Can Virtual Assistants Earn from Graphics Design?

Before I tell a personal story, let me inform you that I am a graphics designer. I will create flyers, posters, a logo, social media marketing videos, images for your website, and so much more.

And now my story. When I ventured out in 2017 to try my hand at online work, I had zero interest in graphics design. I could use a smartphone app to crop, resize, or add color to my social media pictures, and that's all I knew about graphics design. For me, this was a preserve of a specially talented class of online workers who had gone ahead and taken multiple art courses.

I had no interest in anything to do with Adobe. I wanted to focus on writing — that's where my skills and future lay. At least that's what I perceived.

One day, I needed a book cover for an ebook I just finished writing. I could hire a skilled graphics designer or do it myself. I decided to try my hand at this other branch of creativity. Writing involves creativity, but a different set of imagination is needed to design a logo, banner, badge, flyer, poster, book cover, social media picture, etc.

I tried different art apps I could find on Google Play. I managed to single-handedly design a decent book cover. From then onwards, I decided I would be creating my social media and website stuff without hiring a professional designer.

I honed my design skills as years went by, and here I am now. For instance, I created the video below myself:

A Self-taught Virtual Assistant

I am, on the main, a self-taught virtual assistant, meaning I have learned -- and continue to learn -- most of my skills by myself. I watch lots of YouTube videos on a particular niche whenever I'm determined to learn something new.

I learned using Canva on YouTube. No course, no anything. Just me and YouTube. I became a graphics designer by watching what highly professional artists were doing or saying on YouTube. Remember that Julius Yego learned how to throw the javelin on YouTube.

I use Adobe tools, but let me confess that I love Canva more than any other graphics design platform. I have designed cool videos, social media marketing pictures, business cards, banners, and what have you.

I know the difference between a JPEG and a PNG picture. I know what dimensions a YouTube video should have and what dimensions are for an Instagram or Facebook video or image.

I know the advantages a vector-based image has over a non-scalable image. These are the basics of digital graphics design.

Virtual Assistant Graphics Designer

Anyway, I never knew I'd one day create or edit videos as part of my virtual assistance work, but that's exactly what I do for a living on top of other VA services. I have worked as a social media manager, creating images for Facebook, X, Twitter, and Instagram. I have designed podcast covers for a business. By the way, I created the logo below myself, even if it may be outside the world's top 1000 best logos.

This is a PNG version of a logo. It is also vector-based, meaning it will not turn blurred when its size is increased, as happens with unprofessionally done graphics.

I have lots of samples to show for those interested.

Should a Virtual Assistant Rely on One Source of Income?

A virtual assistant must never depend on one line of work. It's best to diversify sources of income so that when one source experiences a famine season, other sources will pay the bills. I'll always advise any serious Virtual Assistant to acquire as many skills as possible to be safe.