Advice for a potential graphic design novice

April 28, 2009 12:57 PM

Attention all graphic designers: could you answer a few questions for a potential novice?

I'm a university graduate who is belatedly considering going back to school for a degree in graphic design. However, at the present time this idea is a little silly given my complete lack of knowledge on the subject.

I think I have a good eye and I can draw reasonably well. A little while ago I had the faint flickering of an idea that I could turn this into gainful employment via graphic design.

I realize this isn't the most solid foundation for a career, so I have some questions.

1. For the most part, I'm looking for a primer on what graphic design involves (links/ book recommendations would be great). I'm only dimly aware of what the day-to-day responsibilities of a graphic designer are, and what sorts of things they learn while completing their degree. In addition, I know there must be different branches of the discipline (print, web design, etc.), but I don't know very much.

2. In general, what is the salary like? Is there typically a healthy demand for graphic designers?

3. I have basic computer skills, but I'm no expert. It's not that I have anything against computers, and I'm sure I could learn whatever is needed without too much difficulty, but I just haven't been into computers for the past few years. Is this a difficult hurdle to overcome?

4. I'm in Canada. Any recommendations for good graphic design schools? Europe is a possibility as well...

Thanks. I realize these might be a little vague, but if you could offer any general information or advice, that would be great.

posted by Hyperbolus to media & arts (12 comments total)

Also, I might be interested in studying illustration in addition to graphic design.
posted by Hyperbolus at 12:58 PM on April 28, 2009

Before you go whole hog and commit to a higher degree in a field you know little about, why don't you take one class at a school near you and see if it suits you. This page at the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (sort of the Canadian version of AIGA) can direct you toward schools that have classes and programs in the field.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:10 PM on April 28, 2009

Despite the inanity of the question asked in this earlier post, there are some good resources/answers in it.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 1:31 PM on April 28, 2009

I have known several people who were the "love to draw" type and they ended up washing out of design school because graphic design is not drawing. It can involve drawing, sometimes, but it is mostly computer work. You need to really like using a computer. This may not be you but I'll put that out there.

In design school you can expect classes that will teach you software like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Quark, Dreamweaver or other HTML, possibly Flash and some others. Then you have studio classes where you are using that software to create packaging, brochures, posters, magazines, logos and branding and other supposed real world examples of design. In addition there are usually some illustration classes, possibly some basic print shop technical training, and maybe some project management type classes.

Some programs offer streams so you can focus more on web or more on print. Basically design school trains you on software, technical issues/restrictions of a given medium and then gives you time to create a good portfolio. Your portfolio gets you a job, never your grades.

OCAD and George Brown are well thought of in Ontario, Emily Carr UAD has a good rep in BC.

Designer salaries are not huge. In fact, entry level is pretty crappy. You need to get to Senior Designer/Art Director levels before the salaries are bigger.

Be prepared as an entry level designer, especially in advertising, to give up nights and weekends to meet the "deadline".

Needless to say, like most other industries, there are not a lot of jobs out there.

If you to work on big accounts like Coke, Nike etc you are going to have to go to Toronto or Vancouver. Hope this helps. Memail if you would like more info.
posted by pixlboi at 1:32 PM on April 28, 2009

One of the functions of my job is as the graphic designer for a very small museum. What do I do day in and day out? I put together the museum's newsletter; I make all the signs and exhibition labels; I create ads for newspapers and magazines - and billboards, which is fun; I make posters, brochures, business cards, membership re-enrollment forms, fancy stationary for begging letters; postcards; invitations and anything else that comes up. I take photographs, too. But that's only a portion of my job. I have friends who are designers where that's all they do - they design packaging and websites and also brochures and rack cards and business cards and logos and so on. All - every aspect - of this is done on computers. Once in a great while I will draw something freehand and scan it but that's really rare and it's mostly because illustrator drives me batshit sometimes.

Demand for graphic designers is dropping horribly fast. My freelance friends are finding it more and more difficult to make ends meet; work is either being outsourced at the upper level or, on a lower level, lots of smaller businesses are just not using designers anymore. And then there's less and less work for print as everything moves to the web. I'm lucky in that my job is much more than design, which is often not valued; before I came, they just contracted everything out with local print shops, which is why there's still such a horrible mix of styles and fonts and oh lord, everything, around this place.

