How to Learn Graphic Design (The Right Way)

Hello Designers,

One of the biggest hurdles in learning graphic design isn’t what to design—it’s knowing how to approach design. A lot of beginners get stuck because they focus on making something look “cool” rather than understanding the reasoning behind it.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just throwing colors, fonts, and images together without truly knowing why, this is for you. The fastest way to improve as a designer is to learn how to “read” design, not just look at it.

The problem? Most people don’t practice reading design. They focus on execution—choosing a font, playing with colors, adjusting layouts—but never truly stop to analyze why certain design choices work. When you train yourself to break down existing designs, you start designing with intention instead of instinct. That’s when you level up.

1. Learning to Read Design, Not Just Look at It

For a long time, my only goal was to make something that looked good. That was my entire design process—no deep thought, no structured approach. Just “How can I make this cool?”

That mindset works for a while, but eventually, it plateaus your growth because design isn’t just about making things look nice—it’s about communicating visually in a way that resonates with an audience.

When I started reading design, everything changed. Instead of just admiring a poster or logo, I would ask:

• Who was this designed for?

• What was the message, and how was it communicated visually?

• Why were specific colors, fonts, and layouts used?

• Would the design still work if one element was changed?

At first, I wasn’t always right in my interpretations, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that I was training my brain to think critically about design—and over time, this improved my ability to create designs that were not only visually strong but also purposeful.

This skill is what separates beginners from professionals.

2. Breaking Down an Example: Random MJ Dunk Design

To show you how this works, let’s analyze this design of Michael Jordan dunking:

At first glance, it’s a clean, stylish sports design. But when you take a moment to really read it, you start to see the design theory behind it. I’d first ask myself.. what purpose did this design serve and if I had to place a one liner, what would it be? Was the artist trying to “capture the dunk”?

Possible theory,

• Black-and-white treatment: The original photo was likely in color, but turning it black and white strengthens the polaroid effect. It instantly makes the photo feel classic, nostalgic—almost like a memory frozen in time.

• Layering polaroids: The artist likely ran into a composition problem—the hoop and dunk weren’t naturally fitting inside the frame. Instead of cropping or resizing, they intentionally cut off MJ’s head, adding tension and interaction between the two polaroids.

• Taped edges: The tape elements ground the floating images, reinforcing the idea that these are old polaroids stuck onto a background rather floating on a canvas. Maybe even taking inspiration from a scrap book.

• The red backdrop: This is a critical design choice. The vibrant red adds contrast and draws attention to the dunk. But imagine if the background were a different color—would it still have the same impact?

Now, let’s push the thought further.

What if the background wasn’t a solid red but instead a blurred stadium crowd? That change could reinforce the idea of capturing the moment from a fan’s perspective, making the design feel even more immersive. Possibly then taking the reactions on peoples face mid air and drawing more emphasis on the moment - by cutting the face reactions and purposefully making them bigger.

The original designer didn’t do that, but that’s not the point. The point is learning to analyze, interpret, and explore alternate possibilities.

This is how you train yourself to see design beyond just aesthetics.

3. Practical Ways to Train Your Eye for Design

If you want to improve faster, you have to make design analysis a habit. Here are a few exercises to help you develop this skill:

Exercise #1: Reverse Engineer a Design

• Pick a random design (album cover, website, poster, packaging).

• Write down/thinking about why you think the designer made each decision—color, font choice, layout, imagery.

• Ask yourself: What would happen if I changed one of these elements? Would the message still work?

Exercise #2: Recreate With a Twist

• Take a design you love and recreate it—but change one aspect.

• Maybe you swap out the typography, shift the layout, or alter the composition.

• The goal is to see how a small change affects the overall impact of the design.

Exercise #3: Write About a Design You Like

• Look at a design and describe it in 3-4 sentences as if you were explaining it to someone who’s never seen it before but has to imagine it.

• This forces you to think about design elements rather than just reacting to them.

4. How This Helps You Improve Faster

Once you start analyzing designs this way, you’ll notice your own work improving without even trying.

• You’ll start catching small details you didn’t before.

• Your compositions will feel more intentional.

• You’ll instinctively know what’s missing in your designs before someone points it out.

This process also makes you a better communicator. When you can articulate why a design works (or doesn’t), you’re not just improving your skills—you’re developing the ability to explain design decisions to clients, teammates, and even yourself.

5. Taking It One Step Further: Stealing Like a Designer

“Stealing” in design doesn’t mean copying—it means understanding the thinking behind a design and applying it in a new way.

Going back to the MJ dunk example, I could take that same thought process and build an entire design concept around the idea of "Capturing the Moment."

• Maybe every design I create under this concept features layered, overlapping imagery to reinforce movement.

• Maybe I experiment with textures that evoke nostalgia, like grainy film overlays.

• Maybe I use handwritten typography to make the designs feel more personal, like someone jotting down a memory.

By breaking down one design, I now have an entire creative direction that can be applied to future projects.

Final Thought: Why This Matters

A lot of designers stay stuck because they don’t analyze, interpret, or question the work they see. They execute, but they don’t think.

If you want to break past the beginner phase, start looking at design differently. Stop just scrolling past a cool design—study it, question it, and challenge yourself to find ways to improve upon it.

This is how you level up.

Want to Speed Up the Process?

If you’re serious about learning design the right way, my Everything Pack is packed with tools, guides, and resources to help you build better projects, refine your style, and master the fundamentals.

Let’s make your next project your best one yet.

Until next time,
Seso