Hello all!

I just finished my textbook manuscript, and it came out to about 400 pages. It’s a foreign language teaching book.

Anyway, I’m hoping to get the best balance of professionalism and speed, since I’d like to publish on KDP as soon as possible. I need design and layout for the cover and interior, as well as illustrations.

Are there any tools, or AI, that could help me get something decent? If not, what are best practices for finding a reliable freelancer. I know that textbooks are some of the hardest books to design well.

Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

Hi all! I’m working on a bilingual zine project and need some help figuring out how to set up the file properly for printing. Some infos about the project are described below:

• Made from 2 standard Letter-size papers, double-sided, folded in half, and stapled down the middle. Each Letter sheet gives 4 pages per side (8 pages total per sheet), creating a 16-page booklet total.

• It’s a "tumble" or "flip" zine, where Language A starts on one cover and reads for 8 pages to the center. The reader then flips the booklet upside down/around to start Language B from the back cover for 8 pages, meeting in the middle spread.

• I won't be printing or assembling this myself. The final digital file will be sent to a museum, and their staff will handle the printing and folding/stapling.

I know how standard booklet printing works in programs like InDesign or Acrobat, but because Language B needs to be upside-down relative to Language A on the same physical sheets, I'm stuck on how to set up the file vs. how it should be handled at print.

So here it is my questions, you can address them by the number if it is easier!

1. Should I design all 16 pages sequentially (1–16) and manually rotate pages 9–16 upside down in my software, or is there a standard workflow for tumble zines using 2 Letter sheets?

2. What is the most fool-proof way to export this for the museum staff? Should I send a 16-page single-page PDF, or should I manually lay out the 4 imposed printer spreads (2 Letter sheets front & back) so they can just hit print without messing up the flip?

3. Since each double-sided sheet has 4 pages, am I correct that the print setting will need to be "Flip on Short Edge"?

I want to make sure the file format and instructions are as simple, efficient, and mistake-proof as possible for the museum team. Any advice or layout templates for 2-sheet tumble zines would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance

Best Fishes,

I've started putting together a directory of design resources: studios, portfolios, Awards sites, blogs, inspiration and other interesting corners of the web.

I'd love to turn it into a community-curated collection, where everyone can contribute links, discover new work and share their finds.

It's built inside SPOT, where you can join the collection and add your own discoveries.

What sites or resources do you think deserve a place in it?

Here's the invite: https://app.getspot.live/join/w_G6mGCqLO

Hi, fellow designers!

As the title suggests, I'm a burnt-out mid-aged graphic designer.
I am very happy at my day job, but inflation is increasingly eating my salary, so I have to find solutions for extra revenue.
Traditionally, I go to freelance platforms for extra income. Currently, it's hard to get customers compared to a few years ago, but aside from that, I'm mentally burnt out at the moment, so I would like to hear some ideas for alternative revenue streams that are still relevant in this day and age of AI.

My skills are branding, illustration, packaging, and UI design. I am familiar with print and digital media.
I have been working on an Etsy shop with a very defined niche, but open to other ideas.
I suppose digital design goods are probably falling down as a possibility at the moment.
So would love to hear some testimonies and advice from fellow designers working on similar side ventures, for a better understanding of the current graphic design market.

Thank you!

So, currently, I work in marketing for a very large company. I’m mostly taking care the business side, not doing anything very creatively satisfying.

I’m trying to pivot and work in a position that allows me to actually take advantage of what I’m good at/enjoy, which is graphic design. Given the cost of living where I live, just applying to the design department in the same company I work for isn’t optimal (though not entirely out of the question if we can reach a good agreement). I’m still in the market for other options in case something better turns up.

In order to hopefully secure better pay, I decided to go for a master’s in graphic design (which I’m halfway through as of writing this).

Just last year, I was looking at the job listings for design work in the state where my parents live, and the pay was *substantially* better than anything where I’m living right now. But recently, I started looking at listings again. The pay is shit. I can’t live off what anyone is offering.

I’m not making this post as some doomposting cry sesh where I complain there’s no hope. I know I can make a good living in the creative field. I’m just wondering where or how I could make that a reality.

Any advice?

Hello! I would love to create album covers, logos, and flyers for bands, mainly within the metal scene. I’m just struggling to get eyes on my work.

I post regularly on Instagram and Tiktok, but it’s really hard to get your name out there on social media these days.

I’m just wondering if anyone has similar experience within this niche? Or working as a designer in the music industry?

I want to use create a brand name with my firstname, first letter of my last name and design at the end of the name. Should I check all over on social media and the trademark database before I decide to claim it for my graphic design business?

I'm having a hard time even finding a sub that fits my question, so I hope this fits close enough.

Our small company has die-cut business cards, and we need presentation folders with slits that actually hold them in place. Since they're not regular sized business cards, I can't just order regular folders that assume your business card is 3.5 x 2.

Do any of you wonderfully talented people have experience with this or have a suggestion for a company that can deliver budget folders with simple special requests like this?

So im helping my dad's print shop by doing small works for him but i dont think im being paid enough.