Yes, you will need better than basic computer skills and a better than basic computer to go with them. Everything designers do nowadays is done on computers, specifically, with Adobe software. Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator are what you will use day in and day out. Quark is phasing out. Opinion of the web people I know seems to be split on Dreamweaver; I use it to update our existing site.
posted by mygothlaundry at 1:53 PM on April 28, 2009

IANAGD, but I work with them (I'm on the editorial side of things). What I see designers doing mostly is painstakingly creating two or three or ten variations on a vague theme provided by the client; redoing one or some or all of the variations based on vague "critiques" from the client; cleaning up ancient files when someone decides that the cover/banner/whatever from [long time ago] needs to be updated or adapted.

Depending on where you work (if you're in-house), you may also be your own tech support if you work on a Mac but the rest of the office is on Windows. At a previous job, I became the de facto backup tech support for our design crew because our actual tech support guy was often too busy with everyone else's (Windows) needs, and the big boss wouldn't hire even a part-time contract Mac support person.

It's really not all bad, of course - I know lots of designers, and most of them are pretty happy; they've learned to roll their eyes at absurdities.
posted by rtha at 2:08 PM on April 28, 2009

RTHA has it. I was a graphic designer once and now I manage/hire others. It's a field with a high ratio of low-talent to high and a lot of lateral space in the job description.

The best ones that I have known and worked with, oddly, cannot draw more than a few sketches on a napkin, and (sorry but) don't have university degrees in graphic design, but are serious thinkers who are self-book-taught and sharpened by experience. This might be a small sample size problem, but I've also seen the same with computer programmers. Not sure how that happens, but those born to be good at something and those who went to school to learn it don't seem to intersect much, maybe? Anyway, an awful lot of people who call themselves graphic designers are really photoshop or web mechanics who just know how to make pretty things. Not the same.

A designer's is a problem-solving job: "Achieve these four goals within these constraints without adding extra stuff we don't need. And on this timeline."

Using some tools, whether software or sharpie, isn't that important: you learn that. Identifying a project's goals, or making sense of / correcting stupid goals so that you can apply more leverage, is what kicks you into the next level.

Careful with GDC advice. They're like AIGA, only more pompous, in that they will tell you it's the world's greatest and most important career. To be fair, their purpose is trade-unionish: they want people to treat "graphic design" as a profession on par with, like, medicine (they're even pushing to have designers put little MD type letters after their names if they're "certified" (paid their fees.) They are convinced that their font choices can save the planet. Painful to listen to at length. (That said, some of those who don't take themselves too seriously can drink really well.)

Designers are not artists, they're engineers. If you think like an engineer, you can do very well as a designer, but if you think like an artist.... be an artist. You'll keep your soul and be happier.
posted by rokusan at 4:10 PM on April 28, 2009

Some good advice so far, thanks.

Just to clarify: my BA has nothing to do with graphic design in any way. It's in history.
posted by Hyperbolus at 5:38 PM on April 28, 2009

A designer's is a problem-solving job: "Achieve these four goals within these constraints without adding extra stuff we don't need. And on this timeline."

I second this. I was a painter/artist/whatever when I was a kid but decided to get my degree in Graphic design. In school you learn about theory and it's quite high-minded which does prepare you for the job somewhat. However, a lot of what you do is problem solving and most schools don't address this or any of the business aspects of the job. Of course, designers do all sorts of things and the job varies if you work in-house, for a ad agency, a boutique design firm, freelance etc. I've worked for a small boutique firm and for myself and in both instances I spent a lot of time managing clients. Honestly, the creative 'design' part can be a tiny part of what you do depending on where you work.

Salary, well, starting out can be low. I'd say high 20k-low 30k in the US. It's regional, but you can check out AIGA's salary survey for US-specific information. I looked into working in England and Canada and in both instances salaries were drastically less than the US (compared to living expenses) but that was before the US dollar tanked so I'm not sure that's still true. Senior designers and Art Directors make more, of course, and that's great if you make it past the years of paying your dues working insane hours for low pay without burning out. A lot of people I went to school with are no longer designers.

