24.07.2015

Almost all technical writers have to deal with graphic design, whether it's creating presentation materials for a new product, designing instructions or brochures, or materials for a company website. Of course, everything related to images should, in theory, be handled by professional designers, but in practice this work is often entrusted to technical writers. Today we are starting a small series of articles about graphic design in order to help non-professional designers start their creativity, already having some theoretical knowledge.

Everyone nowadays wants to do everything on their own. Do-it-yourself (DIY) has been a trend for quite some time. Customers realize that they no longer need to buy something ready-made or hire someone to do the work. WITH using Google and Pinterest there's not much you can find that you can't do yourself using the right tools and materials.

More and more we're seeing the same thing happen with graphic design. Clients design invitations, flyers, posters, etc. on their own because they can save a few bucks by doing so. That's not to say that most of them are great at design, but I think we can all agree that this shift away from professional designers in favor of the DIY paradigm is changing a lot.

To help those who prefer to do it themselves, below are some tips and pointers to improve your design skills. Graphic designers can be terribly expensive, but their work is different high quality, because they studied these design tips and strategies. Whether you're just a budding graphic designer or a DIY enthusiast, we hope they help you with your next design project!

Software. Without software for graphic design you won't get very far. Some well-known programs such as InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator will cost you a fortune. But if you are going to design on a full-time basis, you can change your principles and invest in it. If you're only going to design images every now and then, take a look at this list of free graphic design software. [Note “ProText”: We recommend a free Russified tool for drawing diagrams, creating simple infographics, working with text that is not in the list: https://www.draw.io ]

Ideas as a result of brainstorming. Before you start mindlessly designing something, brainstorm a few ideas, either on your own or in a group. Make sure you have a main idea and the information you want to convey. Also think about general theme images and elements that should be included. This will give you a good starting point.

Draw sketches. After the storm, some ideas will appear - sketch them out on paper. You don't have to be an artist, and the sketch doesn't have to be perfect - it's just a sketch, a sketch of what you envision. Drawing sketches of the composition and the arrangement of its elements will help the design process itself go much more smoothly. Draw several variations of the sketches so you have a choice. It's a good idea to show them to others to make sure the sketches convey what you want to communicate.

Net. In graphic design, a grid is a two-dimensional structure consisting of a series of intersecting straight or curved lines used to organize content. The grid acts as a workplace for the designer; it allows you to organize graphic elements in a rational, easy-to-understand form. A grid can be used to arrange graphic elements around a page, in relation to other graphic elements on the page, or to other parts of the same graphic element or form. Please see the article for reference.

Text formatting. It is important to understand typographic terminology. You may think you know what words like font type, font, font family, point, baseline actually mean, but I'm sure some of them will confuse you and some you won't fully understand. The article “Basic Typographic Terms” can help with this. Using too many fonts makes it hard to read, and it's even harder to find a bunch of fonts that look good together.

Emotions of fonts. If you think that font style cannot evoke emotions, then you are wrong. The font style should reflect the mood of your content. If you're designing a wedding invitation, the font should be elegant, perhaps sophisticated, while on a third birthday party invitation, the font style should be fun and lively. Check out the article: Evoke Emotions Through Typography.

Gaps. Make sure there is equal spacing between your words and other graphic elements in the image. Certain sections may be full while others have a heap free space. The spacing between characters is also important, and it is recommended to simply leave some space between characters, also called "kerning". The symbols should not be too close or too far from each other, because... in this case, reading will be difficult.

Hierarchy. Visual hierarchy influences the order in which the reader perceives what he sees. Objects of the largest size are perceived by the human consciousness first. Visual hierarchy should be based on what has the most meaning in your composition and what should be read first.

Contrast. Contrast is important for defining different sections, or for highlighting important objects or words. Without contrast, the reader doesn't know where to look first or what's important. If you use the same color, font, and font size throughout your content, the reader’s eyes won’t concentrate on it and nothing will stand out. Contrast is what allows you to make something stand out and should be used in every composition.

