Top 10 Ways to Improve your Graphic Designing: Step 1: Organizing and Prepping your Projects

I can’t fathom to explain how important it is to have organization to any project when working on a multimedia spectrum. I remember the good ol’ days of “winging” projects to get as much work done in a limited time frame. How time has definitely changed. When learning any program or art platform take the time of forming good habits. I have to say this is a key lesson of graphic design that I inherited only about 5 years ago.

How important is organization and project “prepping”? I’d have to say that once you pass a level of intermediate designing, you start to understand time assessment and studying the clock. I’ll be very honest. Most of my projects don’t surpass a certain time frame for any condition unless it demands so. The average time for a promotional “club flyer” is roughly 35 to 45 minutes depending mostly on one thing: the provided content.

There are times I can have six to ten jobs per day, with upwards to ten; if it is a holiday event or peak season in my industry. This is the realm of my business for Grafix Kingz Media. I design club flyers, banners, business cards, cd covers, posters and web banners on a daily basis. Furthemore my business has changed, and now the work flow is even tighter. Motion graphics has emerged and that adds easily 30 minutes to any project. The time frame for which I work is extremely critical.

Being a business owner, I have commitments to my job, my clientele. However, moreimportanly my priority is managing my family duties around this. So I recommend stressing time management if you are starting a design career or already have one.

Here are 5 tips that can help you become a more efficient designer, with a faster workflow.

1. Study your client’s project and prepare files for design.
2. Create folders of high resolution images via Google, Bing, Pinterest, or Instagram that can be used for a variety of design.
3. Create design patterns and layouts that you live by. (I cannot explain how important this is).
4. Visualize your project outcome before you start and see the end product.
5. Before you say a project is “complete”, add 5 extra minutes to finalize and perfect to the best of your capabilities. (this can include color correction, adding filters, effects, shading.) Invest the extra time to show you took the time to ensure a quality job.