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Self Taught Designer Guide -

Free
💡DOING
SO YOU WANT TO BE A DESIGNER — BUT YOU’RE
IT ON YOUR OWN?
First of all — respect.
Choosing the self-taught path takes guts.
There’s no class attendance, no final exam…
Just you, your laptop, and that fire in your belly to create something epic.
But if you’re wondering —
“Where do I even start?”
Don’t worry. I got you.

🧩MATTER
PART 1: WHAT EVERY DESIGNER NEEDS TO LEARN — NO
YOUR FIELD
Let’s call this your creative core. These are the building blocks for any kind of
designer — fashion, graphic, interior, UX, product... anyone.

🎨 1. Design Fundamentals
Because design isn’t just making things “look nice.” It’s about solving problems
beautifully.
You need to learn:

Elements of design – line, shape, color, texture, space, form

Principles of design – balance, contrast, rhythm, emphasis, unity, proportion

Composition & layout – what makes a design flow and feel right

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 📚 Where to learn:
YouTube (The Futur, CharliMarieTV and so many more!)
Free courses on Coursera, Skillshare, or even Canva Design School

🌈 2. Color Theory & Psychology

Understanding how colors work together and how they make people feel is a
superpower.

Learn about color schemes (analogous, complementary, triadic)

Learn how color affects perception and emotion

🖌️ Pro tip: Use Adobe Color to experiment with palettes.

🔤 3. Typography Basics
Fonts have personalities. And if you pair the wrong ones, it’s like putting ketchup
on biryani. Learn:

Font types (serif, sans serif, script, display)

How to pair fonts

Line height, tracking, kerning — small things that make a huge difference

🧠 4. Visual Thinking + Problem Solving

Design is less about drawing well and more about thinking well.
Start breaking down real-world problems and redesigning them:

How would you reimagine a menu?

Can you make a better public sign?

How would you improve the usability of your favorite app?

🧰 5. Tools of the Trade

Every designer needs to be fluent in at least one creative software:

Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator / InDesign

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 Figma (especially if you’re into UX/UI)

Procreate (for illustrators)

Canva (for beginners or content creators)

Blender or SketchUp (for 3D/product/interior)

Start simple. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Master one tool before moving to the next.

🖼️ 6. Portfolio Building
This is your resume + personality + proof of skill, all rolled into one.

You need:

4–6 strong projects

Clear “before and after” visuals

A process: show how you think, not just what you made

Bonus: Put it on Behance, Notion, or your own mini website (Carrd is great for
this)

🌍 7. Storytelling + Communication
If you can’t explain your design, it loses half its power.

Learn how to:

Present your work

Talk about your “why”

Sell your ideas in a way people remember

🤝 8. Networking & Personal Branding

You don’t have to be an influencer, but you do need to be discoverable.
Start by:

Posting your work on LinkedIn, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter)

Following other designers

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 Reaching out for feedback or mentorship

Building your design voice

👗SHOULD
PART 2: WHAT SELF-TAUGHT FASHION DESIGNERS
LEARN
Now, let’s zoom in.

If your dream is to design clothes that move people — here’s what you need.

✂️ 1. Garment Construction Basics

You must understand how clothes are made.

Learn how to read and draft patterns

Practice stitching — manually or with a machine

Understand how darts, pleats, and seams work

Try draping on a mannequin if you can access one

📚 Learn from: YouTube channels like Zoe Hong, The Stitch Sisters, or books like
Patternmaking for Fashion Design (Helen Joseph Armstrong)

🧵 2. Textile Knowledge
Your designs are only as good as the fabric you choose.
You need to know:

Natural vs synthetic fibres

Drape, fall, structure, feel

What fabrics are good for what garments

Basic fabric treatments (dyeing, printing, etc.)

Take trips to fabric markets. Touch, feel, observe.

Learn from real materials — not just theory.

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 🧑‍🎨 3. Fashion Illustration & Flats
You don’t need to be a master artist — but you do need to communicate ideas.

Learn to sketch:

Fashion figures (croquis)

Garment details (pleats, ruffles, collars, etc.)

Technical flats — clean, scaled outlines used for sampling and production

📱 You can also use apps like Adobe Fresco, Sketchbook, or Procreate to sketch
digitally.

💻 4. CLO 3D / Digital Fashion

Optional, but powerful. Fashion is going digital.

CLO 3D helps you visualise and simulate garments before they’re made.

Huge bonus if you want to work with global brands or enter fashion tech.

🧠 5. Fashion History + Trend Research

Understand the “why” behind styles.

Know the greats (Chanel, McQueen, Margiela, Sabyasachi).

Track current and future trends using tools like:

WGSN (if you can get access)

Vogue Runway

Pinterest

Fashion forecasting blogs

📈 6. Understanding the Industry

Fashion is a business, not just an art.

Learn about:

Sampling & production

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 Costing and pricing

Sizing systems

Export vs local markets

How retail & e-commerce work

How to deal with clients, karigars, or manufacturers

💼 7. Building a Fashion Portfolio

This is different from a design portfolio.

Include:

A collection concept (moodboards, theme, story)

Research and fabric swatches

Sketches + final illustrations

Flats + technical sheets

Final styled looks (photoshoots or digital mockups)

You can use platforms like Issuu, Notion, or a simple website to host it.

📸 8. Show Your Work. Consistently.

Share your process.
Document your learning.

Even if it’s not perfect — it shows growth, effort, and passion.

You never know who’s watching.

💬 Final Words (from someone who’s walked the path):

Being self-taught is hard — but it’s also incredibly freeing.

No one’s going to spoon-feed you.

But no one can stop you either.

You’re building your career with your own hands, in your own style.

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 And that’s powerful.

Start with what you have.

Keep learning.
Keep showing up.

And keep creating.

You’ve got this. 💪✨

📝 Last bit before you leave -
A note from Aahna (me!):
Hey,
If you’ve made it this far — thank you.

I wrote this because I was you once.

Confused, curious, and constantly questioning if I was doing it “the right way.”
And here’s what I’ve learned:

There is no right way.

There’s only your way.
So whether you’re learning from YouTube at 2am or sketching in the margins of
your notebook during class —
It counts. It’s part of your journey.
Don’t wait for a classroom to validate you.

You’re already a designer — the world’s just waiting to see it.

With you always,

Aahna 💛

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