How to Organize Graphic Design Files

Organize your graphic design files so you can more easily find them.

Graphic designers do not often create their works purely from scratch. Like creating a collage in real life, designers collect textures, patterns, custom brushes for their graphic editing programs plus any stock imagery they can get their hands on. You should organize these file into many folders if you want to make your graphic design workflow simpler and faster. Web designers should also organize their graphics for their websites into at least one directory separate from all other files.

Instructions

1. Create a folder on your computer dedicated to graphic design files. You can create this folder anywhere, but a few good places include your Windows desktop, under the folder for your username or in the "Documents" folder.

2. Add folders for each type of graphic resource under the main folder. Make folders for textures, patterns, stock photos and vectors, brushes and your odds and ends. Also create a folder for your work in progress and another one for finished work.

3. Create a directory called "img" or "images" for your website if you do Web design and front-end -- think HTML and CSS, graphic slicing and JavaScript -- development. Place all graphics used for the Web design in this directory. Add sub-directories if your website uses many files that you can easily categorize, such as sprites, icons, thumbnails, slider images and background images.

Tips & Warnings

• When it comes to graphic design files, become a hoarder. Find as many odds and ends as you can and save them.

• Keep track of any files that are not free to use or redistribute. You can keep these in a separate folder on your computer and copy and create a spreadsheet of file names and license agreements.

Resources

• SpoonGraphics Blog: Freebies