Is Graphic Design Hard?

The quick answer is NO! I’ll explain why later on 😉

Graphic design is really not as difficult as it may seem. All it takes to become a graphic designer is passion, a positive attitude, practice, and yeah, natural talent and creativity will be a huge plus. 

I have more than ten years of graphic design experience. So I’m answering this question from a designer’s perspective. Let me guess. You’re probably deciding what major to choose for college? Wondering if graphic design is a good career? 

In this article, you will learn more about graphic design and the reason why it’s not hard to learn.

Curious? Keep reading. 

What is Graphic Design? 

Graphic design is literately visual communication. You communicate with your audience with visual content instead of text content. The ultimate goal of graphic design is to let the audience know the message or selling point you’re trying to convey from your artwork.

Graphic design can be print or digital work and it has a large range of work including logo design, branding, infographics, illustrations, motion graphic, etc.

Is graphic design the same as art then? Not exactly. Graphic design often involves commercial purposes. Art, on the other hand, focuses more on self-expression, emotions, and aesthetics. Honestly, compared to art, graphic design is much easier to learn and master.

3 Reasons Why Graphic Design is Not Hard

With passion and dedication, learning graphic design is not as difficult as you think. You’d be surprised how much help you’d get during your learning process.  

1. All you need is a positive attitude. 

Well, obviously you will need a computer as well. But seriously, having a positive attitude will help a ton in your learning process. You must be thinking, what attitude? 

First of all, you really have to love arts and design. Yes, as simple as that. When you have a passion for design, it will absolutely make it easier for you to start. 

In the beginning, you will probably try to create something based on the design style we like and add our personal touch to it. But soon, you will develop your unique style and create your own original work. So yeah, to begin with, you have to appreciate arts. 

The creative process takes time, that’s why another really important attitude you should have is: Be patient! I know it can be quite boring when you start out changing fonts or practicing pen tools, but don’t worry, you will get there. Again, be patient.

Pretty easy, right? 

2. You can learn it by yourself.

You don’t have to go to school to become a graphic designer, and you definitely don’t need a degree to work as a graphic designer. It’s absolutely possible to learn graphic design on your own. There are plenty of resources available online to help you become a design pro. 

These days everything is possible with the help of technology. Most design schools offer graphic design online courses, I took two of my graphic design courses online during summer school, and you know what, I learned exactly the same as I would in a regular classroom. 

If your budget is tight, you can also find a lot of free tutorials online. The design course is not teaching you every single detail about the design software. You always have to figure out some “how-to”s on your own. Google it, search on YouTube, you got it. 

3. It’s easier than drawing.

If you can draw, great, but if not, no big deal. Actually, if you have good ideas, all you need is to put them together on a computer. Believe it or not, creating a design on a computer is much easier than creating it on paper. 

There are many vector tools you can use. Take shape tools as an example, click and drag, and you can create a perfect circle, square, or star in two seconds. How about on paper? two minutes? And it’s hard to get draw it perfectly, right? The last option, you use stock vectors or images. 

Does it make you feel more confident?

Other Doubts You May Have

Still can’t decide if you want to become a graphic designer? Here are more questions to help you decide.

Is graphic design a good career? 

It depends. It is a good career if you can handle stress and solve problems in different situations. You should know that your ideas are not always the best ideas, because sometimes clients have different expectations. 

Do graphic designers get paid well?

It really depends on your experience and position. For reference, according to Indeed, a job-hunting website, the average salary for a graphic designer is $20.90 per hour in the United States as of 2023. 

Who hires graphic designers?

Every company needs a graphic designer, from bars & restaurants to high-end tech companies. 

What software do graphic designers use?

The most popular graphic design software is Adobe Creative Cloud/Suite. The three basic software that every graphic designer should know are Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. Of course, there are many other non-Adobe programs such as Inkscape, Affinity Designer, and CorelDraw to choose from as well.

Also Read: 5 Free Alternatives to Adobe Illustrator for Mac Users

How long does it take to become a good graphic designer?

It takes time, but it’s really depending on you! It can take six months or a few years. If you are dedicated to learning and putting in a lot of hours per day, yes, you will be good faster than the ones who are not taking it as seriously. 

Wrapping Up

Going back to your question, it is NOT hard to learn graphic design but to be good, it takes time. Remember the cliche old saying “practice makes perfect”? In this case, it is quite true. If you really want to be a good graphic designer, you can! 

Give it a try! 

About June Escalada
Graduated from Creative Advertising major, worked more than eight years as a graphic designer focusing in branding and Illustration. Yes, Adobe Illustrator is my best friend and I’m passionate about art and design.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Rushikesh Saste

    Hey! You are given very good things about the graphics design and also solve my doubt😊😊
    Thankyou very much

    Reply
    • June Escalada

      Happy to hear 🙂 You’re very welcome!

      Reply
    • Olawale

      I love this, it really helps, as a beginner in graphics designing. Thanks a lot.

      Reply
      • June Escalada

        You’re welcome 🙂

        Reply
  • Adnan khan

    Are there good clients available in this field?

    Reply
    • June Escalada

      Yes, for sure!

      Reply
  • Balraj Chavan

    Hey June! You r Awesome. Thank u so much.

    Reply
    • June Escalada

      You’re welcome! Happy to hear you like my tutorials!

      Reply