Do you ever become curious about how eye-catching visuals on websites and stunningly designed spreads in magazines are created? You may be one of those individuals who are creative and talented in art and painting, but you want to pursue something more exciting than the usual fashion and interior design. Then, my buddy, graphic design is the career path for you.
Graphic design may be a rewarding career path for those interested in combining their creative talents with their passions for technology and communication. Marketing and advertising, publishing, healthcare, and digital communications are just a few of the industries where these experts are in demand. As you begin your search for a career in graphic design, it is important to know everything about a career in graphic design.
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Who is a Graphic Designer?
To put it simply, graphic designers are artists who specialise in the creation of visual content for print and electronic media. By hand or with the use of computer tools, they develop visual designs that convey information and excite people. They develop the overall layout and production design for commercials, brochures, periodicals, and business reports. Color theory, picture composition, font kinds and many other aesthetic elements must be well-understood by these experts to identify the greatest appeal to the target market of the business. New designs are sketched and current brand characteristics are used to generate fresh designs that are aimed at the target audience.
Types of Graphic Designers
1. Photo Editor
Photo editors work with real-life photos to alter, colour-correct, or combine them. Editing images requires a thorough grasp of Photoshop, which is normally taught in a graphic design curriculum. It is frequently useful for businesses to hire a designer who can edit photographs when the product image does not adequately reflect the final product.
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2. Apparel designer
Apparel graphic designers develop unique apparel images. They get to know the brand’s consumers and make sure their designs are consistent and attractive to them. Designs for screen printing on shirts, pocket embroideries, and any other specific designs or prints that the brand’s design executives desire on their garments.
3. Logo maker
Signify a firm, product, brand, or service using aesthetically appealing visuals. They study the target population to learn what symbols appeal to and recall. The designer then selects colours and forms that define the firm or product’s brand identity. Logo designers must be aware of competing designs to avoid duplicating or reproducing a registered logo.
4. Webmaster
Web designers help build websites by generating web pages, page layouts, and images. They also design the navigation menus, drop-down menus, and website structure. They may be able to code and programme their website. Web designers work with the website’s brand or marketing team to decide what material to include on each page, where to put visuals, and how to keep the website’s look consistent.
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5. Media artist
The use of art and computer animation applications by multimedia designers. They design the animation by drawing, building scale models, and producing computer visuals. They create visuals for the story’s characters, backgrounds, and items.
6. Ad designer
Advertising designers develop aesthetically appealing marketing materials for a brand or firm. They design billboards, magazine ads, online ads, and other promotional materials. They utilise CAD software or sketch to produce an initial design based on marketing and PR techniques. They may generate many iterations of an idea to show to the advertising leadership, then refine the final design.
7. Art director
The art director leads the design team’s vision, directs the theme idea, and oversees all design artwork. They may work in fashion, advertising, television, or consumer items. To grasp the customer’s aesthetic vision, directors work closely with the client or sales team. The art director is in charge of assessing and approving the art and graphics teams’ work. The art director coordinates projects with marketing, finance, creative, and customer service directors to maintain a consistent brand image.
8. UI and UX designer
UI and UX designers usually have rudimentary coding abilities and can collaborate with software programmers to realise the designer’s vision. UI designers make websites, ads, and computer programming easier to use. That the UX design is possible and performed successfully.
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What do you need to be a graphic designer?
- In addition to technical and artistic abilities, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively
- Great communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with customers to understand and meet the needs of the project and the company as a whole
- Precision and attention to detail in the finalisation of designs need excellent time management abilities.
- The ability to adapt your ideas to the input you get is a valuable networking tool.
Criteria for Education
If you want to work in graphic design, you should enrol in a degree programme leading to a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Design, which will prepare you for the field. Most institutions provide a four-year curriculum following 10+2; in other situations, you may apply after 10th grade. There are several polytechnics in India where students may pursue employable degrees.
The cost of a Bachelor’s degree in India is between INR 4 – 6 Lacs, whereas the cost of a Diploma or an Independent course is between INR 2 – 4 Lacs, depending on the kind of programme. Fees for International Colleges might range from INR 15 – 40 Lacs based on the subject and the institution.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design degrees are available at several institutions and universities. Graphic design students who complete these four-year degree programmes are prepared for entry-level careers or higher positions in the field. There is a heavy emphasis on design and liberal arts teaching in the curricula. Among the options are:
- Typography
- Creating a Book
- Drawing
- Intensely creative graphics.
- CAD (computer-aided drafting)
- Photography on the Internet
Within two to three years, you may rise from a junior graphic designer to a full-fledged one. This is the time to build a reputation, network, and build relationships.
Designers with three to five years of experience may be able to qualify for a senior job. It is possible to rise the ranks in major design partnerships, such as becoming studio manager or creative director.
