Starting a freelance web and graphic design career 20 years ago was a different ball game. Resources were scarce, and YouTube wasn’t even around to save us. Today, I want to share some of the YouTube videos I wish I had back then. These videos are focused on logo design for beginners and advanced users who use Adobe Illustrator daily. Let's dive into the self-learning journey and the valuable resources available now.
The Struggle of Self-Learning
Post-High School Challenges
After high school, finding a graphic design school or university course was a struggle. The early 2000s didn’t offer the plethora of online and offline resources we have today. It was a constant battle to find relevant information and learn new skills.
Developing a Self-Learning Path
Determined to pursue my passion, I developed a self-learning path. However, it wasn’t easy to learn everything, and the limited resources made it even more challenging. I had to rely on books, occasional workshops, and a lot of trial and error. Oh, how I wish YouTube had been around then. The good news is that by creating an effective self-learning strategy, you can gain valuable knowledge without sacrificing time for other important activities. In this blog post, I’ll share some tips for building an effective self-learning strategy so you can become a lifelong learner without having to put everything else on pause.
Build a Vocabulary: Self-learning can be made more effective by expanding your vocabulary. Incorporating new words and phrases into your conversations while keeping a dictionary handy is an excellent way to help you comprehend the material better, as well as refine your communication skills. Trust me, having a broad vocabulary can do wonders not just for understanding complex design terms, but also for impressing clients and colleagues. Plus, who doesn’t want to sound a bit more sophisticated?
Choose Tested Learning Methods: To ensure my self-learning journey is successful, I focused on tried and true methods. By leveraging resources that had worked for others who've come before me and avoiding courses without evidence of their efficacy, I optimized my learning experience in the quickest way possible. This meant sifting through numerous books and attending the occasional workshop that actually added value. It's all about finding what works and sticking with it.
Understand the Context of What You're Learning: Taking the time to understand why you're learning something and what context it holds is an essential part of building an effective self-learning strategy. I made sure to evaluate all sources, from entertainment snippets to infotainment pieces and even YouTube video clips, to gain a comprehensive understanding that I could build upon over time. Understanding the "why" behind the "what" can make all the difference.
Build Layered Knowledge: Learning systematically can be very effective. Build a structured foundation and add new layers. As I have learned, developing a comprehensive self-learning strategy can be extremely effective. My approach started with laying down the groundwork by focusing on building up essential knowledge and gradually adding new layers from there—enabling me to take my learning process to even greater depths of understanding. Think of it as constructing a multi-layered cake, where each layer adds to the overall flavor and experience.
Start with General Curiosity: My learning strategy starts with a general curiosity, which I then use to dig into more specific details. This helps me gain an in-depth understanding of the subject and encourages my dedication to self-improvement. Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it definitely nurtured my design skills! By allowing myself to explore various aspects of design, I stayed motivated and continually found new areas to improve upon.
Building an effective self-learning path isn’t a walk in the park, but with the right strategies, it can be incredibly rewarding. These tips helped me navigate the challenging terrain of self-learning in the early 2000s, and I hope they’ll guide you on your journey too.
The YouTube videos I Wish I Had
Here are some of my favorite and most useful YouTube videos focused on logo design. These videos are invaluable for beginners and average advanced users who use Adobe Illustrator daily.
Dansky
Dansky’s tutorials are perfect for beginners. His step-by-step approach makes learning Illustrator a breeze.
12 Advanced Logo Design Techniques
12 Logo Design Tools in Adobe Illustrator
Satori Graphics
Satori Graphics offers in-depth tutorials on various design techniques, making it ideal for those looking to enhance their skills.
7 Worst Logo Design Cliches to Avoid
Perfectly Match a Logo to a Font
Using Grids For Next-Level Logo Designs
Will Paterson
Will Paterson’s videos cover logo design from start to finish, providing practical insights and tips.
5 Mind Blowing Lodo Design Tips
The Futur
The Futur by Chris Do focuses on the business side of design, offering valuable advice on how to build a successful freelance career.
Logo Design Process with a Client
Adobe Illustrator and Vector Graphics
Introduction to Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is the go-to tool for logo design. It’s a vector graphics editor, which means it uses mathematical equations to create scalable graphics, unlike raster images in Photoshop.
Adobe illustrator for Beginners (4 hours course by Bring Your Own Laptop)
Advanced Logo Design Techniques
Illustrator offers a range of professional tools for logo design, including the Pen Tool, Shape Builder Tool, and Pathfinder Tool. These tools allow you to create precise and scalable logos.
Advanced Logo Design Techniques
Proportioned Logos and Grids
Using a grid to proportion your logo can make a significant difference. It ensures balance and harmony, although it’s not mandatory. The grid helps align elements and create a cohesive design.
Customizing Typography
Manipulating and customizing typography is crucial for creating a fully custom logo or logotype. Illustrator provides robust tools to adjust kerning, tracking, and other typographic elements. By the way, I applied this method for my Puglia Tips Logo re-design.
How to manipulate and customize typography for a logo design
Advanced Techniques
Animating Logos in After Effects
Animating a logo in Adobe After Effects can add a dynamic element to your presentations. Learn how to morph shapes and create engaging animations.
How to Morph Shapes - After effects tutorial
Modern Logo Design Process
From initial sketches to the final product, a modern logo design process involves several stages. This includes brainstorming, sketching, vectorizing, and refining the design.
The Modern Logo Design Process From Start To Finish
Conclusion
Sharing these YouTube resources and my professional experience aims to help beginners, starters, and graphic design logo lovers navigate the world of logo design. With the right tools and knowledge, the process becomes much more manageable. Remember, every expert was once a beginner, and the journey is just as important as the destination.