I guess my advice is that if you're not sure its for you at least take a class, play with programs (yes, you do 99% of things on computers), read design magazines to get a better feel for the profession. Keep in mind that the projects that you see are often dream projects with real budgets and clients open to interesting design.
posted by Bunglegirl at 6:02 PM on April 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

I have worked as both a graphic designer and a computer animator for a number of years at both small and large companies and for both television and film. I can corroborate most of what has already been said. Here are some further thoughts.

1. The first fact to grasp is that you WILL be sitting behind a computer for LONG LONG HOURS. Are you ok with this. Are you REALLY ok with this?

As you enter the industry, you will be redlined to make deadlines, and as you rise up in the game you will take on more responsibility (supervising / art directing / client face time ) which will eat away more at your personal life.

Examine your values - if you find that you enjoy a work / life balance, are into fitness and health, and enjoy predictable evening and weekend time - then it could be a very rough road.

2. You really need to be passionate about it - because the time commitment is huge. Like I said, long hours, sitting in a chair, staring at a computer. Repeat.

3. Generally, you will rarely draw. Your time will be spent mainly with Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, or what have you. Drawing is a plus, of course, but I have met many well paid graphic designers whose drawings look like they came from the margins of a notebook during high school algebra. In fact, few graphic designers I have met tend to have a grasp of realistic life drawing...but instead are just crazy good at coming up with zany bizarre ideas and drawing weird stuff.

4. The best people I have met tend to be self taught...but that by no means should preclude you from going to a school. I think the self taught shine because they truly love the stuff...if they weren't doing it at work...they'd be doing it at home.

5. The pay can be very good. 60,000 - 100,000+ tends to be the norm for the circles I roam in (this is in LA, and I am talking about both Graphic Design Motion Graphics / Computer Animation). The pay does NOT, in my opinion, cover the time required by the profession. You will work as hard as a young broker...but will get compensated like a high-end mailman (unless you're a superstar).

6. 20 percent of your work will feel personally creative, the other 80 percent of the time you will be working to meet the whims of a client who will generally have about as much idea of what he wants as a 3 year old in a bakery.

7. Generally the industry is a high-stress, fast-paced, impossible deadline-oriented environment that leaves little time for much needed R&R. Freelance as much as possible, resist the temptation to go staff when you are young and always high-ball on price.

8. The stuff that's been said about jobs drying up seems to be nonsense to me. At least there doesn't seem to be a major shortage of jobs in LA (the economy notwithstanding).

As you can tell I am a bit biased and would not generally encourage people into this career if they enjoy an active lifestyle that leaves time for a personal life. That is why I left it :) Good luck with your decision!
posted by jnnla at 6:45 PM on April 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

Don't do it. Study law instead or learn some science. This is coming from a Canadian graphic designer in Montreal who's seeing her years of hard-won skill and knowledge devalued by Craigslist ads offering minimum wage or even less. Too many people have already gone through college-level design courses and are willing to do the job for peanuts.
posted by zadcat at 6:46 PM on April 28, 2009

As a photographer, I've worked with a lot of designers over the years and about a dozen of them are personal friends.

Two of the best have no formal design training and never attended college, except that they've both taught some design courses at the local community college from time to time. Both of these guys are probably the two most creative people I've ever met.

I think nearly all of the advice given so far is on target. I would add that most designers I know would tell you that the biggest potential frustration is dealing with people who think that since everything is done on computer, whipping out 10 different looks for an ad should only take about 30 seconds longer than producing a single version.

This reminds me of the numerous times I'm told on photo shoots that "you can do such and such to the picture in Photoshop". That's when I respond, "Yes you can, but I was unaware that you apparently have an unlimited budget and are extending the deadline by three days."

The general public, including many marketing people, know just enough about the design process to be dangerous.

If you do not have a genuine passion for design, I'd stay away.
posted by imjustsaying at 3:07 AM on April 29, 2009 [2 favorites]