Graphic design is a creative and rewarding career that allows you to use your artistic skills to visually communicate messages.
And as technology and media continue to evolve, there is an increasing demand for graphic designers in a variety of industries.
This makes graphic design an appealing field to get into at any age or stage of your career.
But is it too late to start a graphic design career if you don't already have experience?
Definitely not!
While some may see graphic design as a young person's game, the reality is you can start building your skills and portfolio at any age.
It's never too late to start learning the foundations
- Graphic design relies heavily on skills like color theory, typography, layout, and software programs that can be learned and improved over time through practice and dedication. Even if you don't have a background in art or design, you can start learning the fundamentals.
- With the wealth of resources available today, you can teach yourself graphic design through online courses, tutorials, instructional books, and more. Find resources that fit your learning style and schedule.
- Consider taking introductory graphic design or digital art classes at a local college or community center. Getting training from an experienced instructor can help kickstart your learning and growth as a designer.
- Changing careers to graphic design means dedicating time to building skills from the ground up. Be patient with yourself as you learn. With consistent practice, you'll develop skills over weeks, months, and years.
Transferable skills from other fields provide creative advantages
- Your professional and educational background in areas outside of graphic design can actually be useful in making visually effective designs. For example, experience in marketing or communications can inform what makes visually effective advertising and branding that resonates with target audiences.
- Soft skills like creativity, collaboration, communication, and time management apply to graphic design just like any other industry. Highlight these transferable skills from previous roles on your graphic design resume and in interviews.
- Past experiences in roles that relied on creativity and visuals can also lend themselves well to graphic design. Play up any experience with visual arts, publications, websites, photography, or communications.
- Diverse professional backgrounds bring fresh perspectives to graphic design problems. Your unique mix of experiences can set you apart.
It's about the work in your portfolio, not your age or resume
- In graphic design, your portfolio of work is far more important than years of experience. A strong portfolio showcases your skills, style, and versatility as a designer.
- Build a portfolio starting with fictional projects for made-up companies and brands. Use templates online to recreate real-world graphic design projects like logos, brochures, websites, packaging, etc.
- Creating concept designs for causes and industries you care about can help you build passion projects to include in your portfolio.
- Once you have enough diversity in your portfolio, you can start applying for entry-level graphic design jobs to gain practical experience. The work in your book speaks louder than age or a resume.
- As you gain more experience, continue refining your portfolio with professional work samples. A portfolio is never fully complete, as designers continually add new projects.
The Takeaway
The bottom line is it's absolutely not too late to get started in graphic design.
With dedication to learning in-demand skills and building an impressive portfolio, you can launch a new graphic design career at any age.
Let your passion for design guide you.
