Graphic design combines words and rich media to visually express ideas or information to an audience. A graphic designer is someone who devises visual solutions to communication problems. The art of graphic design is so widespread that it is a career option found in almost every industry. From the ads you see online, to the branding on your favourite soft drink, designers work on a lot of things that we see in everyday life. The advantage of choosing a career in graphic design is that you can work in a range of industries, and if you have the determination and flexibility to succeed independently, you can even setup your own graphic design business.
Responsibilities of graphic designers
Depending on a designer’s core skill set and the objective of the role he fulfils, a graphic designer’s responsibilities can be varied. However, most designers carry out the following responsibilities in general:
Design the layouts, choose optimal colours and media to use in the design. Create graphics for digital, offline, product illustrations, websites and other forms of visual media. Create branding guidelines, logos, and formulate the visual brand identity of an organization. On a senior level, a graphic designer may be required to evaluate time and cost for the design process, oversee/coordinate the printing or publishing process of the design. Designers working on a managerial level will supervise and distribute work among other graphic designers within the team.
Skills you need to become a graphic designer
Perhaps the most important skill a graphic designer can possess is the ability to innovate and think creatively. Ideas and trends change very often, so a good designer should always be aware of the latest design language and what appeals to the audience. He/she should have a keen attention to detail and aesthetics.
Other skills that graphic designers are typically expected to have are:
Basic understanding of web designing languages like HTML and CSS. Artistic knowledge and ability to think out of the box solutions to design problems. Technical proficiency in the Adobe Creative Cloud products (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects etc). Typography – This skill is required to develop a well-designed type. Knowledge of fonts and line-height come under this skill. Time management – An efficient graphic designer will be able to work on multiple projects under tight timelines, by maximising productive output without sacrificing creativity. Analytical skills- Designers should be able to view the work they do from the point of the client and its consumers. This will help a designer judge whether the intended message is correctly delivered through the design.
Although you do not need a degree to acquire creative knowledge, most graphic designers possess some form of educational degree pertaining to their field of expertise.
Scope of work in graphic design
Graphic design plays a major part in almost everything that is visual. Designers can work on selling products or ideas through visual communication, develop a company’s identity such as logos, branding and packaging. In digital media, the scope of work covers artworks for social media platforms and other third-party publishers. In the offline space, graphic designers are involved in the entertainment industry like comics, magazines, props etc and print media.
Opportunities in graphic design
Statistics show that the employment of graphic designers has seen a steady growth and is projected to continue growing over the long term. Graphic Design is a marketable field where a person can get an opportunity to work in web publishing, marketing (both digital and print media), corporate communication & branding, and other diverse fields of work.
Ad agencies, web designing, marketing firms, design studios, TV and print companies – these are a few of the industries where graphic designers are in high demand. A graphic designer has better prospects of landing a high-paying job if he/she possesses demonstrated experience in multiple media, such as digital, TV, and print publications.
