Becoming a Designer
How self-discovery and perseverance pays off in the end.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Art and design have long been a passion of mine, since I was around the age of 8 years old. My parents always encouraged my brothers and my artistic sides; we did finger painting, had markers for days and I even remember having a starter pottery wheel kit. Growing up in the 90’s was a great time, as kids we didn’t have social media platforms as a distraction. We spent a lot of time outdoors with our friends, we also read a lot more. I remember creating projects for myself as a child and would design my own mini zines with flowchart quizzes. When a childhood friend of mine moved away I started a scrapbook for us that we would mail back-and-forth to each other with pictures of things we were doing, like family outings. Being creative was a natural inclination of mine at a young age and continued into adulthood.
In high school I majored in fine arts, having focussed my 3rd and final year on fine art, graphic design, and set design. High school was my first introduction to graphic design and although school projects were pretty basic we were provided with some instruction on the fundamentals of design. I recall some of the projects we worked on and knew I had a lot to learn, I was definitely more rigid in my approach to design. It’s really interesting the dichotomy from childhood to adulthood, as children we don’t tend to place limitations on ourselves and are more expressive and playful when it comes to trying something new. I think it’s important as a designer to carry forward that expressive nature we had as children and design without limitation.
THE BENEFITS OF MENTORSHIP
Out of high school I did a fine art certificate program where I found out about the design degree program I would eventually apply to. Having completed the 1 year certificate program, it provided me with a clear path on my future and the career I wanted. I applied to the design school I had my heart set on with a fine art portfolio and was sadly denied acceptance. Instead of feeling discouraged I worked hard and created a portfolio tailored to the type of design I was interested in. One of my cousins was already working in the graphic design industry and had given me suggestions as to what type of projects I should be creating for my portfolio. Some of the projects that I created included: an editorial layout from one of my favourite childhood books, Alice in Wonderland, a custom typeface that I stenciled onto a chair and a personalized logo and business collateral. My second attempt applying to my school of choice was successful and I was thrilled to be a part of a small group of people who were all aspiring designers.
I think it’s definitely beneficial coming out of high school to have some type of support like a mentor, someone who works within the industry you are interested in. A mentor can help you prepare for entry into secondary school education and even continue working with you afterwards. They can provide useful information that would enable you to build upon your skill set and ready you for the working world as well.
PREPARING FOR DESIGN SCHOOL
Although I had a mentor prior to entering into university some things in school came more naturally to me than others. I was constantly challenged and I credit several of the teachers I had that pushed me to improve. I would highly recommend those considering a career in graphic design or a design equivalent career to learn some of the programs you would be using in advance of starting secondary school. Doing so would alleviate some of the stress when projects are assigned as you wouldn’t be learning a program at the same time. Keep in mind design school is a full time job in itself, you will spend 60–80 hours a week on school and assignments. It’s really up to you how much time and effort you want to put into your work and how much you want to learn and grow as a designer. With every assignment I got I thought about it as an actual creative brief from a client, and treated the assignment as a real world project. The work I had to show once I graduated was well worth the time and effort I put in and helped me land several design jobs.
TRANSITIONING INTO A NEW INDUSTRY
Working in the graphic design industry for 7 years taught me alot, how to multitask, improve my time management, work with clients and be diplomatic. I have worked with some really talented people along the way who have provided me with a lot of useful tips. It’s important to build up your network with people you trust and that you feel would support you and provide you with sound advice. In my career as a Graphic Designer I have worked on a variety of different projects including: editorial design, annual reports, trade show booths, logos, business collateral, travel brochures and web design. It wasn’t until 2017 that I decided to transition into UX for web design.
The fundamentals of design really helped me in transitioning to the UX industry. With a bachelor’s degree in design and a solid foundation in graphic design it was an easier transition. In 2017, I enrolled in a UX certificate program where I learned the fundamentals of UX, UX Research and Strategy, Information Architecture, UX Software Tools, UI Design and Usability Testing. I felt the certificate program was right for me because I already had a degree in design. For those looking to make a career in UX or UI design who don’t have a degree, I would recommend taking a full degree program depending on your area of interest.
PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF
I am still learning a lot and I am grateful for the teachers I’ve had along the way. There will always be obstacles to try and overcome, what makes the difference in the end is how you handle them and continue to persevere. I try to remind myself when I’m feeling discouraged that It’s okay to fail and if you’re not failing you’re not improving. Success doesn’t come without failure, as long as you’re willing to put in the work. To those who are working towards a career in graphic design or UX or making a career shift like I did, I support you and I’m here if you’re looking for career advice or a second set of eyes and ears.
