Independent education and courses for the profession of interior designer. Analysis of the profession: what an interior designer should know and be able to do. What is needed to become an interior designer

There are many types of design, and they are all very different from each other. The designer's interests are far from the activities of a clothing designer. First, decide on your desires and inclinations. Having chosen your direction, proceed to the formation of your individual style. This means that having taken up, for example, graphic design, begin to study the basics of your chosen profession, gradually developing your own approach to it, unlike anyone else. Don’t tie your talent to basic knowledge, experiment, create, try.

Education required for a designer

The usual scenario for the development of events is that a person enters a higher education institution in a special faculty. He studies there for five years, receives a diploma and the necessary knowledge. But in fact, what they present to you at the institute in the form of the necessary knowledge may not be useful to you in the future. Therefore, the quality of education may suffer, because the teacher does not know whether you understand the essence of the subject or not.

There is a worthy alternative to such education - these are paid courses. Basically, people working in paid educational institutions are interested in working off the money they receive. Therefore, it is possible to choose the highest quality education. Another reason to choose paid courses is the short duration of the educational process. The duration of study will not exceed three months. In addition, limited time will save you from studying unnecessary disciplines, such as higher mathematics and statistics.

There is another option - to learn the basics of the profession on your own. Self-education is very beneficial. You choose your area of ​​activity and control the learning process yourself. The only disadvantage of such education is the lack of documentary evidence of education.

How to become a designer yourself

First you need to collect all the necessary information, which will then have to be organized. This is easy to do using a computer. Having found something that interests you, do not rush to put it into practice right away, try to get to the bottom of the source. After all, there will probably be something even more useful there. You will have to be aware of everything that is happening in your chosen field of design every second. Follow new products, listen to the advice of more experienced colleagues. Try to master computer design programs. This will make your work much easier. After all, all sketches, models and sketches are easier and faster to do on a computer.

Consider this an introductory course in interior decorating. We may not all have the vision required to create exquisite design down to the smallest detail, but we can decorate our own interiors in a way that looks professional.

Consider this an introductory course in interior decorating. We may not all have the vision required to create exquisite design down to the smallest detail, but we can decorate our own interiors in a way that looks professional. To some extent, design can be presented in the form of a formula that includes certain steps - a kind of foundation building, brick by brick, to create an individual design style.

On the other hand, there is the art of decoration, a style that obeys neither rules nor formulas. You may not have this sense of style, but you can learn to develop it.

How? There are basic principles that allow you to create a cohesive and harmonious interior design of a room. By following these 10 steps, you can begin creating a cozy and functional living space that will create a homely atmosphere within just four walls.

1. Functional layout

Interior design should start with a functional room layout. To get started, we advise you to search the Internet for free resources and programs that offer to create the layout and design of a room. Such programs will allow you to define conditions such as the size of the room and the size of furniture pieces, and then try out different layouts to see which one works best for you.

We often find out about planning mistakes too late, so why not create a virtual room plan first and avoid having to move furniture from place to place, making mistakes over and over again while trying to create a suitable layout?

The functionality of a living space greatly depends on individual style. If your home feels empty, you'll probably want to invest in expensive furniture or decorative items, but large families will prefer an open floor plan that isn't limited by too many design details. Take into account your personal needs and then try to choose a good program that will help you create the perfect interior plan for you.

2. Don’t be afraid to spend money on good upholstered furniture

Many designers will tell you that if you want to invest in one piece of furniture, let it be a sofa. Choosing the right upholstered furniture for a room can be very difficult. What color furniture should I choose? With what upholstery? What size? How much should you spend on your purchase? What is it like – a good, high-quality sofa?

Visiting numerous furniture shows and showrooms can help you find a style that suits your tastes and needs. However, before you go shopping, take measurements! It would be terrible to fall in love with a piece of furniture and then find out that it is too big for your room.

