Graphic Designer

A graphic designer’s work involves creating visual content to communicate feelings, emotion or messages. A design job entails using layout techniques, typography and pictures to create an image that optimises the viewer’s experience. You’ll see these images in a magazine, website or advertisement in everyday life. If something catches your eye visually, it’s most likely down to the graphic designer.

Graphic designers in the UK create images and visual pieces across a range of products and activities. They’ll work in advertising, websites, magazines, posters, displays, packaging, books and computer games. A creative designer should be flexible, innovative and be able to work as part of a team and with other departments.

A graphics designer can be involved in much more than the products or pages themselves; they can work on entire exhibitions, corporate communications and even the organisation’s identity itself and how it’s perceived as a brand.

The graphic design career path enables you to complete design briefs which were agreed with the creative director, client or account holder after you’ve constructed ideas and concepts for their objectives. It requires creative flair, the ability to work to a deadline and knowledge of industry software so you can stay up to date as well as ahead of the curve.

A graphic design job can take you to major cities and towns across the country, from advertising agencies in London or a magazine in Leeds, and even abroad in Japan, USA, and Europe. Most work in a shared studio or in-house and as part of a team, although there may be times where you’ll work alone on a project. Freelancers can be based in a shared office, studio space or work from home - or the local coffee shop if that’s your style.

A graphic designer, like most other fine arts jobs, involves a lot of hard work and you’ll be sitting and working at a computer for most of the work. However, you may be able to break up the day by travelling to meet clients when required.

The graphic designer profile involves meeting clients, creative directors or account managers to discuss the project and what’s needed for the brief. You’ll decide the desired outcome of the piece, the estimated time it’ll take and how much it’ll cost.

A graphic designer role will include you developing design briefs to suit the purpose, produce new ideas and prepare stimulating and interactive concepts. A magazine designer, as an example, will be innovative and may need to change or adapt a brief to deadlines. But a UK graphic design role for a company may be working on the organisation’s visual branding and instead spend long periods on the project.

The creative designer job description extends to working with a range of media, from new and upcoming technologies to computer-aided design (CAD). You’ll also need to check, go over and proofread content before it’s passed on to ensure it’s accurate and high-quality.

Graphic designer responsibilities may also cover commissioning photographers, illustrators and other designers, as well as working as part of a team made up with stylists, web developers, printers, copywriters, photographers and the marketing team. Jobs for graphic designers tend to interest individuals who seek satisfaction and joy from creating substantial and creative pieces of work. If you love designing, building new scenes and telling a story through an image, then it may be the perfect fit.

Graphic designer qualifications start at GCSE and can be found in A-Levels, Higher National Diplomas, and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Graphic design qualifications needed for a career or entry-level position usually involve visual art courses, but these can be:

• Film and TV
• Graphic design
• Illustration
• 3D design
• Fine art
• Visual art
• Photography

Any of these courses will offer insight into graphic designer skills you’d use daily on the job, from thinking, planning and framing a brief to understanding how a visual image is broken down. Any course that involves design will offer a foundation of knowledge for art, design,…