5 Mistakes New Graphic Designers Make
If you’re just starting out in the world of graphic design, you may be overwhelmed by all there is to learn. Complicated software, the principles of design, color theory, setting up files for print… It all can be a little much. I was there myself not too long ago, and while I’m still early in my career and would still be considered a “junior designer” by most, I have learned a thing or two. Here are 5 mistakes that new graphic designers make (and that I myself have made).
1. Not remembering your target audience
While they share many of the same principles, art and design are not the same thing. The main difference is the purpose that they serve; art is about expressing a concept, evoking an emotional response, or creating something based primarily around aesthetics. Design, while it can also do those things, is primarily about conveying a message or fulfilling a function. Art can be subjective, but design should be objective.
As a designer, it’s not enough to make something pretty. Good design is about solving a problem and getting your message across. This is why it’s crucial to remember the end goal of your design and who it is meant for. If the message isn’t clear, your design isn’t successful. For example, there are plenty of beautifully designed websites with lots of elaborate transitions and page animations that turn into completely frustrating experiences to navigate for information.
When you are just starting out designing, it can be easy to get caught up in what you think would look the best and forget the client or end user. So always keep them at the forefront of your mind and continually ask yourself if what you are creating is solving the problem and meeting the brief.
If you need practice designing within specific parameters, check out Briefbox. I used this site a lot when trying to build my portfolio without having a lot of real work to show. They offer realistic design briefs for all different mediums and you can submit your projects for critique.
2. Getting too caught up in creating a “clever” or “cool” design
This is a big one I’ve seen a lot in amateur designers. We see so many awesome logos on Pinterest or Behance and think “wow, that’s so clever, I never would have thought of that!” While there are some really genius logos out there, I think it’s important to not get so caught up in making your design clever that you lose sight of what’s most important. A clever logo can be great, but it can also cause the message or brand identity to get muddled if you abandon the other principles of design. The design should be clear, not overly complex, versatile, and not overly driven by trends.
3. Overdesigning
A lot of new designers underutilize or don’t understand the importance of simplicity in design. I think a lot of us when starting out feel like we have to prove ourselves, and we do it with loud colors, complex graphics, and lots of fonts to say “look! this has been Designed!”. But it’s important to step back and remind yourself to remember the target audience and the purpose you’re designing for. Is your message getting drowned out by all those distracting elements? Are those 5 fonts adding anything, or are they just overwhelming?
Try to limit yourself to 2-3 fonts in one design. One for headings, one for body text. White/negative space is a good thing; don’t try to fill every area on the page. Finding the right balance is part of what makes good design. Skillshare is an awesome resource for learning. They offer online courses in basically everything and have many free courses that cover the basics of graphic design and common design software. I’d definitely encourage checking it out, they often have promotional deals to get the first few months of premium content free. They also have discount pricing for students.
4. Not knowing your worth or working for free
This is one I still struggle with all the time. I hate trying to price out a job or commission because I’m always worrying that I’m charging too much or too little. Will the client think I’m overpricing myself? If they’re a friend or family, were they expecting a discount? Am I cheapening my work by not asking for more? Am I a jerk for asking for that much if they might not be able to afford it?
How to price your work is something that depends on a lot of different factors, so it’s important to research. Asking mentors or more senior designers for advice is helpful too. I know I’ve been surprised to find out how much more I could be charging after talking to other designers. Glassdoor’s Salary Calculator is a pretty good starting point to at least get a ballpark number for how much you should be getting paid.
Obviously, when you’re just starting out it’s ok to charge less because you’re still learning and want to gain experience and build your portfolio. The common advice is to never work for free or for exposure, and generally, I would agree with that. But sometimes, if the right opportunity comes along, it could be worth it. One designer I worked with sometimes worked for free or for a reduced rate for charitable causes she was passionate about. It’s really up to you personally to know the value of your time and labor.
Oh, and always collect payment before you hand over the final files. No matter how nice and trustworthy the client may seem, you can and will get burned. I’ve learned that one the hard way!
5. Not responding to constructive criticism
This point is so important if you ever want to grow and improve (in any area, not just design!). I attended a fine arts high school for visual arts, and critiques were a weekly part of our schedule which helped me learn this process faster than a lot of my peers in college. At first, it can be hard to hear anything other than glowing praise for your work. For me, I’ve always been artistic, and growing up pretty much only ever heard good things and compliments about my work from friends, family, and teachers.
It wasn’t until I went to my art high school that I really had to face criticism. At first, it was easy to dismiss it– oh, she just doesn’t like my style, that’s just her opinion, that teacher just doesn’t like me… But I promise that you aren’t gaining anything by not listening to the ways you can improve. I spent way too long pushing back or ignoring my teacher’s suggestions because I thought I was “right,” and it only hindered my progress.
Hearing ways that your work may not be up to par can be hard because a lot of us have been conditioned to think that “room for improvement” means “failure.” But that isn’t true, and even people who have been at this for years still have room for improvement because no one knows it all. For me, it helps to remember that criticism or suggestions aren’t a personal attack– you are not your designs and they don’t define you. Separating yourself from your work can help you look at it more objectively and keep your feelings from getting hurt.
However, it’s also important to examine the other side of the coin. Sometimes you will just get plain old bad feedback. In addition to accepting critique of your work, you also need to be able to defend it. Always listen, but don’t just blindly follow every suggestion. Be prepared to explain your reasons for a certain design decision and stand behind it. It may not always work out, but this is an important part of growing as a designer.
Conclusion
I hope this post helps you recognize areas in your design education that you could work on! These 5 mistakes new graphic designers make are all things that I have done or still have to remind myself to be aware of. Your entire career is a journey and you should be constantly learning and challenging yourself to grow and improve. Don’t get discouraged if you’re just beginning. There’s a lot to learn, but you have endless resources available to you!
