Kezia Endsley - Multimedia and Graphic Designers: A Practical Career Guide

Kezia Endsley is an editor and author from Indianapolis, Indiana. In addition to editing technical publications and writing books for teens, she enjoys running and triathlons, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family and many pets.

Y ou learned in the introduction that the graphic design field continues to focus more and more on digital online approaches. You learned that your best prospects for success mean you need to learn and keep up with technology. You also were reminded that its important to pursue a career that you enjoy, are good at, and are passionate about. You will spend a lot of your life working; it makes sense to find something you enjoy doing. Of course, you want to make money and support yourself while doing it. If you love the idea of being creative for a living, youve come to the right book.

This chapter breaks out the job areas that typically fall under the graphic design umbrella and covers the basics of each. After reading this chapter, you should have a good understanding of the various areas of multimedia design and can then start to determine if one of them is a good fit for you. Lets start with discussing what a graphic designer actually does on the job.

When you think of a multimedia or graphic designer, you may picture a person working on a laptop, creating brochures and marketing materials in a program like InDesign; someone working in a program like Photoshop to create icons and other graphics for use or display; or someone writing HTML, CCS, and other code to create attractive websites. Graphic designers can do all these things and more.

In addition to the different programs and technologies they use, the work of multimedias artist and graphic designers varies greatly depending on the field they work in, the purpose of their projects (to sell something, to evoke emotion, to convince, etc.), the media in which they work, and more. Thats good news, because it means there are a lot of choices and variation in these fields. To maximize your career options, you need to make sure you have the right degree and continue to educate yourself about changes in the field. cover the educational requirements in more depth.

No matter what type of graphic design you do, you will certainly design your models on-screen. NicoElNino/iStock/Getty Images Plus

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU NEED TO SUCCEED IN GRAPHIC DESIGN?

Regardless of whether youre leaning more toward graphic design, multimedia design, web design, user interface design, or some mix of all of these, there is a core list of important qualities youll need to have, or at least sharpen over time:

• Artistic talent: You need artistic ability and a good understanding of color, texture, and light; however, you may be able to compensate for artistic shortcomings with excellent technical skills.
• Communication skills: You need to work as part of a team, be able to convey your ideas articulately, and compromise when needed.
• Analytical skills: You must be able to perceive your work from a consumer or client point of view to ensure that the designs convey the intended message.
• Computer skills: You will very likely use computer programs or write programming code to do most of your work.
• Creativity: You must be able to think creatively to develop original ideas and help them come to life.
• Concentration: You must sit at a computer and write detailed code for long periods.
• Thick skin: You must be able to respond well to criticism and feedback and learn not to take it personally, even when its your personal vision thats being rejected.
• Time-management skills: Workdays can be long, particularly when there are tight deadlines; youll need to be able to manage your time effectively when a deadline is approaching.

Most of these skills can be refined and polished with experience, education, and hard work, so dont worry if you feel like youre not quite there yet. If a career in graphic design is what you want, perseverance is key!

In the most general sense, graphic designers use 2D or 3D art to create visual concepts that inspire, inform, and captivate users. They work on logos and layout designs for magazines, brochures, reports, advertisements, and more. They create designs, but they also have to consider things like negative space, readability, and typography.

Sometimes also called layout artists, they design the structure of text and images in good-looking format, often for printed forms of media. Other typical positions or titles that graphic designers hold include creative director, art director, art production manager, brand identity developer, and illustrator.

They overwhelmingly work in studios, where they have access to equipment such as drafting tables, computers, and software. Although many graphic designers work independently as freelancers, those who work for specialized graphic design firms are often part of a creative team. Many graphic designers collaborate with colleagues or work with clients on projects.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2018 about 20 percent of graphic designers worked for themselves as freelancers; 10 percent worked in specialized design services (such as architectural, engineering, scientific, and other technical fields); 8 percent worked in advertising, public relations, and related services; 7 percent worked in print support; and 5 percent worked for newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers.

Traditional graphic designers create projects for their employer or for clients. Some of their responsibilities include:

• Planning a visual concept by studying materials and understanding the big-picture approach
• Illustrating a concept by creating a rough layout of art and copy; this usually includes the arrangement, size, and style of all elements
• Creating guidelines for how logos and other branding materials should be displayed and used
• Helping to make design choices (e.g., fonts and colors) for all content the company will use
• Preparing final copy and art by operating typesetting, printing, and similar equipment
• Completing projects on time by coordinating with outside agencies, art services, printers, and so on
• Maintaining technical knowledge by attending design workshops, reviewing professional publications, and participating in professional societies
• Working with other creative team members to produce content and get results, as needed

In addition to working well with others on a team, graphic designers need to be creative, flexible, deadline oriented, and detail oriented, and be able to take criticism and handle feedback.

Learn to take criticism. You must have a solid ego so you can take criticism and learn from it.Jill Flores, graphic designer

This book differentiates between more traditional graphic designers and multimedia artists. Multimedia artists and animators create images and models that appear to move, as well as visual effects for television, movies, video games, and other forms of media. They usually specialize in one arena or medium; for example, some create animated movies or video games, whereas others create visual effects for companies or for entertainment purposes. They might create computer-generated images (CGI) or design scenery or backgrounds.

Multimedia artists and animators typically create their work using computer software or by writing computer code. Many animation companies even have their own computer animation software that their artists must learn to use. Its very important for you to learn and hone your skills in computer graphics in order to compete in this field.