Graphic Design

Graphic design is all about images and graphics. This could be anything that is designed, from logos to a multi-page brochure. Graphic designers work on building visually interesting web pages to a visual communication that can capture the text content of an article. Their work can be seen in a magazine cover or a billboard design. Any visual image that is not a photograph has to be designed by a professional in graphic artwork. A great graphic design will bring about a "wow" from the viewer.

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Who is the graphic designer?
The typical graphic designer is a person that starts out by loving to draw, and early in life shows a talent for being able to draw. After high school, they usually take academic classes in college that harness their innate talent to graphic design. They may do this to support their art. Just doing this type of work may be fulfilling for some. An eye for color combinations, visual presentation of an image, and the ability to take a client’s word picture and translate the words into a picture is the forte of a graphic designer. Really talented people in this field are always in demand by advertising agencies, PR companies, logo design companies, and printing companies. Top talent in this field can demand top dollar for their work.

A company identity can be forever placed in the public’s mind and their products branded forever. This is the visual impact of quality work by a talented graphic designer. Logo recognition is the reason that logo designs come at a high price from the designer. This is a one-time piece of work that can last for decades. The graphic designer makes all this happen with their art.

Logo? What does it mean?
A company’s name can be remembered with ease with a logo that captures the viewer’s attention. The right company logo will always bring to mind a single company and its service or products. This is the one reason that big companies pay huge fees to have a logo designed by a professional logo designer. The logo designer knows that the logo artwork has to be memorable to have a lasting impact on the potential customer. The logo could bring to mind what the company does for its clients, or it could be the company name in First Letters. The logo could be an action image or a part of a visual text message. The art of a logo takes many avenues to portray the company as unique. The more eye catching, and at the same time, mind stimulating, the better the logo. Stimulating the thought processes, as well as creating attention, is the hallmark of a good logo. A graphic designer that can do both with a logo design is going to do well with many clients that understand what a logo is all about. This ability is one part creativity and one part art. Doing both at the same time is somewhat akin to making gold from lead. A great logo will generate interest in the company, and if the products or services are up to standard, the logo will help the business grow. Getting the customer’s attention is the first step, and all that follows is up to the company. Sales and growth follow from getting the customer to recognize you from all your competitors. A great logo will make a company stand out from all the rest.

Website design and graphics
Web page design is supposed to get the message to the viewer as quickly and strongly as possible. A solid image or design can do just that, and this is the function of a web page graphic designer. Website development companies pay very good money to graphic designers and writers to make standout web pages for their clients. The site graphics will make the web page interesting and pleasurable to view. Appealing pages will help get the message across to the viewers and lodge it better in their memory. Memorable pages will help the viewer remember the web site, the company, and what the company delivers to the client. A well-designed site also conveys professionalism and competence. A junky web site with poor graphics will create a terrible impression. Impressions of what the business is like will gain customer confidence, if it is good. A poor first impression is hard to overcome. Excellent graphics will carry out a solid first impression. This is where a talented graphic designer can make a difference.

It becomes quite obvious when viewing a website if a good graphic artist had any input into the site development. Some of these artists are also very good at website building as well as the art. This type of individual is worth their weight in gold to the company. They can do both jobs, and this is a rare ability to do both well.

Graphic design for a printer or screen-printer
Companies that put ink on paper and all other sorts of objects are either owned by a solid graphic designer, or they have one on staff in their art room. All printing, no matter what kind, starts with the artwork for the job. After the sale is made, the printing company will have to have usable artwork to do the job. Someone has to do the work and make it happen.

Screen printers use graphic artists a great deal if they do t-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps. Many times, the client wants a text message, but has no art to go with the message. A company may have a business name, but never get around to having a logo designed. This is good business for the printer and the graphic artist that works for or with the firm. This again shows the versatility of work that a graphic designer can be involved with and get paid very well to deliver.