Repetition. Depending on what you're designing, repetition can play a significant role. If you're designing a program book or foldable brochure, you may want to place the same or similar elements throughout the design. Such repetitions of basic elements throughout the document bring a clear sense of unity and consistency - in such a document it is easier to track the logic of presentation.

Empty spaces. Don't be afraid to leave sections of white space. Not every inch of your composition needs to be filled with captions, graphics, or pictures. Cluttered composition is difficult to read, and as a result, the reader misses important things. Empty spaces help highlight areas of occupied space and what needs to be emphasized.

The profession of a designer appeared in our country several decades ago and very quickly became in demand in a wide variety of business sectors - from printing to industry. Due to the high commercial success of this type of activity, many are concerned about the question of how to become a designer. Let's sort it out in order.

Translated from English, designer is a designer, constructor, developer of sketches, models, images. In turn, in English language this concept migrated from Latin, where “designere” means to do, show, outline.

A designer is a specialist in artistic design and design of various kinds of objects. The areas of application of the designer's talent are very diverse: this includes fashion, industrial or architectural design. The profession of a designer is one of the most fashionable today. The benefits of working in the design field are good earnings, the opportunity for creative self-realization. This article covers how a graphic designer works, the programs needed to master it, and the issues of building a successful career.

The Essence of Graphic Design

Currently, the profession of a graphic designer is in high demand. What a graphic designer does is clear from the very definition of this specialty. Graphic design is the art of designing objects using graphic images. A graphic designer is a specialist in the design of various types of printed and poster products, the creation of brand names and labels. A separate area of ​​graphic design is web design - the activity of designing websites on the Internet.

A graphic designer is a creative profession, close in meaning and philosophy to the work of an artist who creates paintings.

Professional Graphic Designer Skills

A graphic designer-illustrator must have knowledge in the field of typography (know the types of fonts, understand the technical process of creating printed materials). The main professional skill of a specialist in this field is the ability to draw well and use visual media, master the basics of composition and color. He must understand the main modern trends in his professional field and constantly improve his

A necessary condition for successful work in the field of graphic design is knowledge of basic computer programs for creating all kinds of graphics and the ability to work on a personal computer.

Specifics of a web designer's work

The differences between web design and graphic design are mainly related to technical issues. A graphic designer specializing in website creation must understand the technical aspects of user interface design (know the principles of a programmer and coder, understand the features of viewing computer graphics on monitors with different resolutions). His task is to make browsing the site’s pages an easy and enjoyable experience. A graphic designer of any specialization must have a general knowledge of the principles of creating advertising products and possess industrial design skills.

How to become a graphic design specialist

The path to becoming a graphic designer lies through studying at an educational institution. Design specialists are trained in educational institutions of higher and secondary vocational education. These can be artistic, architectural, construction, technical. Studying in specialized educational institutions, in addition to teaching basic designer skills, also helps to broaden one’s horizons and gain the necessary connections in the professional community (for example, during an internship).

How to become a designer?

In addition, studying at an educational institution gives you the skills to work independently and search for the necessary information.

The professional skills necessary for work can also be obtained by enrolling in various types of courses. Unlike higher or secondary vocational education, studying in courses will allow you to obtain only the necessary set of knowledge sufficient to start working in the profession. The courses are usually practical in nature. This, on the one hand, is their positive property. A negative aspect of taking courses is that the student does not have the necessary theoretical knowledge, without which it will not be possible to achieve great success in the profession.

Graphic designer is a creative profession. You can master it yourself if you wish. Many famous graphic designers (like Karen Cheng) have acquired the necessary graphic design skills on their own. However, they all had higher education in different specialties. A novice graphic designer still cannot do without the basic skills that a specialized education provides.

When choosing a graphic design profession, you should keep in mind that it is not an essential profession, and in an economic crisis there is a risk of job loss.

