A Simple Guide to Creative Design: 3 Things You Need

Description: Doing creative design and building websites is a dream job for many in 2021. And for a good reason. This gig gives you plenty of creative freedom, and it pays really well. But to be good at this job, you need the right tools. Here are our top things for a successful career in creative design.

Did you know that almost every business these days needs a creative design manager? That’s right. Every month, thousands of companies are going through resumes to find a professional creative designer for a project. Whether they need to brush up on an existing eCommerce store or anything else, they pay well for the job. And to get started with this lucrative career, you need to have some essential tools in your arsenal. Or, if you already know how to do creative design, you might want to consider upgrading your equipment and keep a competitive edge. And also equip your workplace using the unspoken rules from the so-called Book of Ra. Either way, here are our top 3 things every creative designer in 2021 should have in their backpack. Ready?

1. Get the Best Laptop

Investing in a powerful laptop is the best thing you can do for your career as a designer. But which laptop is the best for creative design and online working? It’s pretty much any MacBook Pro. Yes, this super popular laptop is an obvious choice, but for a good reason. The 2019 model has an improved keyboard, a sharp 16-inch screen, and superb graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630). It’s powered by an Intel Core i7-i9 processor and has 16-64GB RAM.

The big screen is perfect for bringing all your creative design ideas to life, and the 64 GB RAM means that you can forget about bulky external hard drives. You can store all your projects safely on the laptop itself. And the cool thing is that the battery lasts way longer than you would expect. You can work 9 hours straight without charging. That’s a lot, considering that the battery has to fuel a laptop with some pretty powerful parts.

The main downside of this equipment is the hefty price. But given that you can take the laptop with you anywhere and work even from home, you should be able to cover the down payments pretty quickly.

2. Don’t forget the Trusty Drawing Tablet

If you’re drawing with your mouse all day long, it can actually get exhausting. Using a Wacom drawing tablet feels much more natural. Plus, you don’t have to bother about transitioning from sketching on paper to doing it in Illustrator on a computer. A Wacom tablet is just like a piece of paper, but it transfers every line you make instantly to your device. It saves you a lot of time and makes the process of digitizing your strokes more enjoyable.

Look, Wacom is a reliable graphics tablet used by almost every professional creative designer out there. But if you want to keep up with the creative design trends of 2021, you might want to opt for the Apple Pencil or iPad Pro. Both of these devices are excellent for digital drawing.

3. Essential Basics: a Sketchbook

A sketchbook is a must-have item for every designer. It’s great for doodling and trying out new ideas. And once you’ve got enough ideas gathered, you can transfer to using the drawing tablet.

The cool thing about the sketchbook is that you can use it everywhere you go. If someone is late for a meeting and you’re looking to pass the time, you can pull out the sketchbook and draw sketches for future uses. Or maybe you spot something interesting on the street. Your trusty sketchbook is there to help you capture the moment. The thing is that you probably won’t remember a great idea later when you need it. Plus, the perfect ideas can come to you in the most unexpected moments. Drawing them down makes sure you’ve recorded the ideas for future uses.

You can also cut out some creative design examples from magazines and keep them in the sketchbook. Other people’s work is a good inspiration source, and it’s nice to browse something other than a screen for a while.

Use the Equipment to Hone Your Creative Design Skills

So you’ve got the fresh Macbook Pro, an excellent drawing tablet, and even a sketchbook? Now it’s time to put them to good use and start honing your creative design skills. Here are some abilities you should focus on:

HTML. Look, almost every creative design job require you to be familiar with HTML. It doesn’t mean that you should be able to build a website from scratch. But knowing how to fix minor errors will get you hired more likely.

InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Knowing these programs should be the cornerstone of your skillset. If you’re serious about creative design and want to make your own original designs, you need to know all three of them.

And as you get better as a creative designer, you might want to consider purchasing a photo camera. Lots of job offers require you to have some base-level photography skills. The more value you can offer to a company, the more likely you’ll get hired. Plus, seeing the world through the camera lens is a great way to improve your visual storytelling.

Conclusion

Ready to type into Google search “creative design jobs near me?” While it’s true that most companies expect their creative designer to have at least three years of experience, you can start gaining that experience by working as a freelancer. Soon, you’ll have enough skills to apply for the more demanding posts. And reliable technology will be instrumental in helping you work more efficiently and get better jobs. So it’s an investment that pays off quickly.

Have you got any creative design questions you would like to ask us? Write them down in the comments.

Author’s Bio: 

Ellen Royce is an experienced marketer, copywriter, and entrepreneur. Having started several small businesses online, she knows the importance of effective content marketing in building companies.