"If I Knew Then What I Know Now"

Design Discussions on Students and Schools on the core77 website gives advice to current design students.

The discussion gives advice to students just starting out. It asks designers who have been out of school for a while to to share what they have learned and to explain their own, "If I knew then what I know now" story.

1. Spend a good amount of time in the studio, so much of what you learn in design classes is from other students. However seek inspiration else where.

2. Sketch more. Sketching allows you to uncover your ideas, and the more accuratly you can do this the more effective designer you can become.

3. Focus on the quality of your concepts, and not just the quality of your computer skills. Instead of spending too many hours in the lab trying to create the perfect effects, make sure that your concept is refined and a simpler more efficent solution will work.

4. Intern - You will gain experience that you are not able to recieve in the class room, you get hands on and a real idea of what working in the industry is like.

5. Enter Competitions - you are competing against other students, allows you to make contacts, create work for your portfolio.

6. Communication skills - take presenting seriously and focus on what you can learn from it. Being able to communicate will allows you to explain you ideas better and what you are thinking and allows people a greater understanding of your work.

http://boards.core77.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1543

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