What Does a Graphic Designer Do? And How Do I Become One

A graphic designer creates visuals for various projects, from websites to print ads and more. In this article, you will learn about skills, salary, requirements, and why you should consider a career in this field in India.

Combining art and technology, graphic designers use various design elements to create distinctive visuals for clients and companies. A graphic designer can work with print or digital media, and they can create their designs by hand or using computer software. Staying on top of cutting-edge technology and design trends makes working in this evolving industry an exciting and challenging career choice.

What does a graphic designer do?

Using various technologies, a graphic designer https://thekarle.com/ creates useful, meaningful, and functional visuals. The work depends mainly on a client or company’s needs, but general designer responsibilities may include:

• Developing visual assets to support a marketing campaign
• Designing a graphic overlay for social media posts
• Formalising a print ad layout and retouching photos for digital signage

What is graphic design?

Graphic design is a form of communication that uses colours, shapes, images, and words to create visual content that surrounds us in many forms—namely, print and digital media. Effective designs communicate information that inspires and informs consumers, making it critical for any business’ success.

Graphic designers create images and layouts for some of the following:

• Company brand identity (logos, typography, and colour palettes)
• User interfaces on apps and websites
• Books, magazines, newspapers, and other publications
• Product packaging
• Advertisements and commercials
• Signage for stores, transportation, stadiums, and event spaces
• Video games

Where do graphic designers work?

Graphic designers can work in many settings. You may work in-house at a company or agency or home as a freelancer. Graphic designers often work in:

• Ad agencies
• Web design firms
• Marketing firms
• Print and online publishers
• Online and brick-and-mortar retailers
• Non-profit organisations

Skills needed to become a graphic designer: A to Z

If you’re naturally creative and have a good eye for visually compelling design, a career in graphic design may suit you well. Nurture your talent as a graphic designer by spending time building a few key skills.

• Audience targeting helps you identify and analyse who the design is intended to appeal to and why. 

• Colour theory is a series of rules and guidelines you’ll apply to your work to create aesthetically pleasing visuals. This involves choosing an appropriate colour palette for a project and understanding how people perceive colour in various situations.

• Communication skills help you communicate, actively listen, problem-solve, and understand what clients and stakeholders need when collaborating on a project.

• Computer-aided design (CAD) software helps you create complex two- and three-dimensional designs. Some computer software programs used in graphic design include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Paintshop Pro, and Corel Graphics Suite.

• Computerised sketching gives you creative flexibility that sketching and colouring by hand cannot offer. Sketching software also allows you to implement changes to a design quickly.

• Layout helps you to effectively manipulate the visual space of a print page or screen to attract readers or visitors.

• Typeface design helps you tell appropriate, pleasing, and easy-to-read stories using the right font and typeface categories.

• Website development gives you the knowledge to design on various content management platforms. Although it may only sometimes be necessary, understanding multiple programming languages, such as HTML and CSS, can go far.