11 Tips when considering a graphic designer career

Here's some tips for anyone going into the field of Graphic Design.

1. Make sure it is what you really want to do.
1. It is not an easy field to break into. Try and have a plan or get started designing while you are in school.
2. You don't have to be a good artist to be a good graphic designer.
1. This makes most designers cringe but with the help of computers and willingness to learn processes and an appreciation for art anyone that excels at using a computer can do it.
3. Doing great art means a lot practice.
1. Like anything to be great at means practice, use 4 and 5 for good practice.
4. Start your own freelance company.
1. With small startup fees to register your company you can have a legit place to make freelance dollars from. And it looks good if you have real clients.
5. Build your portfolio.
1. make sure they are "projects" even if you make up the parameters yourself. So you can explain to potential employers your process.
1. www.coroflot.com
2. www.behance.com
6. Take criticism, like a boss.
1. Don't let other peoples opinions of your work get to you take the "ideas" that others have and learn from them do not take it personal.
7. Don't try to be a rock star right away.
1. Unless you have a real and true "gift" for art, design takes time. Learn processes and computer programs. You will get there. Being a great designer or getting that director position takes a long time in this biz.
8. Get your Masters degree
1. A Masters degree will put you ahead of the pack of noobs. Also with your Masters degree you can teach others to do what you enjoy.
9. Don't give up!
1. It took me 10 years after I graduated with my BFA in Graphic Design to get job as a graphic designer doing a lot of other things along the way.
10. Become an art person
1. You will know what I mean if you already don't.
11. Be trendy
1. Follow design blogs, designers on facebook, instagram and others. Know what is trendy.
1. www.yankodesign.com
2. Half of understanding good trending design is being current.

This list can go on but these will get anyone started or if you are considering to become a graphic designer.

Thanks for reading
Mike

POWER/RANGERS

NICE _ Christmas List... Ratings for brands

Check out this sweet naughty or nice list that www.christmas.com has come up with ranking the brands social acceptability for the year of 2013. It's a great infographic and they explain their process as well.

Check it out HERE

Or you can go to www.christmas.com (@christmassite) and check out good gift ideas and build your own list.

Happy Christmas!

Standing Stockings are for Gifting!

The Standing Stocking is the dumbest gift that holds gifts ever. Get it only @ walmart.

Eggified - Spiderman 2 Trailer

Check out the new Spiderman 2 trailer again (for the 200th time) and you will find the best movie trailer egg ever (or maybe this week). According to ign.com there is a hidden link for electroarrives.com as shown here in this screen cap. Go there and you will find the even better Easter Egg of the press release for the next Spiderman movie and 2 spinoff's. Well what are you still reading here for???

Read the other artilce here

Hellooooo.... Somethings very wrong here

PLUSH BASKET EXPLOSION

PIC OF THE DAY FOR 12/11/13

SANTA HELLO KITTY

How to be more Creative Infographic

Click the image to see how!

http://editorial.designtaxi.com/news-creativeht1012/big.jpg

A good weekly reading...

Please read the article below when you have time as Innovation is our game we need to understand the trends that exist  in not only the world of product but the world of creating product as well.

http://www.informationweek.com/strategic-cio/team-building-and-staffing/5-ways-to-turbocharge-innovation-/d/d-id/1112920

If you have time read this as well (pretty dry and long).

http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21569381-idea-innovation-and-new-technology-have-stopped-driving-growth-getting-increasing

The main trend that I keep hearing in terms of innovation is the terms they use for playing the stock (ex. High Return = High Risk VS Low Return = Low Risk).

Great Innovation = High Risk  VS Slow or “Small" Innovation = Low Risk

Cloud Computing? Maybe for some but not yet for all...

Interested in Cloud Computing

Here is a good website that may help in your examination of cloud v server issues as well as some other in-sites I have gathered (I wrote a paper in my masters InfoSys class on it last year).

http://www.cloudcomputingtechie.com/top-5-disadvantages/

Moving to all cloud based system is not a proven technology yet. Security and maintenance of a companies own files will still require a hard backup somewhere on and off site. 

100% cloud based companies are out there if you google it however they are considered XLB (Extremely Lightweight Business). Where the only files they need to maintain are files like Microsoft office files and other sales data reports (SaaS) and software building codes (C++ files).

100% cloud based is it for anyone yet?

Two examples are Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite and these have both had major security issues with their software and “cloud files” recently which could mean bad news for us as those are the two main programs used by our company. Both examples require a monthly fee to use the “service programs (or apps)” we would no longer have “physically installed programs” that we pay for once. Overall this pay per month mentality of “service programs” would initially save money but in the long run we will end up paying substantially more with extra fees being added to contracts as the technology grows monthly. 

In my opinion 100% cloud based systems is an unproven still growing technology that will need to be proven to work before anyone can use it. A hybrid system could potentially work for many companies on a daily basis and which most are already using. I would still want one location I could call my own.