What to look for in a Graphic Designer
There are no limits to who can call themselves a Graphic Designer. Be careful who you trust on your design projects. What kind of qualification do they hold? While studying the art of Graphic Design at Uni, students are exposed to the many rules and techniques that lesser qualified designers may not have experience in.
Graphic design is an art and science that relies on creativity and discipline. Graphic design plays a roll in almost every business. What business doesn’t have a business card or website these days? Graphic design is a key ingredient in print media, websites, animation, branding and on the list goes. There are many fields of graphic design and each field requires different knowledge and skills however there is one common element to every disciple – visual communication. Graphic design is about communicating a message to a target audience. How the text is arranged, the images, the colours used all convey a message.
Graphic design is a powerful communication tool for a number of marketing activities such as direct mail, ads, brochures and other promotional items. Effective graphic design often looks very simple to the untrained eye. Much effort is put into visually communicating effectively to the intended target audience. While in preparation to design a project, a good graphic designer studies many factors including the target audience, the intended message and the best use or limitations of the selected medium.
To the print professional, graphic design might primarily be about ink on a page, to the IT industry it might simple be a vehicle to structure content, however, Graphic designers understand there is much more to the design profession than some give credit for. Graphic designers understand the aesthetics of layout, imagery and typography, however the true art of graphic design is about conveying a message and presenting a particular product, service or thought in a way that influences the audience.
The Graphic design process includes aspects like illustrations, fonts, colours, form, textures proximity, shades, light, space and photography. Understanding how to use these element for the desired result can take years of experience developing. Designing websites is a very different process to designing a logo or business cards. Designing magazine advertisements is very different to designing billboards or posters. What kind of information, and how much information can be communicated and retained via these different applications is important to understand when creating a successful design.
What has your experience been working with graphic designers? Let us know in the comments section below. Maybe you are a graphic designer (many of our readers are) and have some thoughts you would like to contribute. Go for it.
