Where should a beginner begin?

  ● There are literally thousands of sources of information and help for a beginning graphic designer. Many of these provide great ideas for the non-professional through various forums and web sites operated by professionals who share their expertise.

  ● Knowing which to select can be overwhelming for the beginner and at times it is just a matter of chance that one will excite your interest and provide assistance at a level that matches your experience.

 ● but first, you should have a purpose for your project and an idea of how the finished work is to be presented and to whom (the audience).

 ● Visit the forums and web sites (Do a Google search for "Graphic Design" and look first through the top 10 or 20 listed. There are over a million!). Get some idea of software requirements, what books to read and what other designers are doing. Read the posts (questions and responses) in the various forums. You will gradually begin to put pieces of this information into a rough plan to follow. Don't despair. It takes a long time and lots of practice to turn out work that will excite you and your audiences. 

 ● Keep your design simple until you have gained more experience and confidence. It makes learning less frustrating and a lot easier.