Graphic Design Programs and Trade Schools
If you are looking for a career that combines your artistic ability, your
creative side and technical know-how, then graphic designing will just be right
for you. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment opportunities
for graphic designers will be increasing at the rate of 10 percent from 2006
through 2016. The main employers will be advertisers, computer design firms, and
publishers. You can work in the print media designing posters, brochures,
magazines, CD covers and a host of other non-interactive elements; or you can be
designing web interfaces, power-point presentations, video games and other
interactive projects. Log on to
BLS.gov
to have detailed information on graphic designing.
A Graphic Design Trade School
Any communication medium needs a graphic designer. As a graphic designer you are
responsible for providing a visual solution to your client's communication
problem. A graphic design trade school teaches you not only the creative
elements of designing, but also the technical essentials of illustration,
animation and layout techniques, and other skills. Though there may be
self-taught designers doing quite well, a design school always adds to your
inherent ability, with software knowledge and practical industry skills bringing
you on par with the best in the industry. The role of a graphic designer is
becoming increasingly important in today's media-driven lifestyle; every
commercial that you see - each printed page (whether an advertisement or simple
layout), movies and television serials, every promotional element from packaging
to posters - needs designing. In this extremely competitive career, the design
school and course that you choose will determine your career.
Is a Degree Important?
Students who are creative and can paint and sketch often think that they do not
need a degree when they already have the talent. There are also numerous books
and online tutorials on graphic designing that can help you learn the basics of
Flash, Photoshop, Fireworks, Illustrator, and other software packages. Your
inherent skill and self-taught techniques may help you to work for employers who
are not too choosy and accept assembled design products that you hand out.
However, graphic designing is not about techniques and creativity alone. It is
important to understand your client's need and provide a solution that will not
only be attractive but also achieve the primary target of selling the product or
service. Your graphic designing degree will teach you this key element of
synchronizing the 'need' and the 'solution'.
The Certificates and Degrees That Are On Offer
When you select your school or course, check out the accreditation. About 250
institutions offering postsecondary programs in design and art have been
accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. These
schools mostly offer degree programs. A bachelor's degree program is an absolute
essential for graphic designing positions. However, for some entry-level
technical positions, an associate degree or a certificate program in graphic
designing may also be accepted. Some schools will not allow admission to a
bachelor's degree program if you have not completed a basic course in art and
design. You will also need a portfolio of your work to present at the time of
admission. A full-fledged bachelor's degree program will include courses on
studio art, design principles, commercial designing, printing, computerized
designing, and the latest design software. You will also be inducted into
liberal arts through courses in art history, sociology, psychology, culture
study, marketing, language and writing. If you have a bachelor's degree in any
other stream, you can choose a two- to three-year program in graphic designing.
Professional graphic designing programs also include associate and certificate
level courses that focus more on the technical aspects of designing and less on
the liberal arts. Usually a three-year associate degree or two-year certificate
program will get you a job as an assistant graphic designer. However, this is
one career where you can rise to the very top through your creativity and
ability.
Online and Campus Study
Colleges offer both campus and online programs in graphic designing. The basic
advantage of a campus course is the
availability of state-of-the-art technology
that will help build and upgrade your skills. This may be difficult in an online
course where you will need to upgrade costly software on your machine to keep up
with technology. The growing demand for graphic courses has prompted traditional
colleges to offer online courses. An online course also gives you the advantage
of developing your computer skills, as you are doing the course totally on the
computer.
Specialization in Various Designing Lines
Designing involves various distinct specializations such as graphic designing,
illustration, computer animation, and publishing. Graphic designers create
visual communication through a combination of images, concepts, colors, layout,
and other elements that present information in an aesthetic and accessible
format. Illustrators convey ideas and messages through sketches, paintings, and
drawings. They combine creative skills and technical know-how to reach their
target audience.
If you are interested in knowing more, log on to:
Education-Portal.com - Illustrator.
Another specialty area in designing is computer animation, where the artist
creates moving figures in a two-dimensional space. Computer animators are in
great demand in film making, advertising and video making.
You can get more information at:
Education-Portal.com
- Animator.
Another apparently easy but actually daunting specialization is publishing;
though it seems a simple process of writing, publishing and selling a product,
in reality this involves a complex routine of acquisition, planning, editing,
designing, art directing, copy editing, production managing, distributing,
selling and marketing. Check out the following site for more information:
Underdown.org.
Graphic designing involves constantly upgrading your knowledge. You should be well read, knowledgeable about the latest trends, and updated with the technical innovations. In a consumer-driven society the demands from your clients will vary, while deadlines will be tighter. Freelancers with a good business sense can do well in the designing field.
