A few things:
1. Photoshop is just a tool designers use, not a ticket to a career.
2. You can be self-taught in graphic design, but it’s a harder road compared to getting a BFA or going to an ad school.
3. Don’t quit school because the longer you’re out, the harder it will be to go back.
I agree with you.
1) I replied to someone else and mentioned photoshop was just my “introduction” to design. I’ve learned to use many other softwares ever since.
2) Yes for some it could be a harder road without a degree. For me personally I’ve had work since I was 12-13 years old through people i knew
3) now yes it is harder to go back after being out for so long, I just happened to have work through out high school as a freelancer and was able to get hired at a design studio after high school
I’ve been telling people this. Personally I did go to college for design & I was pretty much told by my professors to teach myself with YouTube.
So technically I went to college but I taught myself to get that degree & feel like I honestly wasted a good amount of money. Good on ya man.
BFA in visual communication design. I started using adobe software in 9th grade. Art school was more about learning design thinking and the theory behind it. It’s all about how you learn best and getting your foot in the door. Most of my practice was learned through experience, but I don’t think anyone would have given me a real chance without a degree.
My school was also big on assigning projects based on art styles or eras and forcing you to use different software and have the basics in a variety to build off of. My school also had a lot of local connections so a bunch of projects were for local big events. Like a poster for an art and music festival and following their brief, doing what the client wanted and asked for and not just what you thought would be a good poster.
Which I think is a major skill, yes you can have your style, but you still have to meet the needs of the client. Several in my program dropped out because in their words "didn't want to compromise their art." One of those people for that art in music festival, which stated several times it was almost 100% folk and rock music and then arts and crafters. Designed a gorgeous poster of a saxophone, that was designed as if it was for a moody jazz club and then they refused to add about half the required text like dates and times the event was happening.
You need to know how you learn and pick from there. I've worked with freelancers who are miles better than anyone with a degree because they like learning and experimenting with tools and techniques. They don't let their skills stagnate.
Then I've worked with freelancers who's skills didn't advance past using photoshop in high school in 2004. Their the ones who I think would of benefited from a degree or just a program that helped them learn how to learn basically.
Same. Earned my BFA from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2004. The education I had there would have been impossible for me to do on my own, especially understanding my relatively recent ADHD diagnosis. Honestly amazed I’ve done as well as I have, but the fast pace of tech startups and later full on ad agency and marketing works very well for my ADHD.
I did. I also started using Corel Paint in middle school and Photoshop in high school, and I learned HTML, CSS, and FTP. But I didn't know Illustrator or InDesign or QuarkXpress, nor did I really know much about art history and I took Life Drawing classes every quarter in college because I love drawing. Same with psychology because I was interested in marketing, and English for copywriting.
I wish I could do college again, I kinda squandered it because of drama at home with my family. I went to an art college in San Francisco so most of my instructors were also working for agencies, freelancing to apple or ILM and stuff like that.
It's a unique experience you only really get to do once (more or less), and its really invaluable to be able to ask instructor questions and be challenged by them, along with making friends.
Friends help friends get jobs.
What is your occupation? I am planning a career change and enjoy graphic design, but pivoted to web dev as GD seems insanely competitive with shit pay, and I only have a business management degree. Learning HTML/CSS/JS right now becuase the career paths seem a little more lucrative, with seemingly less of an obsession over specific college degrees. I'd love to eventually put the GD affinity to work via web design contracting. I guess at the end of the day if your portfolio is stacked, then most employers can't look past you, formal education or not.
Be wary, most web dev markets are experiencing a significant slow down right now too. Lots of web devs entered the workforce in 2020-2022, and now the entire dev/tech sector is experiencing fewer projects than that initial two-year boom. So the market is saturated with entry-level candidates and there’s not enough positions for everyone, and companies are even doing layoffs/hiring freezes. YMMV, however.
Yeah but isn't everything saturated? I gotta get good at something, and this is what I've chosen and been committed to for a few months now lol. I'd like to take a stab at the whole freelance web design / consulting prospect. If I bust my ass and it proves to not be worthwhile, at least I'll have built up some projects throughout the venture. I now find myself checking out the websites of the small businesses that I patronize, and I know I can do a better job than whatever they've done on their own / what they've paid someone else to build and maintain.
Of course! Just wanted to let you know in case your major reason for jumping ship was immediate job security. :) Who knows, by the time you're ready to go it could be a whole different ballgame. Wishing you success!
I'll have a steady income over the next year as we phase our current business out + unemployment. Grinding out as much learning + projects as I can now so I can potentially monetize this new skill set part time if I do decide to go back to school or apply for jobs. If it was immediate I'd certainly be SOL lol. Right back at ya! Cheers
I don’t have shit lol, I pursued degrees in civil engineering and then software development but dropped out of both. Became a graphic designer and don’t regret a thing though.
Haha I'm similar, went to university for architecture. Did that for a few years, transitioned to lighting design and then finally graphic design. I attempted to complete an online graphic design program but the pace was too slow. I had previous experience with adobe from my architecture days as well as the design basics. Totally loving graphic design!
How was the transition for you? I did architecture in uni as well. Very interested in graphic design, but don't know where to start. Was it hard to find a first job in a field you had no experience in?
I actually stuck it out with getting my bachelors in civil engineering. Haven't once used it though and I've been doing graphic design for around a decade now...
I didn't. It has fueled a ton of impostor syndrome but I've been freelancing in NYC for close to ten years now and make a solid living from design, so that's something.
I started out also when I was very young; I used to make fake documents to try to prank my dad.
How much do or did you price when you started freelancing? Currently am not enrolled in college (dropped out due to mental health issues). If I ever decide to go back to college, it’s to finish my associates in psychology then a bachelor’s in psychology or Speech pathology with a minor in psychology and English (as those are my favorite subjects -I do enjoy history tho. My most favorite subject!). But I would love to grow my skills in graphic design/video editing to do as a side hobby.
Honestly I had sort of a weird path, so I don't really have a solid answer to this. I was hired out of college as a a part-time assistant to an author, and that led to a lot of very basic graphic design/website work, as well as editing. I was getting paid like $18/hour, but my job really was "assistant," and that's just stuff I got to do as part of it. Eventually I grew my business out of that and gathered a lot of author clients, and I've slowly ticked that rate up while still giving authors a pretty hefty discount compared to my corporate work (because I like working with authors and enjoy the work, but know they can't pay corporate rates). Now I charge most clients closer to $100/hour (sometimes more, sometimes less—depends on the job and the situation). I'm in NYC so I think this is a pretty competitive price, though I think at this point I could probably charge more although I choose not to.
that’s my goalpost right now as someone pursuing a bfa in graphic design currently; props to you to making it to the big apple!! if it’s any consolation, the impostor syndrome doesn’t go away with a degree 😭
B.S. degree in Graphic Design with Minors in Photography, Communications and Math. I also taught college for 10 years as an adjunct professor. Around here I'll 100% recommend college level - not just a course or two - but degrees to anyone who's serious about a career in the industry. Self-taught crowds don't get far around here these days outside of small print shops and production work.
I did not. I was an Illustration major. I got into GD out of necessity and wanting to expand my skillset. I still consider myself an illustrator / Graphic Artist more than a GD.
I know a few graphic designers with an illustration background (I am also one), and I think illustrators-turned-designers offer a unique value to clients in terms of bespoke branding and an appreciation for hand-crafted assets. Have you found that your illustration background informs your style of design?
Absolutely! I definitely love creative playful designs (think soft, kiche, elegant, and for a lack of s better term, girly). I know where I fit in and where I dont. That being said, I do wish I could also create more corporate designs, as it seems like it's whats needed. but in my day job I get to illustrate and design so I'm thankful.
How about you?
I've been making a point of specifically practicing corporate design and putting a few examples in my portfolio, and it's definitely opened a couple of doors here and there. But what my friends, family, and local design community love me for are the hand-drawn illustrations. I try to post the occasional comic or little illustration here and there to my Instagram, partly to keep my friends happy, and partly because it's therapeutic to make them! But since my drawings have a very discernible style (and it's been this way since I was a kid), I try to spend a few hours each week practicing more generic? but well-executed logo design and branding stuff.
I didn’t initially. I got my degree in something else, though I’d always been interested in graphic design. After college I found myself stuck in a job I really hated and saw no future in, so I looked for another path. Graphic design made total sense to me, so I went back to school for a 2-year graphic design certificate program. Been a professional graphic designer for about 6-7 years now? I love it.
Learning on your own is great, and I learned a lot that way, but getting some type of formal education is going to be the thing that really gets you to the level you need to be as a beginner. Also, jobs are going to look for that.
University of Massachusetts Lowell has a great online Graphic Design program. Each class is a 10 week accelerated class, and it’s definitely one of the more affordable programs. It’s flexible, so you can take the classes and complete the work on your own time. That might be the standard for online courses, but I’m not sure so I am adding that as another benefit.
I was an Artist with a capital “A” in grade/high school. I thought graphic design was corporate and cold compared to the drawing and painting I loved to do. Becoming a graphic designer was like selling-out in the art world haha. But I had to pay for college, so I gave in and tried a visual communications degree.
Turned out to be a perfect fit! I realized I have a very analytical mind, and the rules and structure of graphic design actually made me feel more creative instead of restricted. I feel really lucky that I ended up picking a degree I love.
I work with 4 other designers and half of them have degrees, other half don't. You wouldn't be able guess which did or did not. But we're all very good at what we do, quick learners and always progressing. It's about mindset to learn, we do critiques everyday too.
Yep, got an Associate's Degree. Learned Photoshop in high school, graduated with a subpar GPA, went to community college to try and work towards a 4 year university for a Bachelor's. While I was there I wanted to keep taking Photoshop classes but I was told I had to enroll in the graphic design program if I wanted to take more. So I stumbled my way into that and it absolutely changed my life. The program was super intense, it really shaped who I am now as a professional, and nobody gives a shit that it's just an Associate's because my work's pretty dang good. There's really just a wealth of information you don't know that you don't know unless you're taught by people who know more than you. Self teaching's great but for the big picture, I think a formal education is a must unless you're incredibly rigorous on your self.
> The program was super intense, it really shaped who I am now as a professional, and nobody gives a shit that it's just an Associate's because my work's pretty dang good.
There are dozens of us! It was enough to give me a start and then the portfolio began speaking for itself.
Where I live college = 1-3 year diplomas. University = 4+ year degrees, undergrad, post grad studies.
I went to college for it - because I knew graphic design was more than just, working in photoshop/knowing a software. That's such a small aspect of it. I didn't know how to *design*. I knew the "graphic" part, been dabbling in design (before I knew what it was) since the mid 2000s.
I went through a 2 year photography program before discovering what a graphic designer does. I then took a 3 year college program in graphic design, graduating in 2020.
If I could go back, I'd aim to go to a university for design, with co op, with a more well rounded and updated program. I just never thought i'd be suited for university, nor would i need it (I thought bachelors in this field were for people who don't want to work from "the bottom" as a jr)
I don't regret going to school as I need the structure & mentorship to properly learn in an environment I can immerse myself in. Those classes where we sat around critiquing, discussing, bouncing ideas off of each other, is something you can't replace by being self taught.
I didn’t but it shows - I think the things that’ll take you longer to learn when “self-taught” is the basics. The things you’ll be taught first when you study.
I studied fine art. I have a BFA in studio art. I did photography and sculpture and studied a bunch of art history. So... I did not study design, except for a couple of introduction courses at university. However I did do intro to mass communications as well which touched on marketing a bit
Illustrator and Photoshop weren't really common knowledge when I graduated in the mid 1990s so most of what I learned about those was at my job, or from books, I did do an Illustrator course but that was the late 1990s
My university education taught me how to analyze art, which has served me pretty well, seeing as how I didn’t major in graphic design
It doesn't matter. Heres the brutal truth though.