We recommend narrowing your selection to a few options and then choosing the one that offers the best quality. By purchasing high quality furniture, you can be sure that it will serve you for many years, if not a lifetime, so choose the best that you can afford. Oh, yes: choose an upholstery that you won’t get tired of soon... who wants to spend the rest of their life looking at a sofa with a flower or a color that has long gone out of fashion?

3. Decorative objects

It seems that using things in the interior that have no special purpose is a rather pointless idea. Why buy something that you can't even put to good use? The answer is simple: because such items indicate style, and therefore complement the interior design.

Now you may not have the talent to immediately create aesthetically pleasing decor, but with the help of trial and error, you can select the right number of decorative objects that will harmoniously fit into your interior. Many interior design professionals will tell you that if you really like something and buy it, you will definitely find a place for it where it will look best. However, while this statement is quite true for those who understand design, it may not be suitable for insecure beginners.

If you're at a loss, we recommend looking through magazines and visiting furniture stores to see what you like. Pay attention to how decorative elements are arranged in furniture showrooms. Notice that many items are organized into decorative groups rather than simply placed individually in different corners of the room. Above all, buy only what you really like, what best suits your personality.

4. Add some greenery

Plants are often the last thing people think about. This is a big mistake when it comes to design. You may think that the interior design of your room is impeccable, but pay attention to whether you were able to use plants and objects of natural origin in it.

It's amazing how much the atmosphere and comfort of the interior changes when you place a small palm tree planted in a pot. At the same time, your room will seem fresher and your decorating style much more cohesive.

That's the thing about classics: they never go out of style. Why spend a fortune on a sofa with straight, angular lines if the style will be outdated in five years? Fashion trends can be brought into the interior with the help of smaller and less expensive parts, and let the main pieces of furniture remain simple, elegant, and classic.

Take a look at the living room in the photo below. The black chairs at the dining table are designed in a classic style and will fit into any interior. The animal print upholstery allows them to keep up with current fashion trends and is easy to change, while the chair's shape will never go out of style - meaning it's a great long-lasting buy.

10. Take a photo and correct it

This is perhaps one of the most important steps. After all, a picture can tell a thousand words. By taking a photo of a room, you can look at it from a different perspective. In a sense, photography will allow you to look at your own interior for the first time - through the eyes of a guest.

All of a sudden, you may find that a picture on the wall is hanging too high, or that your room has too many small details cluttering up the space, or that the sofa cushions you chose don't go with the overall style at all.

It is best to take several photographs, from different points and from different angles. This way you can see what needs fixing and what just doesn’t fit in your chosen interior style.

Can you consider this article an introductory course on interior decorating? Of course, it won't reveal all the secrets of design (only a specialist designer can do that), but it will definitely set you on the right path to creating a stylish home interior design that is both functional and attractive. To create a home that speaks about who you are.

Absolutely anyone can use these tips: create the right layout, buy a beautiful sofa, create decorative groups of objects or layers, add live greenery or a little black, stick to classic lines, correct design errors with the help of photographs and - most importantly - decorate the interior truly individual.

What little tricks do you use to create a stylish home interior?

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One of the most important professions in the digital sphere is that of a graphic designer.

Graphic design surrounds us everywhere, both on the Internet and in real life. This includes the creation of banners, flyers, presentations, magazine layout and other graphic materials for advertising and business.

Main directions of graphic design:

• Form style
• Business Cards
• Logos and branding
• Presentations
• Posters and playbills
• Magazines and books
• Illustrations and advertising in print media
• Outdoor and transport advertising
• Advertising banners
• Infographics and graphic diagrams
• Calendars
• Leaflets and booklets
• Packaging and labels

Think about what is more interesting to you: creating a corporate identity for a business or labels and packaging, infographics or interfaces.

Choose several related areas: for example, you can devote yourself to working with business - developing a corporate identity, logos, business cards and presentations. Or study the features of printing and layout and work on leaflets, booklets, calendars, posters and other printed materials.

To understand what exactly you like, you need to try yourself in every direction.

