When I was in design school I always felt like the ultimate goal was to graduate and land a great job at an ad agency or newspaper. A few days ago I got to thinking about this and my initial thought was ‘why’? Why did I feel so pressured to jet out of school and immediately find a job where I’d have to dress up everyday (ew). Then it hit me, my instructors.
I always knew I wanted to freelance/run my own business. My mom and a few relatives had businesses of their own and I always admired them. After graduating from college (the first time around) with a degree in Advertising, I did what I thought I was supposed to and ran out and tried to find a great job in my field. I’m well educated, eager and highly motivated (I thought to myself) surely this won’t be hard! I was wrong, dead wrong. I quickly found out that “entry level” creative positions in an advertising agency require at least 3-5 years of experience. I wasn’t getting any interviews, no bites, nothing. I sent out hundreds of resumes to various agencies and businesses with in house advertising positions. Nothing. I had to start applying to any old job because I had to pay bills and I took a labor job watering plants in office buildings while I continued to look for work in my field. Eventually I knew I’d need more experience and knowledge in graphic design to get the jobs I wanted.
I went back to school for graphic design with high hopes. I loved my classes and even started freelancing a little in school, taking cheap projects creating flyers and whatnot. Here I started to realize that, while the freelance projects I was working on weren’t anything to write home about, I loved the whole freelancing process. I expressed this to some of my instructors, who were also freelance designers and teaching on the side. Some of their responses were very positive but some had many negative things to say. This was discouraging. They made it sound like working for yourself was just too hard and most people can’t hack it, especially young designers. I believed this and went back to gunning for more conventional graphic design positions.
Maybe these instructors were trying to stress the importance of getting more experience working for someone else right out of school. I agree that this is a good step in the freelance direction but I know many you designers that have successful freelance business never having worked for “the man.”
In Conclusion
Having some industry experience is important, that’s why internships and making contacts in the graphic design field is so important, but should young designers be discouraged to freelance before working in the industry? Is getting that experience always best while you put your dreams on the back burner?
Being a freelance graphic designer affords you the opportunity to only work with the best clients, on the best projects and for the best money out there. That’s the idea anyway, but if you’re just starting out, chances are you’re going to take on some less than glamorous projects to make ends meet and to make yourself more well known as a freelance graphic designer. Sure, designing a website for a local mold removal company might seem like a less than special task, but with the right mind set and inspiration, it’s possible.
Here are 5 tips to staying creatively inspired:
1. Take a break Seems a little counter productive but getting up and away from the computer can sometimes lead to the most inspired designs. If you’re feeling frustrated with a project, get up and take a break. Do the dishes, take the dog for a short walk, play the guitar (this is a personal favorite). Taking a breather and revisiting a project a few minutes later makes all the difference in the world and helps give a fresh take on the the task at hand even if you’re only away for 10 minutes.
2. Get Outside It’s cold a dreary here right now, but one snowy day I decided to get out and take a few photos of the snow covered trees and out buildings in my backyard. It felt great to take advantage of what some would say is “crappy weather” and use it as a source of inspiration. If you’re feeling creatively stifled, take a walk, sit on your porch with a cup of coffee and draw in inspiration from nature.
3. Read Design Blogs Draw inspiration from others by reading/subscribing to graphic design blogs. Actively read and comment on design blogs. Any serious blog has an RSS Feed, so there’s really no reason not to be up on what’s happening in the graphic design community. Seeing what other designers are up to can open up new doors to your creativity.
I recently came across this site and spent a good hour LOLing at just about everything on this site. Humor aside, The Oatmeal is very well designed and will spark your creativity whether your an illustrator or a web designer, all while giving you a good laugh.
5. Sketch Sketch Sketch
This really goes without saying but I’ve met some designers that rarely open a sketchbook so it’s worth bringing up. You should always sketch out ideas before starting a project but sketching as a leisure activity can put down ideas that you can use in the future. It’s also fun and can generate ideas for the projects you have coming up. So, grab that Moleskine and get sketching!
Speaking of Moleskines, this site showcases amazing Moleskine art that will get those creative juices flowing.
In Conclusion:
Inspiration really is everywhere. The tips above are what works for me and is a great start to getting the creative juices flowing and will reopen your creative mind.
Inspired by sites such as WorkstationSetups and posts like this one on WebDesignDev I’d like to share my humble workspace where I spend a majority of my waking hours.
The Specs (from left):
• Alvarez acoustic guitar (sometimes when I’m stuck on something, I’ll noodle on the guitar, it helps!)
• 15.4′ Apple MacBook Pro
• Apple iPhone 3G (sitting on a GoGoStand)
• Photo of my special someone
• White JBL Creature Speakers
• 360 GB External Hard Drive (A must for those Time Machine backups…I know it’s kind of ancient)
• 24′ Apple iMac
• Keyboard and Mighty Mouse
• Coffee (a necessity!)