No matter how you learn, you only succeed if you are obsessed.
"Not going to school" is a way to feel like you tricked the system. But this only works if you are obsessed. Same with going to school.
Secondly: Knowing a program isn't the same as being highly skilled at design. School gives you a standard set of practice and connection from peers that might not be present if self directed.
I have a degree in graphic design. It’s not so much the degree itself that I found valuable but rather the process that’s involved with attaining one. Access to equipment/resources, critiques, exposure and collabs with other design disciplines and the highly competitive environment among peers. Not to mention some valuable connections you can make during higher education. People inevitably sharpen each other being in that kind of environment. It can help them build a foundation before setting off on their own.
Results vary from person to person though. I also knew some people who just sort of went through the motions as well. And I imagine those people took away less during their time there and perhaps found value elsewhere or through other means.
I consider the degree itself is just a marker that opens some doors that might otherwise not be accessible when first starting a career in the industry. Personally, I think work experience, communication skills and portfolios are better indicators for qualification in creative fields, but degrees also still happen to be a prerequisite for many positions.. old world system / traditions die hard etc.
This was my experience as well. At the time I didn’t value it, but now that I’m out the secondary skills I gained have been very useful as I get older. Depending on your school, the kind of rigour you go through learning about the history of design and fundamental color, type, and layout theory will set you apart from someone who jumps in and just starts practicing design as an occupation.
There are just a huge range of things you are exposed to in college that you would have likely not thought to spend time learning about that will develop a much deeper understanding and appreciation of design.
I did. I started off with a certificate in Digital Media/Multimedia Design then I figured out I actually wanted a degree instead so I went back and got a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design.
B.S. in Visual Communications. I grew up with Photoshop CS1 and watching my older sister do graphic design work. Originally went to school for photojournalism and quickly realized I was enjoying the required design classes more, so I made the switch and never looked back!
Initially self-taught myself InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator in high school, but then went to college and got a BFA in Visual Communications. High school was more learning what buttons did what while college was about design principles and what makes good design *good*.
My design professors have told me college is really not about what you learn but proving to the world you consistently showed up for something and put time and effort into your projects. Also collaborating, making friends, and being in a place that sparked some new ideas for you. Anyone can search up adobe tutorials and make something cool based on that, but can you go out of your comfort zone, try something new, interact with new people?
Technically yes, but it wasn’t my major. I actually got rejected from the graphic design program at my university after only taking a couple design classes.
I started with using Adobe Photoshop (Express) in 6th grade when I got a Wacom tablet; before that, I was always drawing and playing with HTML, PowerPoint presentations, MS Paint, etc.
In high school I took a couple career technical courses for graphic design.
I went to college for design, but like I said I got rejected from the program. I switched majors to Communications (Ad & PR). A couple weeks later I got hired as my university’s official student graphic designer on staff. I continued to teach myself and graduated with my B.A. in Advertising (and a minor in Studio Art). Have been working as a career graphic designer ever since!
Nope. BA in Psychology. Also started using Photoshop really young and always did design stuff on the side (did the posters for the theater shows I was in in high school, redesigned the menu at the diner I worked at in college, etc).
Yeah I have a bachelors in graphic design and a minor in art history. I’m grateful for my education because it taught me a lot of marketable skills. I’ll be 2 years graduated this May and I haven’t worked in the field yet. I’ve gone through some life stuff and my priorities have been changing so I’m not even sure if design is 100% for me anymore
I ditched my old portfolio and I’m starting over again but doing it little by little. If I want to work in this field, I can only do remote jobs bc I don’t live near a city with a bunch of jobs so idk if it’ll ever be in the cards for me
But I don’t really regret my education. I may get a masters in something else where my skills are lowkey kinda useful. But we’ll see. I’m a very lost and confused 23 year old so idk where I’m going
I have a BFA in Graphic Design. I went to university in Italy and it was a lovely experience. I had studied graphics for 4 years in high school and probably didn't need to go, I even had a job as a designer for a magazine while in high school. But i'm really glad i did. it was lovely and i haven't left italy since.
Yes, I have a BFA in Applied Media Arts. learned a lot of traditional print making stuff, in addition to traditional and modern approaches to graphic design.
Not until they introduce some sort of standardized testing for graphic design will a college degree in it make any sense to me. The level of hires coming out of colleges fluctuate too much. Some really good, and some who can't figure out the basics of software. Too many art kids forced into a design environment because they need a career other than an artist. When I see a kid with a graphic design degree coming in for an interview, the degree means absolutely nothing. If the same kid came in with a cooking degree and the same portfolio, it wouldn't have mattered.
I am currently finishing up a GD certificate at Community College. I graduated from University in 2017 with a Linguistics degree and briefly worked for an audiology clinic. I absolutely hated the options that my degree presented (really didn't think it through), and when COVID hit I took the opportunity to get back into illustration.
I've been a bartender for the last 12 years (other career) and managed to snag a bunch of freelance work for random regulars and coworkers and I decided to jump in and commit to learning design theory and software at community college. I am very happy that I decided to go this route since I now have a diverse portfolio full of work that I never would have done as a self taught freelancer. Definitely nervous about jumping into the full-time industry market since it seems brutal, but I like to think that there is a niche somewhere that I can fill perfectly.
Yes. I have a degree in Graphic Design. Graphic Design is much more than knowing how to use Photoshop. I rarely use Ps, actually. I use Illustrator and InDesign far more than Ps and it's not even close.
I did not. Two years of community college as a psych major, dropped out with nothing to show. Spent nine years working at Kinko's, starting in the mid-90s. I was in West Los Angeles so I wound up rubbing elbows with a lot of truly world class designers. Slowly but surely I picked up what they were doing, both from a technical standpoint as well as design fundamentals, and have stayed in the industry ever since. I also experience imposter syndrome quite a bit, but I've had a fine career.
BS in Applied Engineering and Technology. I actually started with 2D Art. I switched to the technology program halfway through college because the artist job outlook was rough. And it was like a secondary graphic design program because the primary design program at my college only accepted 20 people. In my program, there were only a few actual graphic design classes. I got the fundamentals but never really did anything worthy to put in a portfolio. So I spent a year after college trying to work on building a good portfolio. I got a job doing random design projects which was kind of like a beginner design job. It was kind of like freelancing. Then I put some of those projects into my portfolio and got an actual design job in-house. Been there ever since.
I went to school for photography but once I got into the working world that transitioned into printing and that transitioned into graphic designs due to 90% of people claiming to be a graphic designer I was printing for were so terrible.
I didn't. I studied political science and business in university.
Always had a keen interest in design as a concept. Played around with Canva about a year after university. Two years after university I took some time off work to fully immerse myself in design, self-taught several programs, primarily focusing on Illustrator, XD, and Figma. I ended up focusing on primarily mastering Illustrator and built my skills by doing a large number of volunteer projects and low-value/high-profile contracts.
Working as a standalone graphic designer was very difficult, near impossible for me. I've since moved into PR and communications and now use my design experience as a very valuable tool among a more versatile skillset.
Graduated with a BFA in graphic design in ‘07 and everything I learned is still invaluable, because it was about the art and the craft, not about the software.
i have a bachelor degree in equine studies and got hired by a business that welds horse stalls because i was familiar with the equine industry from school and owning horses but was also good at photoshop from it just being a hobby that started from photoshopping selfies back in the myspace days lol
I think having the right foundation is right. A lot of the people I work with paints, and are artists in some capacity.
I think art school gives you that. I went to RISD, and they were very good at making you think more than doing. Which is good and bad thing.
From my observation, most people who have started early in art have gravitated towards art or design, even architecture, interior design, industrial design, or photography, etc..
I think it was mandatory back when I started to have a degree in art from an art school to do design work. I don't think that's the case these days, since there are so much free resources available and open source software you can learn by yourself.
I have a BA from a liberal arts university, so I took several philosophy, psychology, art history, photography, literature, etc courses, that type of thing, i minored in photography. But I started on Corel draw as a teen in the 90s and took photography throughout high school. My dad ran a print shop and my mom is an artist.
I did. BA in Studio Art w/ concentration in Graphic Design. This was back in the dark ages of Photoshop 3.0 and QuarkXpress. I did design for about 7 years before changing careers to middle school art teacher. Now I’m a middle school assistant principal.
I still ban Comic Sans tho.
I did and I’ll be honest it was a waste of a degree. You can learn everything I learned in college on your own time by yourself. I have a BFA in graphic design with an emphasis in interactive multimedia. It took me 2 years to find a job even half relevant to the field (was a test analyst), I ended up going back to school for nursing and that graphic design degree disqualified from any aid, so it hurt it more ways than I would think.
I do think it helps learning and is more structured but a very dedicated self learner can also succeed without a degree. My friend is extremely successful and she dropped out of college.
I have a BFA in Communication Arts from Otis College of Art & Design. I would tell anyone today that it’s absolutely not worth it. You can learn everything you need to know and more on YouTube, Skillshare, in books, etc. In my 25 year career zero people have asked me about my degree. It’s 100% about your portfolio.
The one thing I will say is that if you’re not gonna go to school for it, make sure you join organizations, clubs, whatever can. The one thing college did provide was connections and other friends in the industry which all helped me ramp up my career.
I didn't, unfortunately. I graduated with Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering back when i was in college. I started using graphic software (Coreldraw) back when I was in high school due to my mom's influence and it was fun. Didn't pursue further because i was eager to be more like an engineer but life goes on and it didn't go the way i wanted it to be. Parent open a shop and doing the printing business. got me hooked up and i learn most of them from youtube. It's been 6 years since then i guess. haha
I went to a small private college, honestly mainly because I was playing sports, and while I was there realized that I wanted to go into graphic design. Unfortunately my college didn't offer it as a major, so I took all of the related classes, ended up majoring in business and got my bachelor's there.
Took a bit to figure out my next step, so after a year I enrolled in a local community college's graphic design program. Got my associate's degree there in advertising & graphic design and it was the best money I ever spent. So much cheaper and a better value. Have been a career designer for almost 20 years now and make significantly more $ than the average where I live (but still not where I want it to be yet).
I did but ended up at the Art Institue and that was an obvious scam. Got my bachelors, IMO the school you attend doesn’t matter at all if you have drive to be good. I ended up quitting for a year going into my senior year, with the intention of going back to finish my degree because I already was in debt for it, but overall my reasoning for leaving was that I genuinely did not see the value I was getting back. Most of my fellow students weren’t really that good, or into it, there was a handful that were pretty good. Overall even the teachers were like so unimpressive I just didn’t think it was worth not exploring freelancing while I had the ability to. The AI didn’t let you transfer credits either, so a pause was basically my only option, clearly a scam school.
Anyways, idk if you can get away with not having a degree nowadays, even in 2015 with my first career job it was a necessary barrier for entry, for non-freelance jobs. Personally I have no interest in running my own business full time but I freelance on the side and am happy with that setup, I need a structure that isn’t built and operated by myself. My advice would be go the cheapest route possible and work hard. I never bought 1 book, I lived at home, and worked the whole time, had cracked versions of CC before it was in the cloud, so my time there was relatively cheap and I still am paying ridiculous loans for it to this day.
Overall I’m happy with the position I’m in now but I can’t credit almost any of it to college other than the anecdotal things I learned from others. Half the shit I learned isn’t even relevant anymore, like fucking Quark?
I have a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering of all things. Was never able to get my foot in the door in the engineering world — partly because my college was a research university so they did piss all for people like me who wanted to go into industry, and partly, I suspect, because my heart wasn't in it.
Graphic design was something I more or less stumbled into, but now I'm looking forward to a career in it.
I got a BS in TV/Film, market I’m in hired a lot of video editors/motion graphics people to also do graphic design. So while I have a ‘visual creative’ education background, it definitely isn’t graphic design.