What skills are needed

The first thing you will need is a good command of graphics programs. At the first stage you will need:

• Adobe Photoshop,
• Adobe Illustrator,
• Corel Draw

or their free analogues, for example:

• Krita,
• Paint.NET
• GIMPShop,
• Inkscape,
• Gravit,
• Vectr,
• Vecteezy Editor.

But if you want to develop in your profession, you will need knowledge of more serious programs:

• For layout: InDesign, Quark Xpress, Ventura Publisher, TeX, FrameMaker.
• To animate objects and characters: After Effects.
• For 3D modeling: 3DMax, Blender, SketchUp, ZBrush, Cinema 4D.

The next point is knowledge about the visual side of design. The most important: composition theory, coloristics (the science of colors and their compatibility) and typography (the science of fonts). Specialized literature and online courses will help you in studying them.

Books for graphic designers:

• Now you see it. And other essays on design. Michael Beirut.
• Rice assault and 21 other ways to think outside the box. Michael Mikalko.

The third thing a graphic designer needs is continuous improvement. Follow trends and trends daily, regularly view the work of other designers on Behance. Broaden your horizons and develop your artistic taste, turn to the classics of fine art and design, and draw inspiration from the works of recognized masters. This will help you avoid standing still and getting stuck in your own patterns.

How to create a portfolio

It will be difficult to find a job without a portfolio, so during the training process, create several works that you can show to a potential customer. The easiest way is to open any one and see the orders there. You will see what clients need, what their requirements and budgets are. The last point will help you decide on the most profitable directions.

Another way is to create what you want, to embody your own idea. For example, create an advertising banner for your favorite clothing brand, a business card with an interesting idea, or your own logo. Most importantly, remember that the work should look professional and meet design trends.

Where to study

You can learn the profession yourself using books and video lessons, or take an online course with a teacher who will provide not only structured theoretical knowledge, but also talk about the state of the industry, the peculiarities of working with clients, pitfalls, and typical mistakes of beginners.

The way you work can have a huge impact on your creative success. We present to you advice from the world's leading designers on organizing the various stages of the creative process so that your customers receive maximum satisfaction from your work, and your talent is realized 100%.

What is "design"? This is both a process and a result of solving a creative problem - set independently or received from the customer. Whether you're drawing, doing web design, or coming up with a new product, creativity is at the heart of it all. Bad design work comes from failures in this process.

These failures can be due to a variety of reasons: poor planning, ignoring obvious features of the media medium, lack of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, or inability to establish communication. So how can you improve your working methods? How can you turn from a person intensely tormenting paper with chaotic sketches into an impeccably working design machine?..

We interviewed 17 leading designers working in various areas of design - print, video, web design - in order to hear their wise advice on organizing all stages of the creative process: from planning and generating ideas, to brilliant implementation, implementation in technology and the final fine-tuning. We also asked each of our experts to recall the worst experience they've had in their creative lives—and the lessons they learned from it.

Despite the fact that our interviewed experts are engaged in different areas of design, many of them first gave the same advice - carefully read the brief and plan your work on paper. Although the perception of design is subjective and each of us has our own way to achieve the goal, armed with the tips outlined below, you will certainly improve it significantly.

Idea stage.

A blank canvas is a terrifying sight, so where do you start? Our experts share ways to get your ideas moving.

1. Make rough sketches.“I put together a rough draft of a composition using images scanned or found online. This allows me to use any materials I like, without worrying about whether I have them in the right quality or color. Once the rough sketch is ready, I move on to reproducing it in high resolution - filming, reworking or buying the materials I need to complete the work.” Supplied by: Darren Firth


2. Use metaphors.“Themes and metaphors are a great basis for ideas, so I try to develop them from both a holistic functional perspective (for example, designing a website based on a playground metaphor) and from a design integrity perspective (styles and color schemes). It’s great if you manage to subordinate the entire project to a single theme that will organically contain the content.” Supplied by: Laith Bahrani.


