Graphic Designer is Useless.
"Graphic Designer." A completely useless term.
Here I will explain how any aspiring or emerging designer doesn't just need a finesse for 'good ideas' or the ability to artwork, or create a neat looking layout....
It was as the fish came to walk on land through necessity, it is so that the young 'designer' must learn to 'develop' as a result of necessity. The role of the Graphic Designer has evolved from a conceptual and print based implementation role, to that of the all-seeing company patriach.
A client these days has an ever expanding set of requirements. Yes, it is often the case the starting point will be a brand identity. But how long before they require advertising, brochures, websites, marketing campaigns, networking advice, editing, copywriting, SEO.....? As a designer can your portfolio afford to miss out on those opportunities?
The brand identity must of course follow suit throughout all the above mediums so how does the Young Graphic Designer know when to 'let go' of the 'follow-up' projects. Quite simply, we don't.
It is obviously a competitive world where only the most talented and hard working succeed. Without entering a nature/nuture debate the ability to stand out from emerging graphic design peers is dependable on a few factors such as; excellent design skills, team ethic, self management, technical expertise, and the catch 22, experience.
If you lack the latter two, you may find when applying for jobs as a 'Graphic Designer' the door slightly ajar and then politely closed... After all, which commercial enterprise would want to employ someone without experience, or a broad range of technical skills?
Of course it all depends on the post/project being applied/pitched for, but if there is another applicant of equal standing in a 'design, photoshop, illustrator, indesign' type mould, then your ability to develop a project across the internet through web development, networking and SEO will surely make you the BEST PERSON FOR THE PROJECT. Your experience and deliverables can even surpass rivals who are perhaps more creative.
My point is this, the title 'Graphic Designer' no longer really suits in some cases, a term made redundant by the skill set that exceeds it. Ideally, and in part due to competition, he or she will have abilities in Branding and Print Design, be Adobe Trained, with Web Design skills, likely including HTML, CSS, PHP, and of course SEO. All of this combined with advertising, marketing knowledge, networking advice, good ideas, artisitic flair, experience, the ability to project manage, and of course the little extras of copywriting and editing (because you know full well, given the choice you aren't going to wait two weeks for the paragraph change to go through the clients monthly committee meeting).
At best a graphic designer will have in-depth knowledge of the above fields, at worst should have basic understanding to help guide a project to successful conclusion.
To summarise, 'client need/expectation' and 'rival competition' have driven the graphic designer to a pivotal position in business, and in doing so, the skills and services required of a 'Graphic Designer' appear destined for continued expansion - mounting to an ever increasing work load keeping pace with the constantly evolving trade that is 'Graphic Design'.
To be honest though, would we have it any other way?
Just a thought...
Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck -- but, most of all, endurance.
James Arthur Baldwin
And Finally...
'Its not how good you are, Its how good you want to be' by Paul Arden is a book that gave me the kick up the backside I needed in my second year of Uni and highlights the importance of just being the best that you can be.
Here I will explain how any aspiring or emerging designer doesn't just need a finesse for 'good ideas' or the ability to artwork, or create a neat looking layout....
It was as the fish came to walk on land through necessity, it is so that the young 'designer' must learn to 'develop' as a result of necessity. The role of the Graphic Designer has evolved from a conceptual and print based implementation role, to that of the all-seeing company patriach.
A client these days has an ever expanding set of requirements. Yes, it is often the case the starting point will be a brand identity. But how long before they require advertising, brochures, websites, marketing campaigns, networking advice, editing, copywriting, SEO.....? As a designer can your portfolio afford to miss out on those opportunities?
The brand identity must of course follow suit throughout all the above mediums so how does the Young Graphic Designer know when to 'let go' of the 'follow-up' projects. Quite simply, we don't.
It is obviously a competitive world where only the most talented and hard working succeed. Without entering a nature/nuture debate the ability to stand out from emerging graphic design peers is dependable on a few factors such as; excellent design skills, team ethic, self management, technical expertise, and the catch 22, experience.
If you lack the latter two, you may find when applying for jobs as a 'Graphic Designer' the door slightly ajar and then politely closed... After all, which commercial enterprise would want to employ someone without experience, or a broad range of technical skills?
Of course it all depends on the post/project being applied/pitched for, but if there is another applicant of equal standing in a 'design, photoshop, illustrator, indesign' type mould, then your ability to develop a project across the internet through web development, networking and SEO will surely make you the BEST PERSON FOR THE PROJECT. Your experience and deliverables can even surpass rivals who are perhaps more creative.
My point is this, the title 'Graphic Designer' no longer really suits in some cases, a term made redundant by the skill set that exceeds it. Ideally, and in part due to competition, he or she will have abilities in Branding and Print Design, be Adobe Trained, with Web Design skills, likely including HTML, CSS, PHP, and of course SEO. All of this combined with advertising, marketing knowledge, networking advice, good ideas, artisitic flair, experience, the ability to project manage, and of course the little extras of copywriting and editing (because you know full well, given the choice you aren't going to wait two weeks for the paragraph change to go through the clients monthly committee meeting).
At best a graphic designer will have in-depth knowledge of the above fields, at worst should have basic understanding to help guide a project to successful conclusion.
To summarise, 'client need/expectation' and 'rival competition' have driven the graphic designer to a pivotal position in business, and in doing so, the skills and services required of a 'Graphic Designer' appear destined for continued expansion - mounting to an ever increasing work load keeping pace with the constantly evolving trade that is 'Graphic Design'.
To be honest though, would we have it any other way?
Just a thought...
Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck -- but, most of all, endurance.
James Arthur Baldwin
And Finally...
'Its not how good you are, Its how good you want to be' by Paul Arden is a book that gave me the kick up the backside I needed in my second year of Uni and highlights the importance of just being the best that you can be.
posted by Samuel Manley at
06:06
1 Comments:
Great blog mate
Post a Comment
<< Home