How to Find Entry-level Graphic Design Jobs

January 4, 2020 • Entry-level, Graphic

How to Find Entry-level Graphic Design Jobs

Companies and many businesses have realised the potential that graphic design services offer and are looking for graphic design agencies and freelancers to help them stunning websites that help deliver brand identity to consumers.

If you are looking out for a career in graphic design, you are on the right path. However, you have to look for these jobs.

To make it in this field, you also need to be fluent in both front-end and back-end web design.

As much as there are plenty of openings, competition is at its peak, and you need to be aggressive enough to secure entry-level level graphic design jobs.

A graphic designer’s job is also cut out with website content management platforms that make it easier to design websites without using code.

They can customise premade templates without programming language skills. Such platforms include WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, and Magneto.

Junior graphic designers communicate through visual mediums to give solutions to branding.

They create images, animations, and other design elements to help communicate ideas, products, interfaces, advertisements, and more.

Entry-Level graphic design jobs can take one of two routes. One can either join an agency or work for a company that produces a product (in-house).

Designers who work in agencies, usually work on numerous different projects to cater to a diverse group of clients.

When starting in an agency, the roles of a graphic designer involves production, where designers spend much time concentrating on Photoshop or Illustrator.

Here they will churn and tweak mockups, photos, and create illustrations.

Subsequently, in-house designers often work on a single aspect of the company’s identity.

This can either be the company’s product, marketing, or advertising.

Their focus is on the visual communication of the company’s product or service.

They will use their graphic design capabilities to write publications on their website, on social media, and most other channels.

If you are starting and looking for entry-level graphic design jobs, here is a simple guide to help you with that.

Before delving into that, let’s see the collective responsibilities of an entry-level graphic designer.

Responsibilities of an Entry-Level Graphic Designer

· Using Illustrator to create or edit illustrations

· Use imagery and text by building compositions for advertising

· Coming up guidelines and brand language to spread brand awareness

· Developing a visual system through the interface (UI), to relay emotion

· Help to implement visual designs in CSS on the internet for clients/companies

Entry-Level Graphic Design Jobs

If you decide to use the term “Entry-Level Graphic Designer” in your search terms or phrases, you won’t find many different types of jobs.

If you are keen enough, you will notice that the significant difference between agency and in-house is the medium on which you’ll produce your work.

Often, companies that are just starting will require designers to work full-time as digital designers.

Other companies will still need designers to work partially print publications.

Therefore, designers will spend time using InDesign or other similar tools.

What you need to do as a graphic designer is a step outside the strict search terms, and you’ll find out that there are several ways to search for relevant roles. You can add:

· Visual Designer

· Production Designer

· Digital Designer

· Designer

· Agency Designer

Salary for Entry-level Graphic Design Jobs

The average salary for an entry-level graphic designer is $39,645.

This ranges from $29,674 – $54,421.

What mainly determines the salary is the location.

Therefore, the best thing to do is to evaluate the entire salary range to see what your best option is.

According to the Bureau of Labor, graphic design jobs are expected to grow by only 1% in the next 10 years.

Who Typically Gets These Jobs?

Every year, a survey is carried out on over 20,000 students to try and find out the demand for entry-level internship and the job market.

According to the State of Hiring, there are several everyday things that students and recent graduates have when applying for entry-level graphic design jobs.

Usually, many graduating students are ready to settle for jobs that are not related to their majors.

However, the majority of graphic designers are not prepared to do this.

About 80% of them will only consider graphic design jobs, which can be difficult, especially since not many companies are ready to employ graphic designers permanently.

Only 43% of recently employed graduates are not working as designers or design-related fields.

Graphic Design Job Facts

· The most popular graphics designs destinations include New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle

· Most graphic design majors often work side jobs during school

· Some of the 80% have had a paid side job

· Whenever companies are looking for employees, they usually consider those who had side jobs during school due to their working experience

· Only a few graduates who didn’t go through an internship (26%) get full-time jobs

· 54% have taken a computer science course

· When they graduated, most graphic designers will have a debt of between $25,000 and $75,000

· What helps senior graduates (40%) are the previously taken online related graphic design courses

Although it is infrequent to find graphic design majors looking for jobs in their associated majors, few do it.

If they choose to do that, here are a few areas they are likely to concentrate on:

· UI Design

· UX Design

· Product Design

· Industrial Design

· Motion Design

Graphic Design Interview Tips

Prepare your portfolio

Many graduates who haven’t just from school don’t know what is expected of them when they are attending a job interview.

It is essential to have both an online design portfolio and a hard copy.

An online portfolio should have all the links working all your content should be up to date.

A physical collection, on the other hand, should have about 7-11 of your best work on projects.

The pieces should be diverse, showcasing all your graphic design skills.

You should end by displaying your very best piece, which is you should act as your selling point.

Prepare your resume and have copies

The way you present your papers is very crucial and will determine the outcome of the interview.

Before you enter the interview hall, take time to ensure that every information in your resume is accurate with no errors.

You need to go through it a couple of times to confirm that it’s is OK.

Save yourself from the embarrassment that can cost you your job opportunity.

The resume should also be customised for the job you are looking for.

Even if you had recently emailed your resume, you must bring at least three copies to the interview hall, and they should be professionally printed.

Prepare your appearance

The way you present yourself at the interview matters if you want to be taken seriously and win over your potential employer’s heart.

The first impression is not heard but seen.

Since this is a graphic design interview, you should wear attire that shows your creative talent, not a three-piece suit with a long necktie.

What you wear should make a bold statement about you.

Make it pop and not scream in the face.

A trendy colour should do the trick with a bold texture or pattern.

This is a creative position and should reflect on your physical presentation.

Research the company

The worse thing to do is go for an interview with a company you know nothing about.

Of cause they are going to ask you questions about the company and if you know what they are all about.

If it’s a graphic design agency, they are going to have a website.

Before attending the interview, research comprehensively about the company online to ensure you know everything about their location in different offices and what the company is all about.

Take notes if you have to, but don’t pull them out at the interview hall. This will be a bomber.

Arrive on time

If you need this job, then you should do everything to arrive at the interview hall on time.

Arriving late at the interview venue will only show how sloppy and incompetent you are.

Time is essential; you should show them your punctuality by arriving about 15 to 20 minutes early.

This also gives a few minutes to make preparations to ensure you are not caught off guard during the interview.

To gain acquaintance with your interviewers, if they want a handshake, give them a firm one and always look them straight in the face to show how confident you are with your creative skills.

Conclusion

To increase your chances of getting a graphic design job, you should expand your repertoire by covering all graphic design related courses, including marketing and advertising.

