Recently, I was asked this question, “How can I choose my field of design to focus on when I have multiple interests in the field of Graphic Design?”
Well, we all know that Graphic Design is a huge industry with multiple streams you could choose to specialize in. Here are a few subdivisions to consider:
- Surface Pattern Design
- Hand Lettering
- Logo Design
- Book Illustration
- Greeting Card Design
- Invitation Card Design
- Packaging Design
- Advertising Design
- Textile Design
This list can be overwhelming. So, how can you actually select a field of design to focus on and build a career when you are just starting out? This could be one big question that you are having in your mind-right?
I would suggest you to start by listing your topics of interest in design. Bullet point them and narrow them down to the top 3 to 5 fields you’re most passionate about. I know this is hard, but you can do hard things! From this refined list, you can begin your design journey. Here’s what my list looked like when I started out:
- Surface Pattern Design (My favourite! The moment I saw someone designing, I knew my heart fell for it. And creating Prints for Fashion and Home, I felt right from the beginning, in my gut, ‘THIS IS ME’)
- Hand Lettering (still interested in this but not something that comes naturally to me..)
- Logo Design (I definitely did some work for clients)
- Packaging Design (love seeing my prints on packages specially wrapping papers and packaged boxes)
- Greeting Card / Invitation Card Design (I had worked on these areas for some clients)
Now comes the hard part: focusing on your strongest skills. What are you particularly good at? Could it be Hand Lettering, Surface Pattern Design, or Logo Design? For me, I initially had five interests, but I knew focusing on all of them would be tough. So, I narrowed it down to three high-priority fields:
- Surface Pattern Design (Priority No. 1)
- Packaging Design
- Greeting / Invitation Card Design
In the same way, think of 2 or 3 high-priority areas to focus on and start creating projects based on these interests. If your fields are entirely different, like story design and logo design, figure out which one feels more natural and gives you ease and flow. Once you’ve made your decision, start working on projects in these fields and observe which one interests you more.
For me, Surface Pattern Design stood out, as I could create pattern designs for various products including packaging, which was also one of my top three priorities. I was able to incorporate my artworks into home textiles, fashion, greeting cards, packaged boxes, and much more. You can definitely check out more of my design work here.
You might also want to notice that, all the 3 design fields were actually going hand in hand with each other for me. As you start working on projects, you’ll naturally feel drawn to a particular area. For me, this was textiles for fashion and home, rather than packaging and greeting cards. I gradually figured out what worked best for me and what no longer interested me.
By starting and completing projects, you’ll discover what truly works for you and what you might want to remove from your list.
So my friend, let me know if this was helpful for you and if it was, make sure to write back to me.