• Tiki cup of pens and pencils
• My trusty lamp
• Space heater (under the desk, it’s freezing here)
I love my workspace, it’s not an office, just an area of my living room but it works for me. Want to share your workspace? I’d love to see it! Comment with a link or a photo of where you work.
Freelancing/working at home has many pros. Freelancing allows you to make your own schedule, work in the comfort of your own home, and select only the projects they want to work on. Sounds pretty great, but in reality sometimes the cons can out weight the pros. One major con that cannot be ignored is the fact that freelancers are always plugged in and on call, at least that’s what many clients think. This is a common thought and misconception among our clients, but it’s not hard to see where they are coming from. If you work at home, you’re just steps away from your office, meaning answering e-mails and calls at a moments notice shouldn’t be a big deal. Well, it is. Freelancers have to find a balance between their work lives and their personal lives. This isn’t easy. I know I’m guilty of answering e-mails via my iphone in the wee hours of the night.
Almost everyone has a cellphone, and a large percentage of these people have e-mail, Skype or some sort of instant messenger on their phone. When you’re always plugged in and accessible to client e-mails and messages it’s nearly impossible to enjoy time with your family, a moment alone with your spouse or dinner with friends. Turning off your phone and logging off of your e-mail can salvage many a friendships and even a relationship. Being committed to your work is one thing, but knowing when to unplug from your work life and to take a breather is so important. Set office hours, or hours when your clients know that they can reach you. I often times work a little on the weekend and might answer e-mails, but most of my time is spent working 9-5 Monday – Friday. I try to be available and work when my clients are at work.
Bottom line, don’t let your business get in the way of your relationships and find a happy medium between your work life and your personal life. Your friends and family will thank you for it.
Throughout my graphic design career, both as an in house designer and freelance designer, I’ve found that the simplest graphic design solutions are usually the best. I love this philosophy and when I design I always keep this in mind and get excited when I come across products that embody this concept.
I like to have a glass of wine from time to time with dinner or while hanging out with friends, but I absolutely do not consider myself a wine aficionado and am often swayed by the label design for what wine to purchase. Being a graphic designer, I think I’m more prone to folding to cool packaging and labels.
Relax Rieslings label and packaging embodies simple graphic design solutions and the design really conveys the tone of the brand. I love simple design such as this, and by the way, the wine is very tasty.
I’ve been struggling with how I want this blog to look and feel for awhile. I really want my little space on the web to reflect me, my personality and my style. I’ve reverted back to the look I originally started with and I’m…okay with it for now. This is a young blog without a following just yet so I feel like I can switch it up and be indecisive at the moment. Sorry, I know it’s annoying, but indecision is a big part of who I am! I’m a designer that’s never satisfied and am always striving to better myself. I promise no drastic changes in the future…I think.
Today I ordered a GoGoStand, a gadget that stands your iPhone upright for easier viewing. It fits in your wallet and can travel everywhere. I love coming across simple, function and creative concepts like this and knew I needed one after reading a review on Niki Brown’s Design O’Blog. I’ve seen other iPhone/iPod Touch stands and they’re just too bulky and would take up too much space on my desk (I loathe clutter), so this is perfect for me. Check out the video below to get the full experience.
I was sick this past week, like, really sick. I’m not talking about a sniffle here or there, I’m talking running to the bathroom every 5 minutes, laid out on the couch, death warmed over sick. I rarely get this ill so this really hit me hard, whatever this was (I originally blamed the evil taco bell I’d eaten for lunch the afternoon before this all began, but I digress). When I knew I wasn’t going to be able to sit in my chair and remain vertical in front of my Mac long enough to get any work done, I knew I’d quickly need to get the word out to interested parties that I was under the weather. This is includes, friends, family and of course, my clients. Right now I’m mainly just working with one client. Actually I’ve been work with this person and his company for awhile and the bulk of my work comes from him. I know the saying…don’t put all your eggs in one basket, aka don’t just rely on one client for all your income while freelancing. Well, this is a different kind of project that I’m actually working on with a number of writers and a web developer…so long story short, I had to notify my client/boss. Luckily this week was kind of slow so I just needed to notify him. He was very understanding and I was able to recuperate without worrying about an excessive amount of work piling up, but it got me thinking, what would I have done if I’d been working with 5 or 6 clients all with different projects and varying due dates and fallen ill?
First, I would contact them letting them know the situation. Most of my previous clients would have responded positively with well wishes, even if a looming deadline was in sight. If a deadline fell on the day I was sick, I’d respectfully ask to push it back, but if this wasn’t an option, I’d try to power through the pain to get the project done. I don’t recommend this, though, because I would worry about the quality of the final project.
Second, If a deadline was near and work could just not cease, I’d think about handing off the project to another designer to have them finish it and give them a cut of the payment for doing so. Sounds simple, yes? But for me finding a designer I trust to ensure the quality of the final project would be tough. Luckily for me I know some great designers that I could notify in a pinch and would do their best to help out a friend in need.
