Graphic Designer Career

How to Become a Graphic Designer

Graphic designer career information. Learn how to become a graphic designer.

Graphic Designer Career Overview

Graphic designers develop and create graphic art to visually communicate information for publications, advertisements, product packaging, movies, signs and new media. A professionally designed product package, magazine, advertisement or brochure reflects the work of a graphic designer.

Graphic designers use a variety of powerful computer software programs to create their design projects. Some also use more traditional tools such as pencils and paints.

Graphic arts jobs may include working at graphic design companies, advertising agencies, multimedia development companies, companies in a variety of industries that are large enough to have their own, in-house advertising or communication departments, or self employment.

Graphic Designer Job Description

• Graphic designers use visual communication to create product and company identities.
• They create layouts, design elements and animated graphics using specialized computer software.
• Graphic designers choose color schemes, art, photographs, sound, and other design elements for their projects.
• They communicate with clients to determine what, exactly, the client needs and wants.
• They often work closely with copy writers to incorporate text into their designs.
• Taking specifics, such as target market, deadlines and budgets into account, graphic designers will prepare rough drafts of designs for client approval.
• Once a design is approved, the graphic designer will create and/or assemble the art required for the project. When all of the artwork is created, the graphic designer will use all of these elements to create a final product.
• Graphic designers may work alone, such as self employed designers who head small firms, or they may work with a team of designers, marketers, writers, illustrators and photographers. They may be generalists, working with a broad range of media and projects, or they may specialize in one aspect of design.

Skills and Knowledge Required

• Graphic designers must be have strong skills with a broad and constantly changing range of computer graphics and design software packages.
• People in a graphic designer career must have a thorough knowledge of design techniques and theory.
• They must have strong communication skills and be able to clearly explain and promote concepts to clients and work with a multidisciplinary team of professionals to complete projects.
• Strong critical thinking skills are required to identify strengths and weaknesses of various options and consider all factors when making choices for each project.
• Originality of thought is necessary for graphic designers must be able to come up with unique ideas.

Personality Traits

People who pursue a graphic designer career are typically artistic, enterprising and realistic. People who prefer artistic occupations typically enjoy working with designs and patterns and like tasks that that can be done without following a clear set of rules. People who are enterprising like jobs that require taking initiative and carrying out projects, leading staff and making decisions. People who are realistic enjoy jobs that require practical, hands on work.

Graphic Designer Career Opportunities and Earning Potential

According to the United States Bureau of Labor, employment growth in this field is expected to be average through to 2018. Growth in the areas of website design and animation are expected, while demand for graphic designers for print publications is expected to diminish. Expect to face strong competition for jobs in this field. ^{Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor}

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, annual wages for fashion designers ranged from approximately $26,000 to $76,000, with the median wage being approximately $43,000 in 2008. ^{Source: United States Bureau of Labor}

Education

To become a graphic designer, you typically require a university degree or college diploma in visual arts or graphic design to be competitive for entry level graphic design jobs. You will also need to put together a portfolio of your best work to show prospective employers.

Please see the article Graphic Art Schools for information on finding and applying to graphic arts schools.

For tips on how to complete your own research on art related jobs not featured here, or for tips on how to find graphic designer career information for countries not included here, please see the article Art Career - How to Research Art Careers