Web Design To Graphic Design?

December 29, 2005 12:34 AM

Where can a current IT student find more info about going into the Graphic Design field? Does anyone have suggestions for a good Graphic Design college or program, preferably in North Carolina?

Two years ago, I started at a community college to get an IT degree with hopes of going on to a 4 year school. I should be finished with my degree this semster... but now I'm totally disillusioned with sticking to just the IT field. I've developed a love for Graphic Design, but I don't know where to start with getting a degree in it.

I've worked hard, learned tons of new things, taught people (including teachers) what I know. I've developed several sites for the college and have been referred to as one of the top three students in the college's large IT program.

I was always better at CSS & X/HTML than I was at programming or databases. Playing with Photoshop was always more fun that playing with Python for me. So I've decide I want to move over to Graphic Design. I've had some experience, having spent the last year and a half as either the web editor, design editor, or editor-in-chief of the student magazine and designing ads for several clients (including BoA).

Any ideas where to start?

posted by aristan to education (12 comments total)

I should probably mention that I'm not a 'traditional' student, being 27 yo, so I'd rather not start all over as a freshman.
posted by aristan at 12:42 AM on December 29, 2005

My friend is a kick-ass designer and illustrator. He has an art degree of some sort from one of the state universities here. His take was that the "Art Institue of XXXXX" and similar art schools were a waste of money. You could get a decent intro to design and the opportunity to build your portfolio at any half-way decent art program at a public university for a hell of a lot less money than the programs at those commercial art schools.

I don't have any specific advice for your area, but I think the same thing probably holds true since it doesn't sound like you aspire to enter a top design program.
posted by Good Brain at 12:56 AM on December 29, 2005

North Carolina Graphic Design Colleges and Universities.

In particular for what you are looking for, you should check out The School of Communications Arts between Raleigh and Wake Forest.
posted by 3.2.3 at 1:13 AM on December 29, 2005

I was nearly in the same position, aritstan. My designer friends (having them is a good start) say the best way to learn design is to work with designers. This will happen in a web design agency, for example, and you may be able to transfer your job skills over time.

Instead I did cross-disciplinary postgrad study, making IT and art, which taught me at least about the things which designers find important.

What's also useful is to have established designers comment on your work. Have a look at www.designologue.com for starters.

Keep those creative juices flowing! Collect, relate, create, donate :-)
posted by cogat at 2:41 AM on December 29, 2005

NCSU College of Design
posted by Dean King at 7:32 AM on December 29, 2005

FWIW, I went to and had a close friend who majored in art with a concentration in graphic design and is now in graduate school outside of London. UNCG has a decent reputation among schools on the east coast, and is considered the public institution in North Carolina for the visual and performing arts. It's inexpenisive, in a central location, and somewhat of a non-traditional experience all around. Only about a third of students live on campus, and many, many students are "non-traditional/adult," that is, over 25.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 7:36 AM on December 29, 2005

Argh, that should say I went to The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
posted by sara is disenchanted at 7:42 AM on December 29, 2005

My friend, and the best graphic designer I know, went to school for Psychology. He never got a GD degree, but he has been working at a small web development firm since graduating college.

While you may not get into a huge company without a degree, most places are going to give you a job more based on your portfolio than your degree.

Who cares what school you went to for GD if your artwork is unappealing to the person hiring you? Who cares if you went to school if your artwork blows away the person hiring you!

If your concern is learning, and not the piece of paper, then I suppose I'm sidestepping your question. If your concern is getting into the field, though -- forget about school unless you're doing it for the learning itself, and not the piece of paper. Just put together a great portfolio and start applying for jobs.

If you need resources to learn about graphic design, I'll step aside and let others answer. Graphic design is my weakest point, and I hate that about myself because I love doing web stuff.

If you're ever interested in teaming up with a programmer, let me know. I've got a great "portfolio" of really cool database driven websites, but my design skills are totally lacking. I'll be checking this thread just to see if people can recommend good places to learn design!
posted by twiggy at 7:53 AM on December 29, 2005

You sound exactly like me. As a Liberal Arts grad working in IT as a web designer I've had a hard time finding design programs that are willing to accept non-fine arts degree-holders in grad school. But it sounds like moving onto a 4yr school with a good visual communication program will work for you. Or switch over to the fine arts track, focus on graphic design to get the basics out of the way before transferring to a larger school.

I got my job without any direct formal graphic arts education, but I was a great amateur talent--in fact, one website I made impressed the graphic designer at my office and that's how I got the job offer. If you can boost your design skills and keep your programming skills up to do date, you'll have some good job prospects. Good luck.
posted by lychee at 8:46 AM on December 29, 2005

First, to find out more information about the graphic design field in general, check out the AIGA. They have a few local chapters in North Carolina. Go to a few events and meet some designers. The AIGA is much more print/traditional-focused than web design, but I strongly believe that design is primarily about communication, not the medium. A well-rounded designer should be able to work in almost any medium to communicate the message.

Second, start reading design publications such as Communication Arts, Graphis, How, and Step. Web design publications are primarily online (appropriate). Check these out: k10k, Newstoday, Pixelsurgeon, and Design is Kinky.

Third, try to find a GD program that will teach you the concepts of design more than the tools. Tools are important, but you can always learn on the job or on your own. Learning how to design is a lot harder to do in the non-school environment. Also, don't worry about the degree. No one in this industry looks at your degree, they look at your portfolio.

Good luck!
posted by lunarboy at 11:13 AM on December 29, 2005

NC State in Raleigh is best known for its schools of agriculture and engineering, and the overall atmosphere on campus is colored by that emphasis; but there is a little known oasis in the midst of all that called The School of Design. I audited classes there about ten years ago and enjoyed every minute of it.
posted by Huplescat at 2:12 PM on December 29, 2005

Thanks for all your help, guys. I've been interested in NC State's Design program, but unsure of it. Now I just have to figure out what to do until next December. (The Graphic design program only accepts students during the Fall Semster, and it's already too late to apply for next fall. Damn them.)
posted by aristan at 2:42 PM on December 29, 2005