How to become A Graphic Designer

Design is thinking made visual to inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. Graphic Designers use a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda, philosophy to develop the overall layout and production design for advertisements, product packaging, computer games, magazines, and corporate reports.

• Graphic Artist
• Communication Designer

What do Graphic Designers do?

A Graphic Designer would typically need to:

• Combine art and technology to communicate novel concepts through images and the layout of websites and printed pages
• Specialize in a particular category or type of client
• Meet with clients, the art director, account manager to determine the scope of a project
• Advise clients on strategies to reach a particular audience by developing design briefs that suit the client’s purpose
• Estimate the time required to complete a job and provide quotes for clients
• Use innovation to redefine a design brief with time and cost constraints
• Commission illustrators and photographers
• Work with text, images and a range of media, including computer-aided design (CAD)
• Demonstrate illustrative skills with rough sketches while working on layouts ready for print
• Review designs for errors and proofread to produce accurate and high-quality work
• Present finalized ideas and concepts to clients or account managers
• Keep up to date with emerging technology to remain competitive

Although many Graphic Designers work independently, those who work for specialized Graphic Design firms collaborate with colleagues or work with clients on projects. Graphic Designers generally work in studios, where they have access to drafting tables, computers, and the software necessary to create their designs.

Travel within the working day to meet clients may be required. Working away from home is rare. Graphic Designers enjoy the prerogative of dressing down at work. A dress code appropriate to the context would help.

Graphic Designers’ schedules can vary depending on workload and deadlines. Those who are self-employed may need to adjust their workday to meet with clients in the evenings or on weekends. They may spend some of their time looking for new projects or competing with other designers for contracts.

Working hours are typically 37 hours a week, usually with some flexibility around start and finish times. You'll likely have to work extra hours when deadlines are approaching, including working into the early hours to get a job finished.

The majority of vacancies are found in agencies specializing in advertising design, including identity and event branding or corporate communication. Registering with a specialist design recruitment agency may prove beneficial.

Graphic Designers are generally employed by:

• Publishers
• Design Groups
• Magazines
• Multimedia Companies
• Local Government
• Computer Games Companies
• Educational Establishments
• Television
• The Packaging Industry

Joining a Graphic Design organization can open up a new outlet for networking to increase your client-base, contact list, and lists of potential collaborators. Being a member of a design organization can also give you access to events, research options, competitions, courses to keep skills up to date.

• Oversaturation of the industry, crowdsourcing & outsourcing, in addition to freelancers on the rise
• Time management in sync with creativity, having a holistic perspective, being unique, multi-skilled, and staying hungry for other design disciplines
• Cultivating human experience and encouraging new talent to aspire to greatness
• Finding the right clients
• Maintaining personal interaction while sitting down and working at the computer for extended periods

Pre-entry internship or placement experience is beneficial, especially if you have a reference who can recommend you and provide evidence of what you have done. Internships provide aspiring Graphic Designers an opportunity to experience the design process from concept to completion, in some cases while completing a design program.

Some job offers may be based on the standard of portfolio work and not on educational qualifications. Most academic programs provide students with the opportunity to build a professional portfolio of their designs. Having your portfolio assessed while at university can be helpful as it will give you the chance to talk confidently about your work at job interviews.

The International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) offers a student assessment scheme. The most valuable work experience comes from involvement in a live project and any experience that allows you to practice your presentation skills.

Students interested in Graphic Design should look for basic art and design courses even while at school. A bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design or a related field is the norm for entry-level positions. Aspirants with a bachelor’s degree in another field may pursue technical training in Graphic Design to meet most hiring qualifications.

Postsecondary colleges, universities, and independent institutes with visual art and design programs offer a good grounding and knowledge of design, art history, and printing techniques. Courses in writing, marketing, business are useful in helping designers work effectively in project teams.

Many bachelor’s degree programs require students to complete a year of basic art and design courses before being admitted to a formal degree program. Some schools require applicants to submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.

Graphic Designers must keep up with new and updated computer graphics and design software, either on their own or through formal software training programs. Certification programs are generally available through software product vendors. Certification in Graphic Design software demonstrates a desired level of competence and may provide a jobseeker with a competitive advantage.

Large design partnerships offer promotion from Graphic Designer to management positions, such as Studio Manager or Creative Director. In general, career development depends on frequent job movement to widen your experience and develop your portfolio. You will have to think strategically about career moves and consider the development opportunities within each role. Developing a reputation, networking, and making contacts are important.

Progression from junior Graphic Designer is possible within two to three years, with the first few jobs acting as stepping stones. Experienced Graphic Designers may advance to Chief Designer, Art Director, amongst other supervisory positions.

It is possible to become self-employed within five to 10 years of your first job if you've built a good reputation. Gaining chartered status with the CSD can help with career progression as it shows you're working at a specific professional level.

Some Graphic Designers may specialize in the field of experiential Graphic Design. They work with architects, industrial designers, landscape architects, interior designers, to create interactive design environments, such as museum exhibitions, public art exhibits, and retail spaces. Others become postsecondary teachers and teach in design schools, colleges, and universities.

Graphic Designers may face intense competition for available positions to which many talented individuals are attracted. Prospects will be better for applicants who keep up with the latest design trends, technologies, and techniques

Progress without formal training is tough; the vast majority of Graphic Designers have higher qualifications. Most learning is on the job, except for formal training in industry-specific software. As a Graphic Designer, you'll need to be skilled in using various packages such as InDesign, QuarkXPress, Illustrator, Acrobat, and Dreamweaver.

Some employers will fund training; you will likely learn new skills to meet the demands of a particular project. You will learn throughout your career as you keep up to date with advances in graphic technology. Membership of professional bodies like the Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) and ISTD y provide access to useful resources, advice, and training.

Graphic Design programs may include courses in 3D design, communication design, film/television, fine art, Graphic Design, illustration, photography, and visual art.

Tips for Speculative Approaches

It is common to make speculative applications, either for internship positions or junior designer roles. Tips for making speculative approaches include: matching your portfolio to the design agency, creating a useful website and business card, making sure any images you send are clear, not pixelated, and that the PDF is no bigger than eight to 10MB, in addition to addressing your email to a named person.

Footnotes

You will work as part of a team with printers, copywriters, photographers, stylists, illustrators, other designers, account executives, web developers, marketing specialists. If you are a freelancer, you could share offices, rent studio space, or work from home.

Postscript

Part-time work opportunities do exist, but may be hard to find. You will need several years' experience and established professional contacts to go self-employed. Job satisfaction comes from creating high-quality artwork and building a solid reputation.

Graphic Design is everywhere. The logo on the bag of chips you’re eating? Graphic Design. Pretty much everything you see and interact with was created in some part by a Graphic Designer.

A Graphic Designer knows they have achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away...and to this end they strive for two things in design: simplicity and clarity.

There are three responses to a piece of design - yes, no and WOW! WOW is the one to aim for!