Graphic Design Education, Career Paths, and Perspectives

Graphic Design Education, Career Paths, and Perspectives

Graphic design is a relevant and demanded specialisation in the modern job market. However, before applying to professional paper writers to compose your cover letter, you need to develop a solid strategy for becoming a graphic designer. 

Graphic designers, or communication designers, create visual messages via graphics, images, and text. These elements accurately create advertisements, banners, logos, user interfaces, and many more. 

There are plenty of sub-specialisations in the career field of a graphic designer as well. However, before diving into all the nuances, you need to learn the basics.

Graphic Design Education

A graphic designer should know the basics of art and design. An art school diploma is a relevant certification of graphic designer’s skills. 

The basic principles of design include applying colour, texture, line, shape, space, and harmony. All these principles are essential for graphic design education. 

Besides the graphic principles, a designer should know all the tools used in the field. They include:

• Photoshop
• InDesign
• Illustrator

And other similar applications. 

Besides education in a high school, you may enrol in an online course as well. There are plenty of options that can teach both the basics of graphic design and some specialised areas. 

For example, one of the most demanded areas of graphic design is user interface and user experience design (UI\UX). You should pick up courses according to your initial knowledge and speciality that you want to acquire.

Gaining Experience 

Gaining experience as a graphic designer may sound overwhelming, especially at the beginning of your career. Yet, there are many options where new specialists can apply their skills. 

First of all, you need to build a portfolio. It will be handy as an addition to your resume and demonstration of your skills. 

It may include projects that you completed during courses and your projects. Focus on the quality of your projects but not quantity. 

Your portfolio will make a first impression on your potential employer. Make sure that it looks the best it can. 

Secondly, you may apply for freelance tasks. One-time jobs are an excellent way to gain experience and fill in your portfolio. 

The payment may not be the greatest. Yet, it will create the necessary background before applying for higher positions. 

Choosing a Career Path 

Graphic designers may try themselves in different industries. Marketing, film production, software development – each of these career fields require an excellent graphic designer. 

You may choose one of the possible careers as a graphic designer: 

• Creative director
• Commercial designer 
• Marketing manager and specialist 
• Multimedia artist
• Specialist of public relations 
• UI\UX developer 
• Web designer

You may contact design agencies to learn more about open applications. 

Keep Learning 

Like any other career field, graphic design skills should be constantly honed and improved. It would help if you remained in the trend of graphic technologies. 

They include both theoretical techniques of design and new ways of their implementation. 

Hardware and software for graphic design updates constantly as well. Try to follow these updates and use the most relevant of them. 

Another way of career development is building a network. Contact other graphic designers, visit specialised forums and take part in contests. 

Acquiring new contacts in the industry will help you find a post-graduate mentor and teach someone else.

Keep working on your speciality. While learning more about graphic design in general, mastering your specialisation is the key to career success. 

General knowledge is a reasonable basis. However, an outstanding specialist is a precious resource on the job market. 

Salary and Career Perspectives 

The field of graphic design goes through changes and transformations. There will be a decline in the field toward 2029. 

However, this decline will touch only print products. Graphic designers for books, periodicals, and newspapers will be in less demand. 

At the same time, the number of digital graphic design applications will increase. 

As for annual salary, it depends on the area of specialisation and the industry. 

A graphic designer in the US can earn approximately $46000 per year. A senior graphic designer’s salary is $62000 a year. 

Key Takeaways 

A career in graphic design is very flexible and variable. 

You mainly gain the basic principles in an art high school, but true excellence in graphic design comes with practice and independent learning. 

There are many industries where graphic designers may apply their skills. Animation, commerce, typography – all these fields require an excellent graphic designer. 

You need to follow graphic design trends and master your specialisation to succeed in the field. 

Invest time in your portfolio and network building. Creating personal projects will equip you with a solid background for achieving your career ambitions. 

A network of other graphic designers will help you to learn and deliver valuable lessons.