Good Graphic Design courses?

Smyth

21 and just got qualified as an engineer.

Not in the slightest in becoming one. Graphic/web design is where my heart is.
Been doing client side coding and some php for years now. Graphic design went with that area and I love it. I want a career in it.

Now i've gotten my safety net in place, I want to follow the path I had always intended.

How many of you here have done some course in Graphic design? Where have you done it? Any good? Did it stand to you?

Portfolio is the most important thing to have, I know that. I still need to learn the rules before I can break them though. So I'm looking for a good graphic design course in Ireland. Doesn't have to be full time. Can be part time, sandwhiched, night classes etc.

forbairt

was in the same boat as yourself a few years back ...

About 3 years ago I wanted to go back and do a course in Media / Graphic / Web Design .. however everything I saw just didn't cut it for me (no doubt the courses were good) I just found them lacking in certain things.

From my personal experience I'd ask ... do you mess with graphics for fun ?
The best way to get good is to keep messing ... take things you like apart and see how they were done ... read up on some graphics design blogs if you don't already.

Either way let us know how you get on with the course. There are obviously people more qualified in Graphics out there than me who can give recommendations on courses you should take.

ps: originally did elec eng.

ciaran67

forbairt wrote: »

was in the same boat as yourself a few years back ...

About 3 years ago I wanted to go back and do a course in Media / Graphic / Web Design .. however everything I saw just didn't cut it for me (no doubt the courses were good) I just found them lacking in certain things.

From my personal experience I'd ask ... do you mess with graphics for fun ?
The best way to get good is to keep messing ... take things you like apart and see how they were done ... read up on some graphics design blogs if you don't already.

Either way let us know how you get on with the course. There are obviously people more qualified in Graphics out there than me who can give recommendations on courses you should take.

ps: originally did elec eng.

Trouble is, you do these courses but when you're going for jobs they want people with experience. You also have to a good knowledge of the software, Quark, Indesign, Potatoslop and Illustrator - not to mention Macs and PC's.

p

There's no good graphic design courses in Ireland unless you want to go back and do a degree course. Certainly not night time ones.

Either head to the UK, or else get yourself all the books you get your hands on, and try learn all the things that you would've got taught in 4 years of college. And remember, most important of all, is that software skills are the least important part of graphic design.

I posted up lots of good books on this forum, maybe buy some of them:
http://www.creativeireland.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8549

Smyth

forbairt wrote: »

was in the same boat as yourself a few years back ...

About 3 years ago I wanted to go back and do a course in Media / Graphic / Web Design .. however everything I saw just didn't cut it for me (no doubt the courses were good) I just found them lacking in certain things.

From my personal experience I'd ask ... do you mess with graphics for fun ?
The best way to get good is to keep messing ... take things you like apart and see how they were done ... read up on some graphics design blogs if you don't already.

Either way let us know how you get on with the course. There are obviously people more qualified in Graphics out there than me who can give recommendations on courses you should take.

ps: originally did elec eng.

So what are you at now yourself? Working in the graphic design business?

forbairt

Smyth wrote: »

So what are you at now yourself? Working in the graphic design business?

Forbairt Media ... basically doing all my own stuff ...

Yes I'm doing graphics for customers / webdesign / templates / layouts ... some print media as well. TBH I'm not extremely happy about my knowledge where it comes to print media but I've done some nice things in the past. It still scares me when someone says they want a run of 10,000 A4 double sided pages though

I've little or not 3D experience which is something I'd love to have.

But thankfully the printers I've dealt with so far have mostly been a pleasure to deal with.

I think a Graphics course though will teach you a certain amount. A lot you'll find is having a passion for it. Whether its doing up piss take images or mocking up CD covers for imaginary bands and what not. If you're not already mocking up stuff and playing I'd question why you want to do graphics to begin with ?

The course I was looking at ... at the time I think was a 2 year course in DCU in Multimedia ... but I just wasn't sure if I wanted to spend 2 years and X amount of money when I'd already done various aspects of the course. If you do go for a course try to see if some placement is part of the course. Personally without experience as was said already .. you're screwed.

Smyth

Well, how are things going with your business. Are you able to keep yourself running with the income from that? Have you applied to many agencies for work?

forbairt

Smyth wrote: »

Well, how are things going with your business. Are you able to keep yourself running with the income from that? Have you applied to many agencies for work?

well like all freelancers .. there are ups and there are downs.

Appled to agencies ? no ... I've had a few crowds approach me though looking to outsource.

Smyth

what's business like in Dublin? I mean would you be getting enough to live from week to week?

How do you get your income flow? Through word of mouth or advertising?

forbairt

Smyth wrote: »

what's business like in Dublin? I mean would you be getting enough to live from week to week?

How do you get your income flow? Through word of mouth or advertising?

Moved here a few months ago ... actually don't think I've any Dublin based clients yet

Tara45

Hang around devianart, try to pick some stuff up. I'm in the same boat. I hope to get good at graphic design. Not sure if I'll ever be really good though :-(

Losphel

I'm not sure if this is of any use to you, but there's an open source/freeware application called Blender which is similar to 3ds Max. It has loads of tutorials, although I'm not certain if you were looking more towards the flash side of things, rather than modelling and animating. Sorry if it wasn't any help.