It is also good to do an internship while still in school.

The salary range is also vital depending on the location since other regions and countries pay more or less than other ones.

You can also consider jobs outside your graphic design major as you continue applying for your major.

Jobs are hard to find nowadays, and you need an income to sustain yourself and help pay off debts.

Author Bio: Naman Modi is a Professional Blogger, SEO Expert & Guest blogger at NamanModi.com. He is an Award-Winning Freelancer & Web Entrepreneur helping new entrepreneur’s launches their first successful online business.

Top 20 Graphic Design Trends to Look Out for in 2020

November 30, 2019 • Design, Graphic

We’ve all encountered design trends.

The kind that inspire you and the kind that make you question how they even became trends.

Like beveled and embossed everything in the 90s—that was never a good idea.

Or comic sans. Or worse, intense drop shadows.

Nonetheless, trends are drivers of growth and a means of educating creatives on the importance of context—knowing when and how to use them.

At Bannersnack, we like to stay on top of what’s happening in the design world and we’d like to share our findings with you for the upcoming year, to help you achieve the best designs possible.

P.S: If you’re feeling nostalgic and you’d like to look back on 2019’s design trends, click here.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the top 20 graphic design trends to be inspired by in 2020.

Summary

Color Gradients
Bold Typography
Asymmetrical Layout
Brand Identity System
Textured 3D Design
Fluid Shapes
Tailor-made Illustrations
Isometric Compositions
Mixed Media
Short Videos
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Modernized Retro
Zero Gravity
Data Visualization
Generation Z Yellow
Monochrome
Celestial Exploration
Muted Color Schemes
Responsive Design
Thin Lines

Infographic Design Trends

1. Color Gradients

It turns out Instagram is quite the influencer in and of itself; the play with gradients in their branding has caused this trend’s growing use in recent years.

Gradient Application

Source: Instagram

Color gradients have had their moment (and continue to do so) in UI, package design and branding.

Gradient UI/UX

Source: Siti Dahlia

In 2020, color gradients are expected to have more center stage through its application in all types of design, especially in illustration.

Gradient in packaging

Source: Happy F & B

2. Bold Typography

Typography has long been one of the most fundamental design elements because of what it can communicate visually, beyond its literal written purpose. Recently, more and more brands are incorporating strong sans-serif fonts in their designs or even in their branding.

Specifically, bold or heavy-weight sans-serif fonts are being used to give designs a modern approach. Many brands go a step further by applying motion and a three-dimensional effect to typography.

Source: Al Boardman

For example, some designs experiment with kinetic typography over static images that are shared in forms of short looping videos. This kind of overlay drives even more attention to the text and the personality behind what it’s speaking into.

Kinetic Typography

Source: Andrei Robu

Stefan Asafti, a brand identity designer, adds to describing the magic of what typography can do:

Expert Insight: Stefan Asafti

Find his work here.

“Typography does wonders. You don’t need any photos to create something cool. All the letters have their own personality.“

Source: Atanas Giew

3. Asymmetrical Layout

Revealing only a part of the design or purposely allowing a design to feel “unfinished” in its lack of symmetry is a way to capture attention and to convey a message more boldly.

Asymmetrical Poster Layout

Source: Bison Studio

In the past, design based on a fixed grid system was all the rage but it seems that creatives are leaning more towards design that has a more human, imperfect feeling to it.

Asymmetrical Poster Layout

Source: Xavier Esclusa Trias

Asymmetric design gives creatives space in applying graphic elements in order to communicate something more free spirited and abstract.

Asymmetrical Layout in Packaging

Source: Caterina Bianchini Studio

4. Brand Identity System

A systematic design approach to a brand identity gives way to maximum flexibility in how a brand conveys its personality and in how it can evolve in time. Brand identity systems typically have an underlying strategy and use a design element as a basic unit for graphics, patterns and more.

For example, a brand identity system can have a simple square as its base unit and create interactions for designs to evolve from that shape while retaining brand consistency. Besides the base unit, the color scheme can also serve as a foundational part of the entire brand system.

The base unit visual, color scheme, logo and brand strategy (and recently, custom illustrations, but more on that later) come together as a family—designed to create a brand narrative that truly speaks to the end user.

Brand identity systems ultimately give the end user space to find their place within the brand.

Brand Strategist, Jacob Cass, has four tips to help you grow your brand system experience this year:

Expert Insight: Jacob Cass

Find his work here.

“Branding goes much deeper than just a UI or logo design. Brands, at their core, represent something very specific to the user and that representation will be shaped depending on their personal experience with the brand. The best brands know this and spend millions of dollars fine tuning how their users feel & are emotionally moved by their products. For 2020, focus on going beyond design and create positive brand experiences:

1. Be consistent with your niche message.

2. Engage on a personal level with your fans

3. Give away value & entertainment for free

4. Build trust through repetition

Brands are created in the mind. Ensure your creating a positive brand experience in 2020!“

Brand Identity System Example

Source: Squarespace

Designers like Mark Repa are investing in offering more complex but comprehensive brand identity systems. See what he has to say:

Expert Insight: Mark Repa

Find his work here.

“It’s a niche I’m trying to identify with and be part of—seeing more of it will help me get inspired and focus on differentiating myself from the competition.“

Uber Brand Identity System

Source: Uber

One of Bannersnack’s designers, Tibor Orosz, also shares his perspective on brand identity systems:

Expert Insight: Tibor Orosz

Find his work here.

“Brand Identity will always be one of the most important things design-wise. There is that magic parallelism between discovering a company’s identity, its values, principles, that something that powers the whole engine and discovering the true identity of the person or even yourself.”

Source: Mailchimp

5. Textured 3D Design

The three-dimensional method in designs has been ever present in the past year and in 2020, it’s expected to advance by adding a layer of realism in textural experimentation.

Adobe Think Tank Texture

Source: Omar Aqil and Rob Juarez

Textures such as glass, metal, fur and plastic are some of the most used applications on 3D forms.

Co-life Texture Example

Source: Jerry Shu

Creating such realistic texture on 3D forms that don’t actually exist can make the design feel like it’s part of a bigger illusion.

Botanical Texture Example

Source: George Stoyanov

6. Fluid Shapes

Organic shapes have caught on in popularity and can be found in many designs today but in 2020, they’re projected to have more of an impact by being applied to brand identity systems, 3D forms and short motion graphic videos.

Source: Fanny Rollot

Glossy, reflective and liquid textures will also trend in 2020, as they create more depth.

Fluid Shapes Motion Graphic

Source: Christian Whiticar and Eric Wada

Psychology tells us that circular shapes (circles, ovals and ellipses) in particular are perceived as being softer and friendlier due to the lack of harsh angles.

