Career in Graphic Design
Do you like to create visuals that tell a story, solve a problem, relay information or convey a message? Perhaps a career in graphic design is for you.
What is a Graphic Designer?
A graphic designer works in the field of graphic communication, using imagery and type to create materials that deliver a message both visually and verbally.
What Kind of Materials Do Graphic Designers Create?
Graphic designers work on printed and electronic publications including books, magazines, newspapers, catalogs and websites. You see the work of graphic designers in stores in the form of posters, brochures, bags, tags, signage and environmental graphics. Think of your favorite product—graphic designers created its identity, logo and packaging. From the artwork on the cover of your CDs and front of your t-shirts, to the graphics on the shows and movies you watch, to the best ads you see in magazines, billboards, or online—graphic designers touch all of these areas of peoples’ lives. Graphic designers can also work in film, video, or computer media, using sound and motion as well as images and typography as means for communicating messages. That’s just a sample of the kinds of things a graphic designer might create using their artistic skills and their unique way of thinking.
Where Do Graphic Designers Work?
Graphic designers work in advertising agencies, design firms, branding companies, consulting offices, in-house design departments in corporations, institutions such as colleges or non-profits, publishing, and the film, television, and computer industries. Graphic design is also a great field for entrepreneurs, as designers can work for themselves and hire themselves out to a variety of different clients.
What Skills Do Graphic Designers Need?
There’s much more to being a graphic designer than having good drawing or computer skills. While those are important, graphic designers also need to have:
- Solid design and layout skills
- The ability to effectively communicate visually, verbally, and in writing
- Brainstorming, teamwork, and problem-solving skills
- An ethic of hard work and independent thinking
- A collaborative and flexible attitude
- A passion for arts, design, culture and communication
- A grounding in basic business and understanding of social responsibility
- An understanding of the people and contexts for whom design communications are created for and responding to
- The ability to find and use cultural and other resources for strategic problem-solving and innovative design solutions
What Should You Look For in a Graphic Design Program?
1) Length and Type of Program
Are you interested in a four-year degree in graphic design, or receiving a certificate or a two-year Associate’s degree? Are you considering a program that offers a concentration or emphasis instead of a degree program? Should you attend an art and design school, or enroll in a program offered by a major university? Do you want a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), a BA (Bachelor of Arts), or a BS (Bachelor of Science) in graphic design? These are important decisions, as programs can differ greatly.
2) Curriculum and Faculty
Explore college websites to find out the courses you will need to take to graduate with a degree in graphic design. Look at the number of art and design classes required to earn a degree, and when students can start taking those classes. Can you begin your core classes as a freshman or sophomore, or do you need to wait until you’re an upperclassman?
It’s important that programs offer opportunities for study outside the classroom. Ask whether the school provides internships or work-study opportunities for students. Are internships required, and if not, will you receive credit for participation? Does the program promote opportunities for freelance work or membership in professional organizations, and does it encourage participation in design competitions?
You’ll also want to research the faculty teaching in the graphic design program. How many are dedicated to teaching in the program? What are their professional qualifications? Are instructors full-time faculty or adjunct faculty who hold down jobs outside the classroom and what is the balance between the two?
3) Facilities and Technology
As a graphic design student, you will spend a lot of time working on your projects, either drawing by hand or working on the computer. Therefore, it’s just as important to explore the classrooms, studios and equipment that a graphic design program has to offer. Be sure you find out what studio facilities are available and when students have access to them. Will you have to pay a fee to use the labs, or are the fees included in your tuition? Are the labs properly maintained? Are there enough computers, printers, scanners and other equipment to support the students using them? Is the equipment and software state-of-the-art and up-to-date?
Some programs do not provide computers for students’ use, but instead require students to purchase their own laptop and software. If that is the case, does the school provide equipment recommendations, discounts, or technical assistance? Does financial aid cover the purchase of equipment? How does the school address upgrades to equipment and software? Does the school provide peripherals such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, etc. for student use?
4) Alumni and Graduates
Successful program graduates who enjoy fruitful careers as graphic communicators are problem-solving, critical-thinking design innovators and creative communicators skilled in the latest technology, able to work collaboratively in a studio environment, and passionate about art, design, and contemporary culture. Ask the alumni office about program graduates. Where and for whom do they work? Do graduates return to the school to speak to students? Do graduates serve as mentors for current students? Do they hire other grads from their alma mater as interns or full-time designers?
There are as many options for learning to become a graphic designer as there are opportunities for a career in graphic design. Look for a program that will help you develop your strengths, overcome your weaknesses, and prepare you for an exciting and rewarding career as a visual communicator.
Editorial provided by Angela Dow, Chair/Associate Professor, Graphic Design Program, Kendall College of Art and Design.
