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Accomplish August 14, 2018
Learning a skill I never knew I needed.
Before ENTITY, I had never even edited my own Instagram photos, so I was terrified to try Adobe Photoshop. When I discovered I had to work with InDesign as well, I experienced a mix of excitement and dread. I wondered if it was possible to master these foreign concepts.
Turns out, it was more than possible! Furthermore, these tools are a huge advantage. I can transform my blog into a work of art, have a more competitive edge in the workforce and modify visual media to my liking.
Adobe Photoshop allows users to create and modify digital images. If your field encounters web design at any point, this application is essential. The user can use Photoshop as a way to advance their creative ventures or expand their resume skills.
While learning Photoshop, I personally loved exploring color schemes. The idea that each color had a “hex code” was fascinating. If you want the background for multiple projects to look blue, you can’t choose a random blue color for each background. To look truly professional, set your background to a hex code. This ensures that this shade of blue is the same across all projects.
While we used Photoshop to edit images, InDesign was used to create templates. If you’re involved in any business at all, InDesign is a must-have. It allows users to create any business template necessary. Every time you need flyers, brochures, newsletters or presentation slides, InDesign’s got you.
ENTITY mentees didn’t create any flyers or brochures, but we did create our own style templates. I came up with a color scheme using hex codes from Adobecolor and utilized images on Pixabay.com to create a style mood board.
This style guide was the start to forming our own personal brands. From these guides, we devised our own resumes and business cards. Some people might not necessarily see graphic design and writing as complementary, but these were documents I needed to move forward in my writing career. No matter the job, personal branding can only help.
Everyone has goals to accomplish. Personal branding allows people to effectively communicate these goals to their target audience. It also allows someone to display an image in a visually pleasing and public space.
With personal branding, anyone can master their own destiny. For instance, skincare inspires me. So I’ve resolved to set up social media accounts and a blog revolving around skin wellness. I hope to review products, research different minerals and provide recommendations. With this online presence, I can use personal branding to take this interest and display it as part of my identity.
Starting a personal brand is difficult. While coming up with my brand’s values, I questioned what others might like to see. Some parts of my brand reflect my interests, like my blog on skincare. Other parts fit well with my brand’s aesthetic, portraying elegance and professionalism. How you build your brand is up to you, but graphic design is essential to the process. Thanks to graphic design, my blog’s color scheme, fonts and overall style have an elegant, refined edge.
Who knew that writers had to wear different hats? I never thought graphic design was necessary for writing, but skills in graphic design and photo editing give my articles an extra wow factor. Pictures, designs, moving images and video clips attract our collective attention in a way that text is unable to.
My skills in Adobe differentiate me. Not only can I write a stand-out article, but I can also attract an audience. Understanding how to manipulate the English language now seems useless if I don’t pair it with captivating graphics.
Adobe will no longer be an app on my computer that I downloaded out of curiosity. I am determined to become a master of graphic design, and I know future me will thank me for it.