Advertising in all forms uses graphic design
Advertising comes in all sorts of printed forms, billboards, bus ads, electronic ads, printed paper, printed cardboard, product cards, poster boards, or just about anything a person can put a message or logo on. Advertising specialty items are routinely completed with a message and a logo. Tech sheets are made up for products to highlight the advantages and use of the product. An ad agency may have many types of clients, and a creative graphic artist can find excellent work and pay at such a firm. Agency work may involve many types of graphic work for a designer. They will probably need print work, newspaper work, TV images, and web images. The ad campaign will dictate the work that needs to be finished by a pro. Some agencies farm out this work, and some have an in-house graphic designer on staff. If you have the talent and the art boards to show your work, you will be able to locate work in bigger cities.

Most grocery store chains and auto parts chains have an in-house artist, as they are always doing new artwork for the papers. Most large franchise operations have a central staff that does their artwork. There are a multitude of jobs that can be found by just looking at who puts out advertising.

Newspapers and TV stations have a need
Both of these common advertising vehicles usually have in-house staff to do their artwork for their clients. Newspapers are always under the gun to get finished in time for the next edition. TV stations use video and still art to get the message out. A graphic expert will add to the quality of the finished product. Since TV is primarily visual, this lends itself to good graphics with a solid message.

Printers that specialize in newspaper work usually do local inserts for the newspapers. This is usually the only work they do, and they are pros at getting it done on time. There are printers that do the same thing with flyers, and they need the graphics before they can go to print.

Graphic designers can also get into art prints like screen-printed numbered prints or posters. These are really good artists who use this medium to do their work. They may only be doing it on the side to make a little extra money. It does not matter why they are doing it, but it takes graphic skill and knowledge to pull off pieces that will sell.

Awnings, canvas, and vinyl items with graphics
This is a niche area for screen-printing and will need a graphic designer that can work on a larger scale than normal. There are also vinyl see through materials that can have an image put on them and then sold to larger pleasure boats in marinas. They block the sun without blocking the view. Canvas and vinyl are used to cover shipments on semi-trucks, and many owners want they name and logo on the coverings. Some classic car owners do the same thing. As with all this other work, none of this can be done without the help of a graphic artist.

Corporations and graphic designers
Corporations use graphic artists to develop images and presentations that are needed to give large meetings and new product presentations. These are usually one of a kind situations and need to be done right, but only one time. They may need a large banner and notebooks with images and visually stimulating pages. Corporations will spend good money on these types of meetings. They are very anxious to get the message out in the most dramatic and memorable way. Company conventions and picnics are another area where the company graphic artist may be called upon to make up a design that captures the heart of the meeting or event.

Engineering firms and architectural firms
Each of these firms could have the standard requirements of a company along with presentation pieces that detail the project. Most of these companies will hire out a freelancing graphic artist, but they will pay for quality work. Their current project is what may get them the next job, and they want it presented in its most effective visual form. A creative graphic designer could specialize with these types of companies and do very well over a year’s time. Their needs will be particular to their business and the service they provide, but it could be presented in a graphic form that gets the message out loud and clear. The use of a visual message with text or the spoken word is standard these days. It is also extremely effective. The visual will attract attention and help get the prospect to read or listen with an open mind. A good working relationship between these two groups of creative people will help a company prosper.

Conclusions
Visual communication is what graphic design is all about when you get to the bottom line. Learning to be a graphic designer usually starts with the ability to draw. This natural talent is then formally honed into a skill by going to a college that offers this special education. There are specific rules that should be learned, and this is part of what a student in this field will acquire. They will also learn how to design a visual that gets the message across to the viewer. This, along with an artist’s eye for color combinations and impression, will make the visual come alive.

Graphic work is available in a number of different companies, and some of them are less obvious than others. Ad agencies and printing companies are fairly natural places to find a graphic artist on staff. Web development companies are also a business that needs graphic work done when building a web page. Graphic design is found in magazines and newspapers, as the clients need help with their ads. Screen-printing companies will almost always have a graphic artist associated closely with them. They need this kind of talent all the time in order to help their customers with their projects. This type of work can be very creative and therefore be constantly stimulating and enjoyable to do.


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