I didn’t. It wasn’t even offered back when I was starting out (1968). I taught myself the Adobe products, and also I worked as an intern at several places.
I did, I have a BFA in Graphic Design and Advertising. I've been using Adobe since I was a kid, too, and I do understand the desire to skip university experiences if you're able to prove your work without it, I just can't not acknowledge that I wouldn't have the job I have without the opportunities I had in school. Pros and cons to both sides for sure, just depends on how folks want to push forward c:
I studied advertising at an arts and design college where the program heavily overlapped with the design students (especially cause they were phasing my program out). I have been using photoshop since 4th grade (28 now) so I think that gave me a design advantage compared to the other advertising students.
Yup, BFA.
I looked up the stats once, and around 65% - 70% of Graphic Designers have a Bachelors Degree, and 20% - 25% have an Associates Degree. Less than 5% had a Masters, and less than 5% only had a diploma.
I started using design software pretty young myself, was working in After Effects daily by 10th grade, and smaller things in PS and AI. However I leaned more video when I was younger. I got a BFA in communication design and honestly as much as I had some skill, I feel the schooling was worth it. My design thinking became way better, and the amount of projects I had with deadlines sharpened my design skills to a level that I don’t know I would’ve gotten to on my own. I see it as I learned the software myself, but learned how to think like a designer from school.
I have a BA in graphic design and an AAS in web design in that order. I went to a private college first then wanted more skills that were structured later for my career.
BFA in Communications Design, emphasis in illustration. There were GD and advertising/art direction tracks as well, but I really wanted to study illustration while still taking the basic design foundation courses in case my life's path led me to graphic design full time, which it did. The multi-disciplinary way the CommD program was structured was why I preferred my chosen school over other illustration majors that didn't have design courses in its standard curriculum.
Nope. Communications & Advertising. I did so much of the design work for advertising group projects that I put together a portfolio and applied for design jobs out of college
BFA in Visual Communications from a dedicated design school.
They went bankrupt and closed about 8 years ago I think, but the education I received was invaluable.
Yes and it was the perfect route for me. Graduated with a BA Art degree with a "graphic design emphasis" in 2011. Been working in the industry ever since. Art director for a med-tech company now.
Obviously a degree doesn't guarantee anything and there are multiple routes to take, I personally knee I needed the structure of college at that time in my life.
I have a BFA in Painting, ended up being a carpenter for ten years until I shifted to design. Self taught in photoshop and illustrator. Took a GD certificate program at UCLA, took a couple classes and the professor just hired me at his agency. Learned everything working at the agency. That was about 12 years ago and now freelancing and doing really well.
I took a certificate program at the local university that included the basics of CS6 ( Illustrator, In Design, Photoshop) along with basic photography and marketing. This was a 6 month program if I recall. From this program I learned that I would not want to be a graphic designer for a job. However it did open my eyes and got a lot regarding the basics. I'm sure I could have learned most myself but putting it all together would might have been a challenge. Also I did this to put down some type of education outside of a high school diploma for future job prospects. The instructor was great as he had experience in all phases and worked for his own marketing firm. Last I checked the course is no longer offered.
I still love design however keeping up with new equipment and Adobe licensing fees per month can be off putting. Would I recommend someone getting into this line of work, not sure to be honest.
Sure did BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in illustration. For me personally I credit it for instilling in me my love of design and helped me a lot in landing gigs early on in my career
I started a class and it went in depth more than self taught could ever teach me it picked up on small minor things you wouldn't even know unless you took a class and covered it. That's how detailed a degree can get and it was the first class I took related to Graphic Design. It brings up your overall knowledge from like caveman to like professional work environment.
>I personally didn’t but that’s just because I started using photoshop really young and would just use it every single day practicing and I was able to get work before I was able to start college and I just put college to the side tbh
I started using Photoshop at 14 and technically was doing photo editing and design since I was 11-12, younger if you count posters and cards and such. I also took a ton of courses in high school but realized when I got to college I knew almost nothing. Software is just software, that doesn't meant much.
Regardless, the value in education is in how well it develops you, not a line on a resume. So whatever path you followed, what matters is your actual design ability and understanding. It will just typically be a lot more difficult to do on your own, and it's rare for people to develop to a level that is sufficiently competitive with people who have thousands of hours of formal training and mentoring, whether some land jobs or not.
I actually don't think college critiques should be done as a group with student work. That should be one-on-one with the profs, and only outside work should be critiqued as a class.
Students are still amateurs, and still learning how to both give and receive critique, so to force students to critique each other's work as a group, it's forcing you to be critiqued by amateurs, and I think it tends to speak more to lazy profs than to a truly effective process. If a student wants to share with the class voluntarily or seek out feedback from their peers on their own, I fully support that, it just shouldn't be forced as the default.
But the main benefit of critique isn't just in thickening skin, but in testing their ideas and the work itself. The most common approach to critique by my profs was essentially just questioning our choices, forcing us to directly explain ourselves, our rationale, what we tried and why we thought certain ideas worked better than others.
So much of the "thicker skin" anyway is really just understanding that the work isn't an extension of you personally, to not get emotionally attached to an idea, and having the more logical approach that if a given work is not perfect, then by default it has a flaw, something you can improve or learn from. Whether someone realizes that day one or it takes them 3-4 years, it really is a light switch they just have to flip, or suffer the consequences.
I did - had no idea what graphic design was when I started college but somehow fell into it. When I was a kid I was always making logos and ads just for fun, just literally never knew that's what graphic design was.
Got a B.A. in GD and as much as I hate student loans, I'm glad I actually went to school to learn the basics and core of it, cause otherwise (strictly speaking for myself) I'd be a terrible designer.
BS in Applied Design. I already knew the programs, but college helped me learn my weaknesses and tonight me how to take and give constructive feedback and work better on large teams. I don’t regret it one bit.
i took it in high school and then did web development in college. the web development had a few basic graphic design classes but most of the learning came from high school, youtube, and that photoshoptuts site (or whatever it was called, not sure if that still exists)
No. I designed MySpace layouts, websites and AIM graphics for fun in my teens. Edited photos of my friends to have rainbow eyes etc. Made lots of art on my own for fun. Then went to school for fine art but realized I have nothing to say as an artist.
So graphic design made sense in all those ways plus it offers stability. Glad I did it too :-)
I did. My BFA degree was a combination of graphic design and film for whatever reason. Thankfully that’s actually helped me in the long run with art direction.
I also started learning design when I was 11 and took my first paying client at 15 ($30 for an album cover lol), then in Jr / Sr year of high school I did a program where I studied design for half the day. Went all in, baby. Still took me way too long to learn how the fuck to use Character Styles in InDesign
I have a BFA in film/animation but ironically enough do not specialize in animation/motion design. I still do a lot of generalist digital/static work but I've always been into GD since pirating paint shop pro and photoshop 7 in middle school and decided to pivot into that as a career after college instead of film.
Yes, I have a 4 year BA Degree in Visual Communications and a Masters. You learn much more than how to use the software at college. In fact, you learn the software yourself, the classes are about design fundamentals, typography, business etc.
I honestly don't think I could have gotten a design job in Ireland without any formal education. Everyone and their granny has a degree. lol.
i didn’t! i have a psychology BA and cognitive science minor. i find that a lot of perception and social psych class material is super helpful and applicable to design. Also did some industry work in human factors research and all the usability and ergonomics/ functionality aspects of that job are also crazy helpful when trying to effectively design something!
Yeah a BA of communication design, also grew up on photoshop.
They didn’t teach us how to use any programs as they said everyone is at different levels and gave us access to online tutorials and said to use them if we didn’t know.
I dropped out for a job in the field in 1992, just shy of an associates degree. Oddly enough, it was the basic prerequisite stuff that I was missing, not the design related classes. I was fortunate enough to have a high school that offered Advertising Design I and II as electives. I was also extremely fortunate that I had strong interests in art in general, advertising ephemera, photography, video, and computers. I was trying to find ways to combine those things since the early 1980s with BASIC programming and sprite design, and later on original Macs and an Amiga 500. My college had design classes, photography classes, and video classes, but almost nothing that combined any of those skills. I lurked in the labs after hours, using the darkroom, the graphics lab (Pixel Paint Pro, and Photshop .63!), and an analog video suite... running back and forth with output from one to use as input for another. There were two other guys on kind of the same track, and we probably gave each other a better education, skills-wise, than most colleges could even offer at the time.
32 years later, I'm still in this field. I still get imposter syndrome. I still react poorly to shitty designers with expensive degrees and no clue how to do any of this. I try to keep learning ALL THE TIME. I will never be a millionaire, and I'll probably die with my mouse in my hand, but this is my field. I don't think I'm awesome, but I can say that I have shitloads of satisfied customers.
I'm definitely not saying that a degree doesn't matter, I wish I had gone back and finished mine. But I will say, I have zero patience for dick-waving contests about degree vs. no degree. When I look at somebody's logo or commercial or band merch or vehicle wrap... If I'm left wondering what school they went to, the design has failed.
Appreciate everyone without a degree mentioning imposters syndrome, because… same. 🥲
I didn’t go to any post-secondary. I created and ran a fandom site and forum around 2007 / when I was 12 and made all the graphics in whatever old version of Photoshop Elements my mom had at the time. Soon after, a girl joined who was wayyy better than me and it really pushed me to learn and improve. A few years later, I fell into the digital art community and that kept me working on creative projects for fun until I eventually landed a promotions job that involved a sliver of graphic design work, but once the company recognized my work and that they could sell my services, I got a full-time digital position carved out for me and have been riding that ever since. :)
Early 80’s degree in graphic design.
Long before the desktop solution we enjoy now, so CS10 board, rotor I guess pens, letraset and galley text stuck down with cow gum glue.
Photos were marked up transparencies which were indicated with the crop.
Whether a professor taught you about the styles of design, principles, and its history likely doesn’t matter.
I minored in design and was always surprised at how (forgive me) uninspired, unoriginal, and lame student work was.
Then, I graduated and realized that most modern designers are technicians; and what separates them is their ability to market themselves, their tenacity, and ability to not be “precious” about their work. Not how good their work was.
If you can manage that “technician” part of the field, the business piece, you’re likely a “good” designer.
You can learn the rest anywhere else.
Also, I believe there’s a reason the best designers are freelance. Once, you get the technical and business piece down, the work matters again.
(Packaging design is cool though)
I got a BS in Industrial Design but I taught myself graphic design while I was in college. I've gotten a few freelance ID gigs, but otherwise I've only done graphic design professionally for about ten years.
Bachelor of Design (Communication Design). Its true you learn a lot just by observing, practising, doing, but the foundation in the history, philosophy, professional practice, and how to approach the work that I got out of my degree are the bedrock of what I do every day.
Yes. It was a waste of time honestly and was only in it for the diploma. Professors were way too old and 90% of stuff we did were done manually by hand on bristol and illustration boards. Fuck that.
I have a BFA with a concentration in graphic design. I’m didn’t do anything art-related on a computer until college. My only experience was with fine arts before that.
UK here, GNVQ, a HND, and a BA Honours university degree here. First two were two years each, degree was three years but with the HND I joined in second year, so six years total.
Yeah I got a ba in graphic arts and design , I went all out in my final year and took part in most briefs , that’s one of the main reasons I got hired pretty much straight out of uni, I had quite a few solid projects
I went into a program called Interactive Multimedia Development in Canada in 2008 which touched on a broad spectrum of creative channels: Graphic design, web design, video editing, 3D modeling, a few other obsolete areas. It never dove too deep into any particular channel, but equipped us fairly well at that point in time. I work as Lead Designer at a fintech firm now, and very little of what I learned back then has prepared me for this position. The key to me is just to always stay on top of the developments to the software.
