The key to communicating effectively and creatively lies in the hands of a graphic designer.
Therefore, it is necessary to have an innate ability for creativity and imagination to become one.
You could either work in a firm or become a freelancer which requires time flexibility.
Many are confused about the educational qualifications and the average salary of a graphic designer.
So here is the complete guide to become a graphic designer along with the skills and educational qualifications needed.
The fundamental skills necessary to become a graphic designer is an innate ability to be imaginative along with being creative and incredibly artistic.
You need to be able to communicate your ideas and designs to your client which requires you to have an excellent presentation skill.
Hence, you need to have excellent visual, verbal and written communication skills.
From a business perspective, you need to be capable of meeting deadlines and work independently.
Apart from the key skills which are mandatory to become a graphic designer, you also need the following skills.
Your work begins by communicating with the client to understand their requirement. For this, you need to have a strong communication skill along with visual skills.
You need to imagine well and be creative to improvise on it. Later you need to portray it on a piece of paper or screen. For this, you need to have excellent drawing skills and computer handling skills.
The third part is being able to bring it to action for which you need to be well versed with IT.
You need to have knowledge of software which are design-oriented. Later you need to present it to the client and rework the entire project or certain parts of it if the output doesn’t match what they had in mind.
Deadlines are tight, and you need to be able to work under stress. Hence, you require time management.
Talent takes you a long way, but networking helps you get it faster. Having good communication skill also helps in networking and growing contacts related to your work.
This helps you get more work and a vast client base which is handy for any business.
To sum it all, the skills you require to become a graphic designer are creativity, communication skills, technological skills, typography, and time management.
You may be interested to read this: 7 Basic Tools for Designers that everyone must have
The degree level required to become a graphic designer is a bachelor’s degree. This degree could be in the field of graphic design, art, or any related field.
Get any course which will aid in your graphic designing and also try to do as many internships as you can.
This will build your strengths and also ensure that you get to experience; the two things that your clients require more than your qualification.
What does a graphic designer do every day? As a graphic designer, you have certain responsibilities.
You will be required to discuss and understand what the client needs from the project. You need to show the client the closest you understood and create a sketch or a visual on the screen.
Once you do so, you need to provide the client with a cost or time estimate of the project. You can proceed further if the client approves of it.
Choose an appropriate and the most suitable software which helps you with the project such as InDesign, Illustrator, QuarkXPress, or Photoshop.
Each designing software will have its own style, and hence you need to choose wisely which software has the right style for your project.
Produce the final result without crossing the deadline and budget. This will further help you get more clients.
An average annual salary of a graphic designer is about £30,000 per annum. This can vary depending upon your location and your skills.
There is strong competition out there in the market, and if you want to thrive and grow, the first thing you need to have is an excellent portfolio.
You need a platform through which you can attract your client or tell them what your capabilities are.
Therefore, it is very important to keep updating your portfolio.
Add all the projects you think your potential clients might be interested in looking at any project that you are proud of having done.
Make your CV stand out with your designer skills if needed. Having a strong portfolio increases the chances of your potential client give you a chance.
So these were the things you need to know about a graphic designer and how to become one. This will be helpful on your journey to become a graphic designer. Most importantly you need to love your work, and you will keep getting more clients.
