Graphic design degrees are steadily
growing in popularity, but very few college degrees give a good,
practical background for running one's own business. There are a few
things to learn, the basics of which can be found at http://www.sba.govthe
Small Business Administration, but here are some bare bones basics
to get you well on your way.
The first thing to do is secure for yourself good, cheap art
supplies. http://www.dickblick.comDick Blick is an online store that
regularly sells high-quality art supplies for all mediums, and their
prices are always between 30% to 50% below what you'll find in any
brick and mortar art store.�Another place that caters to design
papers of all kinds is http://www.limitedpapers.comLimited
Papers</a>, they sell custom paper sizes of a wide variety of
quality papers, and they'll sell in broken carton quantities. That
last point is essential as you must maximize the profitability of
any given graphic design, and buying a whole carton of paper to
produce one logo or sign is not the most efficient use of your
budget. If you're a computer graphic designer, save your pennies and
get the best graphics software out there, and get a decent computer
to go with it. http://www.adobe.com is widely regarded as the top of
the line total digital package for graphic design, and http://www.tigerdirect.com
can set you up with a decent bare-bones kit that can handle your
design needs without breaking the bank. I particularly recommend the
barebones kits because putting a computer together these days no
longer requires a computer degree, and is a great cheap alternative
to getting one already set up.
Putting together a good studio is also important. A defined and
separate workspace is often regarded as vitally important to
continuity and originality of any creative endeavor, which the field
of graphic design definitely partakes of. A separate studio will
provide the optimal environment in which to work, protect delicate
and expensive art supplies and computers, and may help to provide a
working headspace from which to draw ideas. Any studio should have
decently comfortable furniture with which to work, in addition to
several sources of both natural and artificial light.
Of course, for most graphic designers contracts do not start rolling
in just because you hung out your shingle as a freelancer.�For
this reason many graphic designers take a job with a design firm for
a few years before trying to fly solo, but even if this course is
taken, marketing is still a vital continual endeavor.�You must be
known as an independent, freelance artist before you can expect to
get contracts. Getting a professional account on a website like <a
http://www.deviantart.com, which provides an online gallery space
and an account option allowing you to sell prints through them, is
an integral strategy to many graphic design freelancers.
http://www.etsy.com is another
website that allows freelance artists to sell their original works
in an environment tailored for hand made art appreciation. Most
graphic designers don't place their works in brick and mortar
galleries, as those are generally reserved for fine art, but
offering subcontractor services to interior design companies can be
another way to get your name and reputation known.
Everybody likes value added services, and your clients are no
exception. Offering packages for http://www.artpromos.com/dept.asp?ID=9
or other items already imprinted with your client's logo or blazon
takes stress from them, makes you easier to work with, and will
probably get you repeat business. Of course, using these items with
your own logo imprinted on them is a good advertising idea as well.
This article is only a primer for what is possible in the area of
graphic design business, but by reading incessantly, educating
yourself thoroughly on the market forces of your area and industry,
and following these tips, your graphic design business should be
thoroughly successful. Good luck!
By Loni L. Ice is a freelance writer/editor, who lives in Lawrence, KS, caught in a happy tornado of rampant creativity. Visit her website, Ice and Ink for a look at what solutions she can offer for any writing need. All rights reserved.
