How to become a graphic designer without a degree

Then do some digging on the software applications graphic designers use. Many of the most commonly used programs are:

• Adobe InDesign

• Photoshop

• Adobe Illustrator

• Adobe XD

• Figma

• Sketch

Look at examples of graphic design work created with these programs.

Next, and this is absolutely crucial, buy some graphic design software and watch tutorials on how to use them.

At this point, you could also seek out a graphic design certificate program to sign up to. These programs will not only train you on industry software but also present the opportunity to complete projects that you can then use to start building out your graphic design portfolio.

Whether or not you do a graphic design certificate program, you must start to use some of these software applications to complete personal or low-level contract projects. This is the only way to build a portfolio of work that can propel your career in graphic design.

Once you have enough projects in your portfolio, you can either seek out a low-level graphic design job or apply for an internship. The decision here falls on how much experience you've gained thus far and how impressive your graphic design portfolio is.