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(another) New Designer to the forum! Hello!
Hello all,
I'm another new member to this forum. I'm actually out travelling at the moment, but I've had a fair bit of free time so I've been on here a fair bit...it's a great forum.
Back at home I came out of college, worked in a non-design-related job, and then came travelling. I got an unconditional offer to go to a university to do graphic design (based on my portfolio and interview), but decided I didn't want to follow the uni path (no offence at all to the guys on here who are doing uni).
When I was back home I'd done about 15 jobs, small things like business cards and nightclub tickets. I also did a few sets of A3 posters for a nightclub night. I had a good relationship with the local printer, and I was always quizzing her about the industry (she didn't seem to mind!) I feel like I have a good basis of knowledge, and am very keen to keep learning! I've found the relationship with my printer to be very, very valuable.
Basically, when I get back home I want to build up my portfolio and look at getting some regular work.
Ideally I want to get myself into a regular job and do my design work out of hours to build up my knowledge and portfolio. I was wondering how I'd go about setting this up...do I need to register this? And if I do I'll technically be running 2 jobs, has anybody got any experience in how employers feel about this?
I'll be 20 when I return home by the way (in a couple of months). I've started to get to grips with web scripting whilst I've been out here as well, CSS, XML, SQL and things...I may consider adding a few websites to my portfolio. I have a few years experience in Photoshop, self-taught. I've also began reading (you have a lot of time to read when you're travelling) about small businesses, and aim to gain a better understanding of starting up on my own before I return home. I'm kind of doing the prep work now, so that I can be ready when I get home.
Would be really grateful to get a reply,
seems like I could learn a great deal from these forums.
Take care all,
- Mike.
I'm another new member to this forum. I'm actually out travelling at the moment, but I've had a fair bit of free time so I've been on here a fair bit...it's a great forum.
Back at home I came out of college, worked in a non-design-related job, and then came travelling. I got an unconditional offer to go to a university to do graphic design (based on my portfolio and interview), but decided I didn't want to follow the uni path (no offence at all to the guys on here who are doing uni).
When I was back home I'd done about 15 jobs, small things like business cards and nightclub tickets. I also did a few sets of A3 posters for a nightclub night. I had a good relationship with the local printer, and I was always quizzing her about the industry (she didn't seem to mind!) I feel like I have a good basis of knowledge, and am very keen to keep learning! I've found the relationship with my printer to be very, very valuable.
Basically, when I get back home I want to build up my portfolio and look at getting some regular work.
Ideally I want to get myself into a regular job and do my design work out of hours to build up my knowledge and portfolio. I was wondering how I'd go about setting this up...do I need to register this? And if I do I'll technically be running 2 jobs, has anybody got any experience in how employers feel about this?
I'll be 20 when I return home by the way (in a couple of months). I've started to get to grips with web scripting whilst I've been out here as well, CSS, XML, SQL and things...I may consider adding a few websites to my portfolio. I have a few years experience in Photoshop, self-taught. I've also began reading (you have a lot of time to read when you're travelling) about small businesses, and aim to gain a better understanding of starting up on my own before I return home. I'm kind of doing the prep work now, so that I can be ready when I get home.
Would be really grateful to get a reply,
seems like I could learn a great deal from these forums.
Take care all,
- Mike.
- Contact in PM
MickeyFinn
Messages count : 120Likes count : 0Registration : 30 October 2006Hey Mickey - welcome to forum! Glad it has been useful so far and look forward to chatting about design, work and hopefully other stuff in the future.
Where abouts are you travelling at the minute? Wish I had the chance to do that as a young'un, maybe when the kids have left home I might have a chance :ohwell
What kind of job are you looking at taking on when you get back? If a uni were prepared to take you on then I reckon a design or print house would offer you a place too, obviously not great wages to start with but then you can make up the difference with freelance work as you go. Your skills and industry knowledge will grow much quicker in the industry that at Uni anyway and in three years time you will have cash in the bank, a great real life portfolio and real the ability to win work. Had you taken the uni route you would be well in debt, know a lot of thoery and would probably be looking at a job as a junior somewhere anyway!
If your aim is to work for yourself full-time in the future then a job will give you great contacts that you can usually get small freelance work stuff from if you are careful and build up a nice client base for when you jump ship.
Enjoy the rest of the travelling! - Contact in PM
MickeyMac
Messages count : 5Likes count : 0Registration : 9 June 2007I'm in Sydney at the moment. I've travelled down through Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Just got New Zealand to go and I'm back home! We actually met a retired couple over here whilst watching the Celtic game, they'd worked hard all their lives, waited until the kids could support themselves, and then just packed up and gone. Gotta admire that!
Well, before I left I was on about 13k a year...so I'm expecting to take a drop in salary if I get a graphics job when I get home. Ideally I'd be in a graphics job or print shop, and do my own work in the evenings to earn the extra income.
As for the uni comment: Yeah, this is pretty much what I'd gathered from people in the industry, and what I could figure out for myself! I always saw, and still see, the graphic design industry as an industry which goes on experience and proven quality as apposed to qualifications...which is one of the main reasons I'm so excited to be a part of it.
So, from your advice I'll look at getting a job with a company when I get back and building up my experience and portfolio. Cheers for the reply mate.
All the best.