Career Spotlight - Graphic Design

What is a Graphic Designer?

A Graphic Designer is the person in an organisation who uses images and lettering to get information across and make an impact. This artwork could be for a number of different purposes such as advertising, magazine layouts, website design and corporate branding.

The role of a Graphic Designer would be to discuss “the brief” or project requirement with the client, as well as to provide that client with a quotation for the completed project. A Graphic Designer might need to show a visual representation or sketch for the client in order for them to visualise the concept. This position calls for a person who will choose materials and styles relevant to the client’s tastes. The Graphic Designer would have to work closely with printers, copywriters, other Graphic Designers, marketing people as well as web developers and be able to work within budgets and to deadlines. Lastly, a Graphic Designer would produce a final layout with detailed specifications for fonts, letter size, colours and images.

What Skills Do I Need?

In order to make a success in the Graphic Design arena you should be creative and have a good imagination. The ability to draw is a definite advantage while having normal colour vision is essential! You should possess good IT skills as well as have good spelling and grammar. Excellent communication skills are an added advantage if you will be dealing directly with clients. You should be clued up on printing techniques in order to understand the full lifecycle of the design job. Lastly, the ability to meet deadlines, work within a budget and manage your time is crucial!

What Qualifications Do I Need?

While many job vacancies will call for a portfolio of your work, most will want to know that you have some formal training behind you. A good choice in qualifications is a BA in Fine Arts, which is available through most universities. Many private colleges and technikons offer Graphic Design courses however, which is sometimes a quicker and cheaper option than three years at a university. A working knowledge of certain computer software is also necessary – Quark Xpress, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand and Flash are some of the main software applications used in this field.

What are the Working Hours and Conditions Like?

A Graphic Designer will generally work out of an office or studio and will work a standard 8 – 5 work day. The hours might increase however, when you need to meet a deadline. You can expect to work in front of a computer for the majority of the time, though time at the drawing board is also expected. You might be expected to visit clients at their offices in order to show them layouts or proposals. A Graphic Designer also has the option of working as a freelance designer, which gives more freedom to work the hours that you wish, but sticking to deadlines is still crucial.