How to Teach Yourself Design: A Step‑by‑Step Self‑Study Blueprint

Designer Self‑Study Guide

I am not a design graduate, yet I secured a designer position. Wanting a career change without four years of school or a large budget, I taught myself design over six months while working, eventually landing a role at a great startup.

1. Learn to Observe

Beginners often jump straight into Photoshop, but mastering Photoshop alone won’t make you a designer. Start with basic drawing: practice simple sketches for about half an hour daily for a month, and study introductory design books such as Picture This and The Design of Everyday Things .

2. Master Photoshop and Illustrator

Begin with Illustrator for logos and icons, then move to Photoshop for broader visual work. Quality tutorials are available on sites like PSD Tuts, Web Design Tuts, and Treehouse.

3. Acquire Professional Skills

Explore different design domains—apps, websites, infographics—and focus on the one that interests you most. Recommended resources include Logo Design Love , Tapworthy , Don’t Make Me Think , and The Principles of Beautiful Web Design . Learning HTML/CSS can be a valuable plus.

4. Build a Portfolio

Create tangible projects such as T‑shirt designs, redesigns of unattractive websites, iPhone app concepts, competition entries, or pro‑bono work for non‑profits. Curate only your strongest pieces and draw inspiration from design showcases.

5. Land a Design Job

Engage with the design community, attend workshops, and collaborate with developers to strengthen your candidacy. After securing a role, continue learning through mentorship, online courses, and regular skill refinement.

Original source: Quora (translated and compiled).