How to become a freelance graphic designer

Sometimes called a "graphic artist", "infographist" or "graphic designer", this specialist in packaging, publishing, advertising and brand logos is involved in designing every object in our daily lives.

Everyday consumer goods, food packaging, advertising, posters, newspapers, magazines, road signs, etc., are all examples of his daily work. His job is to communicate visually by putting information, an idea or a concept into images. He must speak to his target audience, convey a message and trigger an action.

More and more companies are turning to freelance graphic designers to carry out their projects. This enables them to find the ideal professional for each assignment, and achieve the best possible results. This is also leading to a specialization of the profession, as in the case of web designers, who specialize in online graphics.

Want to set up your own business and become a freelance graphic designer? Follow the guide!

What training do you need to become a graphic designer?

No specific diploma is required to become a graphic designer. However, it is important to have certain skills that will help you gain the trust of your prospects.

Among the most reputed training courses to become a graphic designer, we can highlight :

• BTS in Graphic Design, Visual Expression, Visual Communication or Multimedia (provided you choose options related to graphic design - Bac+2 level)
• DMA in graphic arts (illustration or typography option)
• DNAT (Diplôme national d'art et technique) or Licence Professionnelle Arts (Bac+3)
• DSAA (Diplôme supérieur d'arts appliqués) Art et Technique de la communication or Créateur Concepteur (Bac+4)
• DNSEP (Diplôme national supérieur d'expression plastique), Master of Science and Technology (Bac+5)
• University courses specializing in graphic design (Bac+5)

The main aim of our training courses is to teach you how to use drawing techniques and graphics software.

How do you choose your legal status?

There are several legal forms you can use to become a freelance graphic designer:

• EIRL (Entreprise individuelle à responsabilité limitée). As the name suggests, the entrepreneur is only liable for the amount of capital he or she has contributed to the company. His or her personal assets are protected in the event of bad business, and cannot be used to recover any debts.
• EURL (Entreprise universelle à responsabilité limitée). It offers the same advantages as the EIRL, but its manager is considered a self-employed worker. They benefit from a specific social protection scheme, which is less effective than that of salaried employees.
• The SASU (Société par actions simplifiée unipersonnelle) is particularly flexible. Its day-to-day operation is set out in the articles of association. The Chairman of the SASU is covered by the general social security system.
• Micro-entrepreneur status is particularly easy to set up, manage and wind up. Your social security contributions are calculated on the basis of your gross sales. This is capped at €176,200 for sales and purchases, and €72,500 for services.

If you want to set up a company and bring in one or more partners, we recommend :

• La SARL SARL (limited liability company): Run by a day-to-day manager and an annual general meeting attended by all partners, the company requires at least 2 partners and a minimum share capital of €1. Partners' liability is limited to the amount of their capital contributions to the company. Administrative formalities are simplified, and you can choose your tax regime.
• SAS: A minimum share capital of €1 is required, and at least two partners are needed to set up a company. An SAS is managed by a Chairman, who may be a natural or legal person. It therefore has a solid Internet organization and simplified governance.

What are the main costs involved?

Before you get started, it's essential to take into account a number of costs. The purchase of your computer and graphics software are your main investments.

It will also be necessary to create a corporate presentation, a website and professional pages on dedicated directories to make yourself known.

Anticipate advertising and marketing expenditure to offer your services properly and convince your partners.

Where can you do freelance work?

Freelance graphic designers need a calm, inspiring working environment. As a young entrepreneur, you need to opt for a simple, inexpensive and truly effective solution.

The ideal alternative is to use the services ofa domiciliation company. It enables every entrepreneur to choose his or her head office from a wide range of prestigious and prestigious addresses. In this way, you can convey an image of seriousness, making it easier to win the trust of all your business partners and prospects.

Domiciliation companies simplify life for the self-employed by offering essential day-to-day services: daily mail management, switchboard, administrative and legal assistance, meeting room hire, etc.

This is the ideal alternative to the manager's personal home, or to renting business premises. With SeDomicilier, you can obtain your domiciliation certificate in less than 5 minutes, in a 100% online process. What's more, all your services are then available in a personalized, secure virtual office!