Pursuing A Career In Graphic Design Part 2: Prepping For Employment

The Graphics Guy    careers, graphic design, internet marketing, logo design, web design    

In Part 1 I gave you my thoughts about getting started… in Part 2… I will be covering Prepping For Employment.

While in school… is there anything I can do to prepare for employment? Work on building your portfolio. Most educators will tell you to show only your best work… which is excellent advice. Another good tip for a top-notch portfolio: show a variety of work. Your portfolio should include at least  samples of your best logos, printed material, advertising/marketing collateral, and illustrated pieces. It’s a good idea to include non-traditional forms of Graphic Design (Web Design, Animation, Industrial Design, etc.). It shows you can (and willing to) work outside the realm of your chosen field. One last tip: ONLY select samples you received and A. A- and below does not cut it.

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Pursuing A Career In Graphic Design Part 1: Getting Started

The Graphics Guy    careers, graphic design    

Interested in pursuing a career in Graphic Design?

Assembled below are questions I have received from inspiring artists who want to take the plunge into the world of Graphic Design. In this first part I will be covering how to get started.

What specific skills must a Graphic Designer have? The obvious answer is to possess artistic ability and being able to design something that is considered “creative”. You also must be a good listener and follow instructions.

How do I know if Graphic Design is a good career choice for me? Just because you can draw… does not automatically mean you should pursue a career in Graphic Design. If you are taking art classes and earning good grades… that’s a good indicator. Another good way to test your creative ability is to enter art contests. If you are consistently winning awards… go for it!

Do have to know how to draw? Yes! It’s essential you learn the principals of drawing along with other artistic techniques.

What tools do Graphic Designers use? A Graphic Designer’s primary tools are the computer and design software. They use pencils, pens and/or markers to sketch out ideas. Graphic Designers have been known to use drafting tables along with printers, scanners and graphics tablets.

What are the software programs that Graphic Designers use? They mostly use Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign) along with Quark Xpress and Macromedia Freehand. Graphic Designers also use non-design software including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook) and Web browsing programs (Internet Explorer, FireFox and Chrome) The rule of thumb… the more programs you know… the better off you are.

How did you get started? At a very young age I discovered my artistic ability was pretty good. I was getting good grades in art, winning awards, and having my designs published. I knew right then and there… I wanted to be a professional artist.  So I started learning everything I could about art. Eventually after years of training (and working part-time) Graphic Design became my full-time profession in 1997.

What education do you have? I have an Associate in Specialized Technology from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. My major was Visual Communications with an emphasis in Graphic Design. Before college, I took numerous classes in Design, Drawing, Fine Arts (ie. Painting) and Art History.

What level of education do you recommend for a career in Graphic Design? College level for sure. Most employers require a 4 year degree (Bachelors). If you are serious… you should start taking art classes at the earliest opportunity. You can NEVER have enough education!

Which schools do you recommend for a career in Graphic Design? I recommend schools that specializes in art like The Art Institutes or Universities that have an above average art program. Click here for a list of the best schools. If your financial means are limited… don’t give up… there are plenty of good community colleges and vocational schools.

What other educational (or career) advice can you offer? While taking classes make it a goal to get the best grades possible. Employers are not looking for candidates who have a 2.0 GPA. Make sure to take non-artistic classes that build your skills in marketing, advertising, and business. Take advantage of any creative opportunity you may encounter. Whether its working for free, part-time, or freelancing… any experience you gain is very important.

Hope this helps you. If you have any comments… please post below. Part 2 will cover employment (coming soon).

Good luck!