Considering the daunting possibility of graphic design

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This is a really tough thing for me but I have been wanting for a long time, and have decided practically since fifth grade (I'm 23 now, of course) been dying to be a graphic designer, and still not much has happened. Currently my situation is that I live with my mom in a small apartment in nor cal suburbia, with only one volunteer job in clerical work that I go to on fridays for a magazine publishing company for a home efficiency themed concept. Nothing interesting to that effect as I am not working for a graphics firm, not even volunteering, which I've been hoping to do for the past recent time. Yes, life sucks, and to add to that I can't drive anywhere (but I can handle public transportation), and both two classes I took are now shot after personal stuff having to do with asperger's and, even more, bipolar, so I have even more time on my hands. So, worst thing that could ever happen to me is now finally here. But if I have the confidence and can prove my mom wrong, even with all I've been through with my OCD, ADD, and other such little inhibitions that have gotten in my way from coping for as long as I can remember, what are the true chances I can do this, even if it means taking clerical work at a graphic design firm and see where it goes? Based on what I've written down, how are the chances that I could be, in any way shape or form, a designer? Who feels the same? Who, even more importantly, have worked hard to defy the odds?

Just sayin'.

Amaly

Do you have a portfolio of your graphic design work? A lot of places require one to be considered. It's best to have one online for employers to reference when you're applying. If they like your work they'll hire you.

I've just finished my design course and one of our final assignments was a portfolio, The teachers told us to tailor the portfolio to whatever course/ job we were applying for, so I was tailoring my portfolio with graphic work. I have examples of work that has used Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop. I was discouraged to include drawings because the teachers think that drawing is subjective. I included it anyway so I could show interviewers I have a variety of skills. I'm hoping to become a design assistant and then move on to become a designer with a art hobby.

Yes, you do need a portfolio to be hired in this field - if you don't have one you won't get a job because the employer or client won't know if you can do the job well or not!

The good news is that you don't necessarily have to do a course to learn something like this - you can use online tutorials, videos, books and other learning materials to teach yourself. As long as you can produce a good portfolio of work, that's all your client or employer is really interested in. A list of grades doesn't tell them much about your creative ability, your portfolio does. The other good news is that you can do graphic design work freelance so if you can get your head around the details of being self-employed, you don't have to travel anywhere, and you can start out just doing small jobs and scale up or look for a full-time job as you get more confident. The bad news is that, like most media-related jobs, it's quite a competitive field, so you need to be pretty good to have a chance at higher-paying jobs.

I recommend looking for online resources, such as forum and tutorial sites, for graphic design, start practicing and learning to use the software, and produce some work. Ask for critique on it from that community so you can learn from your mistakes, then repeat until you have a small body of work which is suitable to pitch to clients, display it online (blog/gallery site/etc) then begin promoting yourself as a graphic designer. All of this is do-able from your current situation. I really recommend using a community for support and guidance, just like this one, only for design - I'm sure a google search will bring up several of them for you.

Good luck with it!

I cannot give you any advice on the graphic designer field itself, but I know from experience that one can fantasize about what a different career would be like, and that fantasy is likely to be through rose-colored glasses. Please consider all aspects before taking a plunge!