Computer programs in the field of graphic design

A modern graphic designer must have the skills to use software. Required to study are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Please note that professional versions of graphics programs are quite expensive. In order to understand the basic principles of their work, a novice designer can first start studying free analogues.

How to build a career as a graphic designer

For successful work In the field of design, it is important to choose your specialization wisely and constantly improve your knowledge. In order to keep abreast of current trends in the world of graphic design and acquire useful contacts in a professional environment, it is important to regularly follow the latest developments in the field of professional activity and attend thematic events.

Communication with professionals will help you avoid mistakes and blindly copying other people's ideas. Their advice will help you create a portfolio. Wide opportunities in the field of professional self-realization in the field of graphic design, and especially web design, are provided by freelancing - remote work using the Internet.

Where can I learn skills?

Currently, there are many specialized electronic portals on the World Wide Web that provide remote work. Designing a graphic designer’s portfolio plays an important role in obtaining profitable orders. It should be as informative as possible and contain the most striking examples of work.

In the field of freelancing, a condition for success is business reputation. It is difficult to earn it, but easy to lose it. Therefore, the main rule of a beginning graphic designer should be to complete the order on time and with high quality. At first, you shouldn’t count on high earnings. Gradually, over time, the number of customers will increase. Consequently, income will also increase. It is important to remember that a graphic designer’s portfolio plays a big role.

How to learn creativity in design

The task of a designer of any specialization is to meet the customer’s requirements to the maximum extent possible. Of course, here, as in any other field, a creative approach is encouraged. However, a graphic designer in his everyday work is limited by the technical specifications, and does not solve the problem of creative self-expression. Therefore, creativity in this professional field is not encouraged.

Illustration taken from knockknock.ru

In this article I will look at not only what a web designer should do, but also what he should NOT do.

As a beginner in web design, it is extremely important to know your responsibilities, otherwise you will simply be “having” by cunning clients who will take advantage of your ignorance and will demand more from you than you should and you will do more than you were paid for. If you don’t want this, read carefully and forget it 😉

Before you get acquainted with the list of your future responsibilities, I want to talk about the most important web design skill that you should have if you plan to work as a freelancer. No one will demand this skill from you, but your success and earnings will greatly depend on it. So…

Every web designer should be able to Google 🙂
This means that if you are looking for something in a search engine, then you need to look not at the first 5-10 sites, but if necessary, then all 100-200, because RuNet has now become a copy-paste dump and it is very difficult to find something worthwhile. Or if you don’t have time, buy books, courses, training.

What a freelance web designer should be able to know:

  1. You need to be fluent in Photoshop.
  2. You must be able to:
    — Collect and structure information
    - Be able to distinguish between the main and the secondary
    — Create a website prototype
    - Be able not to “reinvent the wheel”, but to model what is already successful
    — Select the appropriate color scheme for the purpose of the site and for target audience
    - Know how to work with fonts
    - Know how to work with meshes
    - Be able to use photo banks and process graphics
    — Be able to make the site convenient and familiar to the target audience
  3. Be able to draw different types websites (landing pages, business card sites, online stores, promotional sites, portals)
  4. Be able to draw in flat, material, minimalism, technical design styles
  5. be able to do responsive design site

This is quite enough for you to become a web designer, a good web designer and earn 30-45,000 rubles per month. 6-12 months after start.

If you go to job sites where vacancies for web designers are published and look at what they require from you, you will simply be horrified. You will be required to master 2-6 professions at once, master 3-10 programs and have a bunch of responsibilities.

I don’t know who you need to be to be able to do so much and what employers hope for when they post such advertisements. Here's a typical ad:
Based on this example, I would like to move on to perhaps a more important component...

What a web designer should NOT know and be able to do:

  • Layout (html, css, etc.) - the one who does this is called a layout designer, not a web designer.
  • Programming (php, mysql, javascript, etc.) - this is what a web programmer does.
  • SEO and website promotion - this is what a se0 specialist does
  • Fill the site. This is what the content manager does
  • Promote the site on social networks and work with public pages.