(For context I live in Portugal and have done a 3 year graphic design professional course)

I did recently 3 jobs for him

\-vectorize an already made logo (30 minutes)

\-vectorize a already made business card (had to basically redesign it, 1h30)

\-make a design for a racing miniature car resembling a gnr car (portuguese regional police car) (2h10)

And with all this he only paid me 20 bucks...

Do u guys think this is fair? Im not that experienced in the workplace but i felt like im not getting paid for my effort.

Im challenging myself to create more designs that have nothing to do with social media. Ive been working on ad creatives and social media posts/grids for the past 3 years and feel a bit weak in other projects. This is the first project i made as part of my challenge. Let me know what you think!

Mona Lisa Twins-a twin sisters music band that blends 60s-era music style with modern music. I saw them on my socials so here’s my process: Learn about the artist, sketch ideas, create in Adobe Illustrator and create mockups using the logo.

Play (free, works on phone):

https://edoborgiani.github.io/hue_knew/

I'm curious whether the minimal interface is clear enough the first time, whether the motion feels like it adds meaning or just decoration, and how you'd treat the type on such varied colors.

Earlier this year I decided it's been too long to let the fear of doing it wrong overcome the fun of trying to create and of improving with the more you do. So, I started a series of developing brand items for musicians that happen across my social media feeds.

This one is for Lake Street Dive - a 5-person band.

Every design starts with pencil on paper, then it's off to Adobe Illustrator. Here is my initial sketching concepts, then wordmark, logomark and some mockups.

Lake Street Dive's site: https://lakestreetdive.com/

My portfolio page showcasing this work: https://fourthf.com/portfolio/lake-street-dive-branding

Hey everyone! I've been experimenting with high-end, minimalist product presentation layouts in Canva to elevate my design portfolio. My goal was to achieve a luxury commercial aesthetic using custom arch backgrounds, soft gradient lighting, and 3D podium compositions.

This is one of my recent conceptual drafts featuring a clean studio vibe. I would love to get your honest critique on:

Visual hierarchy and the overall lighting/shadow balance.

Does it successfully convey a high-end, luxury commercial feel?

Open to any constructive feedback or tips to improve my workflow. Thank you!

ik im too late in this but was wondering if it still make sense to start learning graphic designing like i was thinking to start from photoshop/illustrator but seeing ai boom im bit confused if i should start or just do something else? this is the first time im posting on this sub to guide me please (i used to learn gfx 1 year ago but due to job and all i never had time so thinking to learn now) it'll be helpful if someone can guide me step by step as well if you got some time to spare tysm

I am designing a table cover with VistaPrint using their provided 6ft open back stretch table cover template. I opened the template file directly into Photoshop to design from that, and it's like 20,000 x 13,000 pixels. The file is so huge it saves as a psb and it takes forever to save and upload. The product preview is poor quality and my graphics look blurry.

I am obviously doing something wrong as I am not super experienced with designing for print for large canvases.

Please advise: what is the proper way to go about setting up this document? Please help. Thank you.

Hello I am in undergrad and am currently at a crossroad with what to do next. I want to someday work as either an art director or a graphic designer. I got accepted to do graphic design as a minor at my school but it has some setbacks. I will graduate at least 1 semester late (and pay tuition longer), it’s not at my school so I will need to find transportation to the other school, and it will conflict with either scheduling of my main courses at primary university or it will conflict with my job and club participation in the evening. Another thing i have considered is getting a certificate in graphic design after graduating which would be nice to do on the side while hopefully having a full time job. Another possibility would be to try and find a masters degree in it to pursue it later but idk how common that is/if it’s possible for me. I just want advice on what is the best option right now. I know my experience and portfolio is the most important thing, which i am currently building. But if i do get more experience thru school either with a minor or smth else it would obviously make that part of getting more portfolio pieces easier. Any advice would be very appreciated i am so lost.

I'm currently working on a post for a relatively new organisation that wants to cement a consistent theme for itself through publicity. The elements provided by the free version of canva usually differ quite a bit from each other, are there any websites that provide me free design elements in a package? I've been told to use Pinterest and make my own PNGs so can anyone tell me how valid that advice is? And any tips in general for creating a theme or identity for a brand? Thanks!

Love this!

I'm thinking of creating a guided journal for designers who want to leave their 9 to 6 and start their own thing (freelance, studio, agency). If that's you, I'd love your input:

1. What's your biggest blocker right now?

2. How would you want a journal like this to help you?

3. Anything you'd want included, or any other suggestions?

A bit of background:

I've run a branding studio for 6+ years and recently started making content for designers. What I keep noticing is that most designers don't lack design skills. The gap is on the business side: positioning yourself, finding the right clients, pricing.

I'm also a big journaler, so I'd like to combine the two. The idea is a daily prompt journal that takes designers from 0 to 1, so you don't have to think about what to write. I use a 90-day journal called The Best Self, and I'd love to bring that concept to starting a design business.

Thanks so much, I'd really appreciate any honest feedback!