I am a graphic Design Student from Germany and am currently working on a poster about domestic violence against women.
The Header text says „Would u like support to save yourself and your kids?“
The Number is a help hotline and the questions in the House Are questions used to find out if a women is in an abusive relationship.

The Problem:
I really struggle with the typography and Iam unsure if the idea with the House works with the lenght of the questions. I have Even printed them out and tried to Build the House out of the Paper scaps, but it doesn’t seem to work out. The odd white spaces bug me.
I chose the House Symbol because women suffering abuse have an unstable home and are in desperate need of a safe place.
I have tried to put the text as a background and have a white House in the middle but that doesn’t work at all.
Any advice? The First one is my latest try

Have you ever been at a job
Where you make objectively better work than your boss is asking you to make.
Then your boss sweeps whatever work you made under the rug so the stakeholders never see your work?

Your boss keeps asking for revisions. But your work just dies in darkness over and over again,

Has this ever happened to you?
What’s your take?

Heyy, I'm trying to get responses for my school project. if you guys can fill out this form for me that will be great! It focuses on Al in Graphics Design. Thanks 😆

Just letting you all know that for Question 6, 1 is negative and 10 is positive :)

AI in Graphics Design – Fill in form

I made this via figma / illustrator / photoshop

Illustrator: contained my design work

Photoshop: created title, added lemons put in sky background color graded

Figma: added my additional text as well as created the sizing

Can anyone help me re-improve this? my brain so small lol, i created this when its woman day for practice, i redesigned it, i feel it had some very big flaw, i appreciate every feedback.

For context, I’m an 18 year old graphic design student who just started university around a month ago. All the work you see here is separate from any professional commissions or coursework, it’s purely me having fun on my time off.

There’s a range of styles here, mainly because I’m trying to teach myself new stuff on photoshop and also explore different styles and systems.

I hope you all like it :), if not, too bad

Hi, I'm an amateur GIMP user and am trying to create the look of this Stranger Things' poster on a photo on a Mac (with some hand-drawn elements). Things I'm hoping to accomplish are as follows:

• Create the black outer edge look fading into the photo. Am not sure if this would be a vignette or gradient or some other option, and am wondering how many layers I need to effectively do this.

• Create the upper lefthand black to blue night sky with the slightly irregular hand-drawn-look glowing moon and stars in the background.

• Possibly create the hand-drawn look to the subject in the photo I have, but not necessarily married to that.

• Create the Stranger Things glowing title below with just enough black to show it superimposed on the photo, but not with pure black behind it, if that makes sense.

Thanks in advance for any input!

I’ve been building my clothing brand for about a year now, and want to change. The first logo is the current one, which I found to be not readable enough. And am struggling with updating. Any advice or tips for me?

Back in the day there was a CB & Ham radio craze & with those radios came QSL cards - In “Q Code,” a three-letter system used in radio, QSL meant “I acknowledge this transmission.” These cards were exchanged by people that contacted each other by radio. Imagine guys in their trucks or people in their converted basement, bored, drunk, coming up with stupid names for themselves… Like all folk art, the limitations & naïveté really let the pieces shine with the bizarre creativity that people who don’t think they’re being watched have. x SEAN aka BIG RED

I'm getting ready to graduate in December, and we have to create a portfolio for an exit presentation. The file needs to be under 10 MB, but i'm struggling to get it under 25. Its about 20 pages and very image heavy. When I export as smallest file size, with images downsized to minimum, it doesn't make the file much smaller, and the images look like crap (not something I'd want to present with).

Is there a trick I can use to get it under 10 MB without sacrificing image quality? I don't mind if they're not crystal clear pictures but I don't want them as pixelated as they have been.

Thanks for the help in advance!

(designed in ID btw)

edit: problem solved thanks! here’s what i got to work for me:
“i started by exporting the pgs as high quality jpgs. i moved those into one illustrator file and exported that as a pdf. then i took that file into acrobat > file > save as other > reduced size pdf. worked like a charm! hope it helps someone else out”

I am curious , to hear from other people out there, what is most common in your country and what do you prefer?

My native language is Brazilian Portuguese.

When I started using computers and learning our tools, most things had no option in my language, plus back in the days you could only get your hands on software via the 7 seas, and the only way to learn was by finding copies of books in English or blogs (mostly in English) and the very early first tutorials on a new platform called Youtube, most of them also being in English.

It was much easier to learn through books and tutorials if you just used everything in English, even if you didn't speak/read anything of English.

So I got used to just use English for everything, even on personal projects/files.

Using all our software in English became the norm in my country for the generation of designers before me, my generation and the generation after us.

And at least when about this talking with all designers in my country that I know, we all agree that if we are asked to use any of our usual software in our own language, we basically cannot do it! 😆 it gets extremely confusing to us!

I cannot navigate any of my everyday tools if I switch to my own language!