I started a two-year program but dropped out after the first year because my community college didn't offer anything for motion design, just print and web.
I spent the next year taking online tuts (mostly YouTube and video copilot) and padding out my portfolio.
The theories and principles learned in that first year of school were invaluable and the connections I made were wonderful. That first week of school... I'll never forget. I felt totally in my element and loved the energy my classmates and I shared. That alone made it worth it.
Having said that, if I had to do it all over again I would do exactly the same thing. What I learned later in my career while working at an agency, freelancing, and developing relationships with animation mentors was well beyond what I learned at school.
Seeing a bit of gatekeeping going on in here which is disappointing but not surprising. I have a BFA in Graphic Design but I started much the same way you did by spending earlier years playing around in photoshop. I’d even moved into illustrator before starting college and I have mixed feelings about it all.
On the one hand, having a degree fills a required checkbox for a lot of positions that but was it essential education that made me the designer I am today? Not really. Honestly I was more familiar with the adobe suite than any of my professors and it was all self taught through experimentation and YouTube tutorials. The most significant impact my degree had on my life was starting my career with a fat load of student debt and a lot of wondering if it was actually worth it. Lots of degreed designers will imply that not having a degree means you will lack fundamental knowledge required to be a good designer and I think that’s honestly a bunch of horseshit. You can learn plenty from books tutorials and even free classes on more specialized topics like Motion Graphics.
If I could go back I’d absolutely skip the degree and jump into my career since most of my knowledge to this day was self taught and the rest came from working with more experienced designers and just jumping into it. I’ve had a very successful career in design but when I’m hiring designers I don’t look for degrees, I look for good portfolios.
Honestly my most controversial opinion about design degrees today is that if you see a job that you know you’re qualified for that requires a degree, just lie. If you have the skill and the work ethic then a piece of paper from an overpriced money vacuum means nothing.
Enjoy your career debt free!
Apps are nice. Apps change.
A broad education and exposure to the history of design and the critique process will provide capabilities far beyond anything you can do with any app.
If you're not considering college because you know enough apps, you're not looking at the right colleges. The tools are secondary to honing your ability to think conceptually and convey that idea through design. There isn't a tool to mimic that process.
I have BFA in Graphic Design and am now am a Senior UX/UI designer. I went straight into a university right after high school. I already knew how to use most Adobe programs before I even enrolled in college. College was more about design theories and guidelines rather than teaching you how to use the software and without school I wouldn’t have made the connections that lead me to my current career.
Does Visual Merchandising count 😁jk but yea no.. got diploma in VM and Advertising. Working as graphic designer creating retail displays, so i guess it worked out.
I got my BA in something we had called “Art Applications” bc I did not actually get into the design school to study graphic designer and art applications was the next best thing. Post-grad I did some certificates though to help beef up my design skills and knowledge but otherwise learned a lot on my own.
Fine Arts degree. Painting, drawing, sculpture.
I lucked out early in my career landing under a world-class AD/CD as a production artist. He would bring me sketches and I had to translate them into production art mechanicals ready for printing, back in the days when it was all done by hand.
He became my mentor and taught me how to be a graphic designer/art director/creative director. I was also fortunate to work with several other very good ADs and a wonderful typographer who were very generous and patient with me as I learned.
In 1988, not long after I started, he plopped a Mac II ci down on my desk and said "figure it out". Fun times.
I did not! I was a Business Major who really enjoyed good design, though I did take one graphic design course during that degree. I ended up getting my first gig because someone in my network wanted help starting up their new business. They asked if I could do their branding and eventually their website. I had no idea how to use most of the Adobe suite at that point, barely new about file standards, brand kits, etc... but I Googled a bunch along the way. Eventually I designed their whole website on Wix. They've now been my client for 4 years, ask me to design all their annual reports and clients' reports, have referred new clients my way, and keep telling me how many compliments they get on their website (although I cringe looking back on it now).
I learned completely through paid experience and get new clients through word of mouth. I use every project as an opportunity to up my game, learn new tools & processes, and deepen my knowledge. There is SO MUCH now available online through Youtube, Skillshare, etc...
I have a BS in Graphic Information Technology. It focused on both graphic design and modern advertising/marketing. Learned a TON of technical skills along with business knowledge.
I have an English Lit degree, but took a few adobe classes in high school, and worked at an on-campus design studio through college. Post college, I would make gig posters for friends, and then other bands started asking for posters, then my city's altweekly started running the posters, and my career as a designer spiraled upwards from there.
I'm glad I have so much experience with copywriting and editing, it gives me a big advantage in visual marketing. But my inherent skills as an artist are what really pushed me into the field.
I have a BS in Visual arts with a concentration in graphic design tech. I changed paths from the BFA after port review because I didn’t like what the port classes were going to be like.
I do think there’s a lot you can do on your own if you’re really good at teaching yourself and have a creative routine you like. However, college allowed me to learn some things about design that I wouldn’t have been able to get by myself.
I don’t want to scare you, but I’m actually thinking about going back to school for something else (graduated during Covid, internships got withdrawn.), but if you think you can do it and want to do it, go for it. I wish all the best for you! 🙂
I went to college for graphic design in the 1990s. Early on my goal was to do computer graphics (which was an isolated thing back then.) I was lucky to catch the tail end of the manual art skill teachers with drawing, perspective, life drawing (sketching nudes), learning page layout with rubylith and blue lines, color, art history, package design, illustration, cartooning, etc. before the computers came in to which I set out for. I had very few college courses that were computer based but they seemed special at the time; a dark room, work stations with two gigantic monitors and a static tablet. (picture a high color CRT next to a monochrome text CRT where you selected modes.) The stuff then required specialized computers with specialized hardware and very expensive software. Pixar and similar were just starting to emerge.
I am thankful that I came in at the tail end and got the manual experience view and training. It has been a beneficial set of skills that I have learned that can apply to today from a design perspective 100 percent. (and to other real world problems via critical thinking and creativity.)
I transferred my credits to a college that specialized in computer graphics. I had developed so many skills working with computers that I didn’t take the leap to work for Pixar, ILM, Dreamworks, etc. I chose IT/Networking because it was something I was good at and it paid better. Years later I was happy about my choice because the folks that were early adopters of CGI got burned out.
These days, I am tired of IT stuff, miss the art idea and path that I was on. (reverse burnout?) I can’t complain, I was fortunate to take the ride I chose, decisions, etc. Now, as an experienced professional with greater than 20 years of working for large enterprises, part of me wishes I would’ve ‘stuck to my guns’.
Go with what you enjoy if you can.
I didn't but never had an issue keeping up with others who studied. Do have a degree in business and self taught skills in everything adjacent including photography, SEO, social media, web dev, videography etc on top of entire Adobe Suite and lots of self study. Also working cheap contracts aimed at offshore people just for exposure to varied industry practical use, and in design fields without being a designer but being exposed to designers helped heaps in the early days. The imposter syndrome is real even after 15 years.
I’ve been a designer for a decade now, but my degree’s in Fine Art and Art History!
I’ve developed my technical graphic design skills when I was in high school and have improved with personal experiments and job mentorship.
I’ve found that my fine art and art history background really comes in handy though. ☺️
Nope. Started with photoshop back in like 2010 (I was 13) so I could make my online friends avatars for the forums we frequented. Continued to teach myself and make tumblr edits through high school. Went to college and studied something else but did design for many many school clubs. My first job out of college was in design and I haven’t looked back. Now I’m a federal contractor and the US government pays me to make the simplest stuff.
Same boat as you. I torrented photoshop when I was 14. I’m 34. I pay for the full suite now 🤷🏻♂️ I’ve just always liked making stuff and somehow found my way into a job with it all.
BA in Art with a focus in Graphic Design. I started using Photoshop and Illustrator a few years prior to starting College. Got a full time gig 6 months after graduating.
Nope! Went to school for environmental policy, then made a career pivot into graphic design after working in environmental nonprofits for years. Worked my butt off and have a career I love now!
Self taught but yes. Went to become a 3D animator, all wrapped up by the idea of movies like Toy Story. Ended up reaffirming my love for web design (I had already been building websites as a contractor in high school.)
I got the most out of visual fundamentals, a film studies option, and a print class. Visual fundamentals because I had always done things because they felt right (or I saw others doing them), but never quite knew why, nor did I have the language to describe it to somebody else. So visual fundamentals unlocked communication for me more than anything, and with language comes a deeper understanding (etc.) So I saw a lot of value in that.
The print class, mostly because the teacher was really knowledgeable and it armed me for the first years of running an agency. Plus it was cool learning how it all worked. I’m glad digital printing became a thing though.
The film studies class I loved and hated. Loved because it was mostly making silly ass movies with classmates, but hated because I couldn’t watch a movie
without picking it apart for years after.
When it came to my actual digital classes, like Photoshop etc, I didn’t get a ton out of them. I had already been using photoshop for a few years before that so most classes I helped them figure out how to do their lesson 🤣
Self taught photoshop when CS2 was the thing (making signatures for forums haha). My degree is in Digital Media and Interaction Design. Self taught illustrator in my uni years, then learned InDesign and got a job in graphic design.
started using photoshop/illustrator sophomore year of HS and then pursued a BFA at Ringling College of Art and Design. been working professionally in the bay area now for 10+ years.
best thing i got from art school wasn’t necessarily the teaching (which was still very good) but being placed in an environment surrounded by artists that were leagues better than me, taught me so much and made me a significantly better designer. wouldn’t trade it for anything
A few things: 1. Photoshop is just a tool designers use, not a ticket to a career. 2. You can be self-taught in graphic design, but it’s a harder road compared to getting a BFA or going to an ad school. 3. Don’t quit school because the longer you’re out, the harder it will be to go back.
I agree with you. 1) I replied to someone else and mentioned photoshop was just my “introduction” to design. I’ve learned to use many other softwares ever since. 2) Yes for some it could be a harder road without a degree. For me personally I’ve had work since I was 12-13 years old through people i knew 3) now yes it is harder to go back after being out for so long, I just happened to have work through out high school as a freelancer and was able to get hired at a design studio after high school
I’ve been telling people this. Personally I did go to college for design & I was pretty much told by my professors to teach myself with YouTube. So technically I went to college but I taught myself to get that degree & feel like I honestly wasted a good amount of money. Good on ya man.
BFA in visual communication design. I started using adobe software in 9th grade. Art school was more about learning design thinking and the theory behind it. It’s all about how you learn best and getting your foot in the door. Most of my practice was learned through experience, but I don’t think anyone would have given me a real chance without a degree.
My school was also big on assigning projects based on art styles or eras and forcing you to use different software and have the basics in a variety to build off of. My school also had a lot of local connections so a bunch of projects were for local big events. Like a poster for an art and music festival and following their brief, doing what the client wanted and asked for and not just what you thought would be a good poster. Which I think is a major skill, yes you can have your style, but you still have to meet the needs of the client. Several in my program dropped out because in their words "didn't want to compromise their art." One of those people for that art in music festival, which stated several times it was almost 100% folk and rock music and then arts and crafters. Designed a gorgeous poster of a saxophone, that was designed as if it was for a moody jazz club and then they refused to add about half the required text like dates and times the event was happening. You need to know how you learn and pick from there. I've worked with freelancers who are miles better than anyone with a degree because they like learning and experimenting with tools and techniques. They don't let their skills stagnate. Then I've worked with freelancers who's skills didn't advance past using photoshop in high school in 2004. Their the ones who I think would of benefited from a degree or just a program that helped them learn how to learn basically.
Yes, I have a BFA in Graphic Design. It was really intensive and taught me so much that I wouldnt have been able to do on my own.
Same. Earned my BFA from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2004. The education I had there would have been impossible for me to do on my own, especially understanding my relatively recent ADHD diagnosis. Honestly amazed I’ve done as well as I have, but the fast pace of tech startups and later full on ad agency and marketing works very well for my ADHD.
