Graphic design presents a lucrative business opportunity that’s both enjoyable and pursuable as a hobby, with the potential to grow into a full-time job. Whether it’s crafting stunning business cards, developing eye-catching infographics, or creating the perfect logo for websites, there are numerous applications for graphic design in the market.
While the internet has made it easier for anyone to try their hand at graphic design, monetizing this skill can be challenging, especially for non-designers. To help you navigate this terrain, here are nine proven methods to make money with graphic design.
How to make money as a graphic designer
1. Creating And Selling Templates
Creating and selling templates or themes can be a lucrative way to monetize your graphic design skills. Templates are pre-built designs that include a set of matching elements. The key to successful template sales is to identify popular ideas that are in high demand.
One potential target market is people in need of professional designs for their blogs, websites, or personal projects. If you enjoy designing and can craft original templates, there is no reason you should not consider making them available for others to purchase. Doing so can attract potential clients, resulting in more job opportunities, not to mention a recurring income.
Additionally, offering both a “lite” and a “pro” version of the template can work as a scaling strategy. While you can offer the basic version for free, charging for the premium version can increase your revenue potential.
Get started on your journey as a successful graphic designer by leveraging the power of Canva, Etsy, and Fiverr.
🎨 Unleash your creativity with Canva‘s user-friendly design platform, and craft stunning templates that captivate your audience.
🌍 Expand your reach by opening a shop on Etsy, the go-to marketplace for unique and handmade goods. Showcase and sell your templates to a global community of buyers.
💼 Tap into the vast pool of clients on Fiverr, where you can offer your template design services and connect with businesses in need of professional graphic design solutions.
2. Graphic Design Consulting
Graphic design consultation is a highly profitable venture within the arts and graphic design industry, and it can be conducted either in person or online. The best part is that it is a low-cost business to start. By reaching out to local small businesses, real estate agents, and educational institutions, you can offer your services in creating visual marketing materials such as collateral, advertisements, brochures, invitations, and event posters.
Providing valuable results to your clients can earn you a good income without requiring significant investment on your part, resulting in a potential to earn a substantial income with their talent, making it an innovative and lucrative business idea.
3. Host Workshops Or Webinars
It is more likely than not that you have found a website through which someone was using their knowledge to help expand that of others, and used it as a learning tool to broaden your own knowledge base. We are willing to bet that this has happened to you quite a few times. When it comes to generating income, nothing is more effective than imparting your knowledge to a live audience.
Are you proficient in graphic design? Thanks to online learning, numerous students have the opportunity to learn remotely, while more individuals can enhance their knowledge and careers. In the graphic design industry, sharing your knowledge and skills with others is among the best and simplest methods to expand your audience while earning money for your efforts and skills.
For novice graphic designers, setting up a workshop or webinar is a straightforward approach to promoting themselves and their work. This will also serve as an ideal venue for learning more about your craft and identifying areas that still need improvement or refinement.
4. Leverage Freelancing Websites And Apps Strategically
The graphic design industry offers lucrative opportunities for earning a substantial income. Freelance websites and marketplaces including Fiverr, Freelancer, and People Per Hour, attract thousands of clients seeking professional graphic designers for project-based work.
With a vast pool of talented designers available, specializing in various aspects of the field, showcasing your templates can lead not just put your work in front of many eyes, but it can lead to some substantial commissions. These online platforms connect clients with designers worldwide, making it an excellent opportunity for graphic designers new to the freelancing realm to gain experience and establish themselves in the field. Mastering online freelancing sites is the easiest and quickest way to increase your exposure and achieve success as a graphic designer.
5. Sell Created Fonts
Building a font library is among the most effective ways to earn money through graphic design. This is due to the fact that once a font is created, others will seek to incorporate it into their designs and in many cases would be willing to compensate the designer who is offering it for sale.
Selling fonts online has been a distinctive and lucrative business model, and nowadays, more individuals are discovering its potential. The best part is to start selling your font, you do not need to be a professional graphic designer, just someone who is creative and ambitious enough to introduce a new font into existence.
