the Faculty of Design in Moscow on forums and social networks

Our graphic design department is for you if you:

Strive to turn your skills into a real, demanded product;

Want to get a quality education in the field of design;

Do you want not only to make beautiful graphics, but also to be able to fully conduct a serious project - at the department at MPEI they teach all this via the Internet;

Here you get a higher education, which will allow you to successfully run a business in the field of design or work in a prestigious company or studio. The graduate will have a diploma from the capital's university, which will be a good start to a successful career. If your time is dear to you, choose design, distance learning, distance learning format, so you can study without interrupting your usual activities.

In addition, pay attention to the direction of online training at the Faculty of Interior Design.

What diploma will you receive

After completing your studies at the Faculty of Design and Defense of the Diploma Project, you will receive a bachelor's degree of the state standard of the Russian Federation in the direction of "Design". Check out all the white papers.

Fill out the application to get advice on the conditions of training.

Designer is a TOP-10 specialty. Especially in the IT industry. Therefore, the one who has chosen this profession will definitely provide himself with realization and income.

Graphic designer: training

Advertising, branding, printing, websites, magazines, architecture, technology, interior design - it can take a long time to list the niches in which a designer can find himself. Of course, online training programs are also suitable for novice graphic designers: all kinds of channels on Youtube, the Yandex design school, blogs of eminent geeks. But the wisest thing is to go for a graphic designer, in every way. So you can get: a diploma, initial experience and a profitable line in the resume. The latter is especially true for those who want to get into a large company and gain valuable experience as a graphic designer. The specialty also allows you to earn extra money while studying remotely.

Graphic Designer - Where To Study

A graphic designer can get an education both in courses and in specialized higher educational institutions. To begin with, you should assess your abilities and answer such key questions.

• will I be able to educate myself effectively;
• will they take a self-taught person to work where I dream;
• I choose freelance or I want to go to the office.

Based on the thoughtful answers to these questions, it is necessary to make a decision where to study to become a graphic designer: independently via the Internet; on short-term courses; in a higher educational institution. Self-education is enough for freelancing, experience and portfolio can be gained on remote work exchanges. To meet career ambitions and a good position - a university. It is also important to consider that most educational institutions provide practice, give directions. Bachelor's and specialty programs differ significantly in directions.

Graphic designer: universities

A lot of universities have a specialty of designer, graphic design. You need to choose by industry, location, education prices, admission conditions. Just a few of the hundreds possible:

• Universities them. Bauman, them. Plekhanov;
• information technology in Moscow;
• Institute of Business and Design;
• Institute of Humanities Education and Information Technologies;
• State University of Design and Technology in Moscow;
• Technology and design in St. Petersburg;
• British Higher School of Design;
• International Academy of Business and Management;
• Moscow Humanitarian and Technical Academy;
• University "Synergy.

To begin with, you should compile a selection of suitable universities, and then visit them on open days and familiarize yourself in detail with the work of students, teachers, assess the level of training, places of internship.

Graphic designer: colleges

Usually, the artistic inclinations of a teenager by the 9th grade of school become obvious. With the goal of studying to be a graphic designer, it is quite logical to get poisoned by getting a college education after grade 9, on average for 4 years. After grade 11, colleges offer programs for an average of 3 years. There are quite a few of them, given the demand for the specialty 54.01 20 graphic designer. Some options:

• Publishing and Printing College named after Fedorov;
• art school in memory of 1905 in Moscow;
• college them. Faberge;
• College of Design at the Institute of IGUMO and IT.

When it comes to the profession of a graphic designer, what subjects to take, you need to clarify for a specific university. The main ones are: mathematics, Russian, physics and informatics for IT and technical specialties, literature. You almost always have to go through a creative competition. History or social studies can also be included.

Olga Sutemyeva - graphic design

Larisa Gareishina - graphic design

Svetlana Stremyakova - graphic design

We invite you to visit our graphic design courses for FREE in your first lesson. Today graphic design has become the main means of communication in the social environment. With the help of graphic design, they seek to attract the attention of the audience and stimulate sales. In our time of information noise, ideas that allow you to distinguish the advertised product from the general mass, draw the attention of potential buyers to it, reveal to them with the help of graphic images all the advantages of the product and its differences from other similar ones, are worth their weight in gold. And for the generation of these ideas, as well as for the development of graphic materials, specialists in the field of graphic design are needed. Specialists trained by our school in graphic design courses. And a designer who has mastered all aspects, all the subtleties of his profession, will always be in demand on the labor market. “No one has died from bad design yet”, designers joke. And this is absolutely true. Only, I would like to add that no one has ever received money for bad design. So let's learn!

The training program includes master classes:

The rest of the hosts will be announced during the academic year. You can get acquainted with the participants of last year's master classes and their topics on our website. Also, for graphic designers, it is recommended to attend master classes under the "Photo artist" program. All master classes are free for our students.

Take a look around: over the past decade, the world has changed beyond recognition. The age of space technologies brought us inventions that were written by great science fiction writers: mobile phones, automatic translators, computers, the Internet, and so on.

Today computers are not only a thought embodied in reality, they are an assistant, friend, means, method, EVERYTHING for a modern person. Computers perform a lot of functions, helping a person in almost all spheres of life. Agree, no office, no enterprise can do without a computer. Today it is almost impossible to get a job without knowledge of computer programs, and in our resume, when applying for a job, we must fill in the column “knowledge of graphic editors”. This knowledge is especially relevant for people who have devoted themselves to construction and architectural professions and landscape design. Often, it is not knowledge of these programs that stands in the way of obtaining a prestigious position.

We offer you computer design courses, where you, in an atmosphere of goodwill, among the best graphics specialists, can not only master the programs, but also master the basic techniques of working with the most popular graphic editors AutoCAD and ArchiCAD.

AutoCAD is the most famous and one of the most popular programs for automatic design in mechanical engineering, construction, architectural, geodetic and engineering fields. Computer design in this program will give you the opportunity to create competent and clear drawings, using the unique ability to depict a two-dimensional object in three-dimensional space.

ArchiCAD is a graphic editor created for architects and builders, which allows, in the full sense of the word, to build buildings, furniture, landscape elements in a computer. In this case, analog walls, stairs, roofs, balconies and so on are used, at the end of the work you can get a visual result of your "construction" - visualization of the project.

What awaits you while studying graphic design? In modern computer labs under the strict guidance of teachers, you will master AutoCAD and ArchiCAD programs. At the same time, graphic design courses are held on real examples, all classes in the class are practical. During the lesson, you will be able to ask questions of interest, to which you will receive adequate and complete answers. We repeat once again: a graphic design school is a school whose teaching staff consists of professionals who have spent a lot of time and effort to thoroughly study the programs, many of them are practitioners who use the programs in their work. This is how our school compares favorably with other similar educational institutions, where university students who have just graduated from universities act as teachers.

Computer design courses are highly specialized classes. What does it give you? Teaching professionalism and the opportunity to get practical advice on the application of the programs. Upon completion of training in computer design, students are awarded a Diploma.