If you are proficient at graphic design and have the urge to create some nifty items of commercial art then you could easily make a good living with freelance graphic design jobs for friends, neighbors, and clients. Local businesses regularly need somebody to design their flyers, brochures, pamphlets, business cards, menus, logos, signs, etc and can be a good source of regular work. Before you start hitting the streets trying to find freelance graphic design jobs there are a few things you should consider.
You want to have some form of formal training before you embark on this path. I recognise that not everybody has thousands of dollars (make that tens of thousands of dollars) to use on a formal education at an accredited art school such as the Art Institute or the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, but you require to have some knowledge otherwise you will be laughed out of the clients office before you get too far into your pitch. You can find many excellent books and some instructional videos that you can buy on the web from amazon.com or at your local mall retail book seller such as Barnes and Noble or B. Dalton. In addition you can get some economical books at used book stores.
You will also need to have access to a computer. I assume since you are seeing this that you do have access to a computer. Photoshop CS or InDesign software is a real essential if you are to have any kind of career doing freelance graphic design jobs and you ought to get copies of these programs and learn how to use them. These programs are very expensive and not that easy to use but if you follow the tutorials you can learn at your own pace.
You will need to learn color theory and perspective and know the basics of design and graphic design history before you tackle any freelance graphic design jobs. You can acquire back issues of Communication Arts magazine and have a look at their design annuals for ideas and to see how the pros are doing it. One great way to learn to design is to try and copy as near as possible some of the designs that you like from these magazines. If you can faithfully recreate them then you can use that knowledge to create your own similar artwork.
Artwork does not need to be completely original and most of the working designers who are already doing freelance graphic design jobs will steal ideas quite readily from other places. After all this is commercial art and not fine art. The whole idea is that you need to acquire some sort of portfolio together with a collection of samples to show your potential clients. Usually that is some form of book though an increasing number of people are just doing online portfolios these days.
Once you get enough samples you can go around to local merchants and show them your book and pretty soon you will obtain a few freelance graphic design jobs to keep you busy. Keep your prices reasonable and ensure the client is happy with your work and you will get more work from the referrals.
You want to have some form of formal training before you embark on this path. I recognise that not everybody has thousands of dollars (make that tens of thousands of dollars) to use on a formal education at an accredited art school such as the Art Institute or the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, but you require to have some knowledge otherwise you will be laughed out of the clients office before you get too far into your pitch. You can find many excellent books and some instructional videos that you can buy on the web from amazon.com or at your local mall retail book seller such as Barnes and Noble or B. Dalton. In addition you can get some economical books at used book stores.
You will also need to have access to a computer. I assume since you are seeing this that you do have access to a computer. Photoshop CS or InDesign software is a real essential if you are to have any kind of career doing freelance graphic design jobs and you ought to get copies of these programs and learn how to use them. These programs are very expensive and not that easy to use but if you follow the tutorials you can learn at your own pace.
You will need to learn color theory and perspective and know the basics of design and graphic design history before you tackle any freelance graphic design jobs. You can acquire back issues of Communication Arts magazine and have a look at their design annuals for ideas and to see how the pros are doing it. One great way to learn to design is to try and copy as near as possible some of the designs that you like from these magazines. If you can faithfully recreate them then you can use that knowledge to create your own similar artwork.
Artwork does not need to be completely original and most of the working designers who are already doing freelance graphic design jobs will steal ideas quite readily from other places. After all this is commercial art and not fine art. The whole idea is that you need to acquire some sort of portfolio together with a collection of samples to show your potential clients. Usually that is some form of book though an increasing number of people are just doing online portfolios these days.
Once you get enough samples you can go around to local merchants and show them your book and pretty soon you will obtain a few freelance graphic design jobs to keep you busy. Keep your prices reasonable and ensure the client is happy with your work and you will get more work from the referrals.
About the Author:
If you really want to build your business, read how freelancing could help you free up more of your time. Or if you are looking to make a career online watch a series of videos about freelancing profits that will help you find ways to build your own business.
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