How to Become a Graphic Designer: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting and Succeeding
Graphic design is one of the most in-demand and versatile skills in today’s digital world. Whether you want to work as a freelancer, start your own design business, or land a job at a creative agency, becoming a graphic designer offers endless opportunities.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to become a graphic designer, the skills you need, the tools to use, and how to start making money with digital products and affiliate marketing.
Check out my design courses HERE
Step 1: Understand What Graphic Designers Do
Graphic design is about visual communication. Designers create everything from social media graphics and logos to website layouts and marketing materials. As a graphic designer, you’ll work on:
✔️ Logos and branding
✔️ Social media graphics
✔️ Website and UI/UX design
✔️ Business cards and flyers
✔️ Print materials like posters and brochures
✔️ Digital products such as templates and presets
Step 2: Learn Graphic Design Skills
To succeed as a graphic designer, you need both technical skills and creative thinking. Here are the most important skills to master:
Essential Design Skills:
🎨 Typography: Understanding fonts and text layout
🎨 Colour Theory: Choosing the right colour combinations
🎨 Composition & Layout: Arranging design elements effectively
🎨 Branding Principles: Creating consistent and memorable visuals
Technical Skills:
🖥 Adobe Photoshop – Photo editing and manipulation
🖥 Adobe Illustrator – Vector design for logos and illustrations
🖥 Adobe InDesign – Layout design for books and magazines
🖥 Canva – Beginner-friendly design tool for templates
Step 3: Choose Your Graphic Design Niche
Instead of being a generalist, focus on a niche to attract better clients and make more money. Some popular niches include:
✔️ Logo & Branding Design – Ideal for businesses and startups
✔️ Print Design – Flyers, brochures, business cards
✔️ Web & UI Design – Website layouts and mobile apps
✔️ Social Media Graphics – Instagram posts, YouTube thumbnails
✔️ Packaging Design – Product labels, packaging boxes
✔️ Selling Digital Products – Templates, mockups, presets
💡 Pro Tip: Choose a niche based on your interests and market demand.
Step 4: Build Your Graphic Design Portfolio
A strong portfolio is more important than a degree when applying for jobs or getting freelance clients. Here’s how to build one:
📌 Start with personal projects or redesign existing brands
📌 Offer free or discounted work to small businesses
📌 Use mockups to showcase your designs professionally
📌 Create a Behance or Dribbble profile to attract clients
📌 Add case studies explaining your design process
💡 Where to Host Your Portfolio:
- Adobe Portfolio (Free with Adobe subscription)
- Behance (Great for exposure)
- Dribbble (Ideal for creative professionals)
- Your Own Website (Best for personal branding)
Step 5: Start Making Money as a Graphic Designer
Once you have basic skills and a portfolio, it’s time to start earning! Here are multiple ways to make money:
1. Freelancing (Best for Beginners)
Sign up on platforms like:
💼 Fiverr – Great for beginners
💼 Upwork – Ideal for long-term clients
💼 PeoplePerHour – Good for European clients
💼 99designs – Competitive but high-paying
💡 Tip: Get professional hosting with Hostinger to create your own portfolio website instead of relying on freelance platforms.
2. Selling Digital Products
Check out my blog post: How to Make Digital Files as a Designer & Automate Sales for Passive Income
Selling digital products is a passive income stream for graphic designers. Some high-demand digital products include:
🖥 Social media templates (Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube thumbnails)
🖥 Printable planners, workbooks, and wall art
🖥 Logo and branding kits
🖥 Resume and business card templates
💡 Where to Sell Digital Products:
- Etsy (Great for printables and templates)
- Creative Market (For premium design assets)
- Gumroad (Simple and direct selling)
- Your Own Website (Best for full control)
🚀 Want to automate your digital product delivery? Use Hostinger + WooCommerce for automatic file delivery!
3. Print-on-Demand (No Upfront Costs)
Print-on-demand (POD) allows you to sell designs on:
👕 T-shirts, hoodies, and tote bags
📒 Notebooks, stickers, and phone cases
🖼 Posters and canvas prints
💡 Best POD Platforms:
- Printful (Integrates with Etsy & Shopify)
- Redbubble (No need for a website)
- Teespring (Great for custom merch)
4. Affiliate Marketing for Graphic Designers
Promote useful design tools and earn commissions when people sign up. Some great affiliate programs include:
🔗 Adobe Creative Cloud – Commission on software subscriptions
🔗 Canva Pro – Pays for every new user
🔗 Hostinger – Best for selling website hosting
🔗 Creative Market – Earn on design asset sales
💡 Pro Tip: Create blog posts or YouTube tutorials recommending these tools and include your affiliate links!
Step 6: Keep Learning & Stay Updated
Graphic design is always evolving, so continuous learning is key. Here’s how to stay ahead:
📚 Take online courses on Skillshare or Udemy
🎨 Follow top designers on Behance & Dribbble
📱 Stay updated with Pinterest & Instagram trends
🛠 Experiment with new tools like Figma & Procreate
Final Thoughts: Start Your Graphic Design Journey Today!
Becoming a graphic designer is a highly rewarding career, whether you want to freelance, work in an agency, or sell digital products. With the right skills, tools, and strategies, you can build a profitable and flexible design career.
🚀 Your Next Steps:
✅ Learn graphic design basics
✅ Choose a niche
✅ Build a strong portfolio
✅ Start freelancing or selling digital products
✅ Use affiliate marketing to increase earnings
Ready to start? Get Hostinger to set up your website and start selling digital products today!
What’s your biggest challenge in becoming a graphic designer? Let me know in the comments! 👇
