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Graphically Designed - Try An Adobe or CIW Course...

Are you constantly aware of good visual presentation - perhaps on a website or a brochure - then what about taking a career course in graphic design? Typically a student of graphic design will have taken art at school, and enjoys drawing.

Yet it's quite possible to become a talented design student without much prior training - these days much graphic design work is computer-based and doesn't require conventional drawing abilities.

The work can vary from being a one man or woman band as a freelancer, to being part of a large team in a design house. You can study to degree level at university or opt for vocational commercial training which many view as more useful, in fact many university graduates opt to up their skills at design colleges to gain a greater commercial edge as a working designer. If you're not sure which route to take, why not try a short course first as a taster to see if the work suites you?

What Should I Look For In A Training College?

With so many training options available for graphic design students, there's a learning curve to go through in order to pick the one that's right for you. Training standards differ between colleges, as do prices so be sure to research thoroughly.

There are various training providers at the side of this page - be sure to look at several because the more you look at the better your decision process.

If you bookmark this page, (Ctrl D) you can come back to it and use it as a useful homepage for your research. The more websites you can familiarise yourself with, the more you'll be in a position to make comparisons, and identify the key factors that are relevant for you.

A good design training company will take pride in the style of its website, as that's the first indicator we see. The training probably won't be up to much if the website leaves a lot to be desired!

Secondly, are you looking for full-time in-centre training, a part-time course that blends distance learning with college attendance or an entirely home-based on-screen course? Can you expect tutor contact beyond nine to five? Will you need to buy any extra kit to take on the training course? Are there convincing testimonials on the site from current or ex students, or perhaps from companies who've employed their graduates?

Working Portfolios

Whether you study at home or in college, you'll need to build a portfolio of your best designs. When the time comes to apply for your first job, the standard of the work you've done so far will be the most relevant thing to an employer. Any college worth considering will enable you to build a commercially relevant design portfolio as part of your coursework, so checkout the standard of the students' work that's displayed on their site.

Mac Or PC?

To be a graphic design student today you must have proficient computer skills, as much of your training will require the use of software. Of course training won't be entirely focused on web-based design, but you will find the majority of your work comes from using applications such as InDesign and other elements of the Adobe Creative Suite.

Design colleges often favour using MACS as opposed to PC's. It's possible to obtain software versions for either though so you should be able to use whichever machine you feel most comfortable with. As well as having good design skills, you'll also need to hone your sales and marketing skills in order to sell your ideas to clients.

Any visual message or art might be the work of a graphic designer, even if it's on a packet of cornflakes. Graphic design puts together shapes, wording, colour and imagery in a stylised presentation that at its best communicates a statement for the product it represents.

Design Fundamentals

Design training will teach certain essential elements, such as the importance of composition, shape, white space and texture. The best students then utilise those tools to go on and design eye-catching images that flourish in businesses throughout the world for many years. Customers need to be courted and informed, tempted and delighted. The first thing they see are the graphics - that's why they're so important!

The right college will take you from where you are now to where you want to go. Seek out training that over delivers on its promises, and make your new life better by design!