Foreo Fluid Shape Motion Graphic

Source: Facu Labo

7. Tailor-made Illustrations

These days it seems like all the big brands have their own distinctive illustration style. Airbnb’s illustrations are airy, bright and lined whereas whereas Slack’s illustrations are more geometric, muted and textured. Both styles are able to bring their brand personalities to life and offer a personal touch.

In the upcoming year, we can expect to see more and more custom-branded illustrations to become one of the key ways brands convey friendliness as well as become an integral part of the brand identity system.

Many brands have begun to experiment with using illustrations that are diverse, inclusive and in tune with offering a truly unique brand interaction. Some brands have even experimented with applying motions especially in brand videos.

Custom Illustration Example

Source: Airbnb

In support of this trend, Vlad Dumitrescu explains how he perceives this trend as a tool:

Expert Insight: Vlad Dumitrescu

Find his work here.

“I think custom-made illustrations are a powerful tool for any brand in the business, supporting your core brand values with a strong creative output.”

Besides this trend being a powerful tool, our next quote comes from Miruna Dragomir, who unpacks what’s behind this trend and why there is a certain reluctance to implement it:

Expert Insight: Miruna Dragomir

Find her work here.

“I believe custom-built illustrations will continue to grow in popularity in 2020. It seems like an obvious observation but the truth is that so many brands still steer away from integrating illustrations into their content efforts. It’s complicated to scale. They take a while to design, cost a lot more than stock photography, and companies hesitate to take on that commitment. Having illustrations part of all your marketing activities can be quite a complicated goal. However, prospects’ standards for design are increasing and more people choose products based on the quality of their branding. At least I do.”

An illustrator himself, Joseph Kalinowski shares his perspective on tailor-made illustrations:

Expert Insight: Joseph Kalinowski

Find his work here.

“While there are so many topics that are on the list of design trends for 2020, I think the use of tailor-made illustrations are swiftly climbing to the top. While communication channels will basically be the same in 2020, progressive brands are looking to reach their audiences in new and innovative ways, even though the use of custom illustration is one of the oldest trends in the book.

I think of the recent launch of Disney and the release of Star Wars “The Mandalorian” series. Being a Star Wars fan, my social feeds were full of custom “Mondo-style” illustrations and alternate posters promoting the launch of the series on the new platform. On a personal level, I do an abundance of custom illustration to promote the speaker/tracks at our event, Content Marketing World, that are well received and shared throughout our community each year.

A unique, eye-catching illustration can really make a brand stand out amongst the noise across your audience’s channels.”

Tailored Illustration Example

Source: Slack

One of Bannersnack’s UX/UI designers, Corneliu Copacean, expands on the effects of this trend:

Expert Insight: Corneliu Copacean

Find his work here.

“Tailor-made illustrations is still a strong trend that holds up very well. Custom illustrations with personality make your website more distinctive and memorable. (eg. mailchimp, dropbox).”

Branded Illustration Example

Source: LinkedIn

Razvan Bei, another Bannersnack UX/UI designer, explains the advantages of this trend forma user point-of-view:

Expert Insight: Razvan Bei

Find his work here.

“I think that nowadays when everyone is in a rush, it’s very important to express your ideas in an easy-to-read visual style. The user must understand the main idea at first glance. You can achieve that with a strong brand identity and eye-catching visuals like illustrations, 3D Design, videos, bold typography and many more.”

8. Isometric Compositions

It’s no surprise that isometric compositions are on the 2020 trend list. In the past year, this approach has paved the way for 3D illustrations.

Isometric Example

Source: Jing Zhang

Moreover, it’s expected to gain even more traction in the coming year. If you don’t know what isometric design is, it’s essentially a method of transforming 2D graphics into 3D forms for a playful yet realistic result.

Source: Anita Molnar for Bannersnack

Because the 3D objects are illustrated on 2D surfaces, isometric will continue to be used in infographic design, website design and presentation design.

Smartwater Isometric Example

Source: Tyler Scheitlin and Luis Roca for Smartwater

9. Mixed Media

An approach that was used often in the past has come back to life in a fresh new way. Combining different types of graphic mediums such as realistic 3D graphics or photographs with static typography and contrasting colors is a strategic way that diversifies how a message can be communicated visually.

Gogoro Viva Mixed Media Example

Source: Mixcode for Gogora Viva

This technique is especially relevant for product photos, where flatlays and aspirational photography has been replaced with imaginative product illustrations and animations. This favors the concept behind the product rather than the practicality of promoting the literal features of the product. Forget simple product action shots; mixed media is here to stay in 2020.

Mj Cole Mixed Media Example

Source: Twentythirdc for MJ Cole

Bannersnack’s in-house illustrator explores the possibilities of using mixed media:

Expert Insight: Anita Molnar

Find her work here.

“I find mixed media very exciting and playful. It can include anything from drawing on photos to augmented reality exhibitions, which can give the viewer an enhanced experience. Anyone who uses mixed media will become much more receptive to the possibilities given by their whole environment, any object anywhere can trigger their imagination and they will be able to integrate it in their work.”

10. Short Videos

Maybe it’s also because of how widespread the use of gifs are nowadays but short, animated videos have become the next big thing.

What’s not to like about them? They’re fun, slightly addictive and effective.

Looped, animated videos are building up to having their big break in 2020.

Source: Adam Grabowski for Google

Illustrations, logos and other graphic elements can be combined and displayed in one animated format.

Source: Hola Bosque for Spotify

Brands can benefit from using short videos to help create awareness in an engaging way. Animated videos have become a vital part of visual branding, which will continue to grow as brands look for even better ways to connect with their audiences.

Source: Wonderlust Media for Facebook Watch Party

11. Virtual and Augmented Reality

The advancement of technology has made it possible for AR/VR to become somewhat familiar to the public and has impacted the development of graphic design trends.

Companies are capitalizing as much as possible through the lens of AR/VR by offering their audience a more dimensional immersion into their brand.

Ruben Szekrenyes, one of Bannersnack’s other UX/UI designers delves into his top three trends and where he has seen them gain traction most:

Expert Insight: Ruben Szekrenyes

Find his work here.

“In 2019 the design community was full of tailor-made illustrations everywhere. Now you can go unnoticed with that, because everyone does it. I would say Bold Typography is going up (ex. The Futur & many Instagram carousels nowadays). Short, bold and powerful copy is very important and companies are starting to realize it’s importance and use it. But also virtual and augmented reality is gaining its ground. It’s just getting started so companies are on a learning curve with this technology, but the potential is huge.