3. Move from words to pictures.“The first thing I do after receiving an assignment is to read it carefully and underline key phrases. Then, opposite each one, I draw a small, semantic picture-sketch. After that, having such a set of small thematic pictures, I look at them and see which of them can be combined into symbols close to the content.” Supplied by: Derek Lea


4. Think “on brand”“I would recommend taking some branding classes because being able to think in terms of a brand is very important. It helps to develop a visual style of thinking and find keywords to express the very essence of ideas. Above all else, keep it simple. The more complex the idea or image, the less likely it is to work.” Supplied by: Jay Armitage


5. Don't delay your brainstorming sessions.“In the process of generating new ideas, it is very important to communicate with colleagues, as if playing with ideas, like with balls. However, the main secret is not to delay this process - otherwise ideas will stagnate. It’s better to have a couple of short sessions than one long, painful brainstorming session.” Supplied by: Jason Arber


6. Use a sketch pad.“I usually use an A4 hardcover sketch pad, which I always take with me. Any idea that comes to mind goes there (often this happens while traveling on public transport, when you look out the window), in order to subsequently pay closer attention to it. Also, all diagrams, outlines, sketches, titles of books and addresses of Internet sites that will be useful in the future go there.” Supplied by: Oz Dean


7. Get out from behind your computer.“There’s nothing worse than sitting and staring blankly at an empty canvas. Get up from your chair and walk for 10 minutes in the fresh air. If you can’t afford it, sometimes a thesaurus can help refresh your thoughts—use it to find synonyms for keywords in the design brief.” Supplied by: Rigel


8. Chat with colleagues online.“The path of a freelancer is undoubtedly the path of a lone warrior. However, there is nothing stopping you from using the opinions of others during the concept development stage. If you have creative-minded friends, great! If not, just join some creative forum and look for advice there.” Supplied by: Dave Curd


9. Take a shower.“Many good thoughts came to my head in the shower - most likely, this was due to the influence of running streams of water. I try to read the brief shortly before I start work - this allows the ideas to “mix” before they are actually implemented.” Supplied by: Oz Dean


10. Plan for everything you might need.“It is extremely important to consider in advance what materials and types of work you need. If you use photographs, illustrations, 3D models, graphs and diagrams - all of this will need to be given attention and there should be enough time for everything. For example, the necessary printouts need to be done as soon as possible - it is unwise to leave it until the last minute. You must remember that some processes take a long time - much longer than it seems. Supplied by: Jeff Knowles

Development stage.

Work easily and naturally, following the advice of leading developers.

1. Use libraries.“Working in Macromedia Flash, I make sure to give meaningful names to layers and symbols. I also use a library file containing timers, looping animations, buttons, code snippets, and symbols that I use regularly. This speeds up the development process a lot." Supplied by: Oz Dean


2. Stick to web standards.“A lot of time can be saved when developing a website by using something like Firefox extensions like Web Developer, HTML Validator and Fangs. They help create sites that are compliant and easy to use.” Supplied by: Odog


3. Be modern.“Visit sites like pixelsurgeon.com, designiskinky.com and read Computer Arts. Staying on top of current design trends means more than just looking at what others are doing. You also need to know the general trends of the industry as a whole. Be better than others - be able to apply new promising technologies in practice. However, be careful - you shouldn’t chase the current fashion.” Supplied by: JJ Johnstone


4. Keep it simple.“Because my illustrations can be very complex, I always follow one rule: when there are a lot of visual elements and textures, always use a simple color palette. At the same time, I can be sure that my illustration will be easy to understand, and that color and design will not fight against each other.” Supplied by: Derek Lea


5. Automate your actions.“If you constantly perform a certain sequence of actions in Photoshop, then it is worth creating an Action from it. Once you do this, you will realize how much time it saves.” Supplied by: Rigel


6. Save.“Sometimes it seems that computers know that you are about to meet a deadline, and choose precisely such moments to fail. So save as often as possible." Supplied by: Jason Arber