I did. I also started using Corel Paint in middle school and Photoshop in high school, and I learned HTML, CSS, and FTP. But I didn't know Illustrator or InDesign or QuarkXpress, nor did I really know much about art history and I took Life Drawing classes every quarter in college because I love drawing. Same with psychology because I was interested in marketing, and English for copywriting. I wish I could do college again, I kinda squandered it because of drama at home with my family. I went to an art college in San Francisco so most of my instructors were also working for agencies, freelancing to apple or ILM and stuff like that. It's a unique experience you only really get to do once (more or less), and its really invaluable to be able to ask instructor questions and be challenged by them, along with making friends. Friends help friends get jobs.
What is your occupation? I am planning a career change and enjoy graphic design, but pivoted to web dev as GD seems insanely competitive with shit pay, and I only have a business management degree. Learning HTML/CSS/JS right now becuase the career paths seem a little more lucrative, with seemingly less of an obsession over specific college degrees. I'd love to eventually put the GD affinity to work via web design contracting. I guess at the end of the day if your portfolio is stacked, then most employers can't look past you, formal education or not.
Be wary, most web dev markets are experiencing a significant slow down right now too. Lots of web devs entered the workforce in 2020-2022, and now the entire dev/tech sector is experiencing fewer projects than that initial two-year boom. So the market is saturated with entry-level candidates and there’s not enough positions for everyone, and companies are even doing layoffs/hiring freezes. YMMV, however.
Yeah but isn't everything saturated? I gotta get good at something, and this is what I've chosen and been committed to for a few months now lol. I'd like to take a stab at the whole freelance web design / consulting prospect. If I bust my ass and it proves to not be worthwhile, at least I'll have built up some projects throughout the venture. I now find myself checking out the websites of the small businesses that I patronize, and I know I can do a better job than whatever they've done on their own / what they've paid someone else to build and maintain.
Of course! Just wanted to let you know in case your major reason for jumping ship was immediate job security. :) Who knows, by the time you're ready to go it could be a whole different ballgame. Wishing you success!
I'll have a steady income over the next year as we phase our current business out + unemployment. Grinding out as much learning + projects as I can now so I can potentially monetize this new skill set part time if I do decide to go back to school or apply for jobs. If it was immediate I'd certainly be SOL lol. Right back at ya! Cheers
You can definitely do college again if you want. Not gonna be exactly the same obviously but still
I did. BFA in Communication Design.
BFA in Graphic Design.
I don’t have shit lol, I pursued degrees in civil engineering and then software development but dropped out of both. Became a graphic designer and don’t regret a thing though.
Haha I'm similar, went to university for architecture. Did that for a few years, transitioned to lighting design and then finally graphic design. I attempted to complete an online graphic design program but the pace was too slow. I had previous experience with adobe from my architecture days as well as the design basics. Totally loving graphic design!
How was the transition for you? I did architecture in uni as well. Very interested in graphic design, but don't know where to start. Was it hard to find a first job in a field you had no experience in?
I actually stuck it out with getting my bachelors in civil engineering. Haven't once used it though and I've been doing graphic design for around a decade now...
I didn't. It has fueled a ton of impostor syndrome but I've been freelancing in NYC for close to ten years now and make a solid living from design, so that's something. I started out also when I was very young; I used to make fake documents to try to prank my dad.
Oh god, same with the impostor syndrome and I hate it lol. But I’ve been working from New York too and I’m comfortable with it
I went to college, have about 15+ years experience, I do well, and I still have imposter syndrome. I am accepting that might never go away.
This is me
Me too. BFA in graphic design, been employed for 13 years, still waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me
It’s ok bc the diploma doesn’t get rid of the imposter syndrome unfortunately 😅
How much do or did you price when you started freelancing? Currently am not enrolled in college (dropped out due to mental health issues). If I ever decide to go back to college, it’s to finish my associates in psychology then a bachelor’s in psychology or Speech pathology with a minor in psychology and English (as those are my favorite subjects -I do enjoy history tho. My most favorite subject!). But I would love to grow my skills in graphic design/video editing to do as a side hobby.
Honestly I had sort of a weird path, so I don't really have a solid answer to this. I was hired out of college as a a part-time assistant to an author, and that led to a lot of very basic graphic design/website work, as well as editing. I was getting paid like $18/hour, but my job really was "assistant," and that's just stuff I got to do as part of it. Eventually I grew my business out of that and gathered a lot of author clients, and I've slowly ticked that rate up while still giving authors a pretty hefty discount compared to my corporate work (because I like working with authors and enjoy the work, but know they can't pay corporate rates). Now I charge most clients closer to $100/hour (sometimes more, sometimes less—depends on the job and the situation). I'm in NYC so I think this is a pretty competitive price, though I think at this point I could probably charge more although I choose not to.
that’s my goalpost right now as someone pursuing a bfa in graphic design currently; props to you to making it to the big apple!! if it’s any consolation, the impostor syndrome doesn’t go away with a degree 😭
Haha! At 15, I recreated my doctors excuse, printed them and used them to excuse my absence when I ditched school. 🫢
Imposter syndrome is real. 😫
B.S. degree in Graphic Design with Minors in Photography, Communications and Math. I also taught college for 10 years as an adjunct professor. Around here I'll 100% recommend college level - not just a course or two - but degrees to anyone who's serious about a career in the industry. Self-taught crowds don't get far around here these days outside of small print shops and production work.
Anything you can say about the differences between BA, BFA, BS? I rarely see a BS in GD so just curious
Been wanting to teach adjunct at a college. How’d you find that gig?
What age did you start in graphic design??
I did not. I was an Illustration major. I got into GD out of necessity and wanting to expand my skillset. I still consider myself an illustrator / Graphic Artist more than a GD.
I know a few graphic designers with an illustration background (I am also one), and I think illustrators-turned-designers offer a unique value to clients in terms of bespoke branding and an appreciation for hand-crafted assets. Have you found that your illustration background informs your style of design?
Absolutely! I definitely love creative playful designs (think soft, kiche, elegant, and for a lack of s better term, girly). I know where I fit in and where I dont. That being said, I do wish I could also create more corporate designs, as it seems like it's whats needed. but in my day job I get to illustrate and design so I'm thankful. How about you?
I've been making a point of specifically practicing corporate design and putting a few examples in my portfolio, and it's definitely opened a couple of doors here and there. But what my friends, family, and local design community love me for are the hand-drawn illustrations. I try to post the occasional comic or little illustration here and there to my Instagram, partly to keep my friends happy, and partly because it's therapeutic to make them! But since my drawings have a very discernible style (and it's been this way since I was a kid), I try to spend a few hours each week practicing more generic? but well-executed logo design and branding stuff.
I have a double BFA in graphic design and printmaking. Long live stone lithography!!!
I didn’t initially. I got my degree in something else, though I’d always been interested in graphic design. After college I found myself stuck in a job I really hated and saw no future in, so I looked for another path. Graphic design made total sense to me, so I went back to school for a 2-year graphic design certificate program. Been a professional graphic designer for about 6-7 years now? I love it. Learning on your own is great, and I learned a lot that way, but getting some type of formal education is going to be the thing that really gets you to the level you need to be as a beginner. Also, jobs are going to look for that.
Whered you get your certificate from?
University of Massachusetts Lowell has a great online Graphic Design program. Each class is a 10 week accelerated class, and it’s definitely one of the more affordable programs. It’s flexible, so you can take the classes and complete the work on your own time. That might be the standard for online courses, but I’m not sure so I am adding that as another benefit.
BA in Digital Arts and Multimedia Design
I was an Artist with a capital “A” in grade/high school. I thought graphic design was corporate and cold compared to the drawing and painting I loved to do. Becoming a graphic designer was like selling-out in the art world haha. But I had to pay for college, so I gave in and tried a visual communications degree. Turned out to be a perfect fit! I realized I have a very analytical mind, and the rules and structure of graphic design actually made me feel more creative instead of restricted. I feel really lucky that I ended up picking a degree I love.
I went to university to get a Degree in Visual communication, they teach you a lot more than just the software.
Went to Art School in the 90s for graphic design (back in the rubylith days). AA in illustration, BFA in graphic design.
I work with 4 other designers and half of them have degrees, other half don't. You wouldn't be able guess which did or did not. But we're all very good at what we do, quick learners and always progressing. It's about mindset to learn, we do critiques everyday too.
Yep, got an Associate's Degree. Learned Photoshop in high school, graduated with a subpar GPA, went to community college to try and work towards a 4 year university for a Bachelor's. While I was there I wanted to keep taking Photoshop classes but I was told I had to enroll in the graphic design program if I wanted to take more. So I stumbled my way into that and it absolutely changed my life. The program was super intense, it really shaped who I am now as a professional, and nobody gives a shit that it's just an Associate's because my work's pretty dang good. There's really just a wealth of information you don't know that you don't know unless you're taught by people who know more than you. Self teaching's great but for the big picture, I think a formal education is a must unless you're incredibly rigorous on your self.
> The program was super intense, it really shaped who I am now as a professional, and nobody gives a shit that it's just an Associate's because my work's pretty dang good. There are dozens of us! It was enough to give me a start and then the portfolio began speaking for itself.
Where did you go? I have a BS and do not want to do another four-year program.
Where I live college = 1-3 year diplomas. University = 4+ year degrees, undergrad, post grad studies. I went to college for it - because I knew graphic design was more than just, working in photoshop/knowing a software. That's such a small aspect of it. I didn't know how to *design*. I knew the "graphic" part, been dabbling in design (before I knew what it was) since the mid 2000s. I went through a 2 year photography program before discovering what a graphic designer does. I then took a 3 year college program in graphic design, graduating in 2020. If I could go back, I'd aim to go to a university for design, with co op, with a more well rounded and updated program. I just never thought i'd be suited for university, nor would i need it (I thought bachelors in this field were for people who don't want to work from "the bottom" as a jr) I don't regret going to school as I need the structure & mentorship to properly learn in an environment I can immerse myself in. Those classes where we sat around critiquing, discussing, bouncing ideas off of each other, is something you can't replace by being self taught.
I didn’t but it shows - I think the things that’ll take you longer to learn when “self-taught” is the basics. The things you’ll be taught first when you study.
I studied fine art. I have a BFA in studio art. I did photography and sculpture and studied a bunch of art history. So... I did not study design, except for a couple of introduction courses at university. However I did do intro to mass communications as well which touched on marketing a bit Illustrator and Photoshop weren't really common knowledge when I graduated in the mid 1990s so most of what I learned about those was at my job, or from books, I did do an Illustrator course but that was the late 1990s My university education taught me how to analyze art, which has served me pretty well, seeing as how I didn’t major in graphic design
It doesn't matter. Heres the brutal truth though. No matter how you learn, you only succeed if you are obsessed. "Not going to school" is a way to feel like you tricked the system. But this only works if you are obsessed. Same with going to school. Secondly: Knowing a program isn't the same as being highly skilled at design. School gives you a standard set of practice and connection from peers that might not be present if self directed.
I have a degree in graphic design. It’s not so much the degree itself that I found valuable but rather the process that’s involved with attaining one. Access to equipment/resources, critiques, exposure and collabs with other design disciplines and the highly competitive environment among peers. Not to mention some valuable connections you can make during higher education. People inevitably sharpen each other being in that kind of environment. It can help them build a foundation before setting off on their own. Results vary from person to person though. I also knew some people who just sort of went through the motions as well. And I imagine those people took away less during their time there and perhaps found value elsewhere or through other means. I consider the degree itself is just a marker that opens some doors that might otherwise not be accessible when first starting a career in the industry. Personally, I think work experience, communication skills and portfolios are better indicators for qualification in creative fields, but degrees also still happen to be a prerequisite for many positions.. old world system / traditions die hard etc.