    How to become a clothing designer: 7 tips from the pros

    This is what SMM and SMO specialists do.

  • Own them all graphic programs in the world. A web designer doesn’t really need this. 99% of everything can be done in Photoshop. A web designer, not an illustrator, not a printing worker - he does not need to know coreldrow, illustrator or indesign and other programs
  • 3D modeling programs. This is what 3D designers and architects do, but not web designers.
  • Marketing and conversion. This should be done by marketers and testers.
  • Branding. Honestly, I don’t know who should do this :)
  • Proficiency in all CMS (Worppress, joompa, DLE, etc.) - this is usually done by webmasters
  • copywriting.

    Articles should be written by a copywriter, not a web designer.

  • Draw by hand. A web designer is not an artist.
  • Draw on a tablet. This is what a graphic designer does.

This is not the entire list of what may be required of you in your resume. If you find something that is required of you and it is not on the top list, then feel free to classify the new requirement as something you should NOT do 😉

If they ask you for all this, then let them pay you for each profession separately - the total will add up well :)

From the author: Hello friends! Today I would like to talk about the profession of a graphic designer. My choice fell on her, because design is a component of almost all aspects modern life. Creative professions always require enormous dedication and in return they give no less. In my article I will talk about how to become a graphic designer and where to start.

Profession graphic designer

The work of a designer requires not only creativity and creative approach, but also logic. Specialist this profile must be able to simultaneously solve several important and complex problems. The product he creates (font, logo, etc.) must be unique, memorable and bright, suitable for printing and take into account the specifics of the enterprise for which he is developing it. Therefore, it is very important that the creative mind of a graphic designer strictly obeys the laws of logic.

For those who are wondering how to become a graphic designer, I want to reveal the essence of this profession:

the main activity is the development of the corporate style of the organization (creation of a logo, font, color scheme, etc.);

A specialist in this profile can also work in the printing industry: develop packaging design, layouts of advertising products, and also create the design of souvenir products.

JavaScript. Quick start

So, the designer’s skills are used in the development of: corporate identity and logo, packaging, online advertising, printed materials, websites, interfaces computer games and programs, presentations, etc.

What professional qualities and skills are needed in the job?

There is a popular belief that a specialist in the field of graphic design must be proficient in programming languages, the basics of copywriting, and understand codes. Is this so, let's figure it out together.

Do you think a design professional should be able to draw? I’ll answer your question with a question. Should an accountant be able to count? Being able to draw does not mean creating masterly works of art; a graphic designer works in a more “narrow” world of tools. However, to better understand visual processes from the inside, the ability to draw will not hurt.

But graphic designers must know color schemes, master fonts and the basics of composition. It is also necessary to constantly understand current style and fashion trends and improve your skills. Of course, the main tools in a designer’s work will be the graphic editors Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. And depending on the type of activity you will use one or another program.

In addition to skills in working with programs, a specialist in this profile must have the following set of qualities:

visual perception;

artistic taste;

ingenuity and creativity;

knowledge of modern culture and fashion;

the ability to think soberly but originally.

What about copywriting, coding and programming? I think that this knowledge will be useful for aerobatics, but for beginners it is not necessary. Believe me, it is better to be a master in one area and have a well-coordinated team, which will include a layout designer, a programmer, and a copywriter.

How to start a career as a graphic designer?

How to become a graphic designer without education or work experience? First of all, don't be afraid of anything. Register on a freelance exchange for beginners. There you can find a lot of tasks on art and design activities and immediately start practicing, learn how to negotiate with future employers, get your hands on small projects, and also receive your first, but most long-awaited, positive reviews. Finished works add to your portfolio.

Next step- invite your acquaintances and friends to develop a design for positive feedback. In most cases, people willingly meet halfway and agree. At this stage, you can not only gain experience, but also increase your rating on the freelance exchange.

