What Do Graphic Designers Do?

Job Description for a Graphic Designer

Everywhere you look you can find examples of work done by professional graphic designers. Books, magazines, menus, signs, advertising, television & movies, milk containers, logos, just to name a few. It would be hard to go anywhere and not see the work of a graphic artist.

Working with colors, graphics, letters and illustrations, graphic designers shape how we look at the world from their point of view. They may be trying to get us to buy something or just take notice, but what they do has a huge influence on what we see and feel.

Graphic Designer Responsibilities

Today's graphic designers have to be more than talented technicians. They need to be creative, communicative people who can come up with ideas and present them to their clients. Here are a few examples of what you will be called upon to do:

Listen to the needs of your client and come up with creative ideas to promote their needs.

Communicate with clients & fellow workers to understand and explain what needs to be done.

Be flexible to make changes as required by the client or individual project objectives.

Create budgets and timelines.

Be knowledgeable in current software programs and computer techniques.

Work nicely with other designers, project managers, programmers, printers and project managers.

What Skills Are Needed?

Technical Skill - One of the most important skills you will need to start a career as a graphic designer is technical. You must be knowledgeable in design programs including Photoshop® & Quark Xpress® plus some of the other popular graphic design software on the market.

It is important you have a good working knowledge of computers and an interest to learn new technologies as they are developed. The graphic design business is ever changing to keep pace with new technology. Your ability to continue learning and adapting is critical to success in this field.

An Artistic Eye - No matter how good your technical skills are, it won't matter if you don't have a good eye for design. A graphic artist needs to have a strong artistic sensibility in areas like color, composition, balance and space.

Creativity - It's one thing to be told what to do and go out and create it or duplicate it, but success as a graphic artist requires creativity. The ability to come up with graphic designs based on the needs of a client is a must. You need to be able to take their ideas and turn them into creative designs.

Communication - In most situations, even if you are one-person business, you need to be able to communicate with your clients. In larger organizations, your ability to communicate with the many individuals involved in a project will prove even more valuable. You may have the great ideas and talent on this planet, but if you can't communicate them to your colleagues and clients, it doesn't matter.

Problem Solver - Like any job you may have had, problems come up. Things change at the last minute, clients have new ideas, a printer may be overbooked, the project needs to be completed yesterday. No matter what happens, a good graphic designer needs to be ready for anything and be ready to solve unforeseen problems. There is always going to be a challenge.

Be Organized - Deadlines, Budgets, Staffing, Production. They all effect the bottom line and if you are not totally organized can blow a budget out of the water. Whether you are a freelancer or owner of your own design company, organizational skills are a must for success.

 

Graphic Art Schools in Your State

If any of these professions interest you and you would like to find a school in your area where you can learn these skills, click here to find the school that's right for you.