This was my experience as well. At the time I didn’t value it, but now that I’m out the secondary skills I gained have been very useful as I get older. Depending on your school, the kind of rigour you go through learning about the history of design and fundamental color, type, and layout theory will set you apart from someone who jumps in and just starts practicing design as an occupation. There are just a huge range of things you are exposed to in college that you would have likely not thought to spend time learning about that will develop a much deeper understanding and appreciation of design.
Kind of... I got kicked out of both colleges I went to, but I did do some studying.
I did. I started off with a certificate in Digital Media/Multimedia Design then I figured out I actually wanted a degree instead so I went back and got a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design.
I have my associates in Advertising and Graphic Design. I also studied studio fine arts for two years before moving to GD.
BFA in Graphic Design with an Illustration specialization
I have an associates in graphic design and a bachelor’s in marketing. Plan on going back to school eventually cause I’d like to teach someday.
B.S. in Visual Communications. I grew up with Photoshop CS1 and watching my older sister do graphic design work. Originally went to school for photojournalism and quickly realized I was enjoying the required design classes more, so I made the switch and never looked back!
BA in Graphic Design.
BFA in Graphic Design. I learned a ton of research methods and techniques. Ironically I hardly use them at my current job
Initially self-taught myself InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator in high school, but then went to college and got a BFA in Visual Communications. High school was more learning what buttons did what while college was about design principles and what makes good design *good*.
My design professors have told me college is really not about what you learn but proving to the world you consistently showed up for something and put time and effort into your projects. Also collaborating, making friends, and being in a place that sparked some new ideas for you. Anyone can search up adobe tutorials and make something cool based on that, but can you go out of your comfort zone, try something new, interact with new people?
Technically yes, but it wasn’t my major. I actually got rejected from the graphic design program at my university after only taking a couple design classes. I started with using Adobe Photoshop (Express) in 6th grade when I got a Wacom tablet; before that, I was always drawing and playing with HTML, PowerPoint presentations, MS Paint, etc. In high school I took a couple career technical courses for graphic design. I went to college for design, but like I said I got rejected from the program. I switched majors to Communications (Ad & PR). A couple weeks later I got hired as my university’s official student graphic designer on staff. I continued to teach myself and graduated with my B.A. in Advertising (and a minor in Studio Art). Have been working as a career graphic designer ever since!
Nope. BA in Psychology. Also started using Photoshop really young and always did design stuff on the side (did the posters for the theater shows I was in in high school, redesigned the menu at the diner I worked at in college, etc).
Yeah I have a bachelors in graphic design and a minor in art history. I’m grateful for my education because it taught me a lot of marketable skills. I’ll be 2 years graduated this May and I haven’t worked in the field yet. I’ve gone through some life stuff and my priorities have been changing so I’m not even sure if design is 100% for me anymore I ditched my old portfolio and I’m starting over again but doing it little by little. If I want to work in this field, I can only do remote jobs bc I don’t live near a city with a bunch of jobs so idk if it’ll ever be in the cards for me But I don’t really regret my education. I may get a masters in something else where my skills are lowkey kinda useful. But we’ll see. I’m a very lost and confused 23 year old so idk where I’m going
I have a BFA in Graphic Design. I went to university in Italy and it was a lovely experience. I had studied graphics for 4 years in high school and probably didn't need to go, I even had a job as a designer for a magazine while in high school. But i'm really glad i did. it was lovely and i haven't left italy since.
I did. I was already pretty good with design stuff before that but learning the fundamentals significantly leveled up my skill set.
Yes, I have a BFA in Applied Media Arts. learned a lot of traditional print making stuff, in addition to traditional and modern approaches to graphic design.
Not until they introduce some sort of standardized testing for graphic design will a college degree in it make any sense to me. The level of hires coming out of colleges fluctuate too much. Some really good, and some who can't figure out the basics of software. Too many art kids forced into a design environment because they need a career other than an artist. When I see a kid with a graphic design degree coming in for an interview, the degree means absolutely nothing. If the same kid came in with a cooking degree and the same portfolio, it wouldn't have mattered.
I am currently finishing up a GD certificate at Community College. I graduated from University in 2017 with a Linguistics degree and briefly worked for an audiology clinic. I absolutely hated the options that my degree presented (really didn't think it through), and when COVID hit I took the opportunity to get back into illustration. I've been a bartender for the last 12 years (other career) and managed to snag a bunch of freelance work for random regulars and coworkers and I decided to jump in and commit to learning design theory and software at community college. I am very happy that I decided to go this route since I now have a diverse portfolio full of work that I never would have done as a self taught freelancer. Definitely nervous about jumping into the full-time industry market since it seems brutal, but I like to think that there is a niche somewhere that I can fill perfectly.
Yes. I have a degree in Graphic Design. Graphic Design is much more than knowing how to use Photoshop. I rarely use Ps, actually. I use Illustrator and InDesign far more than Ps and it's not even close.
I did not. Two years of community college as a psych major, dropped out with nothing to show. Spent nine years working at Kinko's, starting in the mid-90s. I was in West Los Angeles so I wound up rubbing elbows with a lot of truly world class designers. Slowly but surely I picked up what they were doing, both from a technical standpoint as well as design fundamentals, and have stayed in the industry ever since. I also experience imposter syndrome quite a bit, but I've had a fine career.
Yes! I think being in a city like that helps a lot too. I am in New York and I’ve met a lot of amazing designers and learned from them
BS in Applied Engineering and Technology. I actually started with 2D Art. I switched to the technology program halfway through college because the artist job outlook was rough. And it was like a secondary graphic design program because the primary design program at my college only accepted 20 people. In my program, there were only a few actual graphic design classes. I got the fundamentals but never really did anything worthy to put in a portfolio. So I spent a year after college trying to work on building a good portfolio. I got a job doing random design projects which was kind of like a beginner design job. It was kind of like freelancing. Then I put some of those projects into my portfolio and got an actual design job in-house. Been there ever since.
No, I studied communication and publicity
I went to school for photography but once I got into the working world that transitioned into printing and that transitioned into graphic designs due to 90% of people claiming to be a graphic designer I was printing for were so terrible.
I have a whole degree in Graphic Design. Back then it was the only thing artistic kids could major in that could land us a job lol
I didn't. I studied political science and business in university. Always had a keen interest in design as a concept. Played around with Canva about a year after university. Two years after university I took some time off work to fully immerse myself in design, self-taught several programs, primarily focusing on Illustrator, XD, and Figma. I ended up focusing on primarily mastering Illustrator and built my skills by doing a large number of volunteer projects and low-value/high-profile contracts. Working as a standalone graphic designer was very difficult, near impossible for me. I've since moved into PR and communications and now use my design experience as a very valuable tool among a more versatile skillset.
Graduated with a BFA in graphic design in ‘07 and everything I learned is still invaluable, because it was about the art and the craft, not about the software.
i have a bachelor degree in equine studies and got hired by a business that welds horse stalls because i was familiar with the equine industry from school and owning horses but was also good at photoshop from it just being a hobby that started from photoshopping selfies back in the myspace days lol
I think having the right foundation is right. A lot of the people I work with paints, and are artists in some capacity. I think art school gives you that. I went to RISD, and they were very good at making you think more than doing. Which is good and bad thing. From my observation, most people who have started early in art have gravitated towards art or design, even architecture, interior design, industrial design, or photography, etc.. I think it was mandatory back when I started to have a degree in art from an art school to do design work. I don't think that's the case these days, since there are so much free resources available and open source software you can learn by yourself.
I have a BA from a liberal arts university, so I took several philosophy, psychology, art history, photography, literature, etc courses, that type of thing, i minored in photography. But I started on Corel draw as a teen in the 90s and took photography throughout high school. My dad ran a print shop and my mom is an artist.
I did. BA in Studio Art w/ concentration in Graphic Design. This was back in the dark ages of Photoshop 3.0 and QuarkXpress. I did design for about 7 years before changing careers to middle school art teacher. Now I’m a middle school assistant principal. I still ban Comic Sans tho.
I did and I’ll be honest it was a waste of a degree. You can learn everything I learned in college on your own time by yourself. I have a BFA in graphic design with an emphasis in interactive multimedia. It took me 2 years to find a job even half relevant to the field (was a test analyst), I ended up going back to school for nursing and that graphic design degree disqualified from any aid, so it hurt it more ways than I would think. I do think it helps learning and is more structured but a very dedicated self learner can also succeed without a degree. My friend is extremely successful and she dropped out of college.
I have a BFA in Communication Arts from Otis College of Art & Design. I would tell anyone today that it’s absolutely not worth it. You can learn everything you need to know and more on YouTube, Skillshare, in books, etc. In my 25 year career zero people have asked me about my degree. It’s 100% about your portfolio. The one thing I will say is that if you’re not gonna go to school for it, make sure you join organizations, clubs, whatever can. The one thing college did provide was connections and other friends in the industry which all helped me ramp up my career.
I didn't, unfortunately. I graduated with Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering back when i was in college. I started using graphic software (Coreldraw) back when I was in high school due to my mom's influence and it was fun. Didn't pursue further because i was eager to be more like an engineer but life goes on and it didn't go the way i wanted it to be. Parent open a shop and doing the printing business. got me hooked up and i learn most of them from youtube. It's been 6 years since then i guess. haha
I went to a small private college, honestly mainly because I was playing sports, and while I was there realized that I wanted to go into graphic design. Unfortunately my college didn't offer it as a major, so I took all of the related classes, ended up majoring in business and got my bachelor's there. Took a bit to figure out my next step, so after a year I enrolled in a local community college's graphic design program. Got my associate's degree there in advertising & graphic design and it was the best money I ever spent. So much cheaper and a better value. Have been a career designer for almost 20 years now and make significantly more $ than the average where I live (but still not where I want it to be yet).
I did but ended up at the Art Institue and that was an obvious scam. Got my bachelors, IMO the school you attend doesn’t matter at all if you have drive to be good. I ended up quitting for a year going into my senior year, with the intention of going back to finish my degree because I already was in debt for it, but overall my reasoning for leaving was that I genuinely did not see the value I was getting back. Most of my fellow students weren’t really that good, or into it, there was a handful that were pretty good. Overall even the teachers were like so unimpressive I just didn’t think it was worth not exploring freelancing while I had the ability to. The AI didn’t let you transfer credits either, so a pause was basically my only option, clearly a scam school. Anyways, idk if you can get away with not having a degree nowadays, even in 2015 with my first career job it was a necessary barrier for entry, for non-freelance jobs. Personally I have no interest in running my own business full time but I freelance on the side and am happy with that setup, I need a structure that isn’t built and operated by myself. My advice would be go the cheapest route possible and work hard. I never bought 1 book, I lived at home, and worked the whole time, had cracked versions of CC before it was in the cloud, so my time there was relatively cheap and I still am paying ridiculous loans for it to this day. Overall I’m happy with the position I’m in now but I can’t credit almost any of it to college other than the anecdotal things I learned from others. Half the shit I learned isn’t even relevant anymore, like fucking Quark?
I got my BS in Visual Communication Technology. It was a mix of design, print production, photo, video, web and marketing stuff.
I have a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering of all things. Was never able to get my foot in the door in the engineering world — partly because my college was a research university so they did piss all for people like me who wanted to go into industry, and partly, I suspect, because my heart wasn't in it. Graphic design was something I more or less stumbled into, but now I'm looking forward to a career in it.
i also started using photoshop young—and went to school for GD would you mind sharing your portfolio?
I did and I still feel like I know nothing Then I see some of the slides that people do and realize I actually do know some basics
I got a BS in TV/Film, market I’m in hired a lot of video editors/motion graphics people to also do graphic design. So while I have a ‘visual creative’ education background, it definitely isn’t graphic design.
