How Do I Get My Design Published?

A design like this could be published in a tattoo flash magazine.

Design publishing is a huge industry with rules that vary according to the kind of design you are creating. For example digital illustration can be published in an editing software tutorial magazine, while complex industrial designs would be published in trade magazines.

Instructions

1. Identify your market by asking some key questions. What kind of designs are you making? Are they illustrations for video games, drawing for tattoos, plans for industrial objects or tools? Does your work appeal to multiple markets? How does it compare to other people's work in the market?

2. Look for trade magazines, book publishing companies and websites that publish your style of work. See if you are competitive compared to the work being published. Is your work as attractive/useful/well-designed?

3. Find the submission guidelines for your preferred publications. Don't put all your hopes in just one. Publishing is an industry, and you should be prepared for rejections.

4. Optimize your work to the submission guidelines. Submit your work exactly as asked, with a tutorial, introduction, background information or whatever else is required. Make sure the design is publishable, i.e., perfect as is with no need for editing or "fixing."

5. Submit your work to as many companies as possible and don't lose hope or enthusiasm. Publishing is a tough industry to enter and one that takes time. However, if you only receive rejections, consider examining your work to make sure it is competitive in your target market and rework your submissions. Ask other designers for advice or join a niche forum to learn how to optimize your skills and submissions as well as to find out what markets are buying designs.