Third, I might consider writing something in my design agreement (more on the importance of this later) to state that in the instance of an illness or other unforeseen emergency, I have the right to seek assistance from another designer or respectfully ask for an extension on the deadline. This is sounds like a nice idea in theory, and I’m all for full disclosure, but does a client need to know that I required help getting the project done? Or could this just be explained in an e-mail? This point in a contract might confuse the client and could just be left out and disclosed when needed via e-mail or phone…or not at all.
I think honesty is the best policy when dealing with clients so at least contacting them and giving them the skinny on what’s ailing you is the best place to start.
When I first started freelancing/working from home my first concern was my uninhibited coffee intake. Is a pot of coffee an acceptable serving size for one person? My second concern, and possibly more imporant than coffee related issues, was my productivity. If I have a project to complete or a task on a tight deadline, 99% of the time I can get what I need to done in a timely fashion. I was worried about the 1% that I get distracted and find excuses to procrastinate. I knew I couldn’t be the only designer to be bitten by the procrastination bug occassionally so I started reading other great design blogs like Blog.Spoongraphics.com and cmdshiftdesign.com that delve into how to be productive and the day to day “schedules” of graphic designers. I loved reading these blog posts when I was first starting out so here are my day to day graphic design operations:
• I rise around 7:30 or 8:00, depending on my schedule for the day, and I get ready, grab myself a cup of coffee (yes, I set my coffee maker so it brews the sweet nectar I thrive on before I’m even awake) and I seat myself at my desk infront of my iMac and start reading e-mails. Sometimes I check my e-mails on my phone before I even leave my bed. Obsessive? I call it prepared.
• After checking/returning e-mails I start working on projects. Exciting right?
• Around 11:00 or 12:00 I grab something to eat and usually have lunch at my desk. I would recommend taking a break for lunch, maybe checking Twitter or Facebook, or watching some TV. Sometimes I walk my doggie or take a minute to clean or workout. I find that getting away from your desk a few times through out the day helps productivity and fights off burnout.
• When 2:30 or 3:00 rolls around I warm up what’s left of my morning coffee for a much needed pick me up. By this time I have an idea how my next day will look so I start to compile my to do list. Thank you Evernote.
• I usually try to quit working around 4:00 or 5:00 PM. At this time I switch to working on personal projects, like this very website, or reading design related books or blogs.
• By 6:00 I can’t stare at a computer screen anymore and usually make dinner or go out with friends. I still check e-mails through out the evening (not something I encourage) because I like to stay on top of things at all times. I really like to know what I’m going to be doing the next day.
Of course, there are days where this schedule is all out of wack, but that’s the beauty of being able to make your own schedule, and that’s one of the reason I really love what I do. There are times I work on the weekends but that’s in rare cases. I think having set hours (at least as far as your clients know) is a healthy way to balance your work life and your free time.
Establishing a relatively set schedule is a great way to improve your productivity.
I just started reading this book, and so far I love it. Chris Coyier and Jeff Starr have done a great job compiling Wordpress information that is both useful and applicable. I plan to do a full on review once I’ve finished reading, but I’m pretty sure I can safely recommend it now.
I'm Laura, a freelance graphic designer living and working in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm a fan of creativity, the Indianapolis Colts, puppies and much more. This is the home of my graphic design blog and portfolio so feel free to browse and comment!
When I was in design school I always felt like the ultimate goal was to graduate and land a great job at an ad agency or newspaper. A few days ago I got to thinking about this and my initial thought was ‘why’? Why did I feel so pressured to jet out of school and immediately find a job where I’d have to dress up everyday (ew). Then it hit me, my instructors.
I was sick this past week, like, really sick. I’m not talking about a sniffle here or there, I’m talking running to the bathroom every 5 minutes, laid out on the couch, death warmed over sick. I rarely get this ill so this really hit me hard, whatever this was (I originally blamed the evil taco bell I’d eaten for lunch the afternoon before this all began, but I digress). When I knew I wasn’t going to be able to sit in my chair and remain vertical in front of my Mac long enough to get any work done, I knew I’d quickly need to get the word out to interested parties that I was under the weather. This is includes, friends, family and of course, my clients. Right now I’m mainly just working with one client. Actually I’ve been work with this person and his company for awhile and the bulk of my work comes from him. I know the saying…don’t put all your eggs in one basket, aka don’t just rely on one client for all your income while freelancing. Well, this is a different kind of project that I’m actually working on with a number of writers and a web developer…so long story short, I had to notify my client/boss. Luckily this week was kind of slow so I just needed to notify him. He was very understanding and I was able to recuperate without worrying about an excessive amount of work piling up, but it got me thinking, what would I have done if I’d been working with 5 or 6 clients all with different projects and varying due dates and fallen ill?
I just started reading this book, and so far I love it. 
I'm Laura, a freelance graphic designer living and working in Indianapolis, Indiana. I'm a fan of creativity, the Indianapolis Colts, puppies and much more. This is the home of my graphic design blog and portfolio so feel free to browse and comment!
