So, you’re thinking
about getting into a creative career. With all the creative disciplines out
there you're wondering if graphic design is right for you? In this I'm going to
suggest a couple of key questions you can ask yourself. I propose these
questions because your answers will give you a good indication if graphic
design is something you should consider. By the end of this video you should be
able to decide if graphic design is right for you.
If you can answer yes to all the following questions then graphic design will
be a suitable creative create for you. However, if you answer no to some of
them you may want to reconsider if graphic design is right for you.
So, the first question
is: Are you good at drawing? To be able to draw and sketch you will be able to
communicate your ideas visually not just to yourself but to others which can be
crucial in the ideas process. Sketching is a great method to render your
imagination fast and bring your initial ideas out of your mind to rule out
anything you feel may or may not work. Every designer should be able to draw
and sketch to some degree.
Can you communicate well verbally? Indeed, graphic design is all about communicating visually but it is essential that you can also talk about your ideas. Sometimes you will need to sell your ideas at a presentation to win that pitch, get that job or convince a client your idea is strong.
Can you present your work? Do you have the confidence to present your work to others? How about a room full of strangers? There will be occasions where you will have to present your work either to other team members, clients or at an interview. This is an essential requirement.
Do you like to research? A big part of the design process is research and discovery. To produce interesting and original work a lot of time will need to be spent researching. Do you like the problem solve? Graphic design is not just about creating great looking images. Graphic design can be extremely challenging requiring a lot of research, understanding, thinking and development. Often you will have to create exciting visual solutions to challenging design briefs. Are you good at conceptual thinking? One of the most attractive qualities any employer will look for is the ability to think outside of the box. A potential employer will not only be looking for high quality execution of your work but high quality of ideas.
Can you communicate well verbally? Indeed, graphic design is all about communicating visually but it is essential that you can also talk about your ideas. Sometimes you will need to sell your ideas at a presentation to win that pitch, get that job or convince a client your idea is strong.
Can you present your work? Do you have the confidence to present your work to others? How about a room full of strangers? There will be occasions where you will have to present your work either to other team members, clients or at an interview. This is an essential requirement.
Do you like to research? A big part of the design process is research and discovery. To produce interesting and original work a lot of time will need to be spent researching. Do you like the problem solve? Graphic design is not just about creating great looking images. Graphic design can be extremely challenging requiring a lot of research, understanding, thinking and development. Often you will have to create exciting visual solutions to challenging design briefs. Are you good at conceptual thinking? One of the most attractive qualities any employer will look for is the ability to think outside of the box. A potential employer will not only be looking for high quality execution of your work but high quality of ideas.
Great ideas will get you
far in the industry. Can you harness your creativity into realistic solutions? A
lot of work you will have to produce as a graphic designer will need to be
practical and functional. You will not always have the creative freedom to do
whatever you want. If you are an extremely passionate artistically creative
person you will need to be able to control it. To have good judgment and
discipline to produce a result that works best for the brief.
Can you work with limitations? There will be lots of occasions where you may not have all the creative freedom you want are you happy working under someone else's direction, to rules grids and guidelines set by other designers.
Can you pay close attention to detail? To achieve high standards, you will need to pay closer attention to details. In most cases you will be responsible for your work. it won't reflect well on you if there are mistakes or errors that could have been avoided.
Are you happy creating commercial work? Most graphic design work today is commercial. Depending on the agency or company you work for you will often have to create work for commercial clients. Are you happy creating work for commercial application or would you prefer to create work for more cultural or personal artistic achievement? Do you have a passion for typography? Type is one of the fundamental creative elements of graphic design. There is a lot to be learned about the anatomy of type and how to use type well. As a graphic designer you will need to have a keen interest in typography and be able to apply it well.
Can you work with limitations? There will be lots of occasions where you may not have all the creative freedom you want are you happy working under someone else's direction, to rules grids and guidelines set by other designers.
Can you pay close attention to detail? To achieve high standards, you will need to pay closer attention to details. In most cases you will be responsible for your work. it won't reflect well on you if there are mistakes or errors that could have been avoided.
Are you happy creating commercial work? Most graphic design work today is commercial. Depending on the agency or company you work for you will often have to create work for commercial clients. Are you happy creating work for commercial application or would you prefer to create work for more cultural or personal artistic achievement? Do you have a passion for typography? Type is one of the fundamental creative elements of graphic design. There is a lot to be learned about the anatomy of type and how to use type well. As a graphic designer you will need to have a keen interest in typography and be able to apply it well.
Do you like working in teams? Are you people person or do you prefer to work alone in your own space? As a graphic designer you will have to be able to work with others on many levels be it collaboratively, taking instructions or giving instruction. Can you take direction from others?
You often get the
opportunity to work on your own design but there will be times especially early
on in your career where you will have to take creative direction from a senior
member of staff or client. Are you happy to work to someone else's ideas or do
you prefer to work your own designs? Can you work under pressure? You will
always have to work to some sort of deadline and often this can be tight. This
will put pressure on you to produce good creative solutions to a particular deadline.
You will have to be comfortable working to a deadline and have good time
management. Are you happy working under pressure or do you prefer to do your
own thing in your own time?
Can you work to a specific brief? You will most likely always have to work to some kind of brief. You may have a certain degree of freedom within the brief but you will have to create something specific that a brief will require. Are you happy working to a particular brief or do you prefer complete and utter freedom on what you create?
Can you take criticism? You will have to be comfortable taking criticism. It's a big part of being a graphic designer. As you work with clients or other members of a team you may often get all things about your work you may not like to hear. Whether it's right or wrong people will have an opinion and more often than not it will not be personal. You will need to keep an open mind and be objective.
Are you prepared to work on a computer most of the time? Graphic design is typically a desk job and you will find yourself using a computer most of the time. Can you see yourself being creative for the foreseeable future? Graphic design can be real fun but it is by no means an easy job. You will have to be creative on demand to a brief and to deadline. This can take a lot of energy and determination. Sometimes you may have to do things you do not like. So those are some key questions you can ask yourself.
Can you work to a specific brief? You will most likely always have to work to some kind of brief. You may have a certain degree of freedom within the brief but you will have to create something specific that a brief will require. Are you happy working to a particular brief or do you prefer complete and utter freedom on what you create?
Can you take criticism? You will have to be comfortable taking criticism. It's a big part of being a graphic designer. As you work with clients or other members of a team you may often get all things about your work you may not like to hear. Whether it's right or wrong people will have an opinion and more often than not it will not be personal. You will need to keep an open mind and be objective.
Are you prepared to work on a computer most of the time? Graphic design is typically a desk job and you will find yourself using a computer most of the time. Can you see yourself being creative for the foreseeable future? Graphic design can be real fun but it is by no means an easy job. You will have to be creative on demand to a brief and to deadline. This can take a lot of energy and determination. Sometimes you may have to do things you do not like. So those are some key questions you can ask yourself.
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