Top 10 Video Marketers on YouTube and Their Advice about Graphic Design Career

Does the ambiguity about your graphic design career reign your mind? Yes, the time when you have no clue about what your next step should be. Whether you’re a graduate or someone with a knack for design, you know that the real world is far from the text book fantasy.

These ten video marketers will inspire you to follow your dreams.

But before I start, let me tell you four important things you must cling to your brain:

1. It’s not necessary that your inspiration has to be a “design legend”.
2. Enjoy the internet – it lets you get connected to countless resources.
3. Be open to suggestions that is don’t shut your mind or say ‘talk to my hand’.
4. It’s up to you whether you want to follow an advice or not. So no pressure.

Yup, now let’s kick in…

Charlie Lewis

Charlie Lewis is a self-made graphic designer who quit his fulltime job only to dedicate more time and effort into his passion. While working as a waiter, he made his portfolio in six months and waited for an opportunity until one day he got a call. After a year, he shared in a video that “I can now say that I have a job as a graphic designer.”

I think, what we can learn from Lewis, is that:

• Determination and dedication can help you achieve your goals.
• Start from somewhere and direct yourself towards your passion.
• You need a personal brand with a portfolio and social media presence.

Philip VanDusen

Belonged to the creative field, but didn’t start of as a designer – Philip VanDusen is originally a fine artist with a major in painting. Nevertheless, this education and skill influenced his perspective about graphic and brand design. After working with a few fashion companies, he got hooked to graphic design. On the way, his challenges revolved around adjusting in a corporate culture. It’s not ideal like textbooks.

From VanDusen’s span of career and videos, we can learn:

• Success isn’t just about your skills but how you market yourself.
• To get promoted, you should know how to manage people.
• Deliver value to those who feel your services will help them grow.

Karen Kavett

Some of us only dream about getting into top-notch universities like Rhode Island School of Design, and Karen Kavett got her chance. During her freshman year, she started a YouTube channel that she later turned into a crafting and graphic designing platform.

Here’s what we can learn from Kavett:

• Don’t stick to branding in graphic design. Expand your creativity.
• Keep portfolio back up for job interviews: digital (website and pdf) and print.
• Make an attractive resume but make sure it’s readable for the interviewer.

Explore: How Design Education Contributes to a Better Career!

Brent Galloway

A freelance graphic designer, Brent Galloway lived with his parents after freshly graduating from design school. After making some “crappy t-shirt designs” he ended up with some dream clients. From his journey to being a student to a professional, he discovered some key tricks to garner clients.

This is what we can learn from Galloway:

• Register on credible online marketplaces to sell your designs.
• You may need to dabble but there’s always a silver lining.
• Market is saturated with designers, so find your niche and work on it.

Roberto Blake

If you’re looking for someone truly spirited about graphic design, then Roberto Blake is a great example. He’s had a creative kick since the age of six, and in seven years he learnt html coding and website designing. Then he taught himself video production and editing that later helped him with his YouTube channel.

This is what Blake has in store for us:

• Exploration is key to creativity, so never hesitate to wander and observe.
• Develop your communication skills to work for clients and audiences.
• Manage your time and meet deadlines, but maintain good quality of work.

Charli Marie

Some people are born with creativity that soon translates into one of either art or design. Charli Marie spent her childhood compositing layouts for magazines with cutouts; and by age 15 she realized she wanted to be a designer. She did side-projects during university years, started her YouTube channel and blog.

Tips we can grasp from Marie:

• Word of mouth from a client does wonders for your portfolio. Try to get that.
• Stay calm, professional and pleasant while dealing with clients so they return.
• Decide the type of graphic design job you want: agency, in-house, freelance.

Will Paterson

If you’re hooked to logo designing, then Will Paterson is a good role model who specializes in lettering and brand identity. He actually studied business administration in hope to work as a secretary, but later he found bliss in graphic design. His first logo design job was for a neighbor’s décor business.

Takeaways from Paterson about graphic design career:

• It’s a case of “feast or famine” in client work, so invest in passive income.
• Make YouTube videos and get paid for adverts
• Sell customized and digital products online
• Before entering the market, ask yourself ‘what can you offer clients?’
• Be organized and disciplined in planning and executing design projects.

Camilla Mendini

An Italian YouTuber and graphic designer trained from Polytechnic University of Milan, Camilla Mendini shifted to USA with her husband to live the American dream. She found social media a great means to connect with the world, express herself and garner job opportunities.

So Mendini has the following tips for us:

• Know that graphic design can go from macro to micro – so there’s a lot in it.
• Show your other side to the world, so don’t just stick to designing.
• Use social platforms to attract, engage and delight potential clients.

Explore: How Technology Became The Voice Of Female Graphic Designers

Mike Locke

Mike Locke is a web designer with an interest in user-interface and user-experience design since 1995 after dropping out of college. His first assignment was to build a website for a friend. During his first 9 to 5 job, he gained interest in web and followed the path to reach where he’s now (that too without a degree).

Here’s what we can learn from Locke:

• Graphic design market is saturated so transition to web designing instead.
• Reach your potential and work hard towards your dream because that’s life.
• If you don’t go to college: read a lot and “get highly skilled at something”.

Jennifer Bates

Her channel Sea Lemon mostly revolves around book binding tutorials, but on the side Jennifer Bates shares other arts and crafts do-it-yourself projects in her videos. After college, she missed the art of book-making and dedicated her time creating awesome handmade books for Etsy.

From Bates, we can garner the following advice:

• Consistency gets you recognition from people that share the same interest.
• You don’t need to always work for clients, you can work for buyers.
• Share your techniques with others and become an inspiring teacher online.

So what’s your favorite advice?

 

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