In reality there is nothing worse than having a talent and not being able to express it. No more can this be said than for creative people. Creativity comes from within and being creative isn’t something that you can learn. So if you have this god given talent, and are not being able to express this in your day job, then you might want to think about a career change. With this being the case, there is no better way to bring out your creative side than a career in graphic design.
So what does it take to become a graphic designer?
It is well known that competition for graphic designers is intensely competitive. However, with the onset of the internet, it opens up new avenues and markets for businesses who will need the services of such people. The emphasis is now on design and printing media moving towards becoming totally digitized. In fact, the inventions of the Ipad and other types of smart phones are helping to bring businesses into the fray who before wouldn’t have needed the services of graphic designers.
Like all careers there are some qualities that a good graphic designer needs and they are as follows:
Creativity – This is primarily the key trait in this profession, however you don’t need to be able to paint like Van Gogh. Instead you need to have a great eye for color. If you can also sketch, this is a great help.
Visual problem solving – Any good graphic designer can look at a sketch and can visualize it slotting into a design space. They have the ability to be able to ‘jig’ the art around in their minds until they come up with a design that is visually appealing to their clients.
Being open to change - Graphic design is a fast paced and changing world, and being open to such change, with a willingness to learn new technology is a real asset in this business.
Business savvy - Whilst it is true to say that some designers are on salaried wages, the majority of people who work in this industry do it on a freelance basis. Therefore, the need to be ‘business savvy’ and possess the know how to be able to market yourself and your business is really important.
So what about qualifications?
Whilst it is true to say that you don’t need any qualifications to set yourself up as a graphic designer, it will probably stand you in better stead if you have some sort of certificate or degree from a professional body, as potential clients like this kind of thing. This being the case, there are many graphic design courses that you can take, some are online, others are full or part time. Some of the criteria that they might cover are multimedia, advertising animation, visual communication or website development to name but a few. Although they all come under the umbrella of ‘graphic design’ they are all ‘areas of speciality’ in their own right. You might decide that you want to focus in one particular area when qualified, however it is a good idea to primarily have a good grounding in all aspects of graphic design.
What industries need these services?
It is fair to say that the publishing and advertising industries are still the most predominant clients, however a diversity of industries now need services like, corporate brochures, logo’s for websites, cd covers, book jacket designs etc.
What about the pay?
Like in any profession there are degrees of scale, although one can expect to earn somewhere between $20,000 and $60,000 per year, depending upon experience and the demand for your work.
In essence, graphic design is something that is always going to be in demand and if you feel that you possess some of the qualities that are needed and feel that it’s high time for a career change, then it might be well worth looking into it further.