Embark on a lucrative journey as a font creator by utilizing the powerful platforms of Creative Fabrica and Envato Market.
🖋️ Unleash your typography skills with Creative Fabrica, the ultimate marketplace for fonts and design assets. Join their community of font enthusiasts and start selling your beautifully crafted fonts to a global audience.
🌍 Expand your font empire by showcasing your creations on Envato Market. This leading digital marketplace connects you with a vast network of designers and businesses in search of unique and high-quality fonts.
6. Business Branding
Business branding is an essential component for any sized company, as it fosters trust in potential customers who will identify the company’s logo when they encounter it on products and services they see. This recognition persists even if the company outsources the product or service to a competitor. Moreover, effective branding not only promotes instant recognition but also serves as a form of advertising for businesses.
As a graphic designer, offering identity creation and logo design services to clients can establish you as a reliable source for business branding. This can lead to future design work opportunities for clients who recognize the value of your branding expertise.
7. Invest In Valuable Graphic Design Tools
Living in a fast-paced world means meeting deadlines and completing projects, which requires the use of tools (or software) that help to make the process of doing so as efficient as possible. The top graphic design tools are essential in maximizing productivity, saving time, and ensuring the efficacy of task completion.
While these tools come at a cost, they are worthwhile investments that pay for themselves by helping to build a thriving business, which is several levels beyond simply making a little extra money. By staying at the forefront of your field with the right tools, you can continue to grow your business and increase revenue. It’s no surprise that professional graphic designers are in high demand and command high rates. Starting a graphics design business can, therefore, be a lucrative opportunity to make money in this field.
8. Selling Printable Party Decorations
Utilizing your graphic design skills to sell printable party decorations online is an excellent avenue for generating additional income. These party decorations are typically characterized by vibrant colors, paper material, and take up only a page or two, making them highly accessible products for consumers to purchase from you.
Unleash your creativity and begin crafting stunning party decorations for various events such as birthdays, graduations, or any special occasion that can benefit from printed and shared materials. Additionally, you can offer your services to customers, assisting them in designing their own printable party decorations using a combination of free and licensed images. This presents yet another fantastic opportunity to generate income online using graphic designer skills.
Transform your creativity into profit by selling printable party decorations through the dynamic combination of Etsy and Printful.
🌍 Open your Etsy shop and tap into a vast marketplace where party planners and individuals seeking unique decorations gather. Showcase your designs and reach a global audience of potential customers.
🖨️ Seamlessly integrate with Printful, a leading print-on-demand platform, to handle the printing and shipping of your printable party decorations. Focus on creating while Printful takes care of fulfilling orders and delivering products to your customers.
💰 Monetize your artistic flair and entrepreneurial spirit. Start selling your printable party decorations on Etsy and let Printful handle the logistics, ensuring your creations reach customers around the world.
9. Designing Social Media Graphics And Highlight Covers
Social media is an excellent starting point for aspiring graphic designers, with social media cover designs being among its most popular niches. Those with a keen eye for design and some level of skill with Photoshop, can enter and make good money by serving this popular need.
Each social media platform has unique features that allow users to express themselves in different ways. To attract website traffic, potential clients will require you to design Facebook covers, as well as Instagram and Twitter headers. To create a standout design, factors such as colors, fonts, and images will need to be considered, along with how to combine them in a way that maximizes their impact.
Unleash your creative prowess in designing captivating social media graphics and highlight covers using the dynamic duo of Canva and Fiverr.
🎨 Tap into the limitless possibilities of Canva‘s intuitive design platform. Create eye-catching social media graphics and highlight covers that resonate with your target audience, reflecting their unique style and brand.
🌍 Join Fiverr, a thriving platform connecting businesses with talented designers like yourself. Showcase your expertise in social media graphics and highlight covers, attracting clients looking for professional and visually stunning designs.
How much does a graphic designer earn?
