How to become a graphic designer

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Graphic designers are visual communicators. In this role, you’ll be using your creativity and artistic skills to build brand identity, communicate a message and market products. You’ll be creating attractive visuals for companies and clients across a wide range of industries.

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What does a graphic designer do?

A graphic designer may work on an in-house or freelance basis, or for a creative agency. If you work in-house, you’ll be focusing on one company, though you may work across multiple brands. If you work on a freelance basis or for a creative agency, then you’ll be working with a range of different clients, possibly across different industries. Your role will be to create visuals to build a brand or market a product. You could be designing visuals for packaging, or creating social media assets, or designing elements of a website. The exact project you’re working on will depend on the needs of the client. As you’re working for a brand or company, you’ll have to adhere to the brief provided to ensure you hit the right tone and messaging for the overall brand.

What’s it like to work as a graphic designer?

Working as a graphic designer can be very different depending on the client or brand you’re working with. Some of the common tasks in the job include:

Using client requirements to come up with ideas
Negotiating budgets and deadlines
Presenting ideas
Using specialist software to create and prepare designs
Taking client feedback onboard
Refining the design to gain approval
Communicating requirements to team members
Producing a final product incorporating feedback and requirements

What skills do you need to be a graphic designer?

As well as being good at drawing, there are other skills you’ll need to succeed in this career, including:

Attention to detail
Communication skills
Creativity
Flexibility
Imagination
Presentation skills
Self-motivation

If you’re working as a freelance graphic designer, you’ll also need to have great self-motivation and strong networking abilities.

How much does a graphic designer earn?

An early career graphic designer can expect to earn £18,000 and up. Your earnings may be higher if you opt to work as a freelance designer, but you may not always have work if you take this route. As you progress through your career, you could be earning over £60,000 as a creative director.

Source: Prospects

How to become a graphic designer

Study a graphic design degree

One of the best ways to learn all the skills you’ll need is to study a graphic design degree. Undergraduate degrees usually take three years, but you could extend your degree to four years by adding a foundation year, year in industry or year abroad if your university offers these options. Courses with a foundation year offer you more chance to learn different artistic techniques before you embark on the full course, and typically require fewer UCAS points than the three-year course.

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Do a degree apprenticeship in graphic design

If you can find the opportunity, a degree apprenticeship in graphic design is a great way to study while earning. You’ll work for an employer, who will fund your course and allow you to study and attend classes on a day-release basis. This route means that not only will you be earning a salary, but you also won’t have to worry about a tuition fee loan as your employer will pay these costs to the university.

Study a postgraduate degree in graphic design

If you’re not sure you want to be a graphic designer, don’t worry! You’ll have chance after your undergraduate degree, as there are loads of postgraduate courses in graphic design available. You may need to have done your undergraduate degree in a related subject, and work experience or internships will also help your application to stand out. Postgraduate degrees usually take one year to complete studying full-time, or two years if you opt to study part-time.

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Work experience and internships

Technically, you don’t need a qualification to become a graphic designer, although it does help you to stand out. If the degree route isn’t for you, then you can look to go down the work experience route. Completing internships with creative agencies will help to build your CV and your portfolio, and you may find you’re able to secure work off the back of that. Getting your foot in the door can be tricky, but once you’ve secured a couple of internships or work experience placements, you’ll start to network and develop your portfolio, which will make it easier to find your next job.