First Time and Self improvement

[felinmusic]

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Hi everyone!! This is my first time exploring and using online design forum, it's kind of interesting for me as I didn't know that there is design forum.

A little bit more of myself. I'm 21 years old Singaporean and currently working as a designer in a small company. I started expose to design when I was 18 years old. However I do not have a very strong foundation on design as the course that I study during college is interactive media informatics, which is more on IT based.

Besides that, usually designers will have a lot of art works and portfolios, however, I do not know how to start building up my portfolio or improve my design. I hope that your can give me some tips or advice Thank you!!

[Toon]

Welcome aboard

[Marolt]

First off, welcome to the Forum.
Secondly, find clients yourself. Try at your close friends or relatives. Be hard working and don't be lazy. Usually working in an agency isn't that bad anyways..

I saw a documentary about Singaporean Subway system the other day, very advanced. ;)

[felinmusic]

Thanks Marolt. But how to built a strong design foundation and how to start? I'm always very confuse on whether to learn color first or learn the principle of concept first.

[Marolt]

What you should do is learn the Basics of Photoshop, you have tons of tutorials out there ready to be discovered by google. After you learn the priniples use your imagination!

Good luck.

[rossable]

welcome.

i have to disagree with Marolt.

principles/concepts are the most important, they are the building blocks you use in the structure. color is after and drives the emotion.

the tools you use are irrelevant compared to understand the how and why of what your using the tools to do.

to me this understanding of the cause/effect and reasoning for why you have done what you chose to do is the difference between designers and artists.

[felinmusic]

Thanks Marolt and Rossable for the advice. I think I should start learning the concept/principles first. But do your know any web with good information for me learn? There are tons out there in the web but I don't know which one is the good ones.

[Marolt]

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I am talking about both angles artist/designer. Well atleast that's how I learned everything I know.