Should I be a graphic designer?

From Nike’s iconic swoosh, to I Heart New York merch, to the Rumie user interface bringing you this Byte: graphic design is EVERYWHERE!

It's the mastery of influence through art.

It grabs your attention and makes you want to buy that cool shirt, or eases your experience while browsing through websites. It's in every single form of advertising, and without it, businesses die.

Does it sound like the right career for you?

By being both creative and business-savvy, graphic designers are the problem-solvers of the visual medium.

They make use of visual elements and design principles to communicate their client’s message most simply, effectively, and practices towards their target audience (resulting in the boosting of sales, views, and content engagement.)

Visual elements include:

• Line

• Colour

• Shape

• Texture

• Space

• Form

• Typography

Design principles include:

• Contrast

• Hierarchy

• Alignment

• Balance

• Proximity

• Repetition

• Simplicity

• Function

Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash

It’s a graphic designer’s job to communicate effectively with their client and make sure that they’re both on the same page by:

• Actively listening to the client so that there's a clear understanding of what the project entails

• Researching the project and examining client goals, branding, and target audiences

• Building a mood board to outline project ideas through sketches, color palettes, and other visual inspiration

• Frequent updating and correspondence with the client (and the willingness to make adjustments to the mood board/draft based on the client’s feedback)

Average Graphic Designer salaries:

Canada: CA$44,859/year

The USA: USD$46,431/year

• You don’t function well under pressure and struggle to meet tight deadlines.

• You’re put off by the idea of working long hours at a desk job.

• You can’t see yourself being creative on demand, consistently.

• You struggle to keep your creativity constrained within limitations.

• You don’t like taking direction or criticism from others.

• You can't understand the inherent excellence of an aesthetically pleasing typeface.

Ready for a career where you can think outside the box?