JavaScript. Quick start

Learn the basics of JavaScript at practical example on creating a web application

The third stage - we put things in order in our social networks. It is very important to have an active page on a social network, because on the other side of the computer they don’t know anything about you. Set yourself the “correct” status and publish your work. This will help you attract more attention to yourself and win people over to trusting cooperation.

Now that you have come such a long way, you can safely start working on professional freelance exchanges. Pay special attention to your portfolio, because the number of orders will depend on it. The competition is very high, but if you have all the above skills, you will definitely be able to find customers.

Where to study to become a graphic designer?

If you decide to study to become a graphic designer, you should decide whether you need a diploma. In cases where a diploma is necessary, you can try to enroll in universities or secondary specialized educational institutions that have design departments, such as:

graphic design;

publishing.

If the crust is not the main thing for you, then you can safely study design on your own using video lessons or take a graphic designer course. Such methods of learning have a lot of positive aspects: you will save a lot of time and money, and you will receive all the necessary knowledge that you can immediately try in practice.

Main disciplines to be studied:

basics of graphic design;

coloristics;

graphic elements;

painting and drawing;

basics of photography.

Also, during training, a lot of attention is paid to marketing and advertising, and the use of graphic design in these areas. For example, developing logos for organizations or advertising posters. Once again, I note that you should definitely master Illustrator and Photoshop. Knowledge of InDesign will be helpful.

Where to get a job?

In the modern world, professions related to design are the most paid and in demand in the labor market. Today, no organization can do without a graphic designer.

Design specialists are required not only in publishing houses, but also in advertising agencies, in companies producing postcards, stationery and packaging. You can also apply your talents in web design, computer game and program design.

Every day on the World Wide Web appears huge amount online stores and websites, many groups are being created on social networks and they all want to have their own individual design, which will allow them to stand out from the “crowd” and win the favor of “potential clients”. Not a single self-respecting company today can do without the services of a designer.

If your soul is drawn to creativity, you are creative and open to new knowledge, then this profession is ideal for you! Don’t give up at the slightest difficulty, and you will definitely succeed!

In the meantime, subscribe to our blog and share useful information with friends - they will be grateful to you. See you again!

JavaScript. Quick start

Learn the basics of JavaScript with a hands-on example of how to create a web application.

22.01.2015

How to build a career as a graphic designer: practical advice

Today, graphic design is a rapidly growing branch of the IT industry, despite the crisis situation in the country, and at the same time, oddly enough, it is becoming more and more competitive every day. We see the work of designers everywhere: signs, plates, pillars, advertising posters, leaflets, booklets, books, newspapers, packaging, labels, TV screensavers and much more. To survive in such a fast-growing and competitive industry, you need to do everything you can, as early as possible. Some people start in college or university, but there are those who work and create businesses and websites at the age of 14, or even earlier! Age shouldn't bother you. Rather, it should inspire you to get involved long before other designers leave you with crumbs.

During a crisis, it is very important not to waste precious time, so no matter how old you are or what stage you are at, following our recommendations, you will give your dream the right direction and impetus for development.

Practical tips:

1. Learn your specialty

There are several ways to become a designer in various ways. The first way is to enroll in the design department of a university. The second way, no less difficult, is to master the profession of a graphic designer through short courses.

In the first case, you will listen to lectures, do practical and theoretical exercises, communicate with professors and other students for five years. If you have the desire and ability, you will probably graduate from school becoming a good specialist in the field of design.

In the second case, you will save your time, money, and most importantly, you will receive a lot of useful and practical advice from designers, which they definitely won’t tell you at the university. We must not forget that the professional level of proficiency in programs is learned through experience, on the job. Constant work and analysis of completed projects will help you become a good designer. It is very important to look at the work of other more experienced designers and learn from them. Don’t be afraid to borrow some successful techniques at first. Rest assured, they borrowed these techniques from someone else).

From compulsory programs You can highlight Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator (Illustrator can be replaced by Corel Draw). You need to start with vector programs, and this is Corel or Illustrator.

