The question “Can I learn it from scratch?” is definitely one of the most popular among those who want to switch careers, begin a new one after the university, or just learn something new. It is everywhere. The books, tutorials, and hundreds of courses promise fast and easy solutions but at the same time, false hopes, and many of us can get easily into this trap.

Of course, we’re talking here mainly about a designer’s career path, but it also relates to other industries, especially creative ones.

Let’s be straightforward in defining the topic.

TheRoom Dribbble Shot

It is not possible to become a designer from scratch, from literally nothing.

Nothing is zero.

And what is zero? It is both the beginning and the end — a complete absence of knowledge, will and desire to learn, absence of experience and ambitions.

In order to start a designer path, you should be already in the flow, follow trends and recent news, get art basics, or at least, be the person wishing for changes and improvements, both for your career and personal life.

Being a designer

In general, designer psychology is based on the crucial desire to improve everything around you, to move things to be more comfortable, to throw something out to have more free space and to rewrite to have a better understanding. Designers are perfectionists striving to create a flawless and ideal world with rationalism and balance at the core.

Even if you understand, this it is enough to be no longer “from scratch”. You are already capable to draw a line between the aesthetic needs and the natural imperfection of the world around you. When there is zero in the head, it is impossible to teach such a person, you need the desire to understand things, see the needs, improve them and, what’s most important, constantly learn throughout all your life, no matter what you will do in the future.

Different design approaches

Design is the ability to create a certain set of values: material, symbolic, cultural, and social. There can be two designers performing the same task, but with a different understanding of their role. Let’s say, they create a landing page for a new startup.

Designer A is going wild, using everything in trend, 3d images, complex animations, innovative grid and layouts. In short, Designer A is doing all he can to impress a client, make a statement, and create aesthetic value.

But Designer B chooses another path making the landing page simple yet functional that perfectly reaches its main goal — to advertise and sell.

Both approaches are correct, the final result is up to the client’s requirements. But it is almost impossible to teach people to think in such terms without any background, with zero in the head. Going to study design, you must think of yourself not as zero but as a person with a sharp mind, a person who is ready to learn, progress, and develop new skills. Learn how to be a designer, and how to live and work as a designer.