Options, Organisations and Awards
- Feb 15, 2019
- 4 min read
"Whether you work for a consultancy or set up your own studio, a degree in graphic design opens the door to a range of creative careers"
Through Prospects I have discovered many specific career areas that I could do in relation to my current skills from studying Graphic Design and the development I need to make further.
Jobs directly related to your degree include:
Advertising art director
Animator
Artworker
Creative director
Graphic designer
Illustrator
Printmaker
Production designer, theatre/television/film
VFX artist
Jobs where your degree would be useful include:
CAD technician
Exhibition designer
Fine artist
Interior and spatial designer
Landscape architect
Medical illustrator
Multimedia specialist
Photographer
Stylist
Urban designer
UX designer
Prospects tells me:
As a graphic designer you'll need to listen to clients and understand their needs before making design decisions.
A graphic designer works on a variety of products and activities, such as websites, advertising, books, magazines, posters, computer games, product packaging, exhibitions and displays, corporate communications and corporate identity, i.e. giving organisations a visual brand.
You'll work to a brief agreed with the client, creative director or account manager, and will develop appropriate creative ideas and concepts for the client's objectives.
The work demands creative flair, up-to-date knowledge of industry software and a professional approach to time, costs and deadlines.
Your typical responsibilities as a graphic designer include:
meeting clients or account managers to discuss the business objectives and requirements of the job
estimating the time required to complete a job and providing quotes for clients
developing design briefs that suit the client's purpose
thinking creatively to produce new ideas and concepts and developing interactive design
using innovation to redefine a design brief within time and cost constraints
presenting finalised ideas and concepts to clients or account managers
working with a range of media, including computer-aided design, and keeping up to date with emerging technologies
proofreading to produce accurate and high-quality work
demonstrating illustrative skills with rough sketches and working on layouts ready for print
commissioning illustrators and photographers
working as part of a team with printers, copywriters, photographers, stylists, illustrators, other designers, account executives, web developers and marketing specialists.
Relevant subjects for graphic design work include those that involve visual arts. In particular, a degree or HND in the following subjects may increase your chances:
3D design
communication design
film/television
fine art
graphic design
illustration
photography
visual art.
Any design-based course will give you a good grounding and knowledge of design, art history and printing techniques.
Some roles don't require a degree or HND, as job offers may be based on the standard of portfolio work and not on educational qualifications. However, progress without formal training is extremely difficult, and the vast majority of graphic designers have higher qualifications.
A pre-entry postgraduate qualification isn't needed, but pre-entry experience is essential.
Apart from technical and drawing skills, you will need to show:
passion and enthusiasm for design, with a creative flair
a flexible approach when working in a team
excellent communication skills to interpret and negotiate briefs with clients
good presentation skills and the confidence to explain and sell ideas to clients and colleagues
time management skills and the ability to cope with several projects at a time
accuracy and attention to detail when finalising designs
being open to feedback and willing to make changes to your designs
effective networking skills to build contacts.
An organisation I am personally inspired by is The Futur, founded by Chris Do. He is an Emmy award winning director, designer, strategist and educator. He’s the Chief Strategist and CEO of Blind, executive producer of The Skool, and the Founder of The Futur— an online education platform that teaches the business of design to creative thinkers.
The Futur is an education platform where creative professionals can learn business principles. They are made up of a group of hand-picked, highly-talented creatives: The Futurists. "We’re all driven by a single goal: crafting content that will help you succeed."
Founded in 1995, Blind has been a pioneer in the motion design field and has made hundreds of award-winning commercials, music videos and broadcast promos that combine design, typography, animation, live action and visual effects for screens and clients of all sizes.
"Blind is a tight-knit family of curious and creative storytellers based in sunny Santa Monica. We are open, collaborative, and use our collective experience, design and technical expertise to create meaningful and compelling content for all mediums. We embrace new challenges with an open heart, a hunger to learn, and a passion for solving problems as a team."
His firm’s work has been recognized by national and international organizations such as: the Emmy’s, Effie Gold, Effie, Huffington Post, Lynda.com, Webbie, Communication Arts, London International Awards, One Show, British D&AD, AICP 20, Pictoplasma, How, 72 dpi, L.A. Weekly, Boards, Res 10, Type Director’s Club (20, 22, 23, 26), IDN, Addy Awards, BDA, Create, Stash (2, 12, 22, 24, 35, 43, 65), Creatie Augustus 2010, Motion Design, Asia Image, Brief, 365 AIGA Year In Design 26, Art Director’s Club, Motionographer, New York Festivals, B Brand, PPaper, I.D., and Print.
Mr. Do currently hosts The Process (a YouTube channel with over 160k subscribers) and lectures all over the world on the business of creativity.
source: https://www.thefutur.com/the-futurists/chris-do/
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