7. Keep working versions of your files.“Everyone thinks differently. I always save uncompressed and uncropped versions of everything I do in case a client decides to change the size or format at the last minute. This is convenient if someone suddenly decides to make an A0 size poster out of a postcard. It is best to store working materials in the most accessible form for editing, for example, you should not flatten layers in Adobe Photoshop until the very last moment.” Supplied by: Jon Burgerman


8. Collaborate.“We work together, so no work is published without the approval of both. If one of us thinks that something is missing, he just takes it and works on it. If I or my partner don’t like the intermediate result, we can easily postpone it and start again. Working together on a project is not only easier, but also more fun.” Supplied by: Inksurge


9. Make a workable product.“Even if you have included time in your plan to test the functionality of the website, most often problems and numerous re-negotiations of changes will reduce this time to nothing. It is not surprising that many sites are released only after superficial testing. However, for a web designer, testing the quality of the product he creates is vitally important, even if a manager comes at him screaming about a penalty. A website that works perfectly from the first minutes of being shown to a client is the key to future orders.” Supplied by: Jason Arber


10. Practice.“The more projects you complete using certain tools or programs, the faster and more efficient you will become. You learn not only from your mistakes, but also from your victories - this significantly increases your productivity." Supplied by: Laith Bahrani

The stage of applying skills and abilities.

A bad specialist does not blame himself, but the tools he uses. So make sure your software works for you and not against you.

1. Alpha channels in Photoshop.“Try experimenting with selecting areas based on alpha channels. For me, this is a key way in which I incorporate real objects and textures into my graphic compositions. Once you learn to master alpha channels, it will change the way you perceive the world.” Supplied by: Derek Lea


2. Buy more RAM.“Tip #1 is to buy as much RAM in your computer as you can afford, because Photoshop will eat it all up anyway. Because I use a lot of layers, even designing a small website turns into giant files.” Supplied by: Jason Arber


3. Gradients in Photoshop.“To avoid “stepping” in the tone of the gradient fill when printing, add a little noise to its layer. Vary its degree depending on the size and resolution.” Supplied by: Rigel


4. More layers.“Based on my experience, I can advise when working in Photoshop (especially in a complex composition) to use more layers - the more, the better. Also, if possible, avoid mixing them - there is nothing worse than finding out that you suddenly decided to delete something that you suddenly decided to delete, especially if it cannot be returned in the History palette.” Supplied by: Darren Firth


5. Airbrush in Illustrator.“Lower the opacity of the path, add a Gaussian Blur, and combine with a Clipping Mask, and you have beautiful airbrush styles, with a degree of parameter control not possible in Photoshop.” Supplied by: Inkworm


6. Devilish Flash.“Never, ever use the standard green to black gradient fill in Macromedia Flash. This will immediately result in the destruction of humanity." Supplied by: Laith Bahrani


7. Filename consistency.“As sad as it is, I usually conduct a project in a not entirely correct way - I even name the files as necessary. They may be named with the suffixes 01, 02 and 03 for one project, and then with the suffixes A, B and C for another. And even though the work is progressing, I recognize that there is still room for improvements in the workflow." Supplied by: Jason Arber


8. Grouping layers.“Assigning colors to layer groups and shy layers in Adobe After Effects is a huge time saver, especially when it comes to client edits and approvals. I usually colorize vector images in Photoshop. This is pretty much the same thing I do when working in After Effects using Pre-Comp - it adds that missing touch to the color consistency of the composition.” Supplied by: James Wignall


9. The Forbidden fruit.“Probably many of us are at that stage of mastery in using Photoshop when we do not use filters and effects, considering them the lot of amateurs and “dummies.” But if you still allow yourself to taste this forbidden fruit, you will discover many new and useful things. For example, you might not use the Difference Clouds filter to simulate blue-white clouds, but using it in Quick Mask mode to create a selection is a new way to create more realistic skies.” Supplied by: Dave Curd


10. Think on paper.“Use such undeservedly forgotten tools as pencil and paper. The resulting sketch can then be scanned and “finished” using a computer. The “paper first, computer later” principle will help you develop your own unique style.” Supplied By: Jeremyville

Final finishing stage.

