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  • Searching for a Mentor.

    #1
    Hi there,

    I am a young designer , fresh out of collage and getting somewhere in the graphic design world looks like a real uphill battle. I read on a design blog that it could be useful to find yourself a mentor. I'm lost and I'm looking for someone to guide me and give me some experienced words if wisdom. If anyone is kind enough to embark on this journey with me, please send me a message and we'll get in contact as soon as possible.

    That is all.
    Thank you and enjoy your day.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Hi oDu and welcome to GDF.

    We ask all new members to read the threads posted HERE and HERE. They explain how the forum runs, the rules, frequently discussed topics and our inside jokes. Enjoy your stay!

    I would advise that you find a mentor in your own area as business practices and advice can differ from region to region. Of course, if you are after general design info or have any questions, you are encouraged to post them up on these forums for the hordes of professional designs, students and hobbyists alike to discuss.

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    • #3
      Thanks will do.

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      • #4
        Oh no! I'm about to graduate... Never had a mentor...
        Think it's important? LOL


        What was your major?

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        • #5
          I just think it would help having someone that I can have a relationship with - talk personally about my career , ask for crit and seek guidance.

          I didn't study a degree , I did a 1-year design course , got certified as an expert in Photoshop,Dreamweaver and Flash(cs5). I feel like i'm undereducated however I do have the internet at my disposal and I'm going to spend this year, teaching myself via tutorials,adobe.tv,blogs,forumns and at the same time look for Freelance jobs on the side to increase my portfolio.

          I'm just looking for a successfull designer to speak with and communicate and discuss my designs because at the moment I am not surrounded by other designers.

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          • #6
            I don't think a mentor is compulsory for a new designer. You will gain much more knowledge from an internship. If you have an internship, your seniors become your mentors.

            My friends got together for my birthday one year and hired a business mentor for 3 x one on one sessions. She was amazing but didn't come cheap. She really opened my eyes to the business. If your mentor is any good, they will be a very busy person and their time is worth a lot. I better add that I met with this business mentor after I'd been designing for about 7 years full time.

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            • #7
              Second the internship. If you have a supportive supervisor (who is also highly experience in graphic design) then you will learn a ton.

              Be really careful when you take in information. You can get the wrong information on the internet including from established or well known sites/tutorials. Graphic design is about tutorials as it is about processes. You learn processes and apply them to projects.

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              • #8
                You can always follow established designers on-line. Watch their work, follow their blogs... mentor yourself, if you will. Many reputable designers provide quality information; Google, YouTube, DA, and GDF are just some resources available to you.

                An internship would be your best bet.


                Cheers

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                • #9
                  Thanks for the advice guys - will look at internships in my area.

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                  • #10
                    Certified as 'expert' in Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Flash I gotta say isn't going to get you very far. No one is expert in anything until they've used it a while.
                    Not Adobe certifications, are they?
                    If you know how to code, that might get you a web type position (though I don't know many web coders who use dreamweaver for much beyond the formatting of the code they write.)
                    What other skills do you have?

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                    • #11
                      They are Adobe certifications.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        That's nice.
                        What other skills do you have?
                        Any design theory? Any color theory? Any art history? Or 2Dimensional theory? Can you draw?
                        I don't know anything about the job situation where you are located, but you are really going to need some experience to back up your test training. Just passing the Adobe tests doesn't make you qualified to do anything but say you passed them.
                        And Graphic design requires knowing how all the Adobewares inter-react. Photoshop is not a layout program any more than Dreamweaver is a coding program (it's not).

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                        • #13
                          I have done Design Theory and Drawing , anyway busy looking for an internship position around but at first glance nothing at the moment.

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                          • #14
                            Many internship positions aren't advertised, they are created.

                            You contact a company that you would like to intern for, you ask to be their intern, they interview you, they accept, you accept. Internship position created and filled.

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                            • #15
                              Interesting... thanks!

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