[Ask PG HQ] : Pursuing a career in Graphic Design

Jobs & Careers
1

Hi all, Starting my career as a Graphic Designer, though I’m a graduate in Garment manufacturing technology from NIFT was a tough task because of the long queue of Communication Design students who were standing ahead of me. While I could h…

2
Hi all,

Starting my career as a Graphic Designer, though I'm a graduate in Garment manufacturing technology from NIFT was a tough task because of the long queue of Communication Design students who were standing ahead of me.
While I could have followed the conventional way and taken up a job in one of the many big brands in the Garment industry, what made me (and helped me) take this plunge?

one > Volunteering & free-lance projects : Free-lancing for 3 yrs while in college, I took up quite a few projects in Graphic Design both for my college and outsiders was one factor which contributed a great deal to my exposure and learning.

two > Learning from the learned : My seniors and a few supportive faculties from college contributed a great deal to what I am today. Following their guidance on the various books, methods and a lot many other things helped a lot.
three > workplace : Your learning curve will automatically become steeper once you are with people smarter than you. The bar is raised and you discover more ways of approaching a problem.

Let's discuss here what it takes to become a Graphic designer, specially in a country which still considers design as an alternate career.
You can post here any queries here related to starting a career in web design and I'll try my best to be of help to you :)

And yes, seniors and alumni who can come and share their experiences and knowledge here are more than welcome!

Me at PaGaLGuY.com - Graphic Designer
3

hello,
i need some advice in Bsc in Visual comm from WLC,
Is it worth doing from WLC?
Is it worth paying 4 Lakhs of rupees to them ??
please advice me please

4

Hey,

First things first : If you're really focussed towards taking up design as a serious career, WLC is not amongst the good choices you can make.

Which discipline is the course exactly? and what is it, a PG or a UG?

Further, I need to know if this was your first attempt?
If yes, you can consider preparing for NID, NIFT and Shrishti, which are considered the best design institutes in the country.

4 lakh rupees is a big amount and you'll be putting in a lot more at stake while making this choice. WLC as a design school is nowhere in the scene when it comes to design education in the country.

Lemme know in case you have any other clarifications,

Aditya
NID (Information & Interface Design)

5

Hello and thanks for your reply..
Adi i had completed my grad in commerce
and i had work experience of 1 and half year as graphic designer and want to pursue to this level only...
can you please suggest me wat to do.. as my next step towards working as big advertising agency....

6

Hey,

Nice to know that you're passionate about design and are earning from your hobby even after your graduation was in a completely different stream.

Well, if it is an advertising agency that you're looking forward to working with, there is a course in communication design at NIFT as well as post graduate courses in NID and Shrishti, Bangalore - Srishti.

Do a proper research on the college, the faculty present, the alumni from the college and placements before you get into a certain college. It is a huge investment and it's better to keep working and prepare for exams and then get into one of the best institutes rather than institutes which are hardly known at all.

Around this time, the admission forms for NID, NIFT, Shrishti, Symbiosis Institute of Design (UG only - Communication Design) and MIT, Pune (MAEER's MIT INSTITUTE OF DESIGN) are out.

A special mention here: MIT Pune has a strong faculty backing from the NIDs and you might consider it over the private institutes. The PG program is good and they have good industry linkages which ensures placements for almost everyone.

Lemme know in case you have any more doubts!

Aditya

7

Hiiiiiiii
Adi Thanks for your gr888 reply and links....
Many things in my mind get sorted out..... thanks a lot for your gr88 reply...
I wud like to prefer MAEER's MIT Inst... on PG Graphic Design.... but want some more detail about this college like... its worth applying ther.. and placements over der.... thanks buuddy

8

Hi Aditya...

I have cleared the first round of NID (Info and Interface Design) but m not sure what to expect at the studio test and interview..

Can you please guide me on the same??

thanks
Den

9

Hey Den!

Congrats on clearing the first round. Incidentally, I'm a student of the same course (at NID, Bangalore).

What to expect? Well this is a dicey one. NID has been innovative in it's way of testing new entrants. What these people are looking for is lateral thinking and basic design-related problem solving abilities.
There's nothing fixed so no preparation can help you for the studio test.

For the interview, compile your work into a neat and presentable portfolio and be prepared for simple questions such as why did you choose design to what excites you about design to as specific as why IID.

Be prepared for these along with your portfolio and remember : Be honest about any answers that you give.

Aditya

10

Hi Aditya..

thanks so much man.. thats a real useful input..

for the portfolio thing..a) how does a portfolio look like (have never made one) b) I have made couple of UI designs made using PPT.. shall i print and present them?

Thanks
Den

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Hey Den!

If this is a design you've made in PPT, it's not such a good idea to present a design in the form of a poweproint presentation by NID standards. It'll be way better if you take print-outs of them and print them or present them in a better manner. Also, it'll be useful if you could explain the process behind the designs in a creative manner along with the designs.

More importantly, NID respects creativity in any form, so it's really not necessary that you show work done in the form of User Interfaces only. You can show design in any form that you personally like.
Make sure you yourself put a bar on the quality of work that you're showing.

Aditya

12

Thanks Aditya,

well all i have right now are those slideshows.. i'll print them all and show it to them..

thanks again..

13

Cool!

Just for your reference, here's the portfolio that I prepared for the interview: http://pixelguy.in/portfolio.swf

Aditya

14

Hello to all

i appeared for MIT ID Design Management exam..
bt there r very less competitors for entrance...

do any one have info abt this programme... then
plz do lemme knw
thanks...

i hope mit is d best...

15

Hey Aditya!

Got through NID! thanks to you.. your advice on portfolio helped a lot..

Hey , I also wanted to ask about which laptop to buy.. and accommodation etc..

would love to speak to you.. you can mail me your number on [email protected]..

16

Hey Aditya!

Got through NID! thanks to you.. your advice on portfolio helped a lot..

Hey , I also wanted to ask about which laptop to buy.. and accommodation etc..

would love to speak to you.. you can mail me your number on [email protected]..

17

Dear Design Inventory,

Please take your cheap advertising off this divine thread.

Aditya

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Hi aditya,

I am an Engineering Student doing my final year and i am really interested in doing Graphic design at NID and I Don't have any professional experience in graphics design (But i have done lots of Posters and Web designs for my college and for my friends) .SO , Am i eligible to apply for the graphic design course at NID? ...

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Hey!

Well if you have the aptitude and succeed in proving it to the jury panel, which of course will happen post the written exam, you surely are eligible for it!

Aditya

20

Thanx a ton for answering. :D.. Sorry to bug you, But in the NID website , The criteria for Graphics design is given as


"Graphic Design (2 years)
BFA/ B.Arch/ B.Des (Communication Design)/ or equivalent (under 10+2+4 pattern) or graduates in any discipline with one year relevant professional experience. "

As you can see, they are asking for 1 year professional experience .. So am i still eligible to apply?