It is attention to detail that separates good work from great work. Here are some tips on how to “add some flair.”

1. Take a break.“In the final stages of work, the best way to finish an illustration is to leave it unattended, preferably for the whole day. More often than not, when a task is nearing completion, especially when the “deadline” is approaching, I feel completely “strained.” If at this moment I manage to take a break, then later, turning on the computer and opening the final version of the illustration, even if nothing has come to mind yet, just by looking at it, I immediately see those places where fine-tuning is required.” Supplied By: Derek Lea


2. Acrobatics.“For print designers, checking overprint, spot colors, trapping, and knock-out in Adobe Acrobat Professional is an overlooked step that can save your money and reputation when your print settings are set incorrectly.” Supplied By: Jason Arber


3. Pay attention to kerning“...and always keep a pair of “clean” eyes on hand. For example, I always ask my friend to take a look at what I'm working on. Because she's not a designer, she pays attention to details that I don't notice." Supplied By: Oz Dean


4. Re-read the brief.“Ask the opinions of your colleagues and acquaintances - you need to mentally return to the beginning, to the thoughts and ideas with which you began to work. This will help you make sure the result matches your original intentions.” Supplied By: Ralph And Co


5. "Enough!"“The most important thing at the final finishing stage is to stop in time. There is always a danger of “improving” a job half to death. Knowing that computers allow you to undo your actions, you will try to add as many raisins to your “pie” as possible, when all that was needed was just a light dusting of powdered sugar.” Supplied By: Inkworm


6. Use printing capabilities.“Printing technology is an amazing way to add features to the final work that cannot be realized on a computer. Metallic inks, spot varnishing, embossing, foiling, lamination or die-cutting are some of the technologies that can make your work unique.” Supplied By: Jeff Knowles


7. Add texture.“I suppose most of my work has an organic feel. Therefore, for me, the final finishing is adding texture to the work, characteristic, for example, of writing with a pencil or drawing with chalk or charcoal. Instinct should tell you when to stop – although this is not so easy when it comes to your projects.” Supplied By: Kerry Roper


8. Be prepared.“Working in video and animation can be unpredictable. If in printing all the methods for obtaining products of the highest quality are already known and tested, then with animation everything is less obvious. Understand compressors thoroughly and find out which ones are best suited for your job. At intermediate stages, save materials without compression - otherwise errors and artifacts will only accumulate during the work process. Apply compression only at the very end, remembering to save the uncompressed original.” Supplied By: JJ Johnstone


9. Light polishing.“The last thing I add to my work is some highlights, shadows and reflections, as well as some light color correction. All this gives the final work a cohesive and polished look.” Supplied By: Jon Burgerman


10. Take a closer look.“When your graphic work, website or animation is almost ready, it helps to take a step back, peer at your work and stand there until your face turns blue and your eyes start to bulge out of your sockets - just like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Remember All". During this procedure, look for anything that can be improved, retouched, reduced, enlarged, added or removed for a stronger effect. In graphic design, for example, I look for colors that can be enhanced or muted, or I look at individual elements - whether they can be removed or added, and how this will affect the composition." Supplied By: Laith Bahrani

What to avoid.

Learn from your mistakes: 10 examples of what to avoid when communicating with clients.

1. Read and re-read.“When writing an email, do not fill out the “to” field until the very last moment. Re-read what you wrote in the body of the letter at least twice. There are often horror stories about letters sent to someone for whom they were never intended. Don’t become one of the people who went through this - you won’t be able to return the letter you sent.” Supplied By: Oz Dean


2. Be specific.“Immediately discuss all the details with the client, especially those related to further edits and changes. It often happens that, being carried away by the easily progressing work, I did not pay due attention to the list of possible changes included in the payment. As a result, about the phrase “oh, yes! Minor edits are perfectly acceptable!” You can really regret it by redoing the finished project almost halfway.” Supplied By: Derek Lea


