ditto... After more experience, you'll get better and more confident.
But, this is a very competitive field and there are thousands of people in this field who never end up getting a job in it. If you have something else you'd be better at, maybe go that route. You'd get paid a lot better in a different field too :P

I have over 5+ years experience with a college degree, and I have been unemployed since December. I JUST started a new job on Tuesday!!! So it's a tough field to be in. Not to dissuade you because it's a great job if you find the right agency/studio, but basically it's tough to get in.

Good luck!

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"The name's Bond, James Bond."

www.onegirlcreative.com

I think you just need to remember that Graphic Design isn't "Art" per se. You need to take the creative brief and follow that; not create something necessarily "different" or "original".

A lot of designers have a hard time in the work world because they can't come to terms with this, and they rail against the directions they are given in order to "be creative".

The best creativity can happen with limitations. Consider now your time to learn this lesson and I'm sure your grades will improve. As you get more experience, you'll get some duds and some awesome projects that let you stretch your wings, but for the most part expect a lot of production art work; stuff that doesn't necessarily challenge you.

Learn the rules first, then break em, I say.

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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"

Thank you for your insight and advices. I guess for now i'll just try to get as much experience as i can and as Natobasso said, "learn the rules first, then break 'em".

As for me, i love design and i just can't think of anything else i'd do, and i understand perfectly that this is a very competitive industry. I guess it's because of the competitions that i worry sometimes. well, once again thanks everyone.

Graphic Design is a broad term. What aspect do you enjoy most? Illustration? Print? Web?
I focused on what I love i.e. Print, and learned as much as a could on my own. Only now am I starting to get in to the web side of design.

Find what you love and specialise.
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www.jhousedesign.com
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Your feelings of inadequacy are somewhat normal. I seldom see a graphic design concept in my mind's eye all the way through to completion. That's because when you are being paid for a job, the client has a say in what the final looks like. They aren't paying me to develop my concept like I see it, they are paying me to develop a piece to advertise their product/service in the most effective way.

As others have mentioned, take this time while you're in school to determine where your interests lie and specialize.

As for art, I do that too. My fine art (again, a subjective term) is large, Warholesque screen prints on handmade paper. Something I'm passionate about and enjoy doing.

It's my goal to one day combine the two. To be hired to design a fine art piece (or series of pieces) for use in a product/identity promotion. Much like Ralph Steadman does for all of the beer labels for Flying Dog Brewery. Google it. Good stuff.

As an aside, I'll share this, since it's related: A couple years back, I designed a rather ambitious design campaign for a national brand to launch a line of jewelry in a national retail chain. The design was quite different and we "tweaked" it until they were happy, but the final looked NOTHING like the original concept. Later that year, I reported that this campaign won a national design award and the client wanted to post this info on their web site and asked me to provide all the info about the award that their advert had won. What an honor, right?

To their dismay, it was the ORIGINAL concept piece that I had entered and took the prize with. Not the final that was displayed in their stores.

Yeah... I still chuckle about that one. :)

Terry Thornhill

e-zign Design Group

I absolutely agree with Nat. Often its even better to do 'less' design and just focus on following the rules of typography and keeping things neat.

I wasn't sure if I was cut out to be a designer until I read this book which was so thin (You can read it in a day) and really clearly outlined all the rules of typography. I still keep it as a reference. Once I started playing with type by the rules, I started getting lots of positive feedback on my work.

Its called "The Mac is Not a Typewriter" and they have used ones starting at $5 on Amazon.

God luck. I think if you work hard and keep your mind open life will present you options that fit.

-T

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The future is now.
Blog
Design Portfolio

Hey Jhouse, in terms of which part of design i'd have to say one of it is the conceptualization process as it is amazing how far you can develop an idea. Otherwise i actually love a whole lot of other thing including prints, illustrations, photography, packaging, 3D and paperstock choosing. Well maybe it's because i love so many of these that i find it hard to focus on one? I currently find it esier to decide what i dislike in design.

Thornysarus, i've heard a lot of stories and in fact experienced firsthand from a freelance job once about how we are often restricted by our clients. Your stories very helpful too in inspiring my currently uninspired mind, hahahaha. Actually i share the same "goal" as you to be able to combine both, a masterpiece and utilise it as a design. And i agree with nat that your stories are great! and maybe you should write a blog.

I also agree with krunkpony there, i was actually taught that by a relative who is also working in the design industry. He told me not to overdo things and that "trying too hard" isn't necessarily a good thing. That is because for sometime i was "trying too hard" to impress my lecturer (which didn't turn out so well).

Once again i'd like to thank everyone for your replies, they've been really helpful for me.