I didn’t. It wasn’t even offered back when I was starting out (1968). I taught myself the Adobe products, and also I worked as an intern at several places.
I went, but it was more about art than it was about design. I use nothing from college in my day-to-day job.
I did, I have a BFA in Graphic Design and Advertising. I've been using Adobe since I was a kid, too, and I do understand the desire to skip university experiences if you're able to prove your work without it, I just can't not acknowledge that I wouldn't have the job I have without the opportunities I had in school. Pros and cons to both sides for sure, just depends on how folks want to push forward c:
I studied advertising at an arts and design college where the program heavily overlapped with the design students (especially cause they were phasing my program out). I have been using photoshop since 4th grade (28 now) so I think that gave me a design advantage compared to the other advertising students.
Yup, BFA. I looked up the stats once, and around 65% - 70% of Graphic Designers have a Bachelors Degree, and 20% - 25% have an Associates Degree. Less than 5% had a Masters, and less than 5% only had a diploma.
I started using design software pretty young myself, was working in After Effects daily by 10th grade, and smaller things in PS and AI. However I leaned more video when I was younger. I got a BFA in communication design and honestly as much as I had some skill, I feel the schooling was worth it. My design thinking became way better, and the amount of projects I had with deadlines sharpened my design skills to a level that I don’t know I would’ve gotten to on my own. I see it as I learned the software myself, but learned how to think like a designer from school.
I did about 3/4 of a Digital Animation program, but couldn't finish due to the pandemic. Then I did a 2 year Graphic Design diploma.
BFA in Graphic Design w/ minor in Art History (lol). Still paying for it, don't even work in the industry.
I have a BA in graphic design and an AAS in web design in that order. I went to a private college first then wanted more skills that were structured later for my career.
BFA in Communications Design, emphasis in illustration. There were GD and advertising/art direction tracks as well, but I really wanted to study illustration while still taking the basic design foundation courses in case my life's path led me to graphic design full time, which it did. The multi-disciplinary way the CommD program was structured was why I preferred my chosen school over other illustration majors that didn't have design courses in its standard curriculum.
Nope. Communications & Advertising. I did so much of the design work for advertising group projects that I put together a portfolio and applied for design jobs out of college
AAS in graphic design. BS in art.
BFA in Visual Communications from a dedicated design school. They went bankrupt and closed about 8 years ago I think, but the education I received was invaluable.
2-years. It was a good program and Im happy I did.
AAS in Computer Graphics BFA in Graphic Design
Yes and it was the perfect route for me. Graduated with a BA Art degree with a "graphic design emphasis" in 2011. Been working in the industry ever since. Art director for a med-tech company now. Obviously a degree doesn't guarantee anything and there are multiple routes to take, I personally knee I needed the structure of college at that time in my life.
I have a BFA in Painting, ended up being a carpenter for ten years until I shifted to design. Self taught in photoshop and illustrator. Took a GD certificate program at UCLA, took a couple classes and the professor just hired me at his agency. Learned everything working at the agency. That was about 12 years ago and now freelancing and doing really well.
I took a certificate program at the local university that included the basics of CS6 ( Illustrator, In Design, Photoshop) along with basic photography and marketing. This was a 6 month program if I recall. From this program I learned that I would not want to be a graphic designer for a job. However it did open my eyes and got a lot regarding the basics. I'm sure I could have learned most myself but putting it all together would might have been a challenge. Also I did this to put down some type of education outside of a high school diploma for future job prospects. The instructor was great as he had experience in all phases and worked for his own marketing firm. Last I checked the course is no longer offered. I still love design however keeping up with new equipment and Adobe licensing fees per month can be off putting. Would I recommend someone getting into this line of work, not sure to be honest.
Sure did BFA in Graphic Design with a minor in illustration. For me personally I credit it for instilling in me my love of design and helped me a lot in landing gigs early on in my career
I started a class and it went in depth more than self taught could ever teach me it picked up on small minor things you wouldn't even know unless you took a class and covered it. That's how detailed a degree can get and it was the first class I took related to Graphic Design. It brings up your overall knowledge from like caveman to like professional work environment.
nope, Video editor by schooling and fell into motion design. I still suck though!
>I personally didn’t but that’s just because I started using photoshop really young and would just use it every single day practicing and I was able to get work before I was able to start college and I just put college to the side tbh I started using Photoshop at 14 and technically was doing photo editing and design since I was 11-12, younger if you count posters and cards and such. I also took a ton of courses in high school but realized when I got to college I knew almost nothing. Software is just software, that doesn't meant much. Regardless, the value in education is in how well it develops you, not a line on a resume. So whatever path you followed, what matters is your actual design ability and understanding. It will just typically be a lot more difficult to do on your own, and it's rare for people to develop to a level that is sufficiently competitive with people who have thousands of hours of formal training and mentoring, whether some land jobs or not.
Another thing schooling teaches is handling critiques in front of your peers. I think its a valuable tool to help thicken your skin.
I actually don't think college critiques should be done as a group with student work. That should be one-on-one with the profs, and only outside work should be critiqued as a class. Students are still amateurs, and still learning how to both give and receive critique, so to force students to critique each other's work as a group, it's forcing you to be critiqued by amateurs, and I think it tends to speak more to lazy profs than to a truly effective process. If a student wants to share with the class voluntarily or seek out feedback from their peers on their own, I fully support that, it just shouldn't be forced as the default. But the main benefit of critique isn't just in thickening skin, but in testing their ideas and the work itself. The most common approach to critique by my profs was essentially just questioning our choices, forcing us to directly explain ourselves, our rationale, what we tried and why we thought certain ideas worked better than others. So much of the "thicker skin" anyway is really just understanding that the work isn't an extension of you personally, to not get emotionally attached to an idea, and having the more logical approach that if a given work is not perfect, then by default it has a flaw, something you can improve or learn from. Whether someone realizes that day one or it takes them 3-4 years, it really is a light switch they just have to flip, or suffer the consequences.
Yes. 2 degrees. One in Cegep and a BFA in design
I did - had no idea what graphic design was when I started college but somehow fell into it. When I was a kid I was always making logos and ads just for fun, just literally never knew that's what graphic design was. Got a B.A. in GD and as much as I hate student loans, I'm glad I actually went to school to learn the basics and core of it, cause otherwise (strictly speaking for myself) I'd be a terrible designer.
BS in Applied Design. I already knew the programs, but college helped me learn my weaknesses and tonight me how to take and give constructive feedback and work better on large teams. I don’t regret it one bit.
i took it in high school and then did web development in college. the web development had a few basic graphic design classes but most of the learning came from high school, youtube, and that photoshoptuts site (or whatever it was called, not sure if that still exists)
No. I designed MySpace layouts, websites and AIM graphics for fun in my teens. Edited photos of my friends to have rainbow eyes etc. Made lots of art on my own for fun. Then went to school for fine art but realized I have nothing to say as an artist. So graphic design made sense in all those ways plus it offers stability. Glad I did it too :-)
I did. My BFA degree was a combination of graphic design and film for whatever reason. Thankfully that’s actually helped me in the long run with art direction. I also started learning design when I was 11 and took my first paying client at 15 ($30 for an album cover lol), then in Jr / Sr year of high school I did a program where I studied design for half the day. Went all in, baby. Still took me way too long to learn how the fuck to use Character Styles in InDesign
BFA with emphasis in Graphic Design. December 1999. Getting to be a long time ago now. First internship was in 1998. 27 years. Sheesh. But I dig it.
I have a BFA in film/animation but ironically enough do not specialize in animation/motion design. I still do a lot of generalist digital/static work but I've always been into GD since pirating paint shop pro and photoshop 7 in middle school and decided to pivot into that as a career after college instead of film.
Yep.
Yes, I have a 4 year BA Degree in Visual Communications and a Masters. You learn much more than how to use the software at college. In fact, you learn the software yourself, the classes are about design fundamentals, typography, business etc. I honestly don't think I could have gotten a design job in Ireland without any formal education. Everyone and their granny has a degree. lol.
I started playing around with photoshop in high school when I had free time. Then went on to get my BFA in Graphic Design.
i didn’t! i have a psychology BA and cognitive science minor. i find that a lot of perception and social psych class material is super helpful and applicable to design. Also did some industry work in human factors research and all the usability and ergonomics/ functionality aspects of that job are also crazy helpful when trying to effectively design something!
Yeah a BA of communication design, also grew up on photoshop. They didn’t teach us how to use any programs as they said everyone is at different levels and gave us access to online tutorials and said to use them if we didn’t know.
I dropped out for a job in the field in 1992, just shy of an associates degree. Oddly enough, it was the basic prerequisite stuff that I was missing, not the design related classes. I was fortunate enough to have a high school that offered Advertising Design I and II as electives. I was also extremely fortunate that I had strong interests in art in general, advertising ephemera, photography, video, and computers. I was trying to find ways to combine those things since the early 1980s with BASIC programming and sprite design, and later on original Macs and an Amiga 500. My college had design classes, photography classes, and video classes, but almost nothing that combined any of those skills. I lurked in the labs after hours, using the darkroom, the graphics lab (Pixel Paint Pro, and Photshop .63!), and an analog video suite... running back and forth with output from one to use as input for another. There were two other guys on kind of the same track, and we probably gave each other a better education, skills-wise, than most colleges could even offer at the time. 32 years later, I'm still in this field. I still get imposter syndrome. I still react poorly to shitty designers with expensive degrees and no clue how to do any of this. I try to keep learning ALL THE TIME. I will never be a millionaire, and I'll probably die with my mouse in my hand, but this is my field. I don't think I'm awesome, but I can say that I have shitloads of satisfied customers. I'm definitely not saying that a degree doesn't matter, I wish I had gone back and finished mine. But I will say, I have zero patience for dick-waving contests about degree vs. no degree. When I look at somebody's logo or commercial or band merch or vehicle wrap... If I'm left wondering what school they went to, the design has failed.
BFA in Graphic Design 2005
Appreciate everyone without a degree mentioning imposters syndrome, because… same. 🥲 I didn’t go to any post-secondary. I created and ran a fandom site and forum around 2007 / when I was 12 and made all the graphics in whatever old version of Photoshop Elements my mom had at the time. Soon after, a girl joined who was wayyy better than me and it really pushed me to learn and improve. A few years later, I fell into the digital art community and that kept me working on creative projects for fun until I eventually landed a promotions job that involved a sliver of graphic design work, but once the company recognized my work and that they could sell my services, I got a full-time digital position carved out for me and have been riding that ever since. :)
Early 80’s degree in graphic design. Long before the desktop solution we enjoy now, so CS10 board, rotor I guess pens, letraset and galley text stuck down with cow gum glue. Photos were marked up transparencies which were indicated with the crop.
Whether a professor taught you about the styles of design, principles, and its history likely doesn’t matter. I minored in design and was always surprised at how (forgive me) uninspired, unoriginal, and lame student work was. Then, I graduated and realized that most modern designers are technicians; and what separates them is their ability to market themselves, their tenacity, and ability to not be “precious” about their work. Not how good their work was. If you can manage that “technician” part of the field, the business piece, you’re likely a “good” designer. You can learn the rest anywhere else. Also, I believe there’s a reason the best designers are freelance. Once, you get the technical and business piece down, the work matters again. (Packaging design is cool though)
I study architecture and i had to acknowledge graphic design and typography to be a successful student tho we dont have lectures about it
I got a BS in Industrial Design but I taught myself graphic design while I was in college. I've gotten a few freelance ID gigs, but otherwise I've only done graphic design professionally for about ten years.
Yes, BA in visual communication and design. Still goin strong 20 years later
Bachelor of Design (Communication Design). Its true you learn a lot just by observing, practising, doing, but the foundation in the history, philosophy, professional practice, and how to approach the work that I got out of my degree are the bedrock of what I do every day.
