Graphic Designer Qualifications ?
hawks1528 (48 points) | Mon, 2009-02-16 17:15I am contemplating enrolling in an online college to receive an associates in Graphic Design. I have what may be a very ignorant question though. Do you have to be artistically capable at freehand drawing, painting, etc... I am very creative but not so much "artistic" when it comes to free hand drawing, painting and such...Any comments are welcome. When I spoke with one advisor he said maybe I should do the Web Design degree...I don't know anyone in these fields but I have always wanted to have a career in a creative/artistic field..Please help me. Thank you.
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Reading your post makes me fly back to the past. Few backs before, I can say that i'm also in the same situation as you. After finishing school, I've decided to take multimedia diploma. The reason i chose this field because i simply like computer graphic. When i saw nice adverts on tv, i wished i can do the same. I can draw, design and do creative stuff but when i'm looking to other people's work, i feel like i'm a failure.
Do not make this thought set you back. Like I said in the subject, drawing is a skill. You can acquire them later if you practice and keep practicing. I buy books on how to draw, searching online for drawing tutorials etc.
My advice is, just go with it. As long as you love this stuff, you will succeed.
Good luck.
myBlog http://www.mierue.com
-From a multimedia student to others.
myBlog http://www.mierue.com
...and any reputable program, even at an associates level, should have basic drawing courses as part of their curriculum. You may have to work a little more on your drawing skills than someone who is naturally gifted (I've learned those naturally gifted types also practice... a LOT) but it can be acquired so I wouldn't let your current hand skills hold you back too much.
The important question to ask yourself is "Is this something that I'll love and really want to do?" Job markets are tight everywhere and graphic design is no exception. If the program you're enrolling in makes it sound like this is a growing field with tons of opportunity and that is one of the reasons you're pursuing it do your homework and make sure you have a really good idea as to the type of market you're getting into.
more importantly, there's a difference between "drawing" and "illustrating." many graphic designers can draw well enough for rough sketches and basic comps, but couldn't illustrate their way out of a wet paper bag (like me).
other hand skills may be more important (like being able to mock up a comp of a product or hand-trim some paper with a ruler and exacto knife).
but really, the things that are most useful to a graphic designer would be things like having a good eye for design and being capable of coming up with good ideas on how to communicate concepts.
graphic designers aren't always creating things the way a fine artist, like a sculptor, would. we're looking at problems clients have and helping them solve them. whether that means helping them create a logo and brand that communicates what they do and who they are or helping create a marketing campaign for a new product... it's still all about hearing what they need to accomplish and finding a way to do that visually.
graphic design is not the same as fine art. it's more about the communication of ideas. usually someone else's ideas to start, with you helping to mold them into a coherent message. where fine art is all about your ideas and your goals, graphic design is about communicating someone else's message effectively.
It took me a while to "get" graphic design. One thing that I can suggest is DO NOT LET GOOD HAND DRAFTERS/ILLUSTRATORS MAKE YOU FEEL INADEQUATE. Some of the best drawers don't ever seem to get what works and what doesn't for commercial design, I know because I went to school with them. I remember the people that seemed to be teacher's darlings, rarely used their own illustrations. What they did do was properly execute the elements of design in a creative and efficient manner. If you want to be a designer focus on design, posers that can draw well are a dime a dozen in these schools. On the other hand practicing drawing and making your own illustrations definitely develop skills, but it's not really the part you want to dwell on.
Another thing is to go to sites/blogs like this and buy books often! I've received better knowledge from books I've picked out at Borders then by the books most instructors include in their curiculums.
- thanks
'I am a patient boy, I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait'
Tyler, my experience in school goes back way farther than yours, I'm sure, but I had much the same experience. The really artsy people in my Design for Theatre courses couldn't produce a set, costume, or even poster that could be made to materialize in the real world. They just painted pretty pictures. Our job in "graphic design" (which used to be called "commercial art" to distinguish it from fine art) involves a much greater variety of tools and skills, only one of which is the ability to pick up a pencil and Draw Blinky.
If I could add to the excellent advice you , Greg and others have provided here, I'd say maybe that students should take advantage of what their college offers in the way of general education, too. The more aware they are of all kinds of things, the better they'll be able to relate to potential clients. They should try to learn something about business accounting -- if only to run their own freelance business effectively until they land a "real job." They should learn to write and spell properly, too, because often, their clients will depend upon them to clean up their act (or create it from scratch) -- plus, a lot of entry-level design jobs are part of a company's public relations department, where good language skills are essential. If they can learn about the printing business from working press operators (not just professors), that will be of greater value than they can imagine, if they're going to be designing for print. The same holds true for new media: learn as much as possible from people who work with and maintain Web sites to become aware of technical issues to avoid, or exploit. Some of this can be done online, but still, nothing beats face time with the pros.
Mara
I definitley feel better about my decision now. This is the feild I think I will absolutely love! And I am not at all naive to the job market. In fact, what I have read makes me scared to pursue this...but it's my dream and I am going to follow it! So again thank you for the posts and the advice.
Sincerely,
Tina
Hopefully by the time you get out, they'll be more options!
