Here begins a new year and with that a new set of resolutions. While I try not to set very many for myself since they always seem to be forgotten within a few months, it has become a company wide goal of Zipline Interactive to keep up on our blogs. So here it goes!

I have been out of school for about nine months now and working for Zipline Interactive for just over seven. I guess time really does fly when you are having fun…at least most of the time. But there are a few things that the ‘real world’ has taught me since getting a crash course in reality that school failed to mention. So here are five things the ‘real world’ of design has taught me.

5. Dingbats have a purpose. So up until a few months ago I don’t think that I had ever know a use or even explored dingbats. But I have found them to come into great use for a couple of things. First coupons. Instead of searching for a scissor icon to use on your dashed line use dingbats. I can’t off the top of my head tell you what key or particular dingbat to use but I promise you will find one somewhere. And second, when looking for some great orientations they too can be found in dingbats. So make some friends with dingbats or wingdings because you never know what you might find or where they will come in use.

4. iStock is a great resource. Wish I would have know this in school. Not only does it have endless amounts of stock photography and vector images, but it can be a great inspiration or resource for your own designs. I find it is a great place to start when trying to create icons. I am not the best at just whipping out a random icon from within my head, but a few minutes on iStock and you have some great inspiration to leap from. Give it a browse one of these day…you never know what you might find!

3. Inspirations comes from everywhere, not just in your head. Take the time to get inspired and see what other people are doing out there. I felt like in school everything had to come from an original thought in my head or my miraculous ideas…wrong! Truth is there isn’t much out there that hasn’t been done before…but it might be putting a new spin on things that gives it your personal touch. I use books, websites, tv, and even grcery shopping to influence my designs each day. Make it a habit to take a few minutes every day to surf a design site and discover something new…you’ll be amazed at what it can do for you.

2. Not everything is going to be a portfolio piece. Yes when you start designing there is nowhere to go but up. You are new to programs and ideas and your work is constantly improving, but eventually you will learn that not everything you create is going to be the best piece ever or a piece that you want in your portfolio. The truth is most won’t. Which leads me to my final point…

1. “We are commercial artists, not fine artists.” My boss and mentor, Shawn, frequently reminds me of this on a daily basis. Being a new designer you want every new piece to be the best one yet and be beautiful. When it really comes down to it most of the time it isn’t going to matter much what you think or even what your boss or coworker thinks…it is what the client thinks. And most of the time you will find it’s not always beautiful, but it has to be functional. Take the time to learn what your client need are and design for them. If you get the chance as a student to intern, take it! There is so much to learn from working with clients and the sooner you jump in the sooner you will learn the tricks and truths of the real world of design.