What to expect in a graphics design career in the year 2023

 

Graphic design is a great career for people who are creative thinkers and enjoy art, technology, and communication.

Graphic designers are people who create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for various applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports.

Graphic designers combine art and technology to communicate ideas through images and the layout of websites and printed pages

Graphic designers work with both text and images, they decide how images and text will go together on a print or webpage, including how much space each will have. When using text in layouts, graphic designers collaborate closely with writers, who choose the words through the use of images, text, and color.

 Graphic designers can transform statistical data into visual graphics and diagrams, which can make complex ideas more accessible.

Graphic design is important to marketing and selling products and is a critical component of brochures and logos and so graphics designers work closely with people in advertising and promotions, public relations, and marketing.

Graphics designers meet with clients to determine the scope of a project, and use digital illustration, photo editing software, and layout software to create designs.

They create visual elements such as logos, original images, illustrations, and design layouts, and select colors, images, and typefaces to use. They also present design concepts, review designs for errors, and incorporate changes recommended by clients into final designs, before printing or publishing them to help deliver a desired message.

Most graphics designers specialize in a particular category or type of client. For example, some create the graphics used on retail product packaging, and others may work on the visual designs used on book jackets.

Graphic designers generally work in studios, where they have access to drafting tables, computers, and the software necessary to create their designs. Although many graphic designers work independently, those who work for specialized graphic design firms often work as part of a design team. Many graphic designers collaborate with colleagues or work with clients on projects.

Graphic designers use their skills to progress in many different career paths.

Some career paths for graphic designers include:

Visual Identity Graphic Design

Every business needs to create a narrative to establish a brand identity to reach its target audiences.

A visual identity graphic designer creates assets like logos, typography, color palettes, and image libraries that best describe their personality.

Visual identity graphic designers must have a basic knowledge of all graphic design to help maintain brand consistency.

Product design

Product designers use their expertise to create the shape, structure, and design of products sold to consumers. Product design specialists may also work on the product's design, such as the colors used, the shape of the packaging, and other small elements of design.

Branding design

Brand designers use graphic design and marketing skills to provide corporate organizations with a clear visual identity. Marketing specialists and graphic designers typically create these branding guidelines using industry research and knowledge to create branding that appeals to the target audience.

It is a fact that we humans get attracted to visually appealing things. Branding of a product plays a vital role in convincing the consumer to get the product. 

A brand designer should have knowledge of print processes and an understanding of industrial design and manufacturing. They should be innovative and well aware of current trends and competition.

 

 

Marketing and Advertising Graphic Design

Understanding a customer's needs and wants and building marketing strategies accordingly makes you a great marketer. A marketing graphic designer works with marketing professionals and creates assets for their marketing strategies.

They work on both traditional and digital marketing content.

Publication Graphic Design

Publication graphic designers work with editors and publishers to create layouts for books, newspapers, magazines, and other publishing mediums. 

Publication designers, combine the basic elements of graphics like color, typography, and space with photographs, and illustrations, to create the layouts, for publication.

Publication designers also work on book covers, magazines, or newspapers, producing graphics matching the themes and topics covered in articles, stories, or factual pieces. Publication graphic designers may also work on a freelance basis, creating one-off illustrations and mock-ups for authors, magazines, or smaller publications.

Motion Graphic Design

Creating graphics that are in motion is known as motion graphic design.

Since videos have become a popular medium of marketing, motion graphics have indeed become popular with marketers.  Along with strong graphic designing and motion graphics, artists should know animation, 3-D design, typography, and color theory.

Motion graphics designers also use their expertise to work with animators in creating designs for shows, movies, and video games. They use their graphic design knowledge to use specialized software to make a range of animations.

Website design

Website designers and graphic designers work together to create websites that provide a positive user experience. Graphic designers use their skills to create header images, logos, and mock-ups of whole websites for delivery to clients. This specialized career path offers the opportunity to work with many business development teams to design and create high-quality websites from the beginning. Graphics designers have to work with UI designers(User Interface), UX (User Experience) designers, and UI developers (who write code) to create a graphic design for applications. So along with strong graphic designing skills, they also require an excellent understanding of UI/UX principles, responsive design, and web development.

Environmental design

Environmental designers create graphics for use in architecture and landscape design, such as in shopping centers or public highways.

Environmental graphic designers are the ones responsible for designing a certain environment that people can visually connect with, is easy to navigate, informative, and also remains in their memory.

Graphic designers typically work with architects and other specialized designers to use imagery and illustrations to communicate with the public.

Graphic designers provide their services using different methods, depending on their industry and the company they work for.

Graphics for Art and Illustration 

Graphics for art and illustration are technically not graphic design but creating original artwork. However, it has been so much in use commercially that you cannot really talk about one without the other.

There are various stages in a graphics design career

Junior graphic designer

A junior graphic designer is typically a newly qualified professional who may not have much experience in a working environment. Recent graduates commonly apply for junior positions following work experience or internships to allow them to gain real-world experience while under the supervision of experienced professionals. This entry-level role may include minor work such as adjusting typefaces, correcting color, and creating logos.

 

 

Senior graphic designer

Senior graphic designers have more experience and knowledge of how to work in the visual design field. As a higher-level position, senior graphic designers may oversee the work of more junior employees and offer guidance and mentorship for improvement. Senior designers typically have less input from management and may independently meet with clients and cover every aspect of design from conceptualization to delivery.

Studio manager

A studio manager takes on more operational responsibilities beyond the scope of individual graphic design projects. For example, a studio manager within an agency may delegate incoming clients to different senior graphic designers without inputting their design ideas and concepts. Studio managers also work on the human resources side of operations, including staff reviews and hiring, purchasing resources, and ensuring the graphic design work meets the necessary standards.

Art director

The art director is the most senior position for most professionals in this career path. As experienced professionals, art directors have less involvement with day-to-day clients but work on large pitches or high-value projects. Studio managers report to art directors, meeting staff requirements and ensuring projects remain on track. Art directors may also oversee the work of specific projects, such as long-term or large-scale artwork.

Different ways to work as a graphics designer

The different ways one can work as a graphics designer include:

In-house graphic design

Companies hire graphic designers to work in-house, typically in the marketing department. Graphic designers who work in-house create imagery and illustrations for one company or may supply imagery to subsidiaries or partners.

 

 

Agency graphic design

Graphic designers working within an agency receive a direct salary while providing work for multiple clients throughout their employment. Agency graphic designers typically work in dedicated studios or marketing agency offices, providing services to many industries and specialized sectors.

Freelance graphic design

Freelance graphic designers work directly with clients as self-employed professionals and receive pay per job. Freelance designers may specialize in a particular industry, such as product design or branding design, or provide a comprehensive service to many sectors. Freelancers may also work for agencies on individual jobs, receiving payment from the agency for contributing to work for their clients.

As companies continue to increase their digital presence, graphic designers may be needed to help create visually appealing and effective layouts of websites and social media sites. However, a decrease in print newspapers and magazines may limit employment growth for graphic designers who create advertisements for companies and products.

I hope you have now got the idea of what Graphic Design is and the various branch of graphic design you can specialize in. What more are you waiting for? The time to explore your interest and creativity is now.

 

Thanks for reading

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