For example, we now have some basic, minimal games, but these are getting better and better. I don’t really see how it can be implemented on websites, but I think next year, or years from now, it will be pretty huge. Motion design (3D or flat) is also a very powerful way to capture attention. It’s getting more and more perfected—it’s so visually impressive that sometimes I just sit and watch some animations over and over again.

So I can’t choose just one trend—my take is that these three will be the top in 2020.”

Source: Patricia Reiners for Berlin Metro Colors

In these AR/VR experiences, people are often prompted to connect a device to an otherwise static design in order to unlock the remaining graphic elements and message that can only be seen virtually.

An example of this could be that a 3D animation comes through only when devices are connected to the printed medium.

The anticipation and curiosity to unlock what can’t be seen at first glance makes people feel like they’ve been given access to something special.

Source: Netguru for Artemest

In turn, this experience also allows people to interact with brands in a more natural way, therefore giving power to companies to promote their products and services as a subliminal part of the virtual experience.

Source: Platform Agency

12. Modernized Retro

You’ve probably seen the expansion of this style across all mediums. Also known as new retro, this creative approach reinterprets retro in a relevant way.

Modernized Retro Example

Source: Matthew Wong for The Cereal School

Nostalgic and experimental, this trend on the rise is gaining traction not only in graphic design but also in architecture, fashion and pop culture.

Modernized Retro Graphic

Source: Denny Busyet

From colors choices to illustration techniques, a blast from the past is welcomed into the new year.

Modern Retro Example

Source: Peter Tarka for Apple

13. Zero Gravity

Zero gravity type of design combines a flat background, a 3D object and removes any sense of context in order to create the illusion that the object simply floats in thin air.

Source: Twelve Moons

It’s a bold way of focusing attention to the main message or object. Its clean design also offers visual depth while the open composition generates a sense of movement.

Ice Cream Zero Gravity Example

Source: Critical design agency for Oat Side The Box Ice Cream

Source: Tux creative co. for Rise Kombucha

14. Data Visualization

As we all know, data has become the world’s most valuable resource. As its value keeps increasing, so does the need for visualizing and communicating data to the public.

Data Visualization Example

Source: Algo & Illo Studio for Bloomberg Futures

Simplifying data visualization makes the data more digestible for the everyday user.

Lufthansa Data Visualization Example

Source: Valerio Pellegrini for Lufthansa

This design trend focuses on designs that illustrate what goes behind extracting important conclusions from raw data and helps people understand the data economy as a whole.

15. Generation Z Yellow

Everyone knows there’s insightful psychology behind colors and this coming year, there is a certain color making a strong appearance. Gaining more and more popularity, yellow is predicted to have a big moment in 2020.

Sheep Inc. Yellow Example

Source: Bobby Monroe and Stupid Studio for Sheep Inc.

Bold, unapologetic and the brightest color of them all, yellow makes a statement on its own regardless of whether it’s used as a backdrop or accent color.

Generation Z Yellow Example

Source: Estudio Guayabo for Abralin

Looking back on how Millennial Pink impacted culture up until now, Generation Z Yellow appears to be the characteristic color of a new generation. The United States Census Bureau reports that 50% of individuals under 15 years old are part of an ethnic minority.

The shift in cultural context is representative of this data, where Generation Z Yellow revolutionizes the demand for diversity and inclusiveness.

16. Monochrome

Speaking of color, the duo tone craze has been simplified to the usage of one dominating color.

Rappi Pay Monochrome Example

Source: Oui Will for Rappi Pay

Monochrome color overlays on photos or elements in design compositions are specifically projected to increase in popularity this coming year.

3 Kaveria Monochrome Packaging Example

Source: Kuudes Helsinki and Stockholm and Tony Erapuro for 3 Kaveria

This trend is a visual break in the loud, multicolor world of designs, which makes it so effective. From UI/UX to packaging, this trend challenges minimalistic design in a new way.

Lunigo Monochrome Website Example

Source: DHNN Creative Agency for Lunigo

17. Celestial Exploration

Abstract designs inspired by astronomy intersect technology and fantasy for a captivating approach.

Google Celestial Exploration

Source: Google Cloud for Google NASA FDL

These kinds of designs truly show us that the sky’s the limit when creating an elevated version of reality, with an imaginative twist.

Gud Popsicles Celestial Exploration Example

Source: Nathalie Ubaldegaray for Gud Popsicles

A celestial concept ultimately associates itself with something beyond the everyday reality we live in—an escape into space, if you will.

SM Station Celestial Exploration Example

Source: Cobb Studio for SM Station

18. Muted Color Schemes

In contrast to the yellow accent color trend, muted color schemes will gain momentum this upcoming year. Because muted colors are desaturated with black, white or a complementary color, they’re pretty much the complete opposite of bright colors.

Consequently, muted colors combine perfectly with neutral colors and they can look good against both light and dark neutral backgrounds.

Cuppa Muted Color Scheme Example

Source: Victoria Ng for Cuppa

One thing to be attentive to with backgrounds is to try to use lighter muted colors with a lighter background and vice versa for darker muted colors. This will keep the overall design more organic all around.

Cafe Muted Color Scheme Example

Source: Jeff Ostberg for Taylor and Jorgen

Head of the Design Team at Bannersnack, Gery Meleg further explains how big brands use this trend to stand out:

Expert Insight: Gery Meleg

Find his work here.

“I think brands like Mailchimp, Figma and some other class-leading, design-centric brands, are starting to differentiate themselves by taking a new, disruptive approach on the typical visual communication styles. Opposite to the vibrant, gradient-full digital world, they are pushing forward some new, almost CMYK-looking flat colours, organic shapes and muted tones. I think they have really created a trend here, which we’ll see more and more often on the web, in the near future.”

The big advantage to muted color schemes is that they appear to be very natural and may serve as a good way to go against the grain (if you start early, that is), to not compete with another extremely high-contrast, stark design.

Source: Giant Ant for Slack Frontiers

19. Responsive Design

It may seem obvious but as interactions with brands become increasingly mobile-based, it’s paramount to create responsive design in order to cater to all sizes and formats in which designs are used. The reality is that functionality will never not be a trend because it’s an ever present standard.

Responsive Design Example

Source: Hrvoje Grubisic for Laborati Ginori

In the most basic of terms, responsive design adapts to different screen sizes. Of course, this presents itself as a tedious but worthwhile task for any designer as they have to create versions at various sizes in order to elevate user experience.

Banner Ad Responsive Design

Source: Martin Faktor

As a result, whether you’re viewing the design on your phone, laptop or tablet, the design will always be presented in its best light and dimensions. This, in turn, causes a brand to stand out with its professionalism in taking care of the details.