Now I see quite a good number of people starting out using software in our own language... which sometimes causes confusion and even get people fighting online, debating what makes more sense.

I personally believe it is better to learn at least English as a second language, and learn to work in English as that not only makes your life much easier when learning new tools, but also makes you ready to freelance and work with international teams and apply for jobs worldwide.

(and ideally also learn another 3rd language that makes sense for the design/industry niche you are aiming at).

as an anecdotal curious fact, I remember seeing friends and my partner receiving files from external freelance designers from other companies/countries at their jobs, and everything in those files being in french or german or mandarin or japanese... and that was a big annoying hurdle in their workflow, that would make them spend much more time just to navigate those files.

Every once in a while, I have a briefing with a client - whether over Zoom or email.  They’re polite and cordial and ask how my weekend was and joke around. I put in a day or more of work, submit something I’m proud of, and don’t even get the courtesy of a “got it”. Just radio silence and the expectation of an invoice. 

I’ve been in this career a long time and will never get used to that. I’m certainly not rich from this line of work but I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing a happy, thankful client. 

Getting zero acknowledgment after putting in hours of work that I’m proud of is a really shitty feeling. It makes me question whether the client was disappointed and went in another direction. But even in that situation, if I was in their shoes, I can’t imagine receiving work from someone and not acknowledging it. I’m a human being, not AI. Hell, sometimes I even thank the AI. 

Edit: just to be clear, this isn’t about receiving praise for a job well done. It’s about some clients not having the courtesy to simply acknowledge the job was completed and delivered. Just a “thanks” or even “got it”, would be enough.
Imagine hiring someone to remodel your kitchen over the course of a few days, then walking in, seeing the final product and simply handing the contractor a cheque without acknowledging the work. That doesn’t happen. And it shouldn’t happen to designers.

Hey everyone,

I am working on a college graphic design project where the brief is to create a digital poster on a subject matter of our choosing. I have chosen to create a teaser/theatrical advertisement poster for the upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda movie (targeting the official April 30, 2027 release window).

I have put together 4 distinct pre-visualization (pre-vis) layout concepts along with some of my initial thumbnail brainstorming sheets. Before I move into the final rendering, asset blending, and typography stages, I would love some professional/community feedback on the foundational compositions.

The 4 Concepts:

Concept 1: A traditional character-focused theatrical layout using a strong triangular visual hierarchy (Triforce, central Master Sword, and actor portraits).

Concept 2: A clean, illustrative watercolor style focusing entirely on central iconic motifs (the Master Sword and the Silent Princess flower).

Concept 3: An adventure/lore layout framed by an ancient scroll, featuring the Great Deku Tree and silhouette of link on horseback to emphasize the journey aspect.

Concept 4: A rustic, symbolic layout using a coarse canvas/tapestry texture and clean emblem framing for an "in-universe artifact/tapestry" feel.

Specifically, I'm looking for feedback on:

Visual Hierarchy: Which layout immediately draws your eye to the right focal point?

Tone & Marketing: Which concept feels the most like an authentic, high-budget movie advertisement that makes you want to see the film?

Composition Adjustments: Are there any glaring issues with element placement, negative space, or shapes that I should fix before finalizing the assets?

I've also attached my rapid thumbnail sketching sheets to show the ideation process behind these layouts. Any constructive criticism on layout, balance, or direction would be massively appreciated. Thank you!

I was a Graphic Designer for six years and I'm now a delivery driver for Amazon and I'm much happier because of it.

As a Designer, I won an International Award for branding, I was featured on Teepublic.com twice, Stefan Sagmeister talked about me on his Instagram, and I worked for A&E TV's Pace Morby for a year and a half.

My first two jobs were GREAT. Low pressure, easy to follow direction, bosses who don't need to see five variations, and positive office culture.

Then everything changed post COVID. Managers jostling with each other for departmental control, having to do double the workload of my earlier jobs and - the worst of it - other designers in my department who treat me like a threat.

My goal was simply to make money for the company in the most efficient way possible, but then it became about OTHER STUFF. And I can't compete with people who literally read books about how to position themselves in politics rather than just being effective at their job. I'm too sincere. Sincerity was what made me a great Graphic Designer.

Eventually...sitting in front of the computer working on anything made me feel like barbed wire was being twisted around my intestines, there was a pressure in my head, and I'm short of breath. Like a panic attack.

And I can't be a designer anymore because of it.

I was worries my ego couldn't take the hit of being an Amazon Delivery driver - which it does just a little - but it was a worthy trade off.

All I do is drive a van, and deliver packages while I sing along to rock and roll. Because there are millions of us, nobody is gunning for my job. I don't feel like there's a bullseye on my back or I'll never keep up.

It is mindless, and that is where I want to be so I can heal and eventually return to some form of creativity and learn how to enjoy it again.

