Graphic Design
Jobs
Graphic
artists, or graphic designers, are the bases of the graphic world.
It is their designs that are sent to layout artists and then to the
printers and then onto the outside world on CD covers, cereal boxes,
billboards, posters, and basically anything that has to do with a
visual representation. The Graphic Design Jobs category includes
positions ranging through production artists, illustrators and
designers. All of these positions can support editorial products as
well as marketing and custom media projects. Associates degree or
higher required for entry-level positions. Computer skills with
emphasis on graphics programs are essential in almost every Graphic
Design Jobs. Portfolio of work is generally
required.
Useful tips
before appearing for Graphic
Design Jobs:
Know Both Print
and Web Design: While Web design may seem very sexy; you'll be more
marketable if you have a thorough understanding of both print and
Web design. Contrary to popular opinion, print isn't going away any
time soon. Even if you decide you only want to do Web design,
someone, someday, will ask you to do print
work.
Work with
Printers: It's okay to admit you don't know how to do something.
When it comes to print design, the best thing to do is run your
ideas by your printer. Most printers are happy to answer you
questions; if they're not, you should find a new
printer.
Learn
Marketing: Whether you plan on working in-house, for an agency, or
for yourself, you better know something about marketing. It's not
about how pretty your designs are, it's about the results your
designs get.
The Customer's
Always Right: Most schools don't teach you how to deal with
customers. The customer -- whether that's your boss or the person
who hired you -- is always right. If they're wrong (if they pick the
ugliest design, for instance), it's your job to educate them. Be
prepared with concrete reasons why the design you like is the one
that works.
Design Logos in
Black and White: Even in today's Technicolor world, companies need
black and white versions of their logo. At some point, they will
need to fax and copy their logo. It's easy to design in black and
white, and then colorize a logo. It's not always so easy to make a
color logo black and white.
Networking
Never Ends: You might think that you want to guard all your customer
and design secrets, but the truth is you'll be a better designer if
you network with other designers. You'll have people to bounce ideas
off of, vent to and learn from. You might even be able to pick up
extra work occasionally.
Tools
use by Graphic Designer in
Graphic Design Jobs: The equipment that a
graphic artist uses computers, mainly Macintoshes because of their
dependability, ease of use, and graphics capabilities. For storage
they use Zip disks ranging from 100 megabytes to 250 megabytes, and
Jazz drives which can go from 1 gigabyte to 2 gigabytes, and now
they even use portable Fire-Wire hard drives, or even CD-RS,
CD-RW's, and nowadays DVD.
No specific
training is required for a graphic artist, since anyone with talent
can get a job for themselves, but those who want the best Graphic Design Jobs will
want to have training in, or at least be familiar with, Photoshop,
Freehand, Quark Express, and Multi Ad Creator. Also, if working with
web design, should be familiar with In Design, Dream weaver,
Fireworks, and Flash.