Programs for designers now large number. Each is intended for a specific purpose. For example, in InDesign it is convenient to layout multi-page publications, and in 3DS Max you can visualize various objects and scenes. It is not necessary to know dozens of graphic editors, the main thing is to be able to work in 2-3, but to do it at a high level.

2. Consider what area you would like to work in

More often than not, a design has a specific application. There is logo design, packaging design, magazine design and so on. Due to the rapid development of the advertising and information business in our country, there is an increasing need for competent and experienced specialists in computer graphics in the following areas:

  1. Printing. These are designers, layout designers, layout designers, graphic designers, photo proofreaders, etc.
  2. 3D modeling, animation. These are the developers of everything video advertising and technical design.
  3. Web design. These are developers in the field of design and layout of Internet sites, web advertising, web programming, as well as website support.
  4. Photo. A professional photographer must be proficient in at least several photo processing programs.
  5. Interiors, landscape design. These are designers of interiors, building facades, developers of small artistic forms, steles, and advertising installations.
  6. Engineering field. This includes the development of technical documentation for equipment, design and modeling, and the creation of drawings of varying complexity.
  7. Science. Processing various images and drawings obtained as a result of scientific experiments and research, constructing three-dimensional graphic diagrams and other dependencies.

3. Create your corporate identity and your website

Business cards, resumes, letterheads and other elements of your personal identification, marked with original design style, will give you big advantage and will show that you truly care about your career. Take the time to create a personal style, because it is a direct presentation of yourself and your skills. Time is precious, and many employers simply can't afford to waste it looking at pictures sent - they'll ask you to send them the URL of the page or PDF document with your portfolio. There is nothing expensive in creating your own website; there are many free hosting sites on which you can create your own website for the first time.

4. Build your portfolio

Works can be obtained on Freelance, 99designs.com, and you should also pay attention to these sites:

  • dlance
  • russiancreators ru
  • Russian designer

Designer forums also have regular orders:

  • deforum ru
  • zastavkin com
  • artnow ru

The internet niche of earning money is available to absolutely everyone, and earning money for a student is one of the opportunities. In general, absolutely anyone can earn money on the Internet, from schoolchildren to professional workers who are well versed in certain processes. Naturally, depending on your skills and abilities, the amount of earnings can vary significantly; the main thing is to find the optimal place to work and be active in your endeavors.

To start making money, you need to think carefully about what skills and knowledge you have, and in what area you could apply them with maximum results. If you don’t have knowledge yet, then it’s never too late to develop, learn to work with graphic editors and layout, which will definitely come in handy. Good luck to you in all your endeavors.


We offer you the following areas in graphic design:

1.








Classes are held in 2 shifts: day and evening group

2.


People who want to work as a designer simply must know, and cannot work fully without knowledge and ability to work in Corel Draw.




3. If you are a photographer, designer or want to learn how to use for yourself, then this course is right for you!




Promotion!!!by registering before January 26 instead of 7,000 rubles in total3500 rubles


November 14, 2017, 11:58

After college, very for a long time I worked as a secretary and assistant, dreamed of career growth, promotion to the department, until, finally, I realized that I had to take everything “into my own hands,” because my thirties were just around the corner, and I never got any more or less serious position borrowed! I no longer wanted to work as a “help girl,” and I realized that it was time to learn a new craft.
Today there are a huge number of professions that many people don’t even know about! I had no idea when, at the end of school, I chose the institute to which I entered. If I knew about everything that the modern market offers, I would definitely immediately go to study graphic designer!

Graphic designer- a 90% creative profession that is easy to learn from scratch if you are bored with working, for example, as a lawyer or accountant. In no way am I belittling the importance of the specialists mentioned, but it often happens that society recommends first getting a “serious” profession, and then studying for what you want! And then you start working in your specialty, and your desires fade into the background - and they pay normally! But the soul requires creative impulses!

