Reddit reviews Graphic Design

I am just going to say it out right: your portfolio is pretty awful. I'm not saying it to be an ass, but I feel it is something you need to hear. Taking a background image, throwing some Comic Sans on top, and adding a filter does not make for quality design. Let me ask you this: how long did it take you to put together each of those billboards/posters?

I feel that you've hit the point that a lot of aspiring designers hit some point. Photoshop is a tool and only a tool. Knowing how to use it is not enough to make quality work. Its like applying for a plumber job and saying "I know how to use a wrench." Well there is a lot more that goes into being a plumber than using a wrench.

That being said, I think you have a desire to become a better designer and that is the most important trait anyone needs in this field. I would highly recommend going back to school if possible, but I completely understand if money doesn't allow for it. You did mention that you received a "certificate" and not a degree, so I'm inclined to assume that you went a community college of some sorts? If possible see what kind of options you have as far as financial aid. There is no harm in sitting down and talking with an advisor.

If school is out of the question then I always recommend books. Personally, I love books. Two that come to mind are:

http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Graphic-Design-School/dp/0470466510/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=FRZXS10RRWDE&coliid=I28L555PEYQUH

http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Design-The-New-Basics/dp/1568987021/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=FRZXS10RRWDE&coliid=I30NDZDNI7972D

My challenge to you is to grab a pen and paper and look through the table of contents on Amazon (especially the second one). Then write down everything you know about each chapter of the book. This should give you a decent self-assessment of where you need to start.

Here's a little list of best-sellers on Amazon and a few from this thread:

• Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals
  
• Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
  
• The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition
  
• How to Draw: drawing and sketching objects and environments from your imagination
  
• Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products
  
• The Non-Designer's Design Book (3rd Edition)
  
• Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated: 125 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach through Design
  
• Envisioning Information
  
• Interaction of Color: 50th Anniversary Edition
  
• Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice
  
• Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills
  
• Design Basics (with CourseMate Printed Access Card)
  
• Graphic Design: The New Basics
  
• Style & Simplicity: An A to Z Guide to Living a More Beautiful Life
  
• The Color Scheme Bible: Inspirational Palettes for Designing Home Interiors
  
• The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life)
  
• Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming
  
• The Art of Looking Sideways
  

I will post some of my favorite books in a second for you as soon as my computer gets turned on. :)

Here are a couple of my favorites from my school "Hey, I actually like these.. I'm going to purchase them!" collection.

General Graphic Design:

Graphic Design: The New Basics

This publication does a great job of showing "relationships between formal elements of two-dimensional design such as point, line, plane, scale, hierarchy, layers, and transparency." If you are looking for a general overview on a lot of subjects within graphic design I think this is a great way to upgrade your vocabulary and general knowledge about graphic design.


Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field

I feel like this book really can help you improve your vocabulary and general knowledge of the graphic design world offering "primary texts from the most important historical and contemporary designthinkers." It's also nice that it offers a bit of history too, analyzing the early 1900s through today.


Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop

Great. Absolutely great publication for all designers showing effective use of the grid system and how to layout your compositions. "Effective layout is essential to communication and enables the end user to not only be drawn in with an innovative design but to digest information easily."


Typography: <3

30 Essential Typefaces for a Lifetime

I loooooove this book. It gives a bit of history and usage examples of 30 amazing typefaces you should know and love.


Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, and Students

Another great typography book. This publication was one of my favorites because, at the end of the day, I'm a visual person and this book has SO many visual examples to compliment it's copy it's beautiful. "This revised edition includes ... the latest information on style sheets for print and the web, the use of ornaments and captions, lining and non-lining numerals, the use of small caps and enlarged capitals, as well as information on captions, font licensing, mixing typefaces, and hand lettering."


Typographic Systems of Design

This is a very good resource for learning, as the title states, typographic systems. It "explores eight major structural frameworks beyond the gridincluding random, radial, modular, and bilateralsystems." Overall, I feel like this book helped me to improve my positioning and creative use of type in designs.

This is a great book

It's got everything as far as "the stuff that doesn't change" goes

That would explain it! I would recommend reading some design books. Your university probably has a good selection in the library. If you can get ahold of syllabuses for intro design classes, check out what books they use. I recommend Grid Systems to everyone. We also used Graphic Design: The New Basics in school, and this it's a really great intro to design. I don't really have any suggestions for Typography books, but maybe someone else could jump in with a recommendation?

A book not mentioned in that post would be Graphic Design: The New Basics - Ellen Lupton, Jennifer Cole Phillips.

I would recommend this book as a starting point. It's more like a collection of different design ideas with enough description to search further.

Also, I noticed color psychology was brought up. Be careful when reading into that, there is a lot of subjectivity in mainstream sources (like those infographics you sometimes see). Most research only points at the practicality of color psychology.

You should do yourself a favor and pick up a few books on the subject, something like this, and with your eye you'll be knocking out professional quality work in no time.