Do you have a creative flair and an eye for design? If so, you could start a graphic design side hustle and make money from home! In this blog post, we will discuss how to get started and what services you can offer as a graphic designer. Whether you’re looking for side hustles for interior designers, a remote graphic design job, or simply freelance graphic design jobs to work from home, you’ve come to the right place to learn! We will also provide tips on how to market your business and attract new clients for your graphic design side hustle. So, if you’re looking for a way to make some extra cash, read on!
Author and graphic designer, Sammy Travis of sammytravis.com, has a great portfolio of examples of what products and services you can offer as a graphic designer.
Note: If you’re more of a hands on craft person looking for a side hustle, check out my ultimate guide on how to start a resin business!
Table of Contents
What is Graphic Design?
Graphic design is the art of combining text and designs to portray and communicate ideas. Graphic designers are needed in every industry. This is ideal for anyone with a knack for art or digital media.
Is Graphic Design a Good Side Hustle?
Graphic design can be a great side hustle if you have experience in the design industry already. Whether that be in industrial design, animation, or even architectural design, a graphic design side hustle may be right up your alley. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, graphic designers made a median income of $53,380 in 2020. While this is the median full time income for a graphic designer, a graphic design side hustle can charge much more, some in the hundreds of dollars per hour!
8 Graphic Design Side Hustle Ideas
Having a graphic design side hustle doesn’t have to take one single shape or form! You can combine a variety of these graphic design job ideas or just choose one, it’s up to you!
Do Freelance Graphic Design Contracts
To get started with freelance graphic design contracts, you will need to create a portfolio of your work to beef up your freelance graphic designer resume. This will showcase your skills and help potential clients see what you can do. You can create a digital portfolio or a physical one. If you opt for a digital portfolio, some of the best freelance graphic design websites are Behance and Dribbble. You can also opt for your own website. If you would like to create a physical portfolio, you can print out your designs and put them in a binder or frame them.
Once you have created your portfolio, it’s time to start marketing your graphic design services. You can do this by creating social media accounts and posting your work, sending out promotional emails, or distributing flyers and business cards. You can also attend local events and meetups to network with potential clients.
If you’re not sure what services to offer, start by creating logos, business cards, or websites. Once you have a few projects under your belt, you can expand your offerings to include things like illustrations, infographics, or photo editing.
Do Freelance Consulting
One way you can make money with graphic design jobs is by offering your services as a freelance consultant. This involves working with clients on a project-by-project basis, usually remotely. To get started, you will need to create a portfolio of your work and list your services on freelancer websites or job boards.
You can also reach out to businesses and individuals directly to inquire about graphic design projects. When setting your rate, be sure to consider the scope of the project and your level of experience.
Once you’ve secured a few clients, be sure to deliver high-quality work on time and as agreed upon. This will help you build a good reputation as a reliable freelancer, which is essential for long-term success.
Graphic Design Projects for Friends or Family
Another option is to do small graphic design projects for friends or family members. This can be a great way to get started and build up your portfolio without any financial risk. Plus, you’ll likely get some good word-of-mouth referrals from happy customers!
Just be sure to set clear expectations from the start (e.g., timelines, deliverables, etc.) and put everything in writing to avoid any misunderstandings down the road.
Design and Sell WordPress Themes
If you’re familiar with WordPress, you could start designing and selling WordPress themes. This is a great way to make passive income, as once a theme is designed and sold, you don’t have to do any more work.
There are a few ways to go about this. First, you could create your own website and sell themes directly to customers. Alternatively, you could list your themes on popular WordPress theme marketplaces like ThemeForest.
Designing and selling WordPress themes is a great way to make passive income for graphic designers.
Sell Digital Products
Another option for a graphic design side hustle is to sell digital products, such as graphic design templates, eBooks, or courses. This is a great way to make money from home, as you can create the products once and then sell them over and over again. There are so many options when it comes to digital products, you will have to narrow down what you are the most interested in. Or if you’re up for the challenge, you can diversify your income streams and do more than one!
To get started, simply create your product (or have someone else do it for you on a platform such as Fiverr) and then list it for sale on your website or a marketplace like Etsy. Be sure to promote your products through social media and other graphic design marketing platforms to reach as many potential customers as possible.
Sammy has great examples of digital products including Canva templates and fonts.
Sell Art Prints
Another option is to sell art prints of your work. This can be a great way for graphic designers to make money on the side, as it’s a relatively passive income stream. Once you make your prints, you can put them on your online shop and start selling!
To get started, simply create some artwork that you think would make good prints and list them for sale on your website or a marketplace like Etsy. You can also promote your prints through social media and other marketing channels.
Sell T-shirts
If you’re a graphic designer looking for some extra cash, you could also start selling t-shirts with your designs. This is a great way to make money on the side and get exposure for your work. Selling t-shirts is a great creative outlet while also making some additional income from your t-shirt sales!
You could sell your t-shirts with your designs on them in the same way that you could sell your art prints. There are many different marketplace sites for you to choose from when deciding how you would like to set up your shop. Some platforms include Merch by Amazon and RedBubble.
Become an Instagram Influencer
Last but not least, you could also start becoming an Instagram influencer. This is a great way to show off your work and get exposure to new audiences. As an influencer, you can also make money from sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and product sales.
To get started, simply create a graphic design themed Instagram account and start posting your work. Be sure to use hashtags and tag relevant brands in your posts to get more exposure. Create a variety of posts such as carousels, static posts, videos, and Reels. You can also collaborate with other graphic designers, influencers, and businesses to cross-promote your work. Posting on Instagram is also a great way to build a customer base and kickstart your graphic design side hustle.
Start a Graphic Design Side Hustle – Summary
So there you have it! These are just a few ideas for how to make money as a graphic designer. If you’re creative and have an eye for design, then a graphic design side hustle could be perfect for you. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
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Sammy Travis is a graphic designer and digital creative. Sammy publishes design tutorials and insight weekly on her blog at sammytravis.com in addition to teaching fellow designers and illustrators on her website and Youtube channel.
