Worried...

[beckstar]

I'm Rebecca and I live on Long Island. I'm in an 18 month program for an Associates degree in Graphic Design. The only program's I have used so far (4th semester) is Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, QuarkXPress and rumor has it we will eventually be using Flash. I am worried that I need to know a lot more programs to be successful. Right now, I feel as though I am no good at this, like everyone's ten times better than me when I'm entering contests online and stuff. I was just curious if anyone in the business could tell me what programs they are using or what would be helpful. Thanks...

[Ulysses]

Welcome to the forum, beckstar.

You're not the first person to feel overwhelmed by people with real talent ... just always remember ... you have strengths too. Rather than learn everything at once ... try stepping back, and enjoy experimenting and learning those software programs you've already begun to learn. As our forum member JB pointed out some time back ... take every opportunity and spare moment to partake in tutorials (there are millions freely available on the internet .. and, on this here forum), so you can learn specific little things, which over time, will allow your creative skills to flourish better, regardless of what software you use.

Over time, you'll realise that - user interface aside - most software are very similar anyways ... making it easy to learn programs later on. The transition into new software is further eased, when you become very familiar and confident it the software you do and have, used.

[beckstar]

I purchase the 'Classroom in a book' for both Photoshop and Illustrator and do the whole book within days because I'm so anxious and I love when something comes out great but...I never have anything to use that for. :o\

[Ulysses]

beckstar said...
I purchase the 'Classroom in a book' for both Photoshop and Illustrator and do the whole book within days because I'm so anxious and I love when something comes out great but...I never have anything to use that for. :o\

Then, why not create little projects for yourself to do, that will require you to use the techniques.
Or .. as I prefer, learn techniques for a specific thing you're trying to do, rather than trawl through a book, learning a bunch of techniques you'll never use, and will frankly ... forget.

Morea ... where are some links for this young lady?

[beckstar]

I serach for tutorials all day and do the ones I like. hehe You guys are so helpful, I love it! Thank you.

[beckstar]

search* ^

[morea]

Ulysses, it's barely 8am stateside! Give me a minute to get this machine up and running! /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/lol.gif

Hi there beckstar! Welcome to GDF. I use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign almost exclusively at work.

Check out the portfolio topics here: www.graphicdesignforum.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=4&tabid=139&itemid=31 (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=4&tabid=139&itemid=31) - that should help you get some practice, and possibly generate some portfolio quality pieces.

Also, there are some nifty tutorials on Designer Today, broken down by application. Check here: www.designertoday.com/tabindex-3/tabid-9/DesktopDefault.aspx (http://www.designertoday.com/tabindex-3/tabid-9/DesktopDefault.aspx)

Good luck!

We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

[Ulysses]

Hahahaha ... lol. Keep searching beckstar ... and, if you can't find what you're after ... just ask away - someone on this here forum will be able to point you in the right direction. That is why: www.graphicdesignforum.com/desktopdefault.aspx?f=35&m=123765&tabid=137 (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/desktopdefault.aspx?f=35&m=123765&tabid=137)

[beckstar]

Oh man thanks again! You'll be seeing me around this forum, it's great and everyone's nice http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/specool.gif

[Ulysses]

Yes, everyone here is great. Be sure you do come back ... you won't regret it.

[beckstar]

No joke, morea...I spent the whole day yesterday on Designer Today doing all of the tutorialsfor Illustator. hehe :)

[Tyger]

IMO I would suggest to learn web design as well. The GD industry has evolved in many ways and it's almost expected nowadays that people know programs like flash, dreamweaver etc. But I would highly recommend learning html, xhtml, css.

Most of the jobs that i have seen as of late have web skills as one of their requirements. In my area at least it's hard to find a GD job that is strictly print. Good luck to ya and ultimstely stay true and honest with yourself.....you're in for quite the ride.


Oh and Welcome!




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[beckstar]

I am aware of how HTML and CSS works but I don't enjoy it that much. Does that count for anything? I started doing coding but changed my focus to Graphic design because it let me be more creative.

[morea]

you may also want to pick up a photography class or two if you haven't yet. They can be very beneficial!