Branding Responsive Design

Source: Mariana Font for Fresco

20. Thin Lines

Adopting a more elegant approach, thin lines are a delicate and subtle way of getting attention. Minimalism will always have its place in design but its constant evolution comes in different forms.

Minimalistic Thin Line Example

Source: Reset co. for Molder & Skin

Linear elements and shapes create a calming yet sophisticated experience for the end user.

Brand Identity Thin Line Example

Source: Sebastian Bednarek for Mimosa

This trend specifically caters well to luxury brands as they aim to intrigue the customer with a high-end look.

Luxury Thin Line Example

Source: Culto Creative for Cobalto

Final Thoughts

In the end, trends come and go, but they’re needed—they keep you on edge, experimenting and exploring new dimensions.

And while design trends are important to engage with, they shouldn’t cage your creativity. Rather, design trends should help you stay relevant and aware of what’s gaining traction worldwide to spark new ideas. As such, it’s all about the influence you allow design trends to have over your creation process: as a barrier or as a source of inspiration.

Let this upcoming year be your best year yet by challenging yourself to incorporate trends masterfully.

Here’s to a more creative 2020!

Which design trends are you most excited about? Let us know!

Illustration by Anita Molnar

Collection: Graphic Design Resources

September 30, 2019 • Collection, Graphic

Inspiration design resource. Design publications, graphic design inspiration, graphic design publications, photographic publications, cinema publications, art publications, culture and art publications, typography publications, font publications, font publications. Logo publications, emblem publications, logo design publications, visual identity publications, visual identity design publications, corporate identity publications, brand identity publications. Color information broadcasts, stock visual broadcasts, stock visual broadcasts, stock photo broadcasts, stock photo broadcasts, stock picture broadcasts, stock picture broadcasts, stock video broadcasts. Stock video broadcasts, designer publications, photographer publications, artist publications, image publications, illustration publications, illustrator publications, illustrator publications, music broadcasts. Radio broadcasts, photography publications, cinema broadcasts, designer publications, photographer publications, graphic designer publications, designer publications. Design sites, graphic design samples, graphic design sites, photo sites, cinema sites, art sites, culture and art sites, typography sites, font sites, font sites, logo sites, emblem sites. Logo design sites, visual identification sites, graphic design samples, visual identity design sites, corporate identity sites, brand identity sites, color information sites, stock visual sites, stock visual sites. Stock photo sites, stock photo sites, stock image sites, stock image sites, stock video sites, stock video sites, designer sites, photographer sites. Painter sites, image sites, illustration sites, illustrator sites, draws sites, music sites, radio sites, photography sites, cinema sites, designer sites, photographer sites, graphic designer sites, designer sites. Design archive, graphic design archive, photo archive, cinema archive, art archive, culture and art archive, typography archive, font archive, font archive, logo archive, emblem archive, archive design archive, visual identity archive. Visual identity design archive, corporate identity archive, brand identity archive, color information archive, stock visual archive, stock image archive. Stock Images Archive, stock images archive, stock images archive, stock images archive, stock video archive, stock video archive, designer archive, photographer archive, painter archive, image archive. Illustration archive, illustrator archive, illustrator archive, music archive, radio archive, photography archive, archive archive. Designer archive, photographer archive, graphic designer archive, designer archive.

20 Graphic Design Websites That Will Inspire You

September 9, 2019 • Design, Graphic

Graphics designing has become the core of every industry from the past decade. The entire digital marketing concept is based on graphic designing. For every website we create, for every blog we post and for every Instagram post, we require graphics that speak for us. Top companies are identifying the needs of graphics and have started adopting them using the latest trends.

Nowadays, the story is conveyed in a better way through graphics and visuals being the only words. The old digital marketing companies are converting their past blogs into infographic formats to re-use and update their information section.

The world is transferring from a digital to a designing world. Everything in the coming years will involve designing. The form, the shape, the structure, the words, the ideas, the thoughts, everything around us in the kind of content would involve designing. The next era is based on design and not just digital as design widely requires innovation, which has a high need in the world. Here, we are listing 20 graphic design websites that will inspire you to go to the next level and understand how important design is for our sustainable growth.

1. STOLEN GOODS:

Stolen goods are a straightforward, colorful, and elegant website, which is a kind of studio website. As we enter the website, it greets us with a hello and takes us through the website with a simple call to action button – ‘Take a look around.’ As we go further, we find a very subtle page bread crumbs defining the purpose and information of each page. It is a small one-page website. The footer contains all the social media pages and blog sections, to help the users connect to the website owner easily for work.

2. CREATIVE BOOM:

If you lack the color enthusiasm, the original boom will help you to get inspired in multiple ways. It has a very vibrant and clean user interface with a simple name of the website on the top. It does not involve any logo yet looks elegant. It has a search button on the top, which helps the users to find relevant information and a menu on the top right to help the users navigate efficiently. The blogs are segregated in the form of image boxes of various sizes, making it all look cheerful and vibrant. It is an art to build a website that is stuffed with multiple colors as well as makes it look clean and straightforward for visitors to use smoothly.

3. MAYA EALEY:

Maya Ealey is one of the most smartly created websites so far. It is a simple one-page website, which represents the information through the color bars on the home page. As you click through each color bar, it shows different information in the form of a portfolio. It has a small yet creative geometric-inspired logo at the top. It also has a menu bar on the top right, which helps the users to navigate through the information quickly. The designer has used the space very wisely and has made a difference in the viewpoint of the users. It is highly responsive.

4. MIRADOR:

Mirador is an abstractly designed website. It is well segregated through different pastel colors blocks along with black as the significant middle block. It has all the features of a designer website as it includes the works in a very well defined manner. The logo is simple yet creative with the use of lines and other culinary objects. It has a link button on the top which allows the users to like its Facebook page directly. It is a tremendous one-page website that shows all the designs on a single page, eliminating the hassle of scrolling to different web pages.

5. HELLO MONDAY:

Hello Monday is a true inspiration to every user even on Tuesday or Saturday: P. It is a great animated website with different animations on every scroll. It has a very smooth scroll which gives a satisfying user experience to the visitors. It has a scroll up and down menu on the right-hand side of the website, which allows the users to scroll quickly to different information. It also has a menu on the top left, which provides the users with the overall knowledge of the user.

6. BAUBAU HAUS:

It is one of the most informational websites with multi-functionality. It is a type of portfolio website which inspires the users in multiple ways. It has a simple white logo that changes its background color as we scroll down to the image blocks. A unique feature of this website is the ‘S AND L’ icon on the top right corner. It shows that the image blocks can be viewed in both the sizes, giving an open choice to the users. It also has a clean bread crumbs section that has information about the entire website as well as social media icons in the same line.

