If you are a graphic designer, you may find yourself in a situation where you have some free time on your hands and would like to use that as a way to make extra income.

Looking to get a side hustle will also make you feel more secure about the future since you will not have to rely on just a single source of income.

As for those who have no idea where they should start, this article will do nicely as a reference point. Pick either of the ideas that you find the most interesting and start working on it as soon as you can.

Print on Demand

You do not have to set up the whole project from scratch on your own. There is plenty of already established print on demand stores that would welcome talented designers with open hands.

Of course, you can always try to develop a venture on your own by choosing print on demand partner – Printify. 

Spending some hours on setting your own store will not get you anywhere, though. This one takes a lot of work but if you do manage to pull through, you will be able to create a great passive source of income that will require only a few hours of work every week.

Selling Designs

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There are a lot of different market places on the internet where you can sell your designs. Some of the best examples of that would be Creative Market, EnvatoMarket, Inkd, and Society6.

Again, it may be tough at first because these platforms have plenty of designers who have already established themselves and have a lion’s share of the market. Nevertheless, if you are going to offer unique and creative designs, making money will not be a problem.

Writing a Blog

Blogging may not be something that you think of when talking about graphic design, but those who want to establish themselves in the industry and build a great portfolio ought to do everything they can.

A blog is a good way to advertise yourself. Social media and profiles on freelancing websites do that too, but why not show others that you can also provide value to other aspiring designers who would be eager to learn from your experience. 

Writing and growing a blog seems to be a natural step for those who are eagerly waiting for the next big chance in their career. And once you build a decent audience, you can look to monetize the blog with various methods as well.

Streaming Your Work

Platforms like Twitch TV, Mixer, and YouTube are wonderful for those who are not afraid to work in front of a camera live.

Quite a few designers already have successful careers as streamers and have a big number of followers and subscribers. The money comes from viewer donations, subscriptions. Running a crowdfunding page like Patreon is also an option. Finally, when you reach a certain point, various companies will approach you for their product or service promotion. 

Writing a Book

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Once you have acquired a certain amount of knowledge, writing a book is also something worth considering. 

These days, you do not have to deal with those annoying publishing agencies thanks to Amazon’s self-publishing program. And if you have some fans and followers on other platforms, advertising the book and making it sell should not be that big of a problem. 

Teach Online

Platforms like Udemy and Skillshare are perfect for those who would like to become a teacher. There is no need to stand in front of an audience and speak to them. No, things have changed and now you can create courses that people will buy with the intent to learn something new and useful. 

There is also an option to create video tutorials on YouTube. However, it is worth mentioning that YouTube is not that great when it comes to payment thanks to its new algorithm. In case you decide to go for it, you will have to rely on crowdfunding platforms to make a decent amount of money.

Various Freelancing Jobs

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You can always find all kinds of work on freelancing websites. Graphic designers happen to be one of the most in-demand professions at the moment. Logos, business cards, banners, social media posts, themes, and so on.

Starting will be tough since you will have to go up against designers who have already made a name for themselves and have a lot of positive reviews on their website. But then again, they have also started from zero. And if they have made it, so can you.

So there you have it. These ideas should be more than enough to get you started on that side hustle as a graphic designer. And keep in mind that when something does not work out, you can always move on to the next idea until you land on one that meets your expectations.