In general, moving jobs often is necessary for professional advancement since it allows you to gain new skills and experience, as well as build your resume. There are a lot of factors to consider while deciding on a professional path.
If you’ve created a strong reputation in your first employment, it’s feasible to become self-employed within five to 10 years. If you want to advance in your career, being a chartered member of the CSD is a step in the right direction.
Job Opportunities
Advertising agencies, design firms, publishers, and other entities in need of graphic designers may all use the services of graphic designers. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in design is usually within reach for the majority of designers, and these programmes help them hone their technical abilities and build up impressive portfolios of their work, which may help them get jobs more quickly after graduation.
Advertising, print, and web design are just a few of the many fields where graphic designers might find work. You should be familiar with programmes like Photoshop and Illustrator when you’re just starting as a designer. After three to four years of experience, a designer’s career slows down. Individual brilliance is more important in design than a group effort.
Top colleges for Graphic Designing in India
1. Ahmedabad’s NID (National Institute of Design)
NID is a design school situated in Ahmedabad. The institution is overseen by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion of India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Students may pursue a two-and-a-half-year Master of Design (M. Des.) degree in Graphic Design at the NID campus in Ahmedabad. The potential of studying graphic design at NID has exploded in recent years.
2. The Pearl Academy in New Delhi
The Pearl Academy of Fashion was founded in 1993 by the Little People Education Society and is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1861. The institution was initially advertised by the House of Pearl Fashions Ltd, an Indian export enterprise. After establishing a campus in Okhla, the institution relocated to Naraina in West Delhi. Since 2011, Pearl has been a member of the LIU global network, which includes over 80 institutions worldwide. Students may major in graphic design, animation, typography, and digital media, as well as in industry-specific subjects such as information design (branding), editing and publishing, and motion graphics.
3. Ahmedabad’s United World Institute of Design
The United World Design Institute, or UID, is a part of Karnavati University. The institution is accredited by the University Grants Commission and is a member of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). Additionally, the UID collaborates with several organisations and institutions, including the World Design Organization (WDO), Cumulus, the International Festival of Fashion and Textiles (IFFTI), and the Commonwealth Universities Association.
The Institute presently offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in a variety of fields, including fashion design, interior design, industrial design, product design, and graphic design. Along with the classes, the Institute offers monthly seminars to assist students in developing their students’ creativity. The Institute now has around 50 academic members from all design fields.
4. MAEER’s MIT Institute of Design is located in Pune.
Maharashtra Academy of Engineering and Education Research (MAEER) is the acronym for Maharashtra Academy of Engineering and Education Research. Pune, Maharashtra is home to the MIT Institute of Design. It was founded in August 2006 under the direction of some of India’s most eminent design educators to become an institution of worldwide reputation for design research and training. It is a self-contained institution renowned for its graphic design programmes.
5. Mumbai’s G.D. Goenka School of Fashion & Design
Haryana Act No. 10 established the G.D. Goenka University, Sohna Road, Gurgaon (Delhi-NCR Region), India (2010). The University Grants Commission recognised the university (UGC). The G.D. Goenka University is approved under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act. The G.D. Goenka School of Fashion and Design (SOFD) was established in collaboration with the internationally renowned G.D. Goenka Institute for Fashion and Design (IGFID). The Goenka Group is a supporter of the School of Fashion and Design in New York City. Undergraduate and graduate degrees in fashion and design are available to foster the development of a new generation of creative, professional designers.
6. Mumbai’s Sir JJ Institute of Applied Arts
SJIA is a Mumbai-based institute of applied art. Sir J. J. School of Art is a state-run college formed as a sister institution. Sir J. J. School of Art was divided in 1958, and the Architecture and Applied Art Departments were renamed, Sir J. J. College of Architecture and Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Art, respectively.
7. Delhi College of Arts and Crafts, New Delhi
Also known as the College of Art, it is a renowned art college for advanced study in Visual Arts, Creative and Applied Art, and is affiliated with the University of Delhi’s Faculty of Music and Fine Art. It is administered by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It was established in 1942 as a department of art under the Delhi College of Engineering (now DTU). It is situated on Tilak Marg in New Delhi. It provides students with a four-year graphic design programme.
Conclusion
An increasingly common professional path for those with artistic aptitude and talents is that of a graphic designer. Do what you can if you believe you have the ability and the creativity. After receiving your high school diploma, it’s a good idea to have a firm grasp on your career goals in graphic design. Additionally, the starting compensation for a graphic designer is INR 1,23,400 per year, which may arise to INR 8,50,000 per year. There are a wide variety of graphic design courses available at colleges in India, which will help you better identify yourself and realise your aspirations. The 12th-grade point average may be a requirement for an undergraduate graphic design degree (any stream).
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