- thanks
'I am a patient boy, I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait'
A lot of programs promise the moon (mine did) and I know a lot of designers with 4-year degrees that thought jobs were just going to fall from the sky for them who are now asking themselves what they got themselves into.
If it is truly your dream you should by all means pursue it. Everything everyone else has said is right. And, as I understanding (I actually work in more of the underbelly of the Graphics industry) the more lucrative jobs in graphic design are more about the other things people have mentioned here; a good eye and excellent problem solving skills. Everything else can be developed.
the problem solving skills are the ones that make the real money. many people confuse "program skills" (ooh, i know how to use photoshop!) with design. program skills are production skills, not design skills. knowing what production skills you want to use to accomplish the "concept" you came up with can be useful, but, as i said, the real money is in the concept itself. you can hire kids right out of school to be "production artists" and pay them very little, but knowing how to come up with the solution is really what the clients are hiring for (even if they don't realize that when they hire you).
one of the top graphic designers in washington, DC over the last 30-40 years was (is? he's semi-retired) Pat Taylor. until he (semi)retired, Pat didn't even own a computer. or a fax machine. or any other "electronic gadget." but he was a very successful designer because he came up with great ideas. he then would hire other designers to execute his ideas for him while he moved on to the next problem to solve. with his pencil & pen.
really nice guy, too. and, from what i've heard from the corcoran students he taught, a great teacher, as well.
Listen, it doesn't matter what your job ends up being, it's going to wear on you regardless. This profession pays a LOT less than any other job you're going to do with a degree-- unless you are the very few extremely talented people out there (most of them are good drawers, just fyi). And again, this is if you're lucky enough to find a job in the first place.
Good luck. Just keeping it real...
I totally understand! I had the exact same question. I want a career in this field, I am fairly well practiced in Photoshop art and I CAN paint and sort of draw, but I was worried about that as well. I love art and design and computers are my thing too.
To everyone who has replied/given advice here, THANK YOU!
You have helped a highschool student with big dreams a great deal.
don't blink your eyes or we'll be lost to the city lights. brightly colored caffeine high, don't give me silly mind games. ~BAM
♪♫ "she sees a million stars like holes in the sky..."♪♫ (the offspring)
Want to steal this and add to it! "more importantly, there's a difference between "drawing" and "illustrating." many graphic designers can draw well enough for rough sketches and basic comps, but couldn't illustrate their way out of a wet paper bag (like me)."
I can echo so many other people on here. You cannot look at somebody that is an illustrator and compare what you draw with them. First off, an illustrator loves to draw. If they have spare time, they draw, if I have spare time, i read. You can get good at anything with enough practice but some people just have talent along with the hours and hours and hours of practice. I really like drawing and i am good at it but i will never draw for marvel like my friends do. We all graduated together! I have an illustration minor but its not really my passion. Sketching is very very important. You don't have to create a life like sketch just putting your ideas on paper, being able to visualize them is all you need. Also as said above, any reputable degree will make you take some basic drawing, painting, design classes otherwise known as studio classes.
If you enjoy what you do, whatever it is you will excel at it! Make sure you can see yourself doing this 5yrs from now.
~my own two cents~
You need to be extremely creative and have a natural flair for design, while I am not sure that you necessarily have to excel at freehand drawing to make a career in graphic arts. If you are naturally creative, most graphic design programs will train you in other aspects such as computer skills and applications since these have become an intrinsic part of graphic designing arena these days. You can check the Associate of Occupational Studies in Graphic Design programs offered by Stevens-Henager College. The program is designed to focus on teaching modern techniques and applications used in graphic designing
do you not have a local community college or art institute type of place? im not sure how much faith id put in being taught "design" online...
You don't need to know how to illustrate/draw. There are a million jobs in this field - if this is what you like to do and you're dedicated - you'll succeed. Just don't walk in blind thinking you'll be making a ton of money right off the bat. The term "starving artist" applies to graphic artists as well - this is a business where you need to prove yourself and build a body of work before you'll make a comfortable salary. Unless you go to work for an ad agency - then you'll never have to do anything and you'll be way overpaid. :-)
That last bit was a joke.
if you can afford to do so, and know anyone will take you, an unpaid internship is always a good route to see if this career is for you
living on dreams and custard creams.
Graphic design is a booming career. Graphic designers concentrate on tackling communication problems by creating visual solutions. Designers also maintain a portfolio of everything they created to showcase the best work.
Qualifications
1. Most graphic designers are required to possess a bachelor's degree or associate's degree to begin a job. Also, employers prefer someone with at least one to two years of experience, which can be obtained by freelancing.
Software
2. Designers work on a PC or Mac computer and primarily use Adobe Creative Suite software.
Jobs
3. Around 25 percent of graphic designers are self-employed. Many designers do freelance work, which is done from home. Magazines and newspapers also serve as popular places of employment for designers.
Geography
4. Freelancers can telecommute. Through email and online file-sending services, designers can reach out to just about anyone.
Work
5. The more freelance jobs, internships and years of experience a designer has is imperative. Employers want someone best suited for the job and with the most design experience.
macwareinc
Learn the grid design system, it's helped me more than once. Know your fonts, and above all, be always curious and open to new ideas. It's not the degree but your talent and personality that's going to keep you working.
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Dirt and Rust