How To Make Money as a Graphic Designer

If you have a great aesthetic sense and love to do art, then you can utilize this passion to start earning. Graphic designing is an emerging industry. It is getting more popular day by day with global digitalization. You can observe graphic designs everywhere around you. Also, it is a great skill to sell for starting earning. This guide will help you learn how to earn money as a graphic designer.

What is Graphic designing?

A profession that includes creating designs manually or using digital tools. Graphic designing is the practice of visually displaying your ideas through images. For example, It can be your advertisements, posters, flyers, or magazines. In addition, designers can make book covers, social media posts, visiting and invitation cards, and more. 

Learning graphic design nowadays is like a piece of cake. There are a lot of experts who are delivering their vast knowledge. You can find many authentic channels on YouTube, like Imran Ali Dina’s famous GFX Mentor.

Essential tools for designing

Previously, Coral Draw was a popular graphic design tool. But with time, many new tools have been launched and used. It depends on your preference. You can choose whichever device you like and master it. Additionally, different people are experts in other domains. Every software has its own pros and cons.

Numerous graphic design tools are available, catering to different skill levels and design needs. Here’s a list of popular graphic design tools:

Adobe Creative Cloud Suite:

• Adobe Photoshop: 

For photo editing and manipulation.

• Adobe Illustrator:

Ideal for vector graphics and illustrations.

• Adobe InDesign: 

Used for desktop publishing and creating print materials.

• CorelDRAW

It is a vector graphics editor. Also, it is an alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

• Affinity Designer

A vector graphic design software offering a range of tools similar to Adobe Illustrator.

• GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

A free, open-source raster graphics editor suitable for tasks like photo retouching, image editing, and image composition.

• Canva

A user-friendly online tool for designing social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents, and other visual content.

• Figma

A collaborative design tool that allows real-time collaboration between team members. It’s web-based and suitable for UI/UX design and prototyping.

• Sketch

A vector graphics editor designed for macOS, commonly used for web and app design.

• Procreate

An illustration app designed exclusively for iPad, favored by digital artists.

• Inkscape

An open-source vector graphics editor that’s free to use and can be a good alternative to Adobe Illustrator.

• Pixlr

An online photo editing tool with many features for quick edits and adjustments.

• Gravit Designer

This free vector designing application is suitable for web design, icons, and illustrations.

• Vectr:

It is also a simple vector graphics software. It is available both online and as a desktop application.

• Clip Studio Paint

It was originally launched for manga and comic book artists. Now it has become popular for digital illustration and painting.

Remember that the choice of tools depends on your specific needs, preferences, and the type of projects you are working on. Some tools are better suited for certain tasks, so exploring a few is beneficial to find what works best for you.

Nowadays most popular tools for graphic designing are Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Indesign. Although many tools exist, these three can be enough for fundamental to advanced designing. If you master these tools exceptionally, you can easily earn a handsome amount. All these tools have different applications like. Adobe Photoshop is used mainly for photo editing and retouching. You can also use it for designing advertisements, posters, etc.

In contrast, Adobe Illustrator can be used for creating digital art designs quickly. And Indesign helps design books, magazines, and other paged documents. All these are available on Adobe Creative Cloud, which you can purchase.

Platforms to learn the skill

There are several platforms where you can learn graphic design. Here are some popular ones:

• Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe offers a comprehensive suite of graphic design tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. They provide tutorials and resources to help you learn these applications.

• Udemy

Udemy is an online learning platform that offers a variety of graphic design courses. You can find courses for beginners to advanced levels, covering tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and more.

• Coursera

Coursera partners with universities and organizations to provide courses on graphic design. Specializations and courses are available, often taught by industry professionals.

• Skillshare

Skillshare is a platform where creative professionals share their knowledge. It has a wide range of graphic design courses, including both software-specific tutorials and design principles.

•  LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning offers courses on various design topics. They have tutorials on design software and also cover design theory and principles.

• Canva Design School

Canva is a user-friendly graphic design tool, and they offer a Design School with tutorials and resources to help you improve your design skills.

• YouTube

YouTube has countless tutorials on graphic design. Channels like Adobe Creative Cloud, The Futur, and Dansky provide quality content for learning design.

• CreativeLive

CreativeLive offers live online classes on a variety of creative topics, including graphic design. You can also access recorded classes at your convenience.

• Khan Academy

Khan Academy provides free courses on design principles and basics, making it a great starting point for beginners.

• Books and Ebooks

Don’t forget about traditional learning resources. Books like “The Non-Designer’s Design Book” by Robin Williams or “Thinking with Type” by Ellen Lupton are valuable reads.

Hence, choose the platform that aligns with your learning style, whether you prefer structured courses, self-paced learning, or a combination of both.

You can learn this skill conveniently through online platforms. There are hundreds of people offering graphic designing courses, both paid and free of cost. You can check YouTube, Coursera, Udemy, and Google for free coaching. You can also learn through LinkedIn Learning, skillshare, and a lot of online websites as well. These online sources are enough to help you start earning as a graphic designer.

Ways to earn money as a graphic designer

You can use various methods to use your graphic designing skills. For example:

• Find a job
• Through Freelancing Platforms
• Selling Courses on YouTube
• Selling courses on Udemy
• Selling your design templates
• Selling T-shirts online
• Finding a remote job through LinkedIn
• Write a blog about Graphic designing
• Sell your designs on Instagram
• Create your Website to sell your printed designs.
• Create your merchandise
• Offer branding designs to businesses.
• Use typography skills to sell fonts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can make a considerable income if you have a firm grip on your design skills. You can even consider having multiple sources of revenue. Additionally, there are lots of options in the market to choose from. There are many ways to earn money as a graphic designer. For instance, you can start your own business. Moreover, consider doing a job at a good company.

Having a degree to be a good graphic designer is no compulsion. You can learn from thousands of courses or even through an excellent institute. Master the skill, build a strong portfolio, and approach reputable companies to hire you.

There are hundreds of creative business ideas to start earning, too. You just have to stay consistent and develop your expertise in graphic design. For more informational content, keep following our blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Graphic Designers make a living?

The best way to earn these days is by freelancing. You can sell your services through different freelancing platforms. Many designers are working remotely to earn a handsome living. You can even do a full-time graphic designing job. 

Is a Graphic Design career worth it?

It is a great profession. Every business needs a skilled graphic designer to help promote them. From letterheads to visiting cards, they need a designer for everything. 

Can I make money online with designing?

Most commonly, designers work online for their clients. They can do complete branding for their client online. There are various freelance platforms for client hunting. You can find a decent job or project and earn really well.