A graphic designer is, in fact, an advertising designer. A person who specializes in visual communications. Advertising can be anything: for example, printed (flyers, brochures, large-format advertising), web (banners, websites), smm (promotion on social networks) and so on. And also, it is the graphic designer who develops logos and corporate identity. This is a very popular specialty, because in a highly competitive environment, good designers advertising is worth its weight in gold!

You can study to become a designer through courses, or at an institute - get a second higher education. In my case, it was something in between - professional retraining courses at a well-known design university, at the end of the course, I received a state diploma. All teachers were from the university. The program, of course, was express (only a year), much depends on your desire and interest. In my case, the desire was huge - by that time I was frankly bored with working as an assistant, and I was very interested in getting a new specialty.

At any training, you will be given a “base” and the necessary literature, which you need to thoroughly “shove through”. The course program includes lessons in drawing and painting. Even if you don’t know how to draw, everything depends, again, on your desire and perseverance. They will teach you how to perform stylizations and make sketches, but if you want to master academic drawing, you will simply have to work more.

In addition to drawing and painting, in graphic design courses you will have lessons in composition, color science, typography (the art of type), as well as training in design programs. The latter - even if you don’t want to work in your specialty, will be very useful to you in life: you will understand the difference between a raster and a vector, learn how to professionally process your photos, and not just with Instagram filters :-), create beautiful travel albums - and much more. This is a mega-useful and cool skill!

In addition to the lessons, you, of course, will have to read a lot of literature - not only in order to master design terms and learn about the various techniques of advanced designers and the resources they use, but also in order to learn how to communicate competently with clients.

And this is a separate “nishtyak” of a graphic designer - freelancing work and the possibility of additional income. Let me say right away that this is not easy, there are a lot pitfalls, which you can learn from various professional literature and from your own experience. I will say one thing for sure: if you are sociable, easily get along with people and know how to negotiate, you will have a minimum of problems. And if you get stuck, you can completely go to remote work - this is just the dream of any office worker! :-)
Of course, the work of a designer also involves many illusions. For example, after painfully working through my portfolio, and finally starting to work, I realized that there won’t be continuous creativity here either :-) Both customers and employers have their own idea of ​​the product for which you are designing, and it can be very difficult " come to an agreement" with internal ambitions. Therefore, it is better to always have a clear idea of ​​what you are doing and why, in order to be able to defend your idea. At the same time, you need to have enormous flexibility in order to be able to “hear” the customer, because the main task of the designer is, after all, to work for him.

By the way, about the “painful” creation of a portfolio: at first, you will have to work hard, since all clients and employers are interested in your work. And they need to be made from scratch. You can take student work, drawings and a diploma, or take on any work, even for free. Personally, I invented companies, drew logos for them, and literally trumpeted everywhere that I was starting to work as a designer - there were people who needed such services.
Now I can confidently say that this work much more interesting than what I had to do in administrative positions. Now, instead of boring documents and numbers, I deal with pictures, presentations, drawing and photo processing.

Of course, everything inevitably turns into a routine, but tell me, what kind of work doesn’t have it? :-) This is partly why designers tend to change places of work often - they want new achievements, new colors and paints, since working within the framework of one corporate style can be not only boring, but also difficult.

As a designer, you can develop both “upward” and “broadly”. In the first case, you can work your way up to art director, brand manager, head of the marketing department; in the second, you can master web, SMM, UX design (interface design), etc. Or you can go teach or start your own design blog! There are a lot of opportunities for development!
By the way, among famous personalities there are many who started out as graphic (or web) designers, for example: Emma Stone, Serafima Shnurova, Freddie Mercury.

I am of the opinion that you should go to work as if it were a holiday :-) Or at least get close to it, because we spend most of our lives at work! Therefore, do not be afraid to learn new professions if you don’t like the old one or are simply tired of it!

Thanks to everyone who read to the end! Have a good day and weeks! :-)

Updated 11/12/17 12:03:

My website address: stremyakosha.ru