The typical hourly wage for graphic designers is $17.67. The most accomplished graphic designers tend to focus on specific areas such as print design, corporate identity, web design, or packaging. Those who possess advanced computer-aided design (CAD) skills generally earn higher salaries than those who only possess design skills. The maximum annual income for a graphic designer is $48,000, or $23.00 per hour.
What can a graphic designer who does not want to do client work do to make money?
If you want to earn money as a graphic designer, the optimal approach is to start by taking on client projects. However, if your goal is to create a portfolio showcasing your design skills, there are a few alternatives. One option is to work on personal projects and leverage them as examples of your abilities to entice potential clients. These projects can involve designing websites, logos, brochures, books, eBooks, posters, and other assets that can be sold or used as templates for companies seeking in-house design solutions.
How can a beginner artist start making money?
As a beginner, it’s important to focus on mastering the fundamentals of design and art. The more you learn about drawing, the easier it will be to monetize your skills. However, it’s important to be realistic about the timeline for making a living from your drawings. Take the time to figure out what kind of graphics you enjoy creating, what projects you are most passionate about, and how to monetize them effectively.
One potential avenue for making money online is by starting your own T-Shirt business, particularly if you have both artistic talent and technical know-how. Additionally, you could also explore the option of uploading your images to Stock Images to earn money from licensing.
What is the timetable for becoming a freelance graphic designer?
To become a freelance graphic designer, one must undergo a lengthy and time-consuming process that typically spans around two years, provided one works on it consistently. This involves creating a portfolio showcasing their work, discussing design concepts, demonstrating graphic skills, and completing an extensive apprenticeship period under the guidance of an experienced designer.
What is the relationship between graphic design and digital marketing?
Graphic design is an essential element of digital marketing as it involves creative art that communicates and influences people. Advertisements are a vital tool for companies to attract potential customers, and they invest heavily in them. The primary aim of ads is to establish an emotional connection with the target audience, making them remember the company’s products.
In the realm of digital marketing, the use of graphic design techniques can help capture the attention of website visitors, provide them with valuable information about your business, and persuade them to make a purchase.
Final Thoughts
In summary, the graphic design stands out as a lucrative option for freelancers in the digital space. As the demand for affordable designers continues to rise, opportunities to create logos, websites, banners, and other designs become ever more abundant. Moreover, effective graphic design plays a pivotal role in marketing and selling products or services.
Communicating with consumers visually shapes the brand’s identity and influences customer perception. If you possess exceptional artistic abilities and can craft attractive designs, you could potentially generate a steady stream of income.
We congratulate you for reading thus far and are thrilled to hear that you have found our compilation of 9 proven ways to make money with your graphic design skills useful. With the knowledge you have gained, we hope you will feel empowered to put your creative talents to work and explore the various opportunities available to you in the graphic design industry.
Whether you are looking to freelance, start your own design business, or join a design agency, there are plenty of avenues to explore to turn your passion for design into a lucrative graphic design career.
Remember, success in any field takes time, dedication, and hard work, but with the right mindset and tools, you can turn your graphic design skills into a profitable venture. So, go ahead and take the first step towards your financial freedom and start making money with your graphic design skills today!
If you’re a graphic designer looking to start a business with a limited budget, our next article is perfect for you! We’ll share a curated list of businesses that you can start with $10k or less, which could complement your graphic design skills. So, if you’re curious about exploring other business opportunities, don’t miss out on this valuable information. Keep reading for more inspiration!
Frequently asked questions:
how to get into graphic design as a hobby?
To get into graphic design as a hobby, start by learning the basics of design software such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign. You can find tutorials and courses online to develop your skills. Practice designing for fun, create a portfolio, and share your work with others to get feedback and improve your skills.
how to build graphic design portfolio without clients?
To build a graphic design portfolio without clients, you can start by working on personal projects or redesigning existing designs. You can also create mock designs for hypothetical clients or offer your design services to non-profit organizations or local businesses.
can graphic designers design clothes?
Yes, graphic designers can design clothes. While they may not have experience with garment construction, they can create designs for prints, patterns, and logos that can be applied to clothing items. Many fashion brands collaborate with graphic designers to create unique designs for their clothing lines.