3. Don't rely on computer spell checkers.“Always proofread your texts as carefully as possible. Besides, it’s better to have someone else check the text, looking at it with fresh eyes.” Supplied By: Rigel


4. Stick to the brief.“At the beginning of our careers, we pushed ourselves to the limit, pushing ourselves to the limit in the hope that it would pay off - which made us seem desperate instead of coming across as enthusiastic about what we do. Stick to the brief and try to solve the problems outlined there in the most creative way - this is what is expected of you, and not at all working for wear and tear.” Supplied By: Ralph And Co


5. Work with the client.“Everyone knows about the need to “think big.” In fact, excellence lies precisely in finding the best solution to a problem within the boundaries defined by the client. Try to think of them not as prison walls, but as a starting point for your thoughts and ideas." Supplied By: Dave Curd


6. Stick to what you are strong at.“Definitely try to avoid taking on a job in which you are not strong, do not have sufficient knowledge, or simply “don’t have the heart for it.” Several times I tried to go against myself - but at the same time I felt like a moose swimming along a mountain river against the current. Choose your clients the same way they choose you. Learn from your mistakes instead of stepping on the same mistakes over and over again.” Supplied By: Jeremyville


7. Don't rely on assumptions.“When we were asked to develop a packaging layout, we assured the client that we could do it - and got down to business. And although we were shown a layout of the packaging and based on it we made our own layout, when it came to printing it turned out that the cover was located on the wrong side. So always check everything and don’t rely on assumptions.” Supplied By: Inksurge


8. Justify your conclusions.“Not long ago I worked with several perfume brands, and they seemed to me the most capricious clients in the world. However, I decided that if I made several options in my own way, and at the same time was able to logically and clearly justify why I came to such concepts and conclusions, I could take control of the development process into my own hands. Subsequently, this method worked brilliantly.” Supplied By: Darren Firth


9. Keep a history of your actions.“I have never encountered any serious problems, but nevertheless, I always keep backup copies of my files. Let unrealized, unaccepted ideas or intermediate stages of work always be at hand - just in case the customer changes his mind.” Supplied By: Kerry Roper


10. Know what to expect.“A great way to avoid problems with clients is to be clear about what to expect from them before the job gets underway. Only in this case will you be able to avoid possible misunderstandings and mutual reproaches. Moreover, sometimes it turns out to be useful to treat the client like a little annoying little devil from the ninth circle of hell.” Supplied By: Laith Bahrani

Such a specialty as a designer attracts applicants from higher and secondary specialized educational institutions from year to year.

It is not surprising, because it provides great opportunities for implementation, it cannot be called boring, with its help you can earn not only big money, but also worldwide fame.

So how to become a fashion designer to become your own in the fashion world, create fashion collections that will attract stars, dictate trends in the choice of clothing?

This path is very thorny, and only the most talented, hardworking and ambitious individuals can conquer the peak.

How to become a clothing designer: the specifics of the profession, its pros and cons

Clothing designers can be roughly divided into two groups: professionals in their field who have dedicated their lives to design, and wealthy young ladies for whom design is a hobby and an opportunity to at least occupy themselves with something.

If you do not have a wealthy patron and you intend to become a professional in your field, then you should study this specialization inside and out, understand what knowledge and skills a clothing designer should have, and also study the pros and cons of this business.

1) What should a clothing designer know, be able to do and do?

Clothes designer- this is not just a person who drew a crooked dress for himself, and what will happen to this drawing next does not concern him.

No, the designer who creates the collection is the person who is responsible for everything, because it is he who will be blamed by critics and buyers if the clothes presented are not fashionable and of poor quality.

Every good fashion designer should know:

1. Fashion history: names of famous designers, supermodels, magazine editors, names of fashion houses, historical collections, the appearance of iconic items and the names of their creators, etc.
2. Fashion theory: what is the name of this or that cut of things, basic terms, names of fabrics, decor, technical equipment, main fashion trends, styles, directions, etc.

Basics of clothing design.

