Answer: Where to start learning for a career in design

One of the most practical and applicable (i.e. able to teach yourself and begin finding paid work) design fields you'll be able to get into is Web Design, and I would suggest this for a number of reasons:

• low barrier to entry
• massive number of free guides and tutorials online. Examples:
  • http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/
  • http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles...
• entire sites dedicated to great design examples:
  • http://www.awwwards.com/
  • http://www.cssdesignawards.com/
  • http://www.thefwa.com
• large number of applications once you are competent (mobile app design, interactive design etc.)
• greater acceptance of being self taught

Depending on your willingness to learn some coding so that you can implement the designs (so, for instance, you can take a small contract to design and build a friend's website), you may have an even easier time finding some work to start with, though it not necessarily a requirement.

Either way, I would suggest before getting into Web specific design tutorials like the above you search out and understand the basics of design, so that you have a strong foundation to build upon. With that I mean Composition, Color Theory, etc. Some links to get started with:

• http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/de...  (a number of entries in a series that should help)
• http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/ar...

I would also suggest trying to find an accepting community that you can learn from. Showcasing your work as you go to receive feedback and suggestions will speed up your growth tremendously (be prepared, though, as there are those in the design community that will be dismissive of someone 'uneducated'. Don't pay them too much mind though, you'll be their boss one day).

I'll close off here with a couple choice quotes:

Every designers’ dirty little secret is that they copy other designers’ work. They see work they like, and they imitate it. Rather cheekily, they call this inspiration.
— Aaron Russell

If design isn’t profitable, then it’s art.
— Henrik Fiskar

Good design is good business.
— Thomas J. Watson Jr.

Cheers to your design learning!