What setup do I need as a freelance graphic designer?
I don't have a lot of money to work with and I have a computer now, but it doesn't have a lot of power. What can you suggest for a person on a budget looking to do more freelance graphic design as far as computer, scanner, tablet, etc. What does one really need? I have been working on a PC. Part two, is it possible to do good graphic design using a laptop computer? I share a room with my baby and computer and would like to be able to have a portable computer if he's sleeping and I need to work, but I also want to be successful. If a laptop doesn't produce good quality work than I want what will do the best job. Ideas? I have Adobe CS and the software I need, just seeking advice on computer/etc, what's needed as a freelancer :o)
Programming & Design - 4 Answers
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1 :
I reccomend Corell and Photoshop, Also a wacom pad, its alot better than a tablet PC because it is pressure sensitive and it is easier to draw with.
2 :
its really depends on your skills, if ur a starting freelance, paint might be a start, then u continue in the chain, final destination is prob. photoshop. as of hardware, unless ur going to make big pictures, u dont need much hardware power. its possible to use laptop to do graphic design, of course, depends on its hardware.
3 :
a good design comes from the head, not the hardware. its easy to get stuck up on what equiptment you have, but its more important the process you put into. a top of the range computer with the best graphic card and proccessor is still just a box if you've no ideas to put into it. Start small and use what you have - the success that this brings allows you to upgrade to better and bigger . I work on my laptop and its handy having my projetcs portable. A wacom tablet is definately worth its weight in gold.- a small intous for example - 2nd -can be affordable way to start out.
4 :
If your stuck on a laptop, try to limit yourself to projects for screen display only; simple logos and web design stuff, graphics for video maybe. Eventually, you'll need a decent calibrated monitor. Without it, you will have difficulty getting anything to print the way it appeared on your screen. Thats what callibration, color correction and display profiles are all about. Until you can afford a good system, monitor, and display calibrator, try to avoid jobs for print like 4 color (CYMK) posters. You would probably be ok with simple flyers or news letters though. Personally, I prefer the Corel Draw Suite but most pros are proficient in Photoshop at a minimum and usually one or more other programs. As soon as you can afford to do so, buy a Mac. Macs are still a dominant force in the field of graphic design. You need to become proficient on both PC & Mac because eventually you will be asked to pick up where someone else left off and the files will probably be in whatever format you're not familiar with. The biggest problem you'll have with a laptop is that the graphics cards are not usually very well accellerated. That where the desktop usually shines. You might be considerably better off on an old Mac dual G4 1Ghz than on a new cheap PC laptop. Second laptop issue will be system ram. You should probably have 500megs. You will have trouble doing any hi resolution graphics with less
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