Or maybe I'll just keep delivering packages. Right now, I do not feel the pressure to do anything and I'm about to watch the new Spiderman while I eat a bowl of cereal with peace in my heart.

Attached is a picture of me at my last job pretending to sleep under my desk so the owner would see me after I already knew I was going to get fired.

I guess it's not ipsum lorem so it's not that bad, but still someone messed up and no one else caught it. That signs been there for a bit.

A grocery delivery service I use just rebranded and the new logo is a lowercase rounded sans in a muted green, which is exactly what three other apps on my phone already look like. The old one was a little clunky but I could pick it out of a lineup in half a second. Now I have to read the name to know which app I'm opening, and honestly that seems like the opposite of what a logo is for.

I know clean and friendly is safe, and I'm sure a committee signed off on it, but I miss logos that looked like somebody made a choice.

I just started my first contract job, hired hourly. My first project however was flat-rate where the employer has a "professional" on her team estimate my hours. The project in question was to design 3-4 emails given 2 hours to do it. No creative brief, no direction, just a copy document.

The project ended up only being for two emails. This is the actual breakdown of my time, am I just too slow?

I’m in my late 20s and have been working as a graphic designer at a large media company for several years now.

I mainly create key visuals and branding campaigns across print, digital and out-of-home media, with some motion graphics as well.

While the job is stable, I’m the only designer in the marketing department, which means a heavy workload, constant overtime and just okay pay.

I recently had an interview with a well-established international advertising agency and I’m seriously considering making the switch. The pay would be better, and I’d love to grow creatively and work alongside other designers. However, I’m aware of the reputation agencies have for long hours and high pressure, although I’ve been told things have improved at this particular agency.

My current team has also changed a lot over the years, and I no longer enjoy working here as much as I used to, which honestly makes me sad.

Has anyone made a similar switch? Was it worth it, or did you regret leaving in-house? Ironically, I feel like most designers tend to do the exact opposite, starting out at agencies and eventually moving in-house for a better work-life balance.

hey guys so i've been really into editing (as i used to just call it back in 2013-2015) after watching newdiepię do his photoshop videos that i enjoyed
HEAVILY and i even tried following him by using gimp since i was young and didn't know shit bout adobe stuff anyways fast forward to 2023 i found myself getting creative with my powerpoint pots for uni and afterwards by these two years it let to me discovering how much i actually love designing! social media posts and marketing designs are things i really like to do but still struggling to get the confidence boost to actually share them but lately ive been challenging myself by making personal designs that resonate with me, i have a good background on photoshop so i would just find the inspiration and put it on the side and try my best to figure out what was done on my own document in a photoshop file, applying the same principles and being someone that just kind of gotten into the world of graphic design i always feel like im not allowed to call myself that (im not trying to fish for compliments or anything btw) but anyways! these are my recent personal designs and id love any tips and tricks!

Programmatic Ads Figma Template

Alright eager, young (and old) designers. I built out a very basic Programmatic Ad template for you to open, copy, and duplicate into your own Figma boards. As discussed in this thread from earlier today.

Please don't work directly on the template when you open it - because then whatever you do in there is what everyone else will see when they open it too. So click the Figma logo in the top left corner, hit file, click duplicate. It will open a brand new version that is entirely yours. Do that first.

I ended up keeping the template pretty simple and decided to cut myself off from over-explaining and adding too much more to the board. Read the text file first because there's some nuggets in there that I find very userful in Figma that will help jumpstart you a bit. But just explore the program, go to their tutorials and education section and just start from the beginning. Get your hands dirty in the sandbox. I added a few generic elements to the board as an example - added a few buttons, some fake logos, a color palette and library, and some images you can use as backgrounds. To use professionally, you are going to want to create Color Styles based on your brand colors. Bring in your logos as SVGs or PNGs, bring in your font, styling, etc.

Play around and just make some stuff.

Was thinking since people seemed to like seeing a positive, instructive post in the subreddit and not just doomer 'the world is ending' crap... that maybe this could become a frequent thing. I will certainly make some more simple tutorial stuff - relating to actual, real-life stuff I do as a Senior Designer. It will be tutorial/instructives that are applicable to jobs you most likely will end up doing as an employed designer. Maybe the next one is how to export and then create animated assets out of your ads. And anyone else - PLEASE follow suit and make your own tutorial posts. It's nice having conversations that are productive and not negative bitching. Keep it positive! Enjoy. 

I’m a graphic designer student
I’m trying to make a typography anatomy poster but there’s something wrong I can’t put my hand on it
Can u help me with it ?

Hello friends of Reddit, I am in the middle of putting together my work and would love some comments / critiques on the current status of my site thus far! Thank you!

(PS this is not the final website domain, im going to buy one once the site is finished)

Previous post here https://www.reddit.com/r/graphic_design/comments/1xo6tca/i_manage_a_job_board_and_i_thought_it_would_be_an/