different professions. Although graphic designers are thought of primarily as artists, in

Transcription

1 Just What Does a Graphic Designer Do? The position of Graphic Designer is often actually a compilation of several different professions. Although graphic designers are thought of primarily as artists, in truth, their responsibilities and job descriptions usually require them to also be part business executive, part marketing rep. and even part computer guru. A graphic designer may be a specialist in the field of artistry and still be expected to demonstrate widespread knowledge within these other disciplines as well. Unless a designer secures a position in a large corporation with a fully staffed, art department, many times the designer will be required to act as a business executive. The design process is a chronological process, which usually begins with a meeting between designer and client. During this meeting, the designer must ask many questions in order to bring the client s design needs to light. In this situation, the designer needs to possess excellent communication skills. The designer, according to Susan and Gary Wheeler in their book The Visual Design Primer, must possess two sets of skills. First, he or she must have the skill of a craftsman with tools and drawing skills. Secondly, the designer must have an understanding of the client s visual problem, research, knowledge of the creative process and the ability to trigger, channel and recognize creativity (p 11. Wheeler). All of this know-how is a part of the designer s business skill-set. The client and designer will, at the onslaught of the Page 1 of 7

2 venture, determine the overall goals of the project. These goals could be to increase sales or to highlight a new product, among other possibilities. Defining the project will allow the designer and the client to formulate a plan of action and implement the creative process based on these specific needs (p Goto). As this creative process begins, the designer will work with the client in a process called discovery. During discovery, the feel of the assignment must be determined. Will the look and feel of the project be fun-loving, informative, purebusiness? Who will be the end-user of the product? What are the demographics of that end-user -- what is his or her age, gender, location, income? If there is to be both print media as well as computer-based applications (a website, an interactive CD, PowerPoint presentations, etc.), then what type of capabilities does the typical enduser have incorporated into their computers (p 22. Goto)? These questions must all be answered in order for the designer to produce the most applicable and most compelling art possible for his client and, of course for the end-user of the product. Now is the time when the designer doubles as a marketing rep. Data must be collected. For example, an artist may begin his research by collecting information about his client s competitors. A competitive analysis can be conducted, giving the artist further insight into the needs of the end-user of the product (or service). Information such as: who is buying this type of product already and how these products are already being successfully marketed. The designer need research these issues and precise details thoroughly. Page 2 of 7

3 Whether designing for print, for the web, or for large-scale, live presentations, the graphic designer must still incorporate the basic design elements and principles into the project. When acting as the Artiste, the designer must consider first those elements of design. Some of these are shape, mass, texture and color. Shape is the framework within which the viewer s eye travels (p45. Wheeler). Shape is limited to three choices. A design project can exhibit a square, an S or a pie slice shape. Once shape is decided upon, some color choices must be made. The colors being used can suggest temperature and mood as well as enhance the readability of a piece. Red and yellow are warming colors and blue and green tend to feel cool (p 99. Wheeler). Giving thought to who the end-user is, what the product is, and the tone that must be conveyed, the designer must make careful and considerate color choices. Often color can help create a certain mood. Consideration should be given in regard to the country the majority of end-users reside in. Certain colors have auras to them and these feelings change depending on the country in which they are being viewed (p 24 Holzschlag). Color, used to create contrast, also helps to separate information, draws in the viewer s eye and lets the reader digest the message of the piece more easily (p118. Williams). There are certain principles of design that must be thought-out and incorporated into the art as well. The first of these principles is emphasis. Page 3 of 7

4 Emphasis is the principle of design that generates a necessary focal point in order to attract the viewer (p 37. Wheeler). A designer decides on the focal point and then adds the concept of balance to maintain equality to the visual impact of the piece. Balance can be symmetrical, asymmetrical or radial (p 115. Wheeler). Several elements fall under the heading of unity. Proximity, according to Robin Williams, author of The Non-Designer s Web Book, creates a hierarchy of information. Information needs to be positioned so that designers have three-to-five groupings of information on each page. This allows the eye to receive and follow the message more clearly. Proximity also incorporates the use of white space. White space on the page is just that, white -- or blank -- space that helps the viewer to find their way around the piece. Also a part of unity, according to Wheeler, is the system that it creates. Use of repetition helps to create that system. Repeating certain elements (i.e.: colors, font choice, logo placement, etc.) enhances the unity of the project and creates what some experts refer to as branding. Branding is the recurring use of a certain color, the consistent placement of a logo, or the use of the same fonts throughout a given project (p 114. Williams). Repetition keeps the end-user aware that they are still within the boundaries of that project. Proportion is the principle in which, by varying the sizes of elements in a given piece, the speed of eye movement can be regulated (p 39. Wheeler). Combining Page 4 of 7

5 proportion with shape, the designer can effectually lead the travel of his viewer s eye in a given direction -- and at a certain speed! If knowing -- and showing -- expertise in all the above areas of artistry is not enough; many times a designer will be expected to demonstrate current knowledge of and skills in usage of computer technology and software. Gifs and Jpegs are computer art formats that are industry standards. That is, they are cross-platform and work all computers. Although finished art can be saved in a variety of formats on the computer, gifs are typically used for logotype work that has only a few colors and possibly large bursts of a single color. Jpegs are most appropriate for saving photographs -- while keeping all of their subtleties of detail in tact (p Williams). Computer software is constantly changing and being updated. There are many titles, which perform a variety of operations, and it is often included in the tasks of a graphic designer to utilize that software. For desktop publishing, Macromedia offers Freehand. Many shops use PageMaker. There are still other well-known titles by Corel, Adobe and even Microsoft. In addition, if designing for the web, artists may need to exhibit at least a basic understanding of web page editors such as Microsoft s FrontPage or Macromedia s DreamWeaver. Plus, if a designer is responsible for the animations going into a web page, they will need to be familiar with Macromedia s Flash MX or another, like program. For photo manipulation, the one name that has been an industry standard for many years is Adobe s Photoshop. This software is Page 5 of 7

6 versatile and vital, although it does have a fairly high learning curve. Once a user is proficient, the sky is literally the limit with the creative possibilities included in Photoshop (p 192. Williams). Graphic designers truly are required to work in a multitude of mediums (artistry, business, marketing and technology). They must not only be bursting with creative talent, but moreover boast excellent communication skills. The position also demands a background in marketing as well as being current in computer knowledge. Large companies could employ a separate professional for each of these positions and yet, more commonly, the professional graphic designer must somehow be astute and versatile enough to know how to manage all four of these separate careers and yet combine them into one. REFERENCES Goto, K. and Cotter, E. (2002). Web ReDesign/Workflow that Works. New Riders. Holzshlag, M. (1999). Satisfying Customers With Color, Shape, and Type Wheeler, S. and Wheeler, G. (2002). The Visual Design Primer. Pearson Education Inc. Page 6 of 7

7 Williams, R. and Tollet, J. (2001). The Non-Designer s Web Book. Peachpit Press. Page 7 of 7