You don’t just draw a sketch - you create a model of clothing on paper, so you must clearly understand whether they can create a dress based on your sketch, what fabric is best to sew it from, how it will look in reality, etc.

Fundamentals of labor organization and people management.

No fashion designer works alone because he cannot create a fashion collection on his own. You will have seamstresses, buyers, and technical staff under your command.

You will have to collaborate with bookers, models, journalists. All this is not as simple as it seems to you at first glance.

Basics of psychology.

A fashion designer has to work a lot with people, and with creative and creative people, with their crazy cockroaches.

A good psychologist will be able to find a common language with everyone and will not allow conflicts to arise that harm the work process.

If you want to become a good clothing designer, you must develop the following qualities:

Creativity.

You, as a person in a creative profession, simply do not have the right to look at things trivially. People with boring traditional thinking will create uninteresting collections.

Goodwill.

It’s the sharks in the fashion world who can be weird, hysterical, and look down on everyone. As a newbie, you must be extremely polite and friendly with everyone, starting from the technical staff.

Punctuality.

If you promised a client (for example, the management of the fashion house you work for) to create a collection of clothes by such and such a date, then you need to keep your promise. No one wants to work with a designer who misses deadlines.

Perseverance.

The fashion world is cruel, intolerant of newcomers and highly competitive. Only people who are strong and persistent, who clearly see the goal and do not see obstacles, can achieve success.

Work ability.

If you want fame, money, famous clients and the respect of colleagues, you will have to work very hard. Forget about weekends, vacations, parties while creating the collection.

Work, work and more work. There is no place for lazy people here.

2) Advantages and disadvantages of being a fashion designer

Don't let rose-colored glasses cloud your eyes. The belief that creating clothes consists solely of advantages will not lead to anything good.

If you do not have a rich patron, connections, or appropriate education, your path to the fashion industry will be longer and more thorny.

Young designers who want to become professionals without education or connections need:

Master all the subtleties of craftsmanship.

You must replace formal education with self-education:

• learn to draw sketches, cut, sew well;
• be able to choose fabrics and accessories;
• know how to combine colors;
• understand what clothes are in demand among consumers;
• follow fashion trends and predict them, etc.

1. Implement as many ideas as possible.

   It is not enough to draw a few sketches of clothes - this will not make you a professional designer. Your folders should be overflowing with sketches, and the most successful models should be sewn together and shown to the public.

   Apply for an internship at fashion houses.

   You shouldn’t immediately aim at such fashion houses as Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Versace and others. Start mastering your specialty, interning with domestic designers.

   Send your resume to those fashion designers with whom you would like to intern. Perhaps someone will invite you for an interview. Such an internship is sometimes even more useful than special education.

   Participate in competitions for young designers.

   In both Russia and Ukraine, enough competitions are held annually in which young designers can show their clothes.

   For example: “Russian Silhouette”, “Admiralty Needle”, “Autograph”, “Looking into the Future”, Grass Design Week, Young Fashion Line and others.

   Don't miss the opportunity to participate in them. Here you can learn more about the design competitions that will be held in 2017: http://grantist.com/subject/dizajn

   Create your portfolio.

   You can't go to interviews without a portfolio. Place in the folder:

   • best sketches;
   • professional photos of already sewn dresses;
   • photos from shows you participated in;
   • notes about you in the press;
   • resume, etc.

2. Find your first star client.

   You can't become a popular designer if the stars don't wear your clothes. To get your first celebrity client, offer him/her a suit/dress for a night out for free and ask for advertising.

   You can collaborate in this way with stars who run pages on social networks, TV presenters, etc.

   • in social networks;
   • on your own website;
   • through outdoor advertising: banners, advertisements, city lights;
   • at city forums;
   • with the help of the media, etc.

   The more people know about the clothes you create, the more customers you will have. The more clients, the more fame and profit.

Not everyone can understand how to become a fashion designer. Some lack talent, some lack perseverance and hard work, some lack education, some lack a bit of luck.

But if you make every effort to realize your dream, you will definitely succeed...

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