Career Facts
Explore Our Careers:
Graphic Designer
What They Do:
Graphic Design is a substantial part of the visual
arts, encompassing illustration, graphic design, printing, displays
and signs, advertising, photography . . . all printed material. The
commercial artist is distinguished from the fine artist in that the
product of the Graphic Designer is used for a functional or
"practical" purpose. Graphic Designers work for magazines,
newspapers, corporations, publishers, advertising agencies, public
and private institutions, department stores, printing and
manufacturing companies.
Graphic Design is one the largest branches of commercial art. Graphic Design includes the occupation of art director, layout artist, production manager, paste-up technician and computer artist. Graphic designers are concerned with ideas and problem solving to effectively meet the visual communication needs of clients. The graphic designer creates a plan for the printed page (a layout), organizes the elements for an effective design, and selects the type, illustrations and/or photos to be used in the printed piece.
Illustration is the profession closest to fine art. Illustrators may be generalists, taking any assignment given, or specialize in areas such as cartooning or book illustration. Often an artist's style and personal interests will determine the area of specialty. Some illustrators work only in black and white; others become specialists in color, style, or a particular technique in the illustration of products, people or animals.
Who Would Enjoy It:
A career in graphic design is an excellent choice for a person who
enjoys working with people and coming up with innovative ideas that
are a purposeful combination of imagination and information. A
successful designer will have the ability to come up with unique but
appropriate concepts for commercial purposes in advertising and
marketing products and services.
What They Earn:
Entry-level graphic design positions can vary from $9.00 to $14.00
per hour, depending on the employment situation and
responsibilities. Salaried positions can start at $19,000 to
$24,000. Designers with 2-year Associate's in Applied Arts degrees
employed by the State of Michigan in 1996 earned an average of
$37,000 per year, with salaries ranging from $20,000 to $43,000 a
year.
How Many Jobs Available:
The outlook for employment in graphic design for the future indicate
average growth through the year 2006. Employment in all advertising
and design occupations is directly linked to the economy. The skill
set required for employment is constantly upgraded as new hardware
and software solutions emerge. The competition for higher levels of
employment is high and all employment is based on the quality and
content of a portfolio of examples of work presented for employment.
How Much Schooling,
Training, or Skill Development:
Entry into the profession of graphic design is directly
related to the evidence of skills displayed in a prospective
employee's portfolio. Many employers (such as the State of Michigan)
require a minimum of a 2-year college degree for attainment of
positions at certain levels, and will often prefer a Bachelor's
degree.
Related Occupations:
Animation, Multimedia, Web Design, Architecture and Interior Design.
Also see,
Computer Graphics Animation, Computer
Graphics Web Design
Artists
What They Do:
Painters, sculptors, and illustrators create
original artwork using a variety of methods and media that are known
as fine arts. Usually, fine artists specialize in one or two
art forms. They usually display their work in museums, art
galleries, collections, and private homes. Most of what they
create is sold by the artist or through private galleries or
dealers. Only the most successful are able to support
themselves solely through the sale of their work.
Illustrators additionally create pictures for books, magazines, and
other publications for commercial products like textiles, papers,
stationery, cards, and calendars. Some illustrators work in
the digital format. Cartoonists or Sequential Artists, draw
political and sports cartoons, advertising, social and sports
cartoons, comic books, and graphic novels. Multi-media Artists
and Animators create special effects, animation or other visual
images on film, video or computers and other electronic media.
They work primarily in motion picture, and video industries,
advertising and computer systems design. Some draw (by hand
using computers) storyboards for television commercials, movies, and
animated features.
Training Requirements for Artists:
These can vary by specialty. Many colleges and universities as
well as independent schools of art and design offer programs leading
to degrees in the fine arts.
Formal Educational Programs:
In the art field these also provide training in computer techniques.
Computers are widely used in the visual arts and knowledge and
training in computer graphics and other visual display software are
important in many jobs in these fields.
Where Employed:
Of all artists, more than half are self-employed. Of those not
self-employed, many work in advertising; newspaper, periodical,
book, and software publishers; motion picture and video industries;
specialized design services; and computer systems design.
Communication, Media and the Arts Department
Gannon Bldg, Room 1222
Phone: (517) 483-1546
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