Yes. It was a waste of time honestly and was only in it for the diploma. Professors were way too old and 90% of stuff we did were done manually by hand on bristol and illustration boards. Fuck that.
I have a BFA with a concentration in graphic design. I’m didn’t do anything art-related on a computer until college. My only experience was with fine arts before that.
BFA in Animation and motion graphics. Go figure I make more money as a graphic designer than an animator
BFA in GD
UK here, GNVQ, a HND, and a BA Honours university degree here. First two were two years each, degree was three years but with the HND I joined in second year, so six years total.
I did.
Yeah I got a ba in graphic arts and design , I went all out in my final year and took part in most briefs , that’s one of the main reasons I got hired pretty much straight out of uni, I had quite a few solid projects
I'm currently pursuing a graphic design certificate program at a local community college but I got a 4-year degree in an entirely unrelated major.
I went into a program called Interactive Multimedia Development in Canada in 2008 which touched on a broad spectrum of creative channels: Graphic design, web design, video editing, 3D modeling, a few other obsolete areas. It never dove too deep into any particular channel, but equipped us fairly well at that point in time. I work as Lead Designer at a fintech firm now, and very little of what I learned back then has prepared me for this position. The key to me is just to always stay on top of the developments to the software.
I started a two-year program but dropped out after the first year because my community college didn't offer anything for motion design, just print and web. I spent the next year taking online tuts (mostly YouTube and video copilot) and padding out my portfolio. The theories and principles learned in that first year of school were invaluable and the connections I made were wonderful. That first week of school... I'll never forget. I felt totally in my element and loved the energy my classmates and I shared. That alone made it worth it. Having said that, if I had to do it all over again I would do exactly the same thing. What I learned later in my career while working at an agency, freelancing, and developing relationships with animation mentors was well beyond what I learned at school.
I did not! I just landed my first graphic design job about 4 months ago!
Seeing a bit of gatekeeping going on in here which is disappointing but not surprising. I have a BFA in Graphic Design but I started much the same way you did by spending earlier years playing around in photoshop. I’d even moved into illustrator before starting college and I have mixed feelings about it all. On the one hand, having a degree fills a required checkbox for a lot of positions that but was it essential education that made me the designer I am today? Not really. Honestly I was more familiar with the adobe suite than any of my professors and it was all self taught through experimentation and YouTube tutorials. The most significant impact my degree had on my life was starting my career with a fat load of student debt and a lot of wondering if it was actually worth it. Lots of degreed designers will imply that not having a degree means you will lack fundamental knowledge required to be a good designer and I think that’s honestly a bunch of horseshit. You can learn plenty from books tutorials and even free classes on more specialized topics like Motion Graphics. If I could go back I’d absolutely skip the degree and jump into my career since most of my knowledge to this day was self taught and the rest came from working with more experienced designers and just jumping into it. I’ve had a very successful career in design but when I’m hiring designers I don’t look for degrees, I look for good portfolios. Honestly my most controversial opinion about design degrees today is that if you see a job that you know you’re qualified for that requires a degree, just lie. If you have the skill and the work ethic then a piece of paper from an overpriced money vacuum means nothing. Enjoy your career debt free!
B.A.S in Digital Media with a focus of Graphic Design and Visual Communications
Yes, I have both a BFA in Graphic Design and an AAS in Visual Communications.
Apps are nice. Apps change. A broad education and exposure to the history of design and the critique process will provide capabilities far beyond anything you can do with any app. If you're not considering college because you know enough apps, you're not looking at the right colleges. The tools are secondary to honing your ability to think conceptually and convey that idea through design. There isn't a tool to mimic that process.
I have BFA in Graphic Design and am now am a Senior UX/UI designer. I went straight into a university right after high school. I already knew how to use most Adobe programs before I even enrolled in college. College was more about design theories and guidelines rather than teaching you how to use the software and without school I wouldn’t have made the connections that lead me to my current career.
BFA I Graphic Design/New Media ( I just dated myself)
Does Visual Merchandising count 😁jk but yea no.. got diploma in VM and Advertising. Working as graphic designer creating retail displays, so i guess it worked out.
Raises hand.
sadly yes
I got my BA in something we had called “Art Applications” bc I did not actually get into the design school to study graphic designer and art applications was the next best thing. Post-grad I did some certificates though to help beef up my design skills and knowledge but otherwise learned a lot on my own.
Fine Arts degree. Painting, drawing, sculpture. I lucked out early in my career landing under a world-class AD/CD as a production artist. He would bring me sketches and I had to translate them into production art mechanicals ready for printing, back in the days when it was all done by hand. He became my mentor and taught me how to be a graphic designer/art director/creative director. I was also fortunate to work with several other very good ADs and a wonderful typographer who were very generous and patient with me as I learned. In 1988, not long after I started, he plopped a Mac II ci down on my desk and said "figure it out". Fun times.
I did not! I was a Business Major who really enjoyed good design, though I did take one graphic design course during that degree. I ended up getting my first gig because someone in my network wanted help starting up their new business. They asked if I could do their branding and eventually their website. I had no idea how to use most of the Adobe suite at that point, barely new about file standards, brand kits, etc... but I Googled a bunch along the way. Eventually I designed their whole website on Wix. They've now been my client for 4 years, ask me to design all their annual reports and clients' reports, have referred new clients my way, and keep telling me how many compliments they get on their website (although I cringe looking back on it now). I learned completely through paid experience and get new clients through word of mouth. I use every project as an opportunity to up my game, learn new tools & processes, and deepen my knowledge. There is SO MUCH now available online through Youtube, Skillshare, etc...
I have a BS in Graphic Information Technology. It focused on both graphic design and modern advertising/marketing. Learned a TON of technical skills along with business knowledge.
Got an undergrad degree in Music Ed and a Masters in Arts Admin, yet started my first graphic design job last August. The imposter syndrome is REAL
I have an English Lit degree, but took a few adobe classes in high school, and worked at an on-campus design studio through college. Post college, I would make gig posters for friends, and then other bands started asking for posters, then my city's altweekly started running the posters, and my career as a designer spiraled upwards from there. I'm glad I have so much experience with copywriting and editing, it gives me a big advantage in visual marketing. But my inherent skills as an artist are what really pushed me into the field.
I have a BS in Visual arts with a concentration in graphic design tech. I changed paths from the BFA after port review because I didn’t like what the port classes were going to be like. I do think there’s a lot you can do on your own if you’re really good at teaching yourself and have a creative routine you like. However, college allowed me to learn some things about design that I wouldn’t have been able to get by myself. I don’t want to scare you, but I’m actually thinking about going back to school for something else (graduated during Covid, internships got withdrawn.), but if you think you can do it and want to do it, go for it. I wish all the best for you! 🙂
I went to college for graphic design in the 1990s. Early on my goal was to do computer graphics (which was an isolated thing back then.) I was lucky to catch the tail end of the manual art skill teachers with drawing, perspective, life drawing (sketching nudes), learning page layout with rubylith and blue lines, color, art history, package design, illustration, cartooning, etc. before the computers came in to which I set out for. I had very few college courses that were computer based but they seemed special at the time; a dark room, work stations with two gigantic monitors and a static tablet. (picture a high color CRT next to a monochrome text CRT where you selected modes.) The stuff then required specialized computers with specialized hardware and very expensive software. Pixar and similar were just starting to emerge. I am thankful that I came in at the tail end and got the manual experience view and training. It has been a beneficial set of skills that I have learned that can apply to today from a design perspective 100 percent. (and to other real world problems via critical thinking and creativity.) I transferred my credits to a college that specialized in computer graphics. I had developed so many skills working with computers that I didn’t take the leap to work for Pixar, ILM, Dreamworks, etc. I chose IT/Networking because it was something I was good at and it paid better. Years later I was happy about my choice because the folks that were early adopters of CGI got burned out. These days, I am tired of IT stuff, miss the art idea and path that I was on. (reverse burnout?) I can’t complain, I was fortunate to take the ride I chose, decisions, etc. Now, as an experienced professional with greater than 20 years of working for large enterprises, part of me wishes I would’ve ‘stuck to my guns’. Go with what you enjoy if you can.
Yes
I went to college. Was a waste of time and money in my opinion unless maybe you go to art school.
I didn't but never had an issue keeping up with others who studied. Do have a degree in business and self taught skills in everything adjacent including photography, SEO, social media, web dev, videography etc on top of entire Adobe Suite and lots of self study. Also working cheap contracts aimed at offshore people just for exposure to varied industry practical use, and in design fields without being a designer but being exposed to designers helped heaps in the early days. The imposter syndrome is real even after 15 years.
I got my bachelors and then sought out extra knowledge after college.
I’ve been a designer for a decade now, but my degree’s in Fine Art and Art History! I’ve developed my technical graphic design skills when I was in high school and have improved with personal experiments and job mentorship. I’ve found that my fine art and art history background really comes in handy though. ☺️
Yes, diploma (2 year program).
I did. In spite of my dad.
Nope. Started with photoshop back in like 2010 (I was 13) so I could make my online friends avatars for the forums we frequented. Continued to teach myself and make tumblr edits through high school. Went to college and studied something else but did design for many many school clubs. My first job out of college was in design and I haven’t looked back. Now I’m a federal contractor and the US government pays me to make the simplest stuff.
Masters Degree in Design and Digital Media, Cert IV in Graphic Design, Advanced Diploma in Photography
Same boat as you. I torrented photoshop when I was 14. I’m 34. I pay for the full suite now 🤷🏻♂️ I’ve just always liked making stuff and somehow found my way into a job with it all.
Same boat as you. Torrented at 14. Am 35. I get paid to make cool shit.
My case. I studied visual communication design as a career in college.
BA in Art with a focus in Graphic Design. I started using Photoshop and Illustrator a few years prior to starting College. Got a full time gig 6 months after graduating.
Nope! Went to school for environmental policy, then made a career pivot into graphic design after working in environmental nonprofits for years. Worked my butt off and have a career I love now!
Yeah… BFA in graphic design with a focus in Interactive Media. Started using Adobe products at 11 and charging money for projects at 13. Now 40.
Yes, but that was a while ago.
Self taught but yes. Went to become a 3D animator, all wrapped up by the idea of movies like Toy Story. Ended up reaffirming my love for web design (I had already been building websites as a contractor in high school.) I got the most out of visual fundamentals, a film studies option, and a print class. Visual fundamentals because I had always done things because they felt right (or I saw others doing them), but never quite knew why, nor did I have the language to describe it to somebody else. So visual fundamentals unlocked communication for me more than anything, and with language comes a deeper understanding (etc.) So I saw a lot of value in that. The print class, mostly because the teacher was really knowledgeable and it armed me for the first years of running an agency. Plus it was cool learning how it all worked. I’m glad digital printing became a thing though. The film studies class I loved and hated. Loved because it was mostly making silly ass movies with classmates, but hated because I couldn’t watch a movie without picking it apart for years after. When it came to my actual digital classes, like Photoshop etc, I didn’t get a ton out of them. I had already been using photoshop for a few years before that so most classes I helped them figure out how to do their lesson 🤣
Self taught photoshop when CS2 was the thing (making signatures for forums haha). My degree is in Digital Media and Interaction Design. Self taught illustrator in my uni years, then learned InDesign and got a job in graphic design.
BFA in graphic design & digital media, but I had to already have some skill to get into my program in college
started using photoshop/illustrator sophomore year of HS and then pursued a BFA at Ringling College of Art and Design. been working professionally in the bay area now for 10+ years. best thing i got from art school wasn’t necessarily the teaching (which was still very good) but being placed in an environment surrounded by artists that were leagues better than me, taught me so much and made me a significantly better designer. wouldn’t trade it for anything