I started my career as a designer when I had sufficient experience in website and application development. Being a designer has always been my dream. I was fascinated by the very process of choosing colors, pictures and fonts. I looked with envy at the work of my fellow designers. Discuss button layout, layer layout, padding, and how navigation works. All this was my dream and fear at the same time. Fear to start.
Then I started trying to draw websites. For hours I sat and stared at a blank page in Photoshop. From where to start? What colors to choose? What idea to show? Do I even have an idea? What if it's wrong? What if I don’t know anything, I don’t understand and ... and ... and ...?
Sometimes it was possible to let go and just draw. Far from trends - just from my heart. And to be honest, when I review my works, I find them quite suitable.
Then there was the fear of showing their work and hearing feedback. But curiosity was a good help here 🙂 In addition to my main project, I decided to try freelance. I registered on some freelance service and posted a couple of my works. But still, development was my priority then.
Further dive completely into the design, as they say, forced life. Then I just decided it was time. It was time to follow your dream. Full of determination, I made myself a designer portfolio on Behance and declared for the first time that I am a Designer. Needless to say, my first customer found me soon 🙂
The first time it was scary to communicate with the client about the requirements, looked for an idea and drew the first draft. References to other works, articles and hundred online courses helped me - Google knows everything. And we made two websites. I say WE because I have the best clients who can inspire and guide me to the right direction.
And then things moved. I was no longer afraid to show my works to anyone.
Well, almost 🙂
So what I realized. If you want to get a good result, you need to spend time. Sit, think. Maybe not even a day or two. And there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes a fresh thought comes from nowhere. Previously, it seemed to me that you just need to snap your fingers and everything will work out, and if it doesn’t work right away, then it’s not for you. But it's not true. Design, like any other job, is a process. And this process can consist of successful and unsuccessful decisions.
The most effective way to do it, is to do it.
In addition to design, I dreamed and by the way still dream of being an illustrator. I had no professional education in drawing. I started to draw very simple drawings. It was important for me to put my hand. I started posting all my works on Instagram account, specially creating it for this. I drew funny faces, noses, hands, animals, etc., etc. Oh yes, putting such unprofessional things on public display was also scary 🙂
I have been running this account since 2016. It's all my way. Not a single person has ever criticized my posts. I was surprised that even the drawings that I don’t like at all or the simplest ones get likes and positive comments.
That it is important not to sit and think, but to try and do. From tiny to small. Gradually step by step. Move. And maybe crawl first. And then everything will come. And clients, and favorite work, and vocation and respect. And most importantly, the fear of being criticized, misunderstood, ridiculed, etc. goes away. Any work brings results.
So never give up and just do it 🙂