7. CUBERTO:

Cuberto has an Amoeba kind of animation on the home page, which glues the attention of the users in the first go. It has a colorful yet straightforward structure. The design consistency is throughout the website, which inspires the users in various ways. It has a menu bar on the top right corner, which helps the users to find the relevant information is quick time, thus saving their browsing time. It is highly responsive in spite of having much high-resolution animation on the page.

8. MADE BY FOLK:

Made by folk is a vibrant website with a hidden meaning in the home page art. The website is created in a very sarcastic way, making the users think and realize specific issues of society in a humorous way. It has a very creative all- white logo on the top which itself is enough for the inspiration. It has a search and cart button on the top right, which helps the users to search and purchase without any hassle. The typography compliments the color scheme of the website very well.

9. HICKS:

Hicks is a very quirky website like its domain name. It has a funny vector image on the home page, which makes it look like a happy and creative website. It is a great one-page website full of comic images. Each comic represents a story of its own. It has a well-segregated menu on the left, which provides information relating to work, journals, and goodie bag offers as well as contact details to help the users connect to them quickly. It also has social media icons right on the home page, which works as a clear call to action for the users.

10. STUDIO & MORE:

Studio & More is very crisp and to the point website. It is just one screen length website which has all the required information needed by the users. It has a simple animation in the middle of the website, defining the purpose of the website. It has four menus in the four corners of the website, which allows the users to connect to them quickly as well as know about their work in the best possible way. The designer has also smartly incorporated the social media icons in the footer of the website.

11. KANYEGG:

Kanyegg is a medium one-page website that has multiple features associated. It has an amusing animated logo on the top which represents the ideation behind the name. It also has an animated egg image in the middle of the home page, which gives a clear message of their purpose to the users. The entire website is based on photo blocks that provide information about a particular topic or design. It is inspired by Studio & more and has a similar structure like three menus on three sides of the home page. It has about us section on the top right corner, and a work portfolio menu on the bottom left corner with a social media menu on the bottom right corner.

12. ALICE LEE:

Alice lee is a graphic design inspiration in all ways. It starts with an animation on the entire home page with clean bread crumbs at the top. It has a small dog in its logo, which makes it look creative. It has all the work displayed on the website, allowing the users to access immediately. It has a well-defined footer with complete information on the website on one side. It has a subscription box at the end of the website to reach more users personally.

13. JUST CREATIVE:

Just creative is a long one-page website. It is as innovative as its name. It is a portfolio plus a business website that has all the information about the owner’s work as well as the company’s work. It has a brief footer that displays the entire information of the website under one tree. It has a search menu along with the main drop-down titles to help the users find their relevant information. The blogs are displayed in the middle of the website with bog icons, serving as a form of call-to-action button along with guiding information.

14. DIELINE:

Dieline starts with a monochrome theme and ends with a highly radiant idea. The unique factor in the website is the typography. It has a new style of font which is consistent through the website, may it be blogs or any headings. The menu is displayed on the right-hand side in the middle of the home page, which makes the use clear for the visitor. It also has a login and register option in case the users would like to be a part of the member community.

15. AMY HOOD:

Amy hood has a straightforward and elementary design. It is a great one-page website. It has bread crumbs on the top, which enables the users to directly dive into the needed information without wasting much of their time. The testimonials section is a USP of this website. The testimonial section inspires the users to hire graphic services quickly, forming a trustworthy engagement.

16. ART OF THE MENU:

The art of the menu website is an art in itself. It is precisely designed in the form of menus, making the user wonder and stick to its front page for hours. It has excellent typography, which exactly compliments the overall website layout. It just has nine blocks of images which define its entire work and purpose. It has a total of 104 pages, and the user can jump to any pages with just a scroll. It has a clear disclaimer of about their services in the footer section.

17. ADHAM DANNAWAY:

It starts with showcasing its most creative side. It is a portfolio website that portrays its mission and works through the owner’s image itself, leaving no ground for doubts. It is a small one-page website. This website shows uniquely the latest work done by the company. It is very crisp and clear. The same information is mentioned in the header as well as a footer for the users to follow.

18. YELLOW TRACE:

Yellow trace has a little tinge of yellow on the website. It has a clear tagline- ‘Design inspiration & resources for creative & curious minds.’ Defining its motto. The review work is displayed right on the top of the website, thus inspiring users in multiple ways. It has a consistent social media icons on the left-hand corner of the website, which serves as a clear call to action button for networking and interacting with the users through social platforms.

19. EYE MAGAZINE:

Eye magazine is a kind of website which mesmerizes the users. It is a graphic magazine website that allows different graphic designers to portray their works and skills in a single platform. It has a simple logo that defines its name and purpose clearly. It is a small one-page website with the information menu right on the top of the website. It also has a search button that helps the users find a particular magazine or work.

20. RENE AGUDELO:

Rene Agudelo is a blue and grey colored theme studio website. It has a simple ‘A’ initial logo with attractive typography. It has a testimonial section right in the middle of the website, which attracts the users through the brands the owner has worked with. As we move further, it shows large blocks of images that display the work of the company very precisely. On top of the website, it also has a dribble account option that takes the users directly to the owner’s dribble account. Apart from these facilities, it is highly responsive.

Here we end with our handpicked 20 graphic design websites for inspiration. The most important aspect which brings these websites in the top 20 is the UX/UI features, flexibility, and unique display ideas. As a designer, your website is your main portfolio for the clients. Next, the time you design a website, make sure you have at least one creative factor from the above websites.

Best Tools For Graphic Designers In 2019

September 1, 2019 • Graphic, Tools

The advent of the digital space has created an increasing demand for skilled visual communicators who are able to represent brands online. A vast majority of graphic designers are also no longer working for specialised agencies and consulting companies, choosing instead to work in-house for companies.

These changes in the status-quo have, in turn, propelled the innovation of graphic design software. Designers in 2019 want better, digital-first, cross-platform and more affordable tools — a demand which has catalysed the creation and growth of massive and very innovative companies.

Let’s review the most prominent graphic design tools of 2019, to help you pick the ones best suited to your unique creative workflow.

Raster Graphics Tools

A solid raster graphics design tool is a must-have for any serious designer. The good news is that raster software comes in all shapes and sizes.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a professional photo editing application that makes no compromises on quality, despite offering one of the most affordable products on the market. It offers powerful features for fettling and fine-tuning images, as well as modules that reveal great depth, colour and detail in raw files.

