Hey new designers,
Welcome to the first course you will take as a graphic design major! I’m not going to lie, this course is challenging and pushes you out of your comfort zone, but it is also extremely rewarding and you learn so much over the course of the semester. Throughout the course of the semester, here are the top three things that have helped me and I hope they will be just as helpful to you.
1.Start Projects Early
This is the most important thing and will probably be a piece of advice that is stressed to you the most. Start your projects as soon as you can. Whether it be doing initial research or sketching out designs, none of the projects for this class can be completed the night before. It is so easy to think that your first design will be the one you turn in for a grade, but starting early and taking breaks can reveal that the initial idea may not actually be working. Take your time and take advantage of the time you have to do the assignments so that you can show off your best work in the end. You will be so grateful that you started early. Trust me.
2. Meet with Professor Strong as much as you can
I also cannot stress this enough and I wish that I took more advantage of office hours earlier in the semester. Meeting with Prof. Strong is incredibly helpful and you can ask any questions and get immediate feedback on drafts or after you turn in a project. The one on one aspect is so helpful when you may feel stuck on a project. I know for me at least, that talking an assignment or an idea through can help me to further develop it and Prof. Strong always wants to help and see students succeed. Do not wait until the end of the semester, start early.
3. Look Everywhere for Inspiration
If you ever feel stuck when completing an assignment, do not worry because we’ve all been there. Inspiration is everywhere. Use Google, Pinterest, Instagram or any other website etc. to look up images or ideas that are similar to what you are trying to create. Sometimes just looking at the work of other designers can be extremely helpful when you feel like you’re in a slump. Also on this note, ask your friends and classmates for help and become friends with everyone in class because you will all be in class together for the rest of the design classes.
At first, this class might seem overwhelming, but you can look to all of the students before you who made it through and are here giving you the advice and tips you need to succeed. This class will challenge you to think in new ways as a designer and you will learn so much in the process. Remember to have fun and enjoy the work that you are creating.
Good luck with everything this semester!
