How To Choose A Graphic Design Specialty Or Niche To Study
Design covers a wide range of topics in a variety of businesses. Therefore, it can be a bit difficult to narrow down an area to specialize in, but with the right tips and guidance, it’s possible. Other than art, some of the topics covered by designers include user interface, visualization, and interaction designs, together with product designers, both digital and physical. Choosing a niche not only helps you become more productive by solely focusing on that area but also helps you grow as you learn and expand your knowledge.
In graphic design, some of the categories include interactive design, branding, identity, illustration design, packaging design as well as information design. Interactive design mainly covers web design and requires that you know the latest innovations in the field whereas branding and identity mostly deals with creating logos. Illustration requires artistic skills for posters and letterpress design and information design covers infographics and information dashboards. Art design revolves around street art and graffiti design together with stencils and posters.
Knowing the kind of customers, you want to interact with daily is the first step to determining your specialty. This not only involves people you’ll be getting business from but also people who’ll use the final product. You can get an idea of what the market is like together with the number of clients you’ll be getting daily in most cases. One client group to consider is the individuals or companies starting up their business. This group requires you to be able to handle any challenges and provide solutions to new problems since you’ll most likely be dealing with people who don’t have extensive experience. You can also consider the demographic you’re interested in. This will also narrow down your search.
Another way to determine your niche is to figure out what you’re passionate about. Start by finding out the different niches available. You can do this by studying different catalogs, online documents, and newspapers. Make a list of all the niches you discover and try out the ones you find interesting one at a time. You may be tempted to pick an area that has more money but it’s important to choose something you’re good at and enjoy doing. Even if it doesn’t look lucrative at first, with time you’ll be more fulfilled with your work. It’s also important to consider your strengths and weaknesses as you discover where your passion lies. This will help you come up with the right portfolio when you’re finally ready to start looking for a job.
Having clear goals can also help you choose the right design niche for you. Knowing what you want to accomplish within a specified period will help you figure out the right category that will get you there. You’ll also be able to come up with a rough draft of the resources you may need once you’re done with the studies and are ready to start up. Not only does this help you become more realistic in your expectations, it also helps you achieve your objectives in time.
Another tip that can help you pick the best specialty or niche is being bold. As much as comfort is necessary, you should also be ready to try out new areas. This will help you diversify your services, and you may find that you have several areas you like. You should also do research on the benefits associated with every niche as well as their disadvantages. This way you’ll be more prepared to tackle anything that comes your way when you become a professional.
The graphic design field is competitive and has many advantages such as diversity. There are many options to choose from, acting as an assurance to those who venture into them. However, some disadvantages like the lack of flexibility also exist. The competitiveness can be a good motivational factor but it also demoralizes you if you don’t handle it well. Whatever the case, there’s always room for improvement in this field and in some niches the clients are extremely loyal. To ensure you keep and expand your client base, do a great job and ask them to recommend you to others. While still studying, join multiple design communities in the many online platforms available and ask for their opinion and referrals. Be careful not to be misled, and try to double check any valuable information to verify that it’s correct.