Photoshop

Photoshop 1.0 was released back in 1990 — and has since become one of the most well-known graphic design tools of all time. In 2019 Photoshop is still a great option for anyone looking to create anything that involves raster graphics.

Procreate

Procreate is a powerful raster graphics tool for iPad and iPhone devices. Using a good stylus, a skilled designer can create stunning graphics and art. Procreate has been around for a while and has amassed a huge social following on Instagram and YouTube by showcasing their most inspiring pieces and detailed tutorials.

Pixlr

Pixlr is a free online photo editor that gives desktop apps some serious competition. While it’s relatively new with some features still in beta-mode, the editor is perfect if you’re looking to fine-tune photos or power complex compositions. It’s easy-to-use, free and bound to get better with time as new features are rolled out.

Vector Graphics Tools

Vector graphics are everywhere, both in online and offline realms of design. For years vector graphics design hadn’t been as accessible and popular among the masses as rasters, mainly because vectors are inherently precise and sophisticated. But in recent years that’s changed, as better and more intuitive software had entered the scene.

Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer is a popular vector graphics editor with advanced features for creating illustrations, icons, branding, UI designs, typography, web graphics and more. The zooming features are particularly useful for ensuring accuracy, while the live and responsive nature of the program is commonly celebrated as its greatest strength.

Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is another reliable option. Featuring a wide variety of tools, filters and effects, Illustrator is used widely across the graphic design community for websites, video games, logos and more. It allows you to produce artwork with pixel-perfect accuracy, while the design presets and templates ensure speed and convenience.

Vectr

Vectr is a free option for vector graphics. It’s an intuitive option that’s easy for anyone to learn and use, and perfect for those who don’t need the more advanced features of high-end applications. It’s a great option for anyone looking to create simple vector graphics in a jiffy.

Vectornator

Vectornator is the ideal vector graphics tool for iOS and iPad devices. It has an easy drag and drop interface that makes it easy to use for novices, while still offering some advanced features like auto-trace, unlimited layers, colour profiles, live blend modes and alignment tools.

Font & Color Tools

Fontbase

Fontbase is a cross-platform font management system. You can organize the fonts on your laptop into collections, preview them adjusting the color or background and experiment with styling.

Fontbase is free, but comes with a premium subscription option, which includes features like advanced search, auto-activation and advanced glyphs.

Befonts

The idea behind Befonts is quite simple — it’s a platform offering free fonts for creatives. Downloading fonts is easy and the members are encouraged to submit their own free fonts.

Fontspark & Colorspark

If you’re truly passionate about graphics, these two little apps might become irreplaceable in your toolbox. Fontspark helps designers discover and preview fonts, while Colorspark is all about — you guessed it! — colors and gradients.

Stock Photos

There are many free stock photo platforms out there. Sometimes you just have to be persistent and check a couple of platforms before you find what you need. Here are the major royalty-free images directories out there:

Unsplash — probably the most popular and widely used stock images platform out there.
Pexels — another large and popular royalty-free photos directory.
Burst — free stock photos for websites and commercial use.
FoodiesFeed — thousands of beautiful food pictures.
Freestocks.org — high quality photos all released under Creative Commons CC0.
New Old Stock — vintage free of copyright photos from the public archives.
Duotone — free duotone images.
LoremPixel — an API that serves stock photos at specified sizes.

Stock Icons & Illustrations

As a graphic designer, you can never have too many icons and illustrations to use in projects. It’s usually easier to modify pre-made assets instead of creating them from scratch.

Flaticon — 1593000 vector icons in SVG, PSD, PNG, EPS formats.
Iconfinder — a marketplace for SVG vector icons.
Iconmonstr — another big directory.
Icons8 — SVG icons categorized by styles and trends.
Font Awesome — the web’s most popular icon set and toolkit, also it’s open source.

Social Media Design Tools

Social media is a huge and constantly expanding medium for graphic designers. After all, this is primarily what has birthed new roles like Social Media Manager.

Although technically you can use any of the above-mentioned tools to design social media graphics, certain specialized tools might be easier and more practical to use.

Canva

Canva is indisputably the most commonly used image editing software, and it’s not hard to see why. It has an incredibly easy to use interface, has a free tier that comes with a lot of useful features and can be used to make anything from Facebook Cover Photos to Instagram Stories. You can layer images, colours and impressive typography in a myriad of ways to create unique graphics for your social media posts in minutes.

Pablo

Pablo is the fastest and easiest way to create images with quotes for social media. It’s free to use and you won’t even need to sign in to start creating inspirational quote images, blog post headers, testimonial posters and more.

RemoveBG

Ever wanted to use a particular element of an image but remove the clutter or background around it? RemoveBG allows you to do just that, in a matter of minutes. It’s completely automated, so you won’t have to do anything other than upload the photo you wish to remove the background from.

We’ve also compiled a more comprehensive list of social media design tools for you to explore.

Logo Design Tools

If you need to create a logo quickly and effortlessly, DesignEvo might be a perfect choice. It’s a free online logo maker with 10,000 templates that you can use and customize as you like.

Your Unique Toolkit

Now that you’re familiar with some of the best graphic design tools on the market, you can be assured that there’s a perfect tool for you at every step of the process, whatever your budget or skill-level might be. While there are bespoke benefits attached with each tool, the right one for your needs should include all the features that suit your convenience whilst still being suited to your abilities and budget.

When it comes to graphic design software, it appears that the product offerings are only becoming more competitive and advanced with time – so always keep an eye out for the newest tools and return to this list as we’ll be updating it regularly.

4 Do?s, and 4 Don?ts of Making a Graphic Design Portfolio

July 23, 2019 • Graphic, Making

A graphic design expert like yourself has to be aware of the fact that there are millions of graphic designers in the world. And they all want the same thing you do: to get hired.

And it’s not uncommon that a graphic designer from Spain gets hired by a client from the US. Or Japan. Or Morocco.

Yes. The whole world seems like a nano village stacked with excellent graphic designers, that are just a click away. Clients don’t have to put much effort into finding the right man for the job.

That’s why being an expert in your industry is just not going to cut it.

You need to do everything in your power to get the potential clients’ attention and spark their interest. You need to brand yourself and set yourself apart from your peers.

To do so, for starters, you have to build a stunning, flawlessly designed portfolio that represents you and the work you’ve done in the right light.

Your online portfolio needs to be original, and it should be able to make you relevant.

It needs to make the potential clients say “Damn, I wanna work with that designer!”

And it’s not an easy task.