We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

[beckstar]

I actually took Photo 1 and Photo 2 in my sneior year of High school...nothing digital though, just the darkroom kind. LOL

[morea]

that's the sort I took, too. It helps with your composition and things like that. I think that most of the knowledge you get from a film-based camera will translate well into digital photography. It would be harder to go from digital to film than from film to digital, imo.

We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

[beckstar]

Yea, that's true. Thanks for the tip. :)

[Ulysses]

Another good thing about gaining good camera/photography skills early on especially, is that you can do your own shoots for collage and stock photos etc ... very useful skill and talent to have, as it could save employer's money by using your own photos rather than stock photos all the time. Plus, it costs you nothing to do stuff for yourself, and you can make money from them.

Just a few good reasons to keep at photography.

[beckstar]

Awesome! Good idea. Is there anyway I could make some money doing that a little bit now? Do you know of anywhere that would buy them and put them on their site? Or something like that?

[Ulysses]

There are a few [calls morea]. Morea ... could you pass this young lady some more links please, from the bottom drawer!?

[morea]

here you are dear. I have not used these myself, but they are worth a read.

www.sellphotos.com/ (http://www.sellphotos.com/)
www.stockphoto.net/sell.cfm (http://www.stockphoto.net/sell.cfm)
www.photosecrets.com/sell.html (http://www.photosecrets.com/sell.html)
www.shutterpoint.com/ (http://www.shutterpoint.com/)
www.toxicmold.ca/sell-stock-photography.html (http://www.toxicmold.ca/sell-stock-photography.html)

We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

[Tyger]

beckstar said...
I am aware of how HTML and CSS works but I don't enjoy it that much. Does that count for anything? I started doing coding but changed my focus to Graphic design because it let me be more creative.


Well, if you plan on doing web design as well this is a must. I don't enjoy it much either but you got to learn it to acheive the results you want. I know programs like dreamweaver do the coding for you but it's better to know coding so that if there's a problem with a site that you've designed, you can feel confident in fixing it.

One of the things that students don't prepare themselves for is the technical side of GD. You got to know about many things like calibration, the print side of things , trouble shooting your computer, coding if in webdesign, and there's soooo much more.

It's nice to know all these programs but it's the small things that count and can make a big difference.

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[beckstar]

Haha 'the bottom drawer' I really enjoy this forum over the other forums I signed up for. I don't feel like a number here. I feel like you guys are really reading and helping. (cuz you are) I don't feel like I'm bothering you guys lol I love it! Thanks :)

[morea]

this is a happy place! /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/biggrin.gif

We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

[beckstar]

_Tyger_ said...



beckstar said...
I am aware of how HTML and CSS works but I don't enjoy it that much. Does that count for anything? I started doing coding but changed my focus to Graphic design because it let me be more creative.


Well, if you plan on doing web design as well this is a must. I don't enjoy it much either but you got to learn it to acheive the results you want. I know programs like dreamweaver do the coding for you but it's better to know coding so that if there's a problem with a site that you've designed, you can feel confident in fixing it.

One of the things that students don't prepare themselves for is the technical side of GD. You got to know about many things like calibration, the print side of things , trouble shooting your computer, coding if in webdesign, and there's soooo much more.

It's nice to know all these programs but it's the small things that count and can make a big difference.


I understand what you are saying...some people act like they don't have to deal with anything but the Pen tool and some colors. I never used programs like Dreamweaver because I always wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes so I could alter it to my exact idea. As crazy as it may sound, (maybe not) At first...I wanted to be a photographer, then I wasn't in the class anymore so I lost interest. Then I was a big Livejournal/Deadjournal user so I got into making webpages and making stuff look cool and I felt like it was just too much work so I got bored with it and that's when I started going to College for Graphic Design and I'm pretty good with using the color laser printers at school and ya kno, fixing the paper james no one wants to bother with. (they'd rather go in a diff classroom and use that printer. LOL But anyway, I'm starting to ramble...I didn't realize until how my interest changed so much in a short time.

[morea]

beckstar - just a side note here... your level of initiative will get you far!

We are one, our cause is one, and we must help each other if we are to succeed. ~ Frederick Douglass

[beckstar]

:)