Is anyone here a GRAPHIC DESIGNER? (or web?) could you tell me about it ?

BeachHouseGuy

$, projects, job market, people in the biz?

PandL

taiyaki

starting where i live around 30-35 grand a year. that is if you are working inhouse and by inhouse i mean working for an advertising agency.

you do a lot of work in a short amount of time. also it is an extremely demanding career choice.

you don't need a degree, but it helps.

as a graphic designer there are two routes. one is doing print or the other is doing web. print deals with tactile objects such as stationaries, posters, brochures, etc.

whereas web deals with website design, flash gifs, web ads, pdfs, etc.

graphic design is basically used everywhere. for the most part you are creating the visual image of a company or identity. so you have to be very intuitive yet have the logical understanding of a scientist.

unless you are godly talented and well connected you are going to do shit jobs. shit jobs equal jobs like designing a logo for a landscaping company. hahaha.


also many graphic designers freelance as well. i did a package design a little bit ago.

i could go on but i think you get it.

taiyaki

also a web designer can be thought of as two things. one a programmer who engineers the coding and function of such website.

the graphic designer may only deal with the visual function of the website and user friendliness.

there is overlap as well. some graphic designers do the full package from designing to programming.

it is rare to find a programmer than knows anything about design because usually like most engineer they lack any ability to see or create elegance. but such unicorns probably exist.

if you're interest in graphic design as a career i suggest two books: Typography Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Type in Graphic Design and Design Elements: A Graphic Style Manual. Both are by Timothy Samara and both are my bibles when it comes understanding visual logic.

Mountains

"Graphic designer" covers a *lot* of ground. I've been doing graphic art stuff both part and full time (off and on) for over 20 years, and have ranged from more money than I knew what to do with (aaah those crazy, heady days of the 1990s) to wondering how I was going to pay the mortgage.

Dakini

My observation is that web design pays really well, and so does graphic design. But the market for graphic design may have changed since I had a friend doing that kind of work. She was salaried staff at a hospital, and handled design relating to all their marketing. She said the money was was by far the best she's ever made, and she's now a psychologist.

BeachHouseGuy

Thanks to all

compassionate_warrior

In order to get the higher-paying graphic design jobs, you need some kind of training or schooling in it. You need some kind of diploma, if only from a 2-year college, so you can out-compete non-diplomate people. I assume you have artistic talent. This could be a rewarding career for someone who is adequately prepared. I hope it works out for you.