Photoshop graphic design is one of the most profitable freelance careers that one can chose to undertake. It allows you to work your own hours from the comfort of your home and to set targets for the earnings that you desire. This is a good career for a person with a young family because they get time to bond with the children as they grow up while they work.

How to break into freelance Photoshop graphic design

Photoshop graphic design is one of the best investments that a designer can make in their graphics career. This allows you to edit images for use in other graphical work. Many graphic design jobs require a degree certificate; however, one can begin on a lower level if they are creative enough and grow from there.

The next agenda into breaking into the career would be to create a portfolio. This contains your profile with jobs that you have completed. Having a website with your own domain allows potential employers to view your work and gives you a better exposure and a sense of professionalism. Nevertheless, you can begin by creating a PowerPoint portfolio and saving it in PDF format for better viewing and easier downloading.

Who hires freelance Photoshop graphic designers?

Freelance Photoshop skills are highly demanded, not only in the corporate world, but also in schools and colleges. A proficient Photoshop designer will find work with advertising agencies, print shops, architectural and interior designs firms, museums and art galleries, as well as finding frequent freelance jobs online for various individual customers among many others. Research estimates that the demand for graphic design and photo shop will grow by about 10% between 2011 and 2016, making it a worthwhile career.

What to charge

Different designers charge different rates depending on the complexity of work and the level of expertise. Essentially, hourly rates range from $20 to $70. This is dependent on your expertise and work complexity; however, a beginner starts low and slowly increases the rates. If you are thinking of annual income, an average Photoshop designer earns approximately $40,000 - $70,000 annually. If you have regular clients seeking your freelance design services, then you can set a realistic hourly rate and grow that gradually.

Functions of a freelance Photoshop graphic designer

A Photoshop graphic designers job is to edit images and make them useful for illustrator, web design HTML print and other design jobs. This also helps you create breathtaking visual effects for various purposes.

Skills required in a Photoshop graphic designer

One requires graphic design and image editing skills to succeed in this career. The best place would be to get formal training in a college. Some people are naturally designers and have been able to self-train. Essentially one has to learn the various design softwares like the illustrator suite, Corel draw and learn color theory and basic drawing and drafting.

Equipment and software required by a freelance Photoshop graphic designer

Apart from a high-speed computer and a good internet connection, a graphic designer will need the Adobe Illustrator Suite. This has a number of applications that help in image editing, book design and editing, html designs among other functions. Currently there is Illustrator CS5 that has incredible functions and templates helpful to a new designer.

Where to look and apply for jobs

The best place to begin looking for Photoshop jobs is on the internet. Begin with a reputable site. Use your portfolio to show case your talent and tap into the wealth of online graphic design employment.