So, to help you wow all the recruiters and potential clients, we have decided to write down the do’s and don’ts of making a graphic design portfolio. Here they are:

Do: “Spy” on Other Graphic Designers

Face it 一 you’re not the first graphic designer that is looking to build an online portfolio. Nor will you be the last.

That’s why the first step of making a graphic design portfolio should be doing some research on how your peers built their online résumés.

What platforms did they use to create their online portfolios? What type of projects did they include? How did they design the About page? Did they provide an explanation of each project, or did they just include the graphics?

By checking your “competitors’” websites, you’ll get an idea of what is in trend now and in which direction you want to go.

Perhaps you want to build a minimalistic online portfolio, that’s not so feature-filled, and that’s entirely black and white. Or, you want to include some ‘90s inspired gradient, which will enhance your homepage’s flat design. Who knows?

To find your style, search for other graphic designers’ portfolios, and we are sure you will be inspired by their breathtaking work.

Bonus tip: The quickest way you can find other people’s work is by typing in the awwwards.com search bar “graphic designer” and wait for the results to pop up. It’s that simple.

Don’t: Skip on Adding Social Media Handles

Potential clients browse your site to see your work and get to know you professionally.

But, the truth is, a portfolio website serves not only as a CV but also as a tool that can save you the trouble of going to an interview.

How?

Well, as you probably know, in the interviews, recruiters ask all kinds of questions. Some of the questions have to do with the work you have done, while some of them are more personal.

When making a graphic design portfolio, the projects and the notes you have provided about the projects cover your professional side. Your personality, however, can shine through only if you include links to your social media accounts 一 Instagram, Facebook and Twitter (Behance and Dribble are a must!).

If you decide to show off a bit of your personality by including social media handles, be sure not to share each and every situation you go through when working with a client. For example, sharing frustrations, and rants you’ve had with previous clients is a big no-no. You want to come off as a person that is easy to work with, but also discreet and professional.

Do: Channel Your Inner van Gogh

Allow us to explain the title.

Do us a favor and type in the Google search bar “van gogh”.

What are the first few results that appeared?

The first one is probably Wikipedia, and below Wiki, you can find sites that write about van Gogh’s life, his eccentric personality, and the most famous paintings of this Dutch post-impressionist.

Not just any paintings. The most popular ones, like “The Bedroom” or “The Starry Night”.

As you probably know, van Gogh created multiple drawings, sketches, and paintings. However, out of all of them, people have heard about up to 10 paintings, which are considered to be van Gogh’s most prominent work.

Only 10! Out of several thousands of drawings, sketches, and paintings!

If you think about it, it’s perfectly understandable.

Sure, van Gogh’s immortal legacy will inspire artists for decades to come, but you have to agree with us that no one except Art students wants to analyze and admire all of van Gogh’s masterpieces.

Although you most likely can’t call yourself “the van Gogh of graphic design”, what you can learn from this brief story is that people, especially potential clients, can’t and will not try to remember all of your work. They won’t even bother going through all of your graphics and sketches. They’ll only focus on the projects they found the most interesting or beneficial for their company.

You’ll need to list ONLY the projects that describe the best your design style and how quickly and effectively you can adjust to clients’ and projects’ needs. When making a graphic design portfolio, be sure to list up to 10 recent projects. It’s more than enough.

Bonus tip: As we mentioned in the post in which we explained how to make an impressive online portfolio, be sure to separate all your projects into categories, so it’s easier for a client to find them.

Super bonus tip: As a graphic designer, you probably haven’t signed up only for paid client projects. But, just because there was no money involved, it doesn’t mean you should skip mentioning this sort of projects. Be sure to include the comics, editorials you have sketched, as a volunteer or to help a friend in need. This tip works amazing for less experienced, graphic designers that are looking to build their career.

Don’t: Forget to Make Your Contact Information Visible

Your name, phone number, and email address should NOT be hidden on the Contact or About page.

Make recruiters’ lives easier by adding all this information in the footer. So, once they decide to reach out to you, they can find the information in just 2 seconds, no matter what page of your portfolio they are on.

Do: Write Notes About the Projects

Better yet, include a 200-word description of each project.

The reason why we encourage you to write notes about projects is that some of the work you have done is self-explanatory, some of it isn’t. But, no matter how easy to understand a project is, you should always name the client, and explain a bit the work you made.

So, when making a graphic design portfolio, and including project descriptions, we would suggest you include in the note who the client was, what the goal of the project was, who the target audience was and what skills/techniques you used. If the project was a success, you could explain how it was marketed and how the results were measured.

Bonus tip: When writing project descriptions, you can really let your personality shine through. For example, by adding a humorous comment at the end of each project note, you will be perceived as someone who is highly experienced, but easily approachable and has a positive attitude towards work.

Don’t: Forget to Give Credit to the People that You Have Worked with

Team projects are great to participate in 一 they allow you to develop your soft skills and gain experience. But, that doesn’t mean that you should take all the credit.

So, if you plan on including team projects, be sure to credit every single person that was a part of the team. You can also add links to their portfolios. By doing this step, you’ll show recruiters that you are a true team player that respects other people’s abilities, skills, and expertise.

Do: Research Web Design Trends and Include Them in Your Portfolio

No experienced, high-skilled designer should be lazy to invest time into making a graphic design portfolio.

Definitely not!

A graphic designer’s portfolio must be well-built, high-performance, and responsive. Above everything, it should make the clients’ jaws drop.

One of the ways you can achieve all of this is by doing research on web design trends before you start making a graphic design portfolio.

For instance, one of the biggest trends right now is an animation that makes an image appear when users hover over the text. If you are not sure what we mean, you can check Sara Marandi’s portfolio. This DP seamlessly included the animation to her website’s homepage. Believe it or not, we had added this option, when we were creating Bottega, our portfolio WordPress theme. You can see it in the theme demo, on the About page 一 when users hover over the word “jaw-dropping”, a skeleton dinosaur head appears on the screen. (It’s not as creepy as it sounds, we promise!)

Don’t: Go Overboard with the Number of Menu Items

Reducing the number of your menu items is a must if you want to stop potential clients from bouncing off.

Why?

Because for 94% of website visitors, easy navigation is the most useful website feature and because half of all visitors use the navigation menu to orient themselves on a website.

When it comes to your online portfolio menu, simplicity is the way to go 一 add the About, Contact and Projects pages, and you’re good to go. It’s that simple.

You Have Reached the End!

And that’s it! There are all the tips we wanted to share regarding making a graphic design portfolio.

Now, it’s time you get to work and create the best portfolio a graphic designer can make. Fingers crossed!

Are there any tips we forgot to include? Do you have some tips up your sleeves you